The difference between a game as a service and a normal game is that juridically speaking you actually pay to access the service which can be modified at will.
You never "own" the game if that makes sense. So if you actually buy a game that keeps getting dlcs, which you ACTUALLY own, it ain't a gaas.
There's a blurry line between what fundamentally makes a software a service, and its perceptible model that some devs are embracing because they're more attractive for the customers (the continuously updated one for instance).
Most people on forums keep tossing the gaas term because of some crossed boxes regarding a familiar pattern
What I linked was Rocket League's tos, compare it with Witcher 3's
You don't own shit either way .
From GOG's terms of service "2.1 We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a 'licence') to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content. This licence is for your personal use. We can stop or suspend this licence in some situations, which are explained later on. "
This is just a less verbose version of "
(7) END USER LICENSE
ALL PSYONIX SOFTWARE IS LICENSED, NOT SOLD. Such software includes the Psyonix game software that Psyonix provides to you for download and installation (“
Games”).
Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Psyonix hereby grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited and revocable right and license to install and use one (1) copy of each Game solely and exclusively for your personal and non-commercial use for gameplay on a single game system (e.g., computer, mobile device, or gaming console) that you own or control or, if you obtained the Game through the PlayStation Network (“
PSN”), then on a system to which the Game is delivered by the PSN. For clarity, the foregoing does not prohibit you from installing and using an additional copy of each Game on a different game system. These Terms shall also apply to any patches or updates you may obtain for the Games. DUPLICATION, COPYING OR ANY FORM OF REPRODUCTION OF THE GAMES OR RELATED INFORMATION, MATERIALS OR OTHER CONTENT TO ANY OTHER SERVER OR LOCATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF DUPLICATION, COPYING OR ANY OTHER FORM OF REPRODUCTION IS, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY LAW, EXPRESSLY AND EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED. Your use of any of the Games is governed by
Psyonix’s End User License Agreement (
End User License Agreement).
" from Psyonix.
Also, from Witcher 3's EULA
"
2. WHAT YOU GET WITH THE GAME
We (meaning CD PROJEKT RED) give you the personal right (called a 'licence' legally) to download, install and play The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt on your personal computer as long as you follow these Rules. This licence is for your personal use only (so you can't give a sublicense to someone else) and doesn't give you ownership rights.
At all times we continue to own all of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, all in-game content, any updates or additional content for them, manuals or other materials about them and the intellectual property rights in them, including all copyright, trademarks, patents and legal things like that (all of this together we call the ‘Game’).
"
So what's the magic number that makes something gaas? 40?
What if BL2 had flopped and it only got 2 DLC as a result? It would not be gaas?
What if it only got the DLC due to its success rather than as an intent before release? Gaas anyway?
If you're constantly releasing a shitload of skins and in-game items throughout the years of your game, yes, it's darn GaaS.
And correct, it would not be a GaaS if it was a flop and only had 2 DLC.... like this is not a hard concept. Like, Rocket League is GaaS now, but it sure as fuck it wasn't at launch, it only became like that after becoming very sucessful and changing around their content schedule. If the game flopped and was dead after one month of course it wouldn't be a GaaS. Again, this isn't hard.