The Pros & Cons of Each Game Subscription Service

It seems like every company is looking to launch their own video game subscription service. The current generation of consoles brought the idea of games as a service rather than a product. In that sense, Netflix-esque subscriptions for players makes sense. After all, games are now more expensive than ever and developers want users to regularly spend money on microtransactions.

But there has yet to be a standout service that has set the standard for everyone else. While Netflix is a clear winner for television and movie streaming, the gaming market is still in flux. Of course, the fact that gamers are largely segregated in separate platforms also poses problems. This means that one company is unlikely to dominate, at least in the near future.

However, that doesn’t mean that there are not some subscription services that are better than others. Here are the pros and cons of each game subscription service so you can determine what works best for you.

Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft has invested strongly in Xbox Game Pass, its monthly subscription service for the Xbox platform. The company even expanded the service to include PC in June 2019. It includes more than 100 PC, Xbox 360, and Xbox One games.

Each of these can be downloaded and played for as long as the subscription is active. Users also get access to all first-party exclusives, like Gears 5 and Halo, as soon as they launch.

As an added benefit, subscribers also get special discounts for titles in the catalog. That means you can buy a game at a reduced price and keep it after leaving the service.

Membership options include a standard $9.99 console version as well as Ultimate Game Pass. With this option, players get the service on PC and Xbox One along with Xbox Live Gold for $14.99.

PlayStation Now

Sony was one of the first companies to see the benefit of a game subscription service. Launched in 2014, PlayStation Now allows players to gain access to more than 800 games from PlayStation’s back catalog. This includes titles from the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and the current era. Users can either download or stream games on PlayStation 4 or PC.

The major disadvantage, when compared to Xbox Game Pass, is that the service doesn’t boast most of the major titles from this generation. Many of Sony’s first-party exclusives often don’t make it onto PlayStation Now, even several years after release. PlayStation Now costs $9.99 a month or $59.99 for a year’s subscription.