Just Dance Community Faces Uncertainty Following Ubisoft’s Major Changes

Last week, Ubisoft revealed plans to cancel several games and lay off more staff as part of a significant company restructuring. Even the highly popular Just Dance franchise isn’t safe from the financial tightening, as Ubisoft has announced upcoming price increases for its dancing series.

On January 27, Ubisoft shared that its Just Dance+ streaming service, which offers subscribers access to a vast library of new, classic, and exclusive tracks for a monthly or yearly fee, will see a price hike starting in April.

The monthly subscription for Just Dance+ will rise from $4 to $5. The three-month plan will increase from $10 to $13, and the annual subscription will go up from $25 to $30.

In a statement regarding the price adjustments, Ubisoft attributed the increase in subscription fees to the high costs associated with song licensing agreements.

“Just Dance+ is built around music, and that comes with some important truths,” Ubisoft explained. “Every song available in the service relies on licensing agreements that evolve over time, and these conditions directly affect what we can keep, renew, or add to the catalogue. Taking this into account, we’ve had to make a few adjustments to ensure the service can keep growing in the long run.”

Regarding the company’s extensive restructuring, some employees are skeptical about whether it will lead to the positive changes Ubisoft needs. The company has attempted similar overhauls in the past, but the previous shake-up two years ago did not improve its fortunes. Over the last eight years, Ubisoft has lost a significant portion of its value and is now depending on a $1.25 billion bailout from Tencent to stay afloat. Given this context, the price increase for Just Dance+ seems logical, as Ubisoft’s leadership is searching for ways to cut costs or generate additional revenue. If players want access to their favorite songs, they’ll need to pay a bit more this spring.