Subscriptions are coming for everything, even your video games.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, mind you. If you're a consummate consumer of whatever thing you're paying a monthly fee for, the deal usually works out in your favor. That's as true of video game subscriptions as any other, though of course the quality of each individual service is all over the map.
We're here to help you navigate that map. Pretty much every option that's out there caters to different types of players. So it's not really a question of filtering the good out from the bad, but rather figuring out which option(s) – If any! – work best for you.
If you've never spent any time immersed in the culture of video games, a brief history lesson is in order. (Go ahead and scroll down to the round-up if you're feeling all caught up!)
Subscriptions have been kicking around for the past 15 or 20 years as games have increasingly moved online. It started with games like World of Warcraft and eventually expanded to include services, such as Xbox Live Gold being a requirement for Xbox gaming online.
You can still find plenty of individual games that offer a monthly subscription, including WoW. Those aren't the kinds of subscriptions we're talking about here, but it's worth understanding how the industry has pivoted.
Gaming subscriptions these days generally fall into two basic categories. There are the game-focused ones that enhance an otherwise free-to-play experience with everything from purely cosmetic upgrades to time-savers that let you skip ahead in one way or another. Then there are the service subscriptions, most of which give you unfettered access to a library of games alongside a handful of other features (such as streaming, cloud saves, and the like).
We're going to focus on the latter here. These promise to give most fans of gaming the best bang for their buck. Besides, if you already play something like World of Warcraft or Star Wars: The Old Republic you probably know the pluses and minuses of those individual subscriptions better than we do.
1. Apple Arcade
You won't find these games anywhere else in the App Store.- Monthly subscription: $4.99
- Annual subscription: $49.99
There's something for everyone in Apple's catalog of more than 100 games. For $5 per month you get a fully fleshed out library of mobile-friendly games spanning all genres, from major publishers and indies alike. You also won't find any of them in any other app store, including Apple's, thanks to mobile exclusivity.
You do get a smaller selection of games than some of the other subscriptions offer. But there's a high bar for quality in Apple's (entirely kid-friendly) curation, and with Family Sharing turned on you can always have someone to play with. The only catch is that you'll need an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or macOS PC.
2. Google Play Pass
Google Play Pass is like a "greatest hits" of all the best older games – and apps! – available on Android.- Monthly subscription: $4.99
Where Apple Arcade delivers a comparatively small library of new-ish exclusives, Google delivers a hefty lineup of more than 350 games (and apps, too). Most of it is older, but you still get a great selection of critically acclaimed and widely beloved titles to choose from. It's mobile's greatest hits, basically.
Play Pass might be best suited to new Android users or people who just haven't picked up tons of popular apps and games over the years. But even if you do own some of the options in the library Google's assembled, there's a lot of value here.
3. Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass is one of the more well-rounded subscriptions in gaming, with options for Xbox and PC users as well as upcoming streaming features.- Console subscription: $9.99/month
- PC subscription: $9.99/month
- "Ultimate" subscription: $14.99/month
The big draw is Xbox Game Pass subscribers being able to count on having access to any Microsoft-published game or Xbox exclusive right when it comes out. That means you don't need to buy the new Halo or Gears or Forza (or whatever else) anymore. If it's an Xbox original, you're going to have it on day one as long as you're a subscriber.
Xbox Game Pass also comes with the bonus of many Xbox games supporting "Play Anywhere," meaning you can download and install them if your PC supports it. Alternatively, there's a separate "PC Game Pass" subscription, as well as a combo $14.99/month "Ultimate" subscription that gives you both of the Game Passes, along with an Xbox Live Gold subscription (normally $9.99/month, you'd need it to play online with an Xbox console).
Eventually Game Pass will offer streaming services as well, from both your console and the cloud. Those features are supposed to arrive in 2020, so stay tuned.
4. PlayStation Now
PlayStation Now features some of the best games available for Sony's console, and you can even play them on your PC.- Monthly subscription: $9.99
- Tri-monthly subscription: $24.99
- Annual subscription: $59.99
All you need for streaming is a DualShock 4 controller (which you have if you already own a PS4) and an internet-connected computer from the past five years. The PC app for PlayStation Now lacks a search feature and can be challenging to navigate, but the games themselves work well.
The only place where PS Now really comes up short is with new games. Sony doesn't give you every new PlayStation original on day one like Xbox Game Pass does. That said, this is still a great deal for PS4 owners who like the idea of having a deep library that's always available.
One final thing to note: While Sony does require a PlayStation Plus subscription for online gaming (just like Xbox Live Gold), you don't need PS Plus for PS Now games. Anything you can get from your Now subscription lets you play online, whether or not you're a Plus subscriber.
5. Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo Switch Online is necessary if you want to be able to back up your save data, but the low annual subscription price and addition of free games and online play sweetens the deal.- Monthly subscription: $3.99
- Tri-monthly subscription: $7.99
- Annual subscription: $19.99
- Annual family subscription (up to 8): $34.99
You do get some free games as well. Subscribers can download a pair of Switch apps that let you access a library of around 100 NES and SNES games. (Nintendo adds new ones regularly, too.) You'll find a good mix in there, from widely beloved favorites like Super Mario Bros. 3 to deep cuts like StarTropics.
Subscribers also have the ability to play multiplayer Switch games online (provided the game supports it) and will sometimes receive special offers from Nintendo. But again, the big draw here is really cloud saves and classic games. For $20 per year, that's an OK deal.
6. EA Access
EA Access is for you if you live for Electronic Arts releases, though PC and (to a lesser extent) Xbox gamers enjoy the most features.- Monthly subscription - Console or PC (Basic): $4.99
- Annual subscription - Console or PC (Basic): $29.99
- Monthly subscription - PC (Premier): $14.99
- Annual subscription - PC (Premier): $99.99
The PC version, called Origin Access, is the best deal. For the same price as the console subscriptions, it gets you the biggest vault out of any other option, with more than 240 games. PC is also the only place you can upgrade to "Premier" membership, which replaces 10-hour trials with unlimited access to all EA games, new and old, along with any add-ons.
The two console subscriptions both have smaller vaults, with the Xbox offering only around 70 games and the PS4 coming in at around 40. They both also include 10-hour trials and a 10 percent discount on EA titles, but you don't get quite as much for your money considering they're priced the same as Origin Access.
EA Access and its Origin equivalents are obviously good choices for fans of EA games. But if you're looking for a subscription that gets you all the latest games, Origin Access Premier is your only choice.
7. Uplay+
All the Ubisoft games, from the old stuff to new releases on day one, along with all add-ons and bonus content for one monthly price.- Monthly subscription: $14.99
The $14.99/month subscription also includes access to a library of all the Ubisoft games and extra content. If there's any kind of beta test before one game or another comes out, you get into that as well. That's pretty much it. There's just one catch: It's for PC gamers only.
This is a great deal if must play every single Ubisoft game, and you play them on PC. It's no big deal if there's one Ubi franchise or another you're not a fan of, but the people who benefit most from this service are the ones who always plan to dive deep on the publisher's most popular properties as each new game comes out.
8. Humble Choice
Humble Choice serves up a monthly selection of curated picks for you to choose from, and you get to keep whatever you choose.- Lite subscription (monthly / annual): $4.99 / $44.99
- Basic subscription (monthly / annual): $14.99 / $134.99
- Premium subscription (monthly / annual): $19.99 / $179.99
The simplest "Lite" subscription lets you grab anything (and everything) from a "Humble Trove" library, which consists of close to 100 games. Most of them are indies (which isn't a bad thing!) and they're all DRM-free, so you'll be able to run them without connecting to Humble or any other service to confirm you own them. You also get a 10 percent discount on any Humble Store purchases.
In addition to the Humble Trove and discount, stepping up to the "Basic" subscription also lets you choose from a selection of yours-to-keep games every month. That monthly selection is curated by Humble and usually consists of 10-15 games that are, for whatever reason, bigger and buzzier than what you'll find in the Trove. Basic subscribers choose three games from that list and top-tier "Premium" subscribers can choose nine. (Premium also comes with a 20 percent Humble Store discount.)
Humble Choice is a good option (again, for PC only) if you have varied tastes and an open mind about games but would rather take recommendations on what to play. Getting to keep the games you pick up is a huge bonus, but you should make sure your tastes line up with the (publicly posted) selections cued up by Humble's curators every month.
Disclosure notice: Humble Bundle is also owned by Mashable's parent company, Ziff Davis.
9. Utomik
Utomik may not have the biggest games or the top publishers, but it offers a huge library filled with indies and all manner of hidden gems.- Monthly subscription (personal): $6.99
- Monthly subscription (family - 4 users): $9.99
The games catalog features more than 1,000 titles from a range of publishers, including Warner Bros., Epic Games, and Deep Silver. Brand new releases aren't necessarily added right away, but the catalog does grow regularly. Utomik also keeps subscriptions pretty simple, with a $6.99/month all-you-can-play tier and a $14.99/month family plan that works the same way, but for up to four users.
Utomik has some blind spots when it comes to major publishers – Activision, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Square Enix don't participate – but the service is home to a range of quality games, from big blockbusters like the Batman: Arkham or Metro series to indies like the recently released Kunai and Coffee Talk.
10. Stadia
Google Stadia is still a work-in-progress on the service side, but the tech that powers it is impressive and the games list is small but mighty.- Monthly subscription (Pro): $9.99 (requires $129 "Premiere Edition")
Subscribers get unfettered access to a small selection (Google's been updating it every month since the Nov. 2019 launch), as well as high-definition streams (up to 4K, 60fps, 5.1 surround sound) and discounts on Stadia Store purchases. There's not much in the store yet, but not every game you'll find there is part of that Pro subscription.
Google plans to eventually launch a free Stadia Base option which caps streaming at 1080p and stereo sound. Base users won't get free games, but they'll be able to make purchases in the store. At that point, the required up-front purchase of a Premiere Edition kit will also go away for new Pro subscribers. Currently, Stadia games can be played on PC, Chromecast Ultra, and a select lineup of more recent Android smartphones and tablets.
11. Shadow
Shadow is a great option for people who aren't quite ready to buy a new PC but don't mind spending a little more for top-quality game streaming.- Monthly subscription: $34.99
- Monthly subscription (with annual commitment): $24.99
It's pricier than Stadia, with a monthly subscription starting at $12.99 – though that's an introductory price, and available only if you commit to an annual plan. Normal pricing is $24.99 monthly for subscribers with an annual commitment and $34.99 for month-to-month subscribers. The ostensible advantage for paying this higher price is having a gaming PC in Shadow's network that is entirely your own. It won't ever come home to you, but it also won't be streaming multiple games to multiple people all at once.
Shadow is something to consider if you've got great internet at home and a desire to play PC games that your current machine can't handle. Maybe it's out of date. Maybe it broke down. Maybe you don't even own one! Shadow positions itself as an alternative to buying or upgrading a computer of your own.
12. GeForce Now
GeForce Now brings game streaming to everyone with reasonable subscription pricing and a free option, but you have to supply the games.- Monthly subscription: $4.99
GeForce Now is similar in a lot of ways to Shadow. There's no ready-made games library for subscribers, it's just streaming. For an introductory price of $4.99/month you get priority access to streaming (more on that below), four hours of playtime (though you can immediately queue up again after a session ends), and some fancier graphics turned on in your streams.
There's also a free tier that limits your play sessions to one hour before forcing you to queue up again. Free users also lose priority access, so you'll probably wait a little (or a lot) longer than paying subscribers before it's your turn to play. For free and paid subscribers both, any game you play comes from your personal library.
GeForce Now is still so new that some basic features remain in flux. Certain games that were available during the beta, including titles from Activision, Rockstar Games, and others, are now unavailable to stream post-release. Keep that in mind if you're thinking about committing long-term.
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