Larian’s publishing director, Michael Douse, recently criticized Ubisoft’s decision to disband the development team behind Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, attributing it to a “broken strategy” that favors subscription models over direct game sales. Douse argues that prioritizing subscription-based access over traditional sales undercuts games’ longevity and the development teams’ stability.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was received well critically, earning an 86 on Metacritic. Despite its quality, Ubisoft has redirected the development team to other projects, claiming their expertise could benefit additional titles. For Douse, this move reflects Ubisoft’s focus on subscription revenue and shift away from traditional ownership, exemplified by Ubisoft’s reluctance to release games on Steam, the most prominent digital storefront for PC games. Philippe Tremblay, Ubisoft’s director of subscriptions, earlier voiced a belief that gamers should adapt to “not owning their games,” a stance Douse finds detrimental to both player and developer communities.
Douse expressed on X that The Lost Crown could have performed better had it launched on Steam, suggesting this would have maximized its reach and potentially secured a sequel. However, it only arrived on Steam seven months after its initial release, when interest had waned, affecting its sales momentum. Douse points out the challenge for premium games on PC, stating that “Steam accounts for about 90% of sales” on that platform. By bypassing Steam at launch, Douse believes Ubisoft undermined the game’s potential to connect with a substantial audience.
Ubisoft recently re-evaluated its distribution strategy, returning to Steam in 2022 after years of exclusivity on its storefront and the Epic Games Store. This change, including plans for future releases on Steam from day one, reflects some acknowledgment of the platform’s importance.
Douse’s perspective echoes concerns from Larian founder Swen Vincke, who previously criticized the subscription model as potentially detrimental to game diversity. Vincke argued that subscription platforms ultimately control which games get exposure, reducing creative freedom and impacting developers’ job security. For Larian, this is a firm stance: “You won’t find our games on a subscription service,” Vincke said, underscoring the studio’s commitment to direct sales as essential for fostering independent game development.