Not that I want to defend Ubisoft, but I interpreted that statement similarly to this one, just from a different perspective.

Ubisoft wants to do the subscription model but the exec said it’s just not viable until gamers are willing to accept it. I didn’t get an implication that they would make gamers accept it, I think that’s what he was ultimately saying, it won’t happen until they do. Though tbf, I didn’t read that article, maybe he said more that made the statement less ambiguous. The quote in the title just seemed like a statement of fact rather than a statement of agenda. Ubisoft doesn’t have the power to make gamers accept that and acting like they do will hurt their bottom line rather than help it (is how I interpreted that statement).