Subscription services means we do not "own" our game. Right now, what I want is an OFFLINE iteration of the Sims. Luckily, I still can do that with Sims 2. I actually do not ever want to spend my money on a subscription for any games.
I do actually agree, I also want to fully own a game/DLC and am personally not fond of subscription services normally.
The suggestion for this topic is precisely that you should be able to own your DLC after enough time, just like you would own a house after paying your mortgage instead of renting.
That EA/Maxis may want to offer a service for the DLC (wether you can call it a "subscription" or not) is just good economics, as the current situation is having to pay up around 1890 $ up-front if you want it all, which may lead a chunk of users to try to illegitimate get the DLCs. However, if they want to offer such a service, I want it to have some permanent value to the "subscriber".
It isn't "good economics." It is forcing peopke to accept they do not own the game. The only way to own it is to have a hard copy in your hands. If Sims 4 were to stop being supported, I technically could still download and play the orginal base game and the first expansion because I own those both on disk. I know because I have downloaded them offline before.
Just to clarify: I do still want you to be able to normally buy the DLC from the EA or Steam store front and for the base game to be completely free. (Added that now to the OP, since it was my intention) I just wish that, if/when they implement a service for the DLC, that you can get an equivalent amount in DLCs (just as if you had bought them directly from a store front) to what you paid for the service, even after you stop paying for the service.
Basically, paying for your DLC over time, while still being able to enjoy/demo all of it while you pay, and being able to keep some (that you choose) after you stop paying.
If that still doesn't satisfy your requirement for actually owning your DLC and you require to own it physically, then I think we will have to agree to disagree. Though, I can understand that perspective from a preservationist view since I do own a lot of physical media myself.
What you keep describing is exactly like the "games as a service" model that is already the current trend. That is actually something I want the industry to no longer support and push gamers to accept. Games could be cheaper if we didn't have that model anymore. It also would force the game studios to release finished products that did not require a day 1 patch to fix or update.
