from Hacker News

Ask HN: How tired are you of subscription services?

by calflegal on 2/12/25, 5:05 PM with 9 comments

I'm thinking if shipping some little web music games. If I were ever to monetize it, should I go with free to play and one-time purchases or should I try to pursue some subscription model?

At this point I personally feel tired of everybody wanting some number of bucks per month, though I get that it aligns business costs with customer payments. How do you feel about this issue and what would you do in the case of this project?

  • by PaulHoule on 2/12/25, 5:24 PM

    Not very tired, at least when it comes to "useful" software; I'm about to subscribe to Plex Pass because I want the DVR support (I have a HD Homerun.)

    I haven't subscribed to play a game for a long time and expect never to do so. I solidly reject GAME PASS from Microsoft but I am a Meta Quest + subscriber although I'm not sure I play enough VR and haven't been impressed with the quality of the games on it lately.

  • by stop50 on 2/12/25, 6:54 PM

    I limit myself to a few subs, which i check every few months.

    Otherwise i would be broke, since only a portion of the series i watch are available on a subscription.

    Plus i avoid amazon because of reasons.

  • by not_your_vase on 2/12/25, 5:32 PM

    Subscriptions are fine as long as I get continuously my money's worth.

  • by JohnFen on 2/12/25, 5:30 PM

    I don't do subscriptions, personally, and especially not for games.

  • by wryoak on 2/12/25, 6:10 PM

    Subscriptions are fine if you keep delivering new content

  • by bigbuppo on 2/12/25, 5:22 PM

    If you are ethical, moral, and otherwise decent, do a one-time purchase. Otherwise, extract every last cent of revenue you can using the scummiest of subscription mechanisms you can muster combined with advertising.