Are Games Transitioning From a Product to a Service?

It started with MMORPG's years ago -- a subscription-based business model for a video game. Years later, Microsoft's Xbox brought a similar idea to consoles with Xbox Live. Now, this idea is more present in the industry than ever. Sony has Playstation Plus, Activision started Elite for Call of Duty, and Battlefield is following in its footsteps with Premium. With all of these things publishers and developers have us pay for beyond the initial purchase of a game, are games going to start being looked at as services rather than products?

[dorron]

Thank Activision, COD and Bobby Kotick for this...

[h311rais3r]

Dont you just love money squeezing CEOs who get over inflated salaries for absolutely nothing :)

[JBSleek]

Well isn't all forms of media turning into a service from music, movies, books, etc.

As we move towards more digital is just makes sense to move it into a package and move away from the standard model. This doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing.

Well Steam, GameFly, Origin, BF Premium, CoD Elite, etc are all services.

[ginsunuva]

I hate publishers.

[Hufandpuf]

And they love you!

[yoyo12121]

BF Premium is nothing like CoD Elite
I don't know why people keep saying it is

[grahf]

Really?
From the Battlefield 3 Premium website:
"Key Features

All Five Expansion Packs with Early Access
Stand out with Exclusive in-game items
Powerful New Features
Exclusive Online Double XP Events
Insider Tactics from DICE"

From the Elite page:

"MW3 Season of Content
Year Round MW3 Competition
Level Up your MW3 Clan
Pro Analysis & Strategy for MW3
Call of Duty ELITE TV for MW3
And Much More..."

Sounds pretty identical to me. I pay $50, I get early access to ALL DLC maps, some cool swag, some extra crap I don't care about, and thats about it.

Please enlighten all of us where they are different.

[yoyo12121]

Because elite is a subscription monthly and premium is a one time fee and in premium you get more than that shitty elite

[snipes101]

If youre suggesting that i said they were similar in the article, i didnt. I merely mentioned them both as subscription-based services. They are.

[yoyo12121]

Premium isn't a subscription it's a one time fee

[mananimal]

Yes they are, it was always the plan, more $$, more CONTROL for the Oligarchy, the Rich, the Corporate Tyrants, over YOU, the gamer.......as for me? lol hmph! I decided sometime ago....to not let this Hobby get in the way of the underline principal, which is.....I'll stick with "what I can Control" by playing my vast Library of Older titles & systems, & Leave the bending over to the masses of sheeple(STEAM, ONLIVE, Gaikai, Xbox Live Gold , & all
other forms of DRM)..