Stellaris Subscription Model: Is It Worth It?

Bozidar Radulovic
Stellaris expansion subscription cover

In case you haven’t heard, Paradox introduced a new model for paying to play Stellaris. With the shift towards subscription models in all of the gaming industry and Paradox’s practice with their other grand strategy games, it’s no surprise that Paradox would try to integrate that model into Stellaris. We will explore this value proposition and see what exactly this entails, whether is it worth it, and what types of players should get this deal. Moreover, we will be discussing the subscription model as a whole and what it means for players. Everyone knows that the DLCs in Stellaris offer an incredible amount of content like new Ascension Perks, Civics, Traits, Origins, Soundtracks, Megastructures, Species, Stories, complex new mechanics, and much more.

You can get the Stellaris Expansion Subscription On Steam, this is the only way as far as we know.

A lot of people also know how subscription models can be a mixed bag regarding their shady tactics, and the biggest issue we have is the main key point – you don’t own things you subscribe to. This is sometimes fine – Spotify or Netflix would be an example of a good model since people don’t really care about “owning” a new Rihanna song or a TV Show they already watched. The thing here to explore is how good and consumer-friendly is this model when applied to Stellaris DLCs. Let’s dive deep into this deal and see what it has to offer.

What is the Stellaris Subscription Model?

Stellaris expansion subscription steam

The model is pretty straightforward. You pay 10$ for 1 month, 20$ for 3 months, or 30$ for 6 months (if you wish to go with the longer commitment route) and you will get all the existing DLCs plus the upcoming ones. This includes all the Species Packs, Story Packs, and Expansions. You do need to own the base game to “reap” these benefits.

Although people are very careful of subscription models and have been burned on them a lot of times, it seems like this one is a nice deal. It’s a classic commitment upsell and the 30$ for 6-month seems like too good a deal to pass on.

Our Thoughts on the Subscription Model

stellaris the machine age dlc cover

Stellaris has a lot of DLCs, and you can’t really buy them all for under 150-200$, even at a good discount. This can be especially frustrating for new players because if they want to play the game, they need to at least get some of the best Stellaris DLCs to actually get a full experience.

Something to take into consideration when getting into a subscription model is how it really works. If you end up paying 10$/month for a year, that’s 120$, which is enough to buy a lot of good DLCs and actually own them forever. On the other hand, if you are starting to play the game, and want to try it for a few months, getting the 6-month deal for 30$ doesn’t seem unreasonable.

This is the slippery slope that all the subscription models have, however, at a certain price, it can be a good and reasonable deal. The 6-month deal equates to 5$ a month to play probably the best grand strategy with all its DLCs that Paradox put a lot of work into. Putting it that way, it seems reasonable for new players to pay this price and get the full experience right from the get-go, rather than playing a barebones version of the game or paying an absurd amount of money just to try it out in its full form.

Community Thoughts

Progenitor Hive In Stellaris Origins Tier List

There has been a lot of fuss around this implementation, mostly just because gamers don’t really trust companies nowadays, especially subscription models. There were some Reddit threads that have gotten a lot of discussions going on about whether or not this is fair. Mostly, people don’t mind this implementation that much, but the issue of not owning the game is still a significant one.

Of course, you are not forced to get the subscription model, but still, it’s kinda disappointing that that is where the gaming industry is headed. It seems trendy in the business landscape of gaming and SaaS (Software as a Service). People just don’t like the subscription model getting widespread popularity because we all know how that ended up being with microtransactions.

It started mild and became a nightmare and cancer the biggest cancer in the industry. Just for reference, FIFA Ultimate Team made more money on micro-transactions in 2023 than Elden Ring. This tells us everything we need to know in today’s gaming industry. People are afraid that this will take a similar path, especially since the industry is forcing live services and these subscription models.

Is the Stellaris Subscription Model Worth It?

DLCs that affect Stellaris Gameplay

Now that we had our little rant, the Stellaris subscription in itself isn’t bad value. On the contrary, it’s a pretty sweet deal for new players to get into the full experience from the start. On top of that, you can always take a break and cancel it since the game can be very time-consuming, and we found ourselves playing it seasonally, rather than daily.

On the other hand, if you already own the base game, and have bought a few DLCs, It would be logical to just “build up” the DLCs and stay away from the subscription model. It’s safe to say that you don’t really need all the DLCs, things like Astral Actions from Astral Planes DLC isn’t really an essential game mechanic, just an addition.

Moreover, a lot of patches that Paradox releases provide a lot of value, like ship design reworks, complex system reworks, and other stuff, even without you purchasing the DLCs. Also, there is a certain amazing feeling of just buying the DLC and owning it forever on the comfy Steam platform.

On the other hand, if you are a new player, want to enjoy the full game, and don’t have a lot of cash, getting the Stellaris subscription model for 3 or 6 months can be a good choice. One more thing to take into consideration is that if you decide to not go with the subscription model, you will still end up paying around 30-60$ a year if you want all the newest content since Paradox releases a few additions to Stellaris each year.

Conclusion

While a lot of players generally don’t welcome subscription modes given their history, this particular one is a welcomed deal that should be considered by every new Stellaris player. If you are a Stellaris veteran and already own a lot of DLCs, obviously you should skip this deal as it seems that it’s primarily meant for new players.

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