Subscription-based models have taken over the gaming industry, and shooters are no exception. Nowadays, almost every popular shooter includes a battle pass or some sort of membership system that automatically unlocks in-game characters or skins for players. If you’re a die-hard fan of multiple shooters, you may have a handful of these subscriptions – which can be a bit overwhelming. If that’s your case, you may be experiencing subscription fatigue.
Subscription fatigue is a term that’s pretty easy to understand: it’s the feeling you get for to not making the most of all of your booked subscriptions. If you have multiple subscriptions but a very limited number of gaming hours, it’s very likely you end up going through this phenomenon.
In this article we will explore the causes of subscription fatigue in the FPS world and we will provide you with some tips to minimize its impact on your life.
Subscriptions in most popular shooters
If you think of subscription-based models, the first thought that will pop up in your mind will probably be streaming services. However, this model has transcended a barrier and is now highly popular in the gaming industry, especially for shooters.
For instance, in Operation New Blood, Ubisoft released a Membership system for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. With a monthly cost of US$9,99 or a yearly cost of US$79,99, players could have access to the premium battle pass for the remaining Year 9 seasons and a handful of unique cosmetics given to players on the 28th of every month.
Another example can be found in Riot Games’ shooter Valorant, a game that includes a premium battle pass that costs US$10 to unlock. Additionally, Valorant’s shop format pushes you to check the store every day to see if you have access to prestigious weapon skins; while you don’t pay to have access to the store, you’re linked to it and may end up spending US$20 if the right skin shows up.
Moreover, console players must pay for PS Plus or Xbox Game Pass to have access to some of their favorite titles. Steam also offers a subscription system, and many others. As we’re so exposed to subscriptions and offers, subscription fatigue is unavoidable.
According to an ExpressVPN survey that included 4,000 people across the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, nearly 40% confessed being overwhelmed by the number of digital subscriptions they own.
Although subscription services should make our lifes easier, sometimes they can have the opposite impact. Therefore, here is some advice for you to combat subscription fatigue:
How to manage your FPS subscriptions
Whether you own one or multiple subscriptions, here are some questions you must ask yourself to properly manage your FPS subscriptions:
Is the subscription worth it?
The most important question is asking yourself if the subscription is going to get you the best value for money. The truth is that, in shooters, subscriptions don’t follow a pay-to-win system – which means you don’t have to pay to get better, you only pay to have access to unique cosmetics and characters.
Before purchasing a subscription, evaluate what it offers first. If you aren’t interested in what’s included, you may want to skip it. You will have more time to focus on other subscriptions that may offer more unique cosmetics or better game modes.
Have there been changes to my subscription?
With the concept of subscription systems in the gaming world being very recent, companies are still changing them – including their price. For instance, on July, Apex Legends’ battle pass went through some changes that ended up with the community writing over 30,000 overwhelmingly negative reviews of the game on Steam.
As subscriptions go through so many tweaks, you may want to follow them closely as their price and what they have to offer may change in the future.
When is my subscription being renewed?
Renewing your subscription is as important as getting it for the first time. Make sure that you know when it’s being renewed so you don’t lose access to the game’s unique features.
Conclusion
Subscription-based models are not just the present but also the future of the FPS world. As players want to differentiate themselves from the rest, these subscriptions can be the perfect solution; however, subscription fatigue is likely to be a consequence if these aren’t managed properly. We highly encourage FPS players to be mindful of it and regularly assess their options to keep their peace of mind.