Well... I´m gonna throw my two cents on this, on my point of view, as it can be expandable to another of your games.
First of all, i have mostly a negative opinion on dlc policies on many companies, and i don´t know what to think of paradox dlc policy. The only difference is that you usually stay on point and don´t release a game yearly, funding the support of the game for many years, i guess, on dlcs. So... that´s your ace on the sleeve. You keep supporting games for years while other companies usually don´t.
I´m very aware that the AAA games and the kind haven´t changed the price of them for 10 years or so, and as a company, bussiness, you are ussually looking for maximizing the profits. While, also customers keep suffering the effects of the last economic crysis.
Keeping the subscription an option is nothing i have against, but offering exclusive contents while not giving access for those that had the game for years seems...inappropiate.
I´m gonna tell you what i usually say to my friends " If it´s a game from paradox, don´t buy it unless some years has passed and a bundle or sale has come, because without sells is just an extravagant price, or just don´t buy them at all".
So...i usually keep your games on sight, but feel reluctant to buy them. I think i could be categorized as one of those that didn´t have Europa Universalis IV because of the price ( gonna buy the bundle in humble ), and i try not to buy games developed from you just because i know it will be hard to stay on pace. That is usually the first thought.
I have a formula... A personal formula...for any coffe price on a bar ( now 1,40 euros ), that i use to have for an hour, same enjoy i should have using a proportional system price-hour on a game.
So...Everytime i see your games i have to think if i´m gonna spend the same hours to let it be worthy. And Europa Universalis is too expensive on a full.
So i did my research when i bought Crusader kings to buy the dlc that commonly was labeled as "necessary" or "worthy" and man...it was worthy and still is. I waited for years before i bought stellaris and i bought it only when i was so sure that i would enjoy for the price in the last Christmas or sale. But it was a stressfull buy it, even if i watched so many gameplays that i was 99% sure i was gonna like it...And it is worthy.
So, coming back on track... i´ve been peeking the price of Europa Universalis from time to time, the subscription system "optional" seems... not a bad idea, except for:
- The EXCLUSIVE content, based that on those who already bought such amount of dlcs and indeed supported Europa Universalis for years ( not my case ).
- If it´s not the same degree of property on the game and dlc that those who bought it, it´s not worthy. I mean... You can put...how do you say it in english ?... Milestones? Like, 4 months on subscription you are owner of the base game and this expansion and this other not matter what, but you will lose the chance to play with the rest. And so on...
I´m not gonna say that buying your games is as tough decission as getting married or buying a house, that would be a lunatic or possessed idea, but enclosing it on the subscription idea or the usual way of buying games, in the "BUY A GAME" world, is really close to have a relationship. Every time anyone buy a game developed from you he/she/it/they know is gonna be an investment for years. xD.
So, also, i don´t think the idea someone throw some posts ago, about reducing the dlc prices every x months ( or years) is bad, (say to a limit 50% because steam goes with a dlc policy in which case you would have to drop it even less on sale ), i don´t have a financial degree, i don´t know your financial situation, your consideration on that or your worries, but i´d like to say that it seems you have built a really loyal customer base during all these years ( not me, because i tend to jump from game to game ), in a niche world of games, so, while like any other company you must do steps to stay ahead or keep going on front, try to do it carefully.
As i said, at least me, that i have a negative view in the current policy game developers on dlcs, you got me in the "I don´t know what to think about paradox dlc policy". And i got the trait stubborn.
Pd: I did it on the sugesstion, but i´m gonna take advantage on this thread. I think it would be a good idea for several game companies a unique id to access their forums. At some point i know i´m gonna have to tick the "remember your password" option, because all of you are driving me crazy everytime i have to register to access the forums.
Thank you for your attention.