Trackmania Subscription-Base Scheme Explained By Ubisoft
Ubisoft Nadeo managing director Florent “Hylis” Castelnerac recently published a tweet in which he confirmed that Trackmania is subscription-based then clarified that ‘it’s not the point’.
To provide some context, the developer said this in response to some of the criticism received for having a subscription-based model for the upcoming racing game, Trackmania.
Apparently, some fans have expressed their displeasure with the pricing scheme as they would rather make one full investment for the game as opposed to incrementally renewing a subscription annually.
Castelnerac maintains that paying $10 for a year of the service with an opportunity to pay for another year makes more sense than making one big investment. In his opinion, it is a win for the players and game developers alike because a renewed subscription will serve as funding to further the development of the game. The alternative is implementing microtransactions after a full purchase; a method that is often met much scrutiny.
“We set a top limit to it because most engaged players can sometimes spend a lot and that we want to leave no one out of the track. Of course, that amount is a lot, but $20 per year is still something we believe is okay for one of your top online activity.” Castelnerac said. According to him, players who are more invested and willing to make further investments should be allowed an opportunity to do just that, hence the $30-yearly subscription option. Of course, the $30 package comes with a number of perks, such as full-on “Club Access,” which includes admission to special racing leagues, exclusive skins, and more.
However, the $10 package is not that bad at all as it grants full access to the Trackmania track editor.
Also, it is important to note that the base game is free to play with no subscriptions, and it still has solo and multiplayer races, with the roster of 25 tracks rotating on a quarterly basis.
In conclusion, the yearly subscription model is here to stay and the managing director has made his case in support of it and has addressed the concerns of the concerned parties.
The Trackmania reboot is scheduled for release on July 1, 2020.
