You know, one of the problems with subscription-based games (other than the fact that they have a subscription…) is that the subscription management can be a pain in the butt. Some developers make it difficult to navigate the menus in order to find the “Cancel Subscription” option. Other times the problem is just the mere fact that despite logging in to Steam in order to start the game, you have to perform a second log in for the game itself.
Luckily it looks like Valve is here to help, again. Yesterday they announced a new service what will allow people to sign up and manage their payments for subscription-based games, all through Steam. At this time only one game is making use of this feature, Darkfall Unholy Wars, but they’re going to be adding more games here in the future.
While it’s nice that people can now change their subscriptions through Steam, I do have to say that I see a little flaw in this plan. As it is, subscription-based games are starting to go the way of the dodo bird, where the only truly successful subscription based game that’s still out there is World of Warcraft. Over the past year there were several big-time games that were released with subscriptions, only to find themselves dropping the subscription plan and go to a microtransaction model instead. But, with that being said, it’s the thought that counts, even if the feature is perhaps 3 or 4 years out of date.