7 Ups & 6 Downs From E3 2019

3. So Many Subscription Services

Uplay+ Ubisoft
Ubisoft

If there was one thing you couldn't move for at E3 2019, it was subscription services. Though the industry has been edging towards this kind of payment model for a while now, 2019 and 2020 will be the years where it's properly embraced, especially now that Google has formally announced its plans for the Stadia.

Microsoft's Games Pass has been a welcome addition to the Xbox family, and at E3 the company doubled down on their commitment to supporting the subscription service and making it even more appealing to gamers.

At an affordable price, the console maker announced a whole host of bundles, as well as the fact that it's now available on PC. Even better, the exclusives coming to Xbox were all revealed to be coming to Games Pass as well, with Microsoft making it clear that the service will be a huge part their push for Project Scarlett.

Ubisoft got in on the action as well, announcing UPlay Plus, a $15-a-month service that will give players access to a whole host of the publisher's games. The thing is, though, who really wants to play the same Ubisoft game over and over again?

It will get to the point where players are completely smothered by different subscriptions, but for now, it's a fight to see who can become the first "Netflix for games".

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.