Ubisoft: PC piracy rate around 95%, F2P is the way forward

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has stated that the amount of players paying for F2P microstransaction content is the same as those paying for full PC titles. Guillemot also stresses that free-to-play titles are an ideal anti-piracy solution for the publisher, stating that 95% of people playing its titles aren't playing them legally.

In an interview with GI.biz, Guillemot explained, "We want to develop the PC market quite a lot and F2P is really the way to do it. The advantage of F2P is that we can get revenue from countries where we couldn't previously - places where our products were played but not bought. Now with F2P we gain revenue, which helps brands last longer."

"On PC it's only around five to seven per cent of the players who pay for F2P," Guillemot continued, "but normally on PC it's only about five to seven per cent who pay anyway, the rest is pirated"

"It's around a 93-95 per cent piracy rate, so it ends up at about the same percentage. The revenue we get from the people who play is more long term, so we can continue to bring content."

Although Guillemot was quick to sing the praises of F2P, he warned that it is not precisely the future, not with new consoles on the horizon. He stressed that Ubisoft and others need to remain cautious with this ever-evolving market.

You can read the full interview here.