Stellaris Expansion Subscription FAQ

[MrFreake_PDX]

Hello everyone!

We've gathered up some of the most frequently asked questions from the launch of the Stellaris Expansion Subscription.

1. Will I lose access to my existing content purchases?
   No. All existing purchases will remain, and you will not have to sign up to the subscription service to maintain your access to your previously purchased content.
2. Will future content be subscription-only?
   No! Our main model will remain focused around expansions and other content, as we have done so far. We have introduced a subscription service to lower the barrier to entry for new players.
3. Who asked for this?
   We are experimenting with this additional option to provide players access to the full Stellaris experience. We are simply offering another choice, as we understand that many players would be interested in trying Stellaris with all the content without having to commit to purchasing all the existing content.
4. Why did you not just create content bundles?
   We already have bundles available that we have designed with the help of our community. We are happy with the currently available offerings, but may look into this again in the future.
5. If I play multiplayer with the subscription, does everyone else in my lobby still get to use my content for that game?
   Yes! Subscription ownership of the content comes with all the features that a regular purchase does. You can share the content from the subscription in multiplayer with your friends that only have the base-game.
6. Are there any plans to expand the subscription service to other stores/platforms?
   No current plans at this time, but something on our radar long-term.
7. Does the subscription model signal the end of development on Stellaris?
   We currently have several years of Stellaris development planned.
8. Will individual content still be available for sale?
   Yes! Stellaris content will continue to be available to purchased individually, as it always has been.
9. Why isn’t there a discounted price for the subscription for players who already own some/all of the content?
   The Stellaris subscription is geared towards allowing new players more avenues into the full Stellaris experience. As such, we attempted to keep the initial public offering as simple as possible. We may look at expanding our offerings in the future, however.
10. Why can't I buy Stellaris content while my subscription is active?
    When you have an ongoing subscription, you are technically considered to have the content in your library. As such, stores will stop you from purchasing a DLC for the same account twice (since the DLC is already in your library). Once the subscription expires, you can again go back to purchasing content normally.
    [Updated: 2024-10-17] You can now buy expansions while you have your subscription active, however you still cannot purchase dynamic Steam bundles when your subscription is active.

We hope this provides more clarity into our process and alleviates some of the concerns of the Community with regards to the Expansion Subscription. If you have further questions, feel free to ask them in the thread below and we will do our best to provide answers!

If you want to read the announcement Dev Diary, you can find it here.

Thanks,
The Stellaris Team

 

[Imp0815]

Thank you very much for this clarification.

One question i have is, can i additionally subscribe despite owning every last piece of content of Stellaris just so you get more money for the development?

 

[Foxosaur]

Thanks mr freake, I was worried that actual expansions might not happen and although patching and updates are of course going to be welcome anyway, I still enjoy new flavour and mechanics.

 

[Cleaving3]

You devs get harassed all the time by people whining about various things. Let this message be a checkpoint for all of the complaints that are bound to come.
You guys are doing great.

 

[DrewDidIt]

Not sure how well received this would be from a business POV, but I'm curious: what about a rent-to-own system? As players gradually pay more for the subscription over time, they receive credit that may be used to permanently unlock DLCs of their choice. Bonus points if DLC sales count for less credit. Eventually players may gain full access to all expansions. I think this would provide the best benefit for all players, not just newbies.

 

[Archcainus]

I am a little slow about these kind of things. if I do the Stellaris: Expansion Subscription do I eventually own the dlcs or is this kinda like I subcribe forever and I am kinda "renting" the dlcs?

 

[prismaticmarcus]

I subcribe forever and I am kinda "renting" the dlcs?

This

 

[GhostDanny]

Several years worth of content planned, eh?

 

[Archael90]

Why isn’t there a discounted price for the subscription for players who already own some/all of the content?
The Stellaris subscription is geared towards allowing new players more avenues into the full Stellaris experience. As such, we attempted to keep the initial public offering as simple as possible. We may look at expanding our offerings in the future, however.

So You want "new players" to either buy all DLCs or buy none? Since purchasing at least one of them will make subscriotion cost unfair to players.

 

[prismaticmarcus]

Since purchasing at least one of them will make subscriotion cost unfair to players.

Can we see the maths behind your calculation?

 

[Archael90]

Can we see the maths behind your calculation?

Yeah.
Subscription costs X$.
DLC costs Y$
Buying DLC makes subscription to still cost X$ instead of X-f(Y). Thus buying more than 0 DLC but less than all makes all money spent on DLC being wasted.
Not to mention that You first have to end subscription, buy DLC and enable subscription again, which may makes buying DLCs with discount a little difficult.

 

[Eladrin]

One question i have is, can i additionally subscribe despite owning every last piece of content of Stellaris just so you get more money for the development?

So this is going to sound a little weird, but while technically there's nothing stopping you from doing so, ethically I'd feel a bit off about you giving us money for nothing in return. I'd be more comfortable with you getting a gift copy of the base game for a friend and paying for their subscription, since then there's some value in it for both of you. (But yes, you can.)

So You want "new players" to either buy all DLCs or buy none? Since purchasing at least one of them will make subscriotion cost unfair to players.

I mostly want new players to be playing and enjoying the game, to be honest. It's their choice if they want to play just the base game, purchase individual (or all) DLCs, or use the subscription model. They could also use the subscription for one month to try out the entire DLC catalog and help figure out which ones they want to buy. Whatever they want.

If you're asking about the purely business view, ideally I want them buying the Ultimate Bundle. That's a big ask for a new player though, which is one of the reasons we've been asked so many times to copy the subscription option over to Stellaris.

 

[Archael90]

They could also use the subscription for one month to try out the entire DLC catalog and help figure out which ones they want to buy. Whatever they want.

How? How any non-veteran or forum user, can know which content was best for them to buy? Subscription gives them all, and they dont know what was best. Also, buying anything and ending subscription will make them feel lacking something.
Ideally consider adjusting subscription price to owned DLCs. This make also people who already bought some, to invest in subscription.
I can be an example. Owning almost all DLCs and rather not wanting to buy astral planes due to finding it overpriceed. I would consider trying this DLC, and maybe changing my mind, but i dont want to pay full price of subscription just to play two games with one additional DLC.

 

[Imp0815]

So this is going to sound a little weird, but while technically there's nothing stopping you from doing so, ethically I'd feel a bit off about you giving us money for nothing in return. I'd be more comfortable with you getting a gift copy of the base game for a friend and paying for their subscription, since then there's some value in it for both of you. (But yes, you can.)

Don't worry im not going to rat you out to Sales

I just want to be sure i'll keep you and the custodians afloat with the only real power i have, my wallet. But I'll keep your wish at hearth ♥

Thanks for the Answer!

 

[Shrike]

So You want "new players" to either buy all DLCs or buy none? Since purchasing at least one of them will make subscriotion cost unfair to players.

Way I look at it. And I have everything up to Necroids so I have a lot of DLC, Is that getting back into Stellaris, which is always changing and requires a lot of time to relearn the mechanics and see whether I want to make the investment in the 4 or so DLC I'm missing. For me it's ideal, obviously it would be more ideal if it were 5€ but I get that I'm not their typical customer for this service.

 

[UMACI]

Yeah.
Subscription costs X$.
DLC costs Y$
Buying DLC makes subscription to still cost X$ instead of X-f(Y). Thus buying more than 0 DLC but less than all makes all money spent on DLC being wasted.
Not to mention that You first have to end subscription, buy DLC and enable subscription again, which may makes buying DLCs with discount a little difficult.

You know you don't have to be subscribed all year around, right?

I only play one or two runs a year during spring-summer totalling to about a 3-4 weeks at most and although I used to buy most of the dlc, with Stellaris getting so many dlcs I really started to question whether I should be buying dlc and not wanting to miss stuff out I haven't been playing for over a year (November 2022). I've literally been waiting for a subscription model to play it again. The dlc I already bought is sunk cost for me or any other old player who has already bought dlc, what you say only applies to new players and with so many dlcs, some players would be reluctant to even start the game.

 

[Archael90]

You know you don't have to be subscribed all year around, right?

I only play one or two runs a year during spring-summer totalling to about a 3-4 weeks at most and although I used to buy most of the dlc, with Stellaris getting so many dlcs I really started to question whether I should be buying dlc and not wanting to miss stuff out I haven't been playing for over a year (November 2022). I've literally been waiting for a subscription model to play it again. The dlc I already bought is sunk cost for me or any other old player who has already bought dlc, what you say only applies to new players and with so many dlcs, some players would be reluctant to even start the game.

It does not change the fact that You pay full price for lets say 4 DLCs, and someone else is paying exactly the same for those 4 and all other You already have paid for. Im not saying You were cheated, all im saying it would be more fair that subscription cost would scale with owned DLCs. New player pay 10$/month to use all DLCs, You arę paying 5$, and im paying 1$, because new player already have 0 DLCs, You have half of them and i have almost all. It does not need to be linear scaling but any.
This would also make new players more eager tu buy DLCs because they would feel like they loose nothing. They will have one DLC for them, and cheaper subscription for all others.

 

[Keith_C]

I like the idea of rent-to-own if possible, even if there was a markup (10-20%?) for doing so.

My thinking is:

1. It motivates people to keep the subscriptions for longer periods, as it all counts as progress towards A Thing at the end
2. Those with some of the DLCs can use rent-to-own to spread the cost of remaining DLCs, while still gaining access to the content itself immediately
3. Similarly those with all of the DLCs may use it to spread the cost of new DLCs when released

Problems I see are:

1. How to resolve someone with 'credit' and sales? Are they simply locked out from buying at the sale price? Could leftover credit be used towards future purchases?
2. Does this make Paradox a credit provider and subject to regulations and laws around that?

I'd also like to ask you to include the base game in the subscription plan, so a newcomer need only buy the subscription to get everything.

 

[Keith_C]

Does the subscription model signal the end of development on Stellaris?
We currently have several years of Stellaris development planned.

Just how big is that backlog?!

 

[DamnedLackOfTropicalFruit]

Just how big is that backlog?!

they've got lots of bugs to get through
they'll get strikecraft modifiers working correctly one of these days