Why is Far Cry 6 No Longer Available on Steam? Ubisoft Prioritizes Its Own Platforms

As PC gamers loaded up their Steam clients in October 2021 anticipating the release of Far Cry 6, they were met with disappointment – unlike previous mainline entries in the long-running open world shooter franchise, Far Cry 6 was nowhere to be found. This raised an obvious question many fans have been wondering since: why did Ubisoft abandon Steam specifically for its latest title? After closely analyzing Ubisoft‘s history with Steam, emerging industry trends, and probable financial incentives, I‘ve gathered some insightful explanations to break down this complex situation for fellow gamers and content creators.

Ubisoft‘s Gradual Steam Exodus

Ubisoft‘s conspicuous departure from Steam didn‘t happen suddenly – it has been steadily pulling support over the last 3 years. After being one of Steam‘s most prolific major publishers from 2007-2019 with over 80 titles released, Ubisoft has only put out 3 games on the platform since November 2019. These releases were smaller titles in the Trials, Far Cry, and Starlink franchises instead of tentpole releases.

With major brands like Assassin‘s Creed and Far Cry conspicuously absent from Steam for multiple years now, it begs the question – what prompted this exodus after over a decade as a Steam mainstay?

Seeking Greater Control and Recurring Revenues

The most likely driving force is Ubisoft‘s strategic shift towards a "games-as-a-service" model – treating releases as long-term platforms through ongoing content updates, multiplayer support, and regular in-game events or challenges. This allows publishers to generate steadier revenue streams from existing players.

However, games-as-a-service requires extensive amounts of data analysis, control over in-game economies, and direct community management – challenging areas when your players reside within a separate storefront like Steam.

Ubisoft has invested deeply in platforms like Ubisoft Connect to own the full player experience rather than share data and revenues with Valve. They can analyze usage metrics, rollout updates quicker, customize progression systems, run in-game promotions and track their effectiveness in driving purchases or engagement.

Consider that Steam takes an approximate 30% cut of game sales and in-game transactions like DLC or microtransactions. That leaves less recurring revenue for Ubisoft compared to owning the whole ecosystem with Ubisoft Connect.

Epic Games Store Exclusivity Deals

In pursuit of wrestling dominance away from Steam, the Epic Games Store has aggressively pursued timed exclusive agreements for some of gaming‘s biggest upcoming releases. Undisclosed but likely substantial financial incentives are provided in exchange for bypassing Steam initially.

Ubisoft has taken advantage of these exclusivity deals for recent Assassins Creed and Far Cry titles – securing both upfront guaranteed earnings and featured placement on Epic‘s fledgling storefront during the critical launch window.

Impacts on PC Gaming Market and Players

Unfortunately, Ubisoft‘s exit from Steam has fractured player libraries between multiple PC launchers and creates headaches for those who prefer consolidating their collection. Juggling friends lists, gameProgress, achievements across disparate apps is frustrating as more publishers pull support for Steam.

There is also concern around what monetization tactics or manipulative mechanics publishers might implement without Steam‘s checks against abuse of players. Time will tell whether these fears founded or not.

I‘ll be discussing these market trends, industry power dynamics between platforms like Steam and Epic, and potential consumer impacts regularly here, so subscribe for ongoing analysis!