Exploring Affordable Game Subscription Services

Gaming has become an expensive hobby with frequent game releases all around £60 price point, gamers are understandably looking for ways to get more bang for their buck. This is where affordable game subscription services come in, usually costing as much as a Netflix subscription. They allow you to keep on top of the newest releases, however, each one comes with its own caveats we'll be discussing below.

Xbox Game Pass

Game Pass is Xbox’s streaming platform that gives you access to hundreds of Xbox titles available to play across a number of platforms such as PC, Xbox, and Mobile. The streaming subscription is available in three tiers and your mileage will vary depending on your preferred gaming platform. 

All subscriptions can be started with a 14-day trial that begins at just £1 which is a cost-effective way of trying before buying. If you’re gaming purely on a console then of course the console tier is best for you, the same is true for the PC tier if you game on PC. 

Ultimate is only really worth it if you find yourself gaming across all platforms otherwise you’ll be paying more for perks you won't actually benefit from. If you’re someone who games on both PC and console, you might have a difficult time choosing between the console tier and PC tier. We think it's worth mentioning that the PC tier is a whole £1 cheaper and includes EA play which gives you access to a bunch of EA titles, which may be of particular interest to the sports fans amongst you.

Another tip with mentioning when it comes to Game Pass is that it can ultimately pay for itself. Game Pass gives you access to exclusive Microsoft reward challenges which can be used to earn Microsoft reward points. If you complete enough challenges, you could very well end up with enough points at the end of the month to buy a Microsoft Gift card which can be used to pay for your Game Pass subscription.

PlayStation Plus

PlayStation Plus also offers a variety of subscription tiers, with the cheapest starting at £6.99 a month. However, the perks are quite meager especially when compared to Xbox’s cheapest option which is only £1 more.

The real offerings begin with the ‘Extra’ tier which includes access to the PlayStation game catalogue and Ubisoft+ Classics which is more in line with what consumers expect from a game subscription service.  

There is a higher tier available for £13.99 a month titled Premium, however, the only tangible perks you’ll be receiving are cloud streaming and access to game trials. So, unless you find yourself often wanting to stream games to your mobile or other devices you may as well stick to the Extra tier and save yourself £3. 

Nintendo Switch Online

Easily one of the cheapest options available at just £3.49 but this comes with some caveats. One, Nintendo Switch Online is as the name suggests restricted for use with the Nintendo Switch, no streaming your favourite titles here. Two, some perks included in the Nintendo Switch Online are offered for free by other platforms such as online play and mobile apps. 

However, being able to access classic NES, Super NES, and Game Boy titles alone may be worth the cost to those of you looking to relive some of that childhood nostalgia. There are cheaper and better options available for emulation. You could buy an emulation device from Ambernic or Miyoo which usually comes with hundreds of retro games pre-installed allowing you to own them forever.  

Humble Choice

Some of you might be unfamiliar with Humble Bundle but it's definitely one of the more interesting game retailers out there. Essentially the site sells a ‘bundle’ of games usually centered around a theme or publisher, where you pay what you want which dictates how much of the bundle you’ll receive. Oh, and the best part is a portion of your purchase goes to charity. 

Now, their subscription service works quite differently from others, you pay £8.99  a month and you’ll be sent a curation of free games, which you’ll be allowed to keep forever. You’ll also get access to the HB collection with hundreds of titles available. The subscription service also entitles you to exclusive savings and discounts meaning you can save big on any games you decide to purchase outright. Unfortunately, Humble Bundle is currently only available for PC.

EA Play

EA is one of the largest publishers out there with AAA titles like Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Dead Space, not to mention all the licensed sports games like Fifa, NBA, etc. For just £3.93 you can't really go wrong, the subscription even includes early access to upcoming titles and is available on both PC and console.

However, as we mentioned above the subscription service is available as part of both Game Pass’s Ultimate and PC tiers which can be essentially free assuming you earn enough Microsoft Rewards points each month. 

Amazon along with all of its other subscription services also offers a gaming subscription service. Prime Gaming gives you access to free games, exclusive in-game content, and a free sub to your favourite streamer on Twitch. While a Prime Gaming subscription is just £8.99 it still lacks a lot of features included with other subscription services.