Is Xbox Game Pass Worth It? Launched by Microsoft back in mid 2017, Xbox Game Pass was released to offer a game subscription service for the Xbox One console, also supporting the PC platform.
It’s often compared to movie and TV streaming subscription services, even described as “Netfix for video games”. Let’s take a look at how it works and what the benefits are with the aim of answering the ultimate question: is Xbox Game Pass worth it?
Is Xbox Game Pass Worth It?
Similar to PlayStation Plus and the EA Access subscription-based video game service for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the Xbox Game Pass gives you unlimited access to over 100 games at a time that you can play on Xbox One. For a monthly payment of $9.99 (€9.99, AUD10.95, £7.99), you’ll gain access to a rotating catalog of games released from a variety of publishers.
Games are occasionally removed or added to the list to keep the library constantly changing, however there’s usually over 200 games available at one time. As well as a range of Xbox One games, some Xbox 360 and Xbox games are included in the catalog since the Xbox One is backwards compatible.
All games currently in the catalog are available for download at any time for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, and they can be played offline as well. Games can be downloaded and installed without any limits apart from the hard drive capacity of your console. After 30 days, however, the Xbox must be reconnected to the internet to verify the active Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Are there any extra benefits?
As well as access to the catalog of games, subscribers can also purchase any of those games with a 20% discount, and any DLC (downloadable content) for those games will have a 10% discount.
One other benefit of the Xbox Game Pass is the extremely wide variety of game publishers included. While other subscription services like EA Access only offer few or one publisher’s games, Xbox Game Pass has a long list of publishers including Namco, Capcom, WB Games, 2K Games, Bethesda Softworks as well as Xbox Game Studios’ own games.
Some subscriptions like the PlayStation 4’s service work by streaming the games to players rather than installing them on players’ hard drives. Alternatively, the Xbox Game Pass allows players to download the games as though they own them normally. Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, explained that this was to allow “continuous, full-fidelity gameplay without having to worry about streaming, bandwidth or connectivity issues”.
So, is Xbox Game Pass Worth It?
The short answer: yes, as long as you enjoy playing a variety of games, the Game Pass will have a lot to offer you and you’ll probably find you save a lot of money after a short amount of time. Much like Netflix, the Xbox Game Pass can provide endless hours of entertainment for only a small monthly cost, so it’s a good deal in terms of value for money.
The Xbox Game Pass has a history of offering particularly great games in its catalogue, including Grand Theft Auto V, Fallout 4, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Metal Gear Solid V, Monster Hunter World, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Of course, there are a lot of smaller games included that aren’t AAA games, although this gives you the chance to try some games that you wouldn’t otherwise pay to try. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a hidden gem!
The first month is currently only $1, so it’s simple to try without completely committing. If you don’t tend to play a very large variety of games, you could also purchase the Game Pass only during the months where you see at least a few games on the list you’re interested in, and skip the month otherwise to increase the value for money even further.
The best value may be in the more expensive Ultimate Pass, which includes the Xbox Gold Live subscription service and the BETA PC platform. Since Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold, you’ll get great value for money with access to online multiplayer, free monthly games and exclusive store discounts up to 50% off.
Many Xbox players who are considering the Xbox Game Pass already have a subscription to Xbox Gold Live. If that’s the case, switching to the Since Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to cover both services in one will give you the lowest monthly price available, and it ends up being only a small amount extra for the Game Pass.
What Games Are Available?
Xbox Game Pass gives you unlimited access to over 100 high-quality game with titles added all the time. Whether you play console games, PC games, or both, there’s a plan for you.
Check out the full list of xbox game pass games here.
Where can I get Xbox Game Pass From?
Xbox Game Pass is available from Amazon. A good way to make Xbox Game Pass worth it is by buying it as a digital gift card from places like Amazon or CDKEYS.
It’s usually about 10% cheaper than retail.
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