Pixel P&L: The Subscription Gaming Conundrum

Good Morning. It’s Friday, July 26. In today’s feature, we explore the numerous challenges currently facing subscription-based gaming services. We also highlight Krafton India’s viral advertisement for BGMI, delve into Villager Esports founder Kuldeep Lather’s latest venture in gaming, and more.

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Subscription-based gaming services once seemed like a dream come true for budget-conscious gamers. Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Now promised an all-you-can-play buffet for a modest monthly fee, giving access to hundreds of games. But behind the glossy marketing lies a darker reality: the sinister enshittification of these platforms.

Enshittification, a term coined by journalist Cory Doctorow, describes the slow and steady decline of user experience as platforms prioritize profit over satisfaction. What started as a paradise of endless gaming has devolved into a cluttered mess. Decision paralysis, disappearing games, and creeping subscription costs are just the tip of the iceberg.

In our latest feature, Abhimannu explores various subscription-based gaming services and explains the multiple pitfalls that have come to plague them, raising the critical question: Are these subscriptions even worth it anymore?

Krafton India claims that its latest advertisement for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) in Malayalam, "Kottappalli Prabhakaran 2.0," has set a new record as the most viral gaming brand piece ever. Garnering over 300,000 cumulative reshares on Instagram alone, the ad has allegedly outperformed any other gaming brand content to date. This achievement underscores Krafton India's strategic focus on South India.

The success of "Kottappalli Prabhakaran 2.0" highlights the growing influence of regional content in India's gaming market. Alongside this, Krafton India launched campaigns for BGMI in Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu languages. These campaigns pay homage to local movies and culture, resonating deeply with regional audiences.

The Tamil ad, "Konjam Time Irukka? Konjam BGMI Vilaiyaadu," the Telugu film, "Evvarra Manaalni Aapedhi?!," and the Kannada piece, "Psych Maga BGMI Aadtane Iri," each tap into local narratives and aesthetics, further solidifying BGMI's connection with its diverse user base.

Kuldeep Lather Announces ILVL Entertainment: New Game Studio in India

Kuldeep Lather, founder of Villager Esports, has announced the creation of ILVL Entertainment, a game studio based in India. “We believe it’s essential to create games that cater to the Indian market, given its size and the significant contribution to the popularity of games worldwide,” Lather stated. 

He acknowledged challenges such as funding and talent acquisition but remains optimistic, leveraging his experience with Villager Esports. Lather invites the gaming community to join the initiative, offering opportunities in community moderation, content creation, and game development.

World of Warcraft Developers Unionize, Forming WoWGG-CWA

Over 500 World of Warcraft developers have unionized, forming the World of Warcraft Game Makers Guild under the Communications Workers of America (WoWGG-CWA). This union, comprising designers, engineers, producers, artists, quality assurance testers, and more, is the first wall-to-wall union at Activision Blizzard and the largest at a Microsoft-owned studio.

China Approves 105 Video Game Licenses for July, Including Titles from Tencent and miHoYo

China's National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) approved 105 video game licenses for July, including Tencent's first-person shooter "Arena Breakout: Infinite" and miHoYo's "Xingbu Gudi" (Star Valley) for mobile and PC. This approval rate aligns with Beijing's trend of licensing about 100 new games monthly, with 733 domestic titles approved in the first seven months of the year compared to 609 last year. This accelerated pace signals a recovery in China's gaming industry, which saw first-quarter revenue rise 7.6% year-on-year to 72.6 billion yuan (US$10 billion), despite a 0.3% dip in April.

Activision Blizzard Reportedly Approves Use of Generative AI for Concept Art and Marketing

Activision Blizzard has approved the use of generative AI tools, such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, for concept art and marketing materials, according to a Wired investigation. An internal memo from former Chief Technology Officer Michael Vance, who still works for Activision as a fellow software engineer, reportedly confirmed this approval. A former employee stated the publisher assured artists that AI would be used only for internal concepts, not final game assets, and would not replace them.

Did you know that the PainStation console, developed by German artists Volker Morawe and Tilman Reiff in 2001, introduces physical pain as a penalty in gaming? This unique device redefines the stakes in a simple game of Pong by subjecting players to heat, electrical shocks, and whippings if they miss the ball.

Designed to explore the boundaries of human-machine interaction and the concept of punishment in gaming, the PainStation has never been marketed commercially. Instead, it has found its place in art galleries and museums worldwide, provoking thought on the interplay of pain and pleasure in digital entertainment.

Would you dare to play?