If you missed it, Microsoft announced a plethora of new titles today that will launch on Xbox One, Series X, and PC. But, instead of having to buy each title individually, Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes most of the aforementioned games for one small monthly fee. You’ll find that Game Pass Ultimate has over 100 titles to choose from, and even include Xbox Live Gold with it, at not much more than Sony’s PlayStation Now service. Right now, Game Pass Ultimate is the best value in gaming and it’s only getting better as time goes on.
What used to house mostly independent titles now is full of AAA masterpieces
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate didn’t use to be that great of a value. At one point, it was mostly just Microsoft titles and independent developers. But, now, a few years in, and the library of over 100 games is full of AAA titles from world-renowned studios. You’ll find Red Dead Redemption 2, No Man’s Sky, ARK: Survival Evolved, DayZ, The Outer Worlds, Fallout 76, and many more titles available on Microsoft’s game subscription service.
There is no attention paid to who the developer or studio is when it comes to publishing on Game Pass Ultimate, though it does seem most of the time the studios and Microsoft work hand-in-hand before making the release on the platform.
Sony’s alternative is PlayStation Now…and it just doesn’t cut it. Yet?
Sony offers PlayStation Now, which is its game streaming subscription service. You’ll get “hundreds of PS4, PS3, and PS2” games to play, with Sony boasting over 800 titles available in its library. While PlayStation Now has titles like Watch Dogs 2, Metro Exodus, Rainbow Six Siege, Just Cause 4, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and more, most of these titles are only available to play for a limited time. Take Rise of the Tomb Raider, for example. You’ll only be able to play that until August 31st, and then it’s gone. While Microsoft rotates games on and off Game Pass, generally, once a title lands on the subscription service, it’s there for quite a while.
The next thing is that Sony doesn’t include PlayStation Plus with PlayStation Now. Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes both Game Pass and Xbox Live, giving you all of the benefits of both services for one fee. Sony gives access to online gaming with PlayStation Now, but you’ll lose out on the other features of PlayStation Plus, like monthly free games and other discounts.
Game Pass Ultimate works on both Xbox and PC
Whether you have a gaming desktop or Xbox, Game Pass Ultimate is a great value for both. I really enjoy it because the service gives me access to fantastic titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 on console and also The Outer Worlds on PC. Plus, many titles are available on both platforms, allowing you to enjoy the game both on console and desktop without having to buy two copies. While PlayStation Now offers a selection of games on PC, it’s nothing like what Microsoft can pack considering the company makes both Xbox and Windows.
Launch-day releases abound
Something else that Game Pass Ultimate offers is launch-day releases. For example, the upcoming Flight Simulator 2020 will be available on Game Pass Ultimate for subscribers PC day one, with the Xbox release coming later this year. You’ll also find many of the titles announced today will be available on Game Pass Ultimate the same day that they release in the coming months, making it super simple for people to play content without having to wait days or weeks for it to hit the streaming service.
Game Pass Perks adds even more value
When it comes to overall value, Microsoft is constantly expanding what it offers in Game Pass Ultimate. From adding new games to introducing Game Pass Perks, you’re always going to be getting something new on the service. Game Pass Perks can give you multiple items for titles, ranging from DLCs to skins, emotes, or even in-game currency.
Mobile streaming via xCloud is included at no extra cost
Microsoft is also including access to xCloud, the company’s mobile game streaming service, with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. There are no extra fees, and Destiny 2 will even be available on xCloud for all Game Pass subscribers this September. While other services like Google Stadia charge a monthly fee for high-end mobile gaming and then make you purchase titles again on top of that, Microsoft is doing their best to make xCloud available to all without charging exorbitant amounts.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate pricing speaks for itself
Now, you might think, “Do I really need another subscription service?” Well, the answer is, yes…at least for this. When you look at what a normal AAA title costs, either $60 or $70 depending on if you’re talking next-gen or current, after buying three base games, you could have paid for a year of Game Pass Ultimate.
The breakdown is this: first-time subscribers can get 3-months for just $1. Game Pass Ultimate is either $15 per month, $45 for 3-months, $90 for 6-months, or $180 for 12-months after that. So, for the cost of three games, you could have a year of Game Pass Ultimate, which generally includes the Ultimate versions (read: $120 editions) of many games. For example, Destiny 2 is coming to Game Pass in September and bringing with it all of the DLCs for the game. This is killer, considering it’s $50 to buy Destiny 2 and get one season’s worth of content. That’s almost halfway to the cost of a year of Game Pass Ultimate. Microsoft is committed to bringing every new Xbox Game Studios game to Game Pass Ultimate, and also promises to partner with other studios to continue making its service worthwhile for gamers and developers alike.
On the other hand, Sony’s PlayStation Now is $10 per month, $25 for 3-months, or $60 for 12-months. While this is a third the cost of Game Pass Ultimate, no mobile streaming option is included (yet) and you also don’t get two free games per month, since PlayStation Now doesn’t include PlayStation Plus. Sony really needs to step up their game when it comes to their subscriptions, as it won’t take long for people to realize that Xbox just offers better value over its competition.
9to5Toys’ take
In the end, the best value in game subscriptions right now is hands down Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. When you consider the number of AAA titles, xCloud access, day one releases, and inclusion of Xbox Live Gold, Game Pass Ultimate trounces on what Sony currently offers in the form of subscription services.
While Sony could change that, and they really need to, Microsoft is coming into the next-generation of console wars swinging, and Sony really only has a handful of exclusives to hold over the competition right now.
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