For years, it’s been the unspoken truth in gaming circles, a constant quote on forums and declared in YouTube videos: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is “the best value in gaming”. It was the industry’s undisputed heavyweight champion, a subscription so obviously good it was a default recommendation for any gamer. But that was before the price tag jumped a staggering 50% to $29.99 a month.
To justify this new price, Microsoft has added a lot more to the subscription. You now get:
- A Ubisoft+ Classics subscription.
- A Fortnite Crew membership.
- Future Call of Duty games on the day they release.
This is a big change. Game Pass is no longer just a simple game library. It’s now a large, expensive bundle. If you use all these extras, it’s a good deal. But if you don’t, you’re paying for things you don’t need. This has made other, cheaper services look much better.
Looking at the new Game Pass tiers
The most surprising change is that cloud gaming is now included in every single tier, even the cheapest one, making every Game Pass plan a cloud gaming subscription. The new starting point is Game Pass Essential at $9.99 a month, which gives you a focused library of over 50 games, online multiplayer, and unlimited cloud gaming time.
The new mid-range option is Game Pass Premium at $14.99 a month, expanding the library to over 200 games like Diablo IV with online multiplayer and cloud streaming; its main trade-off is that new Xbox games arrive within a year, not on day one.
Finally, the giant “everything” package is Game Pass Ultimate at $29.99 a month. It has the largest library of over 400 games, gets all new Xbox and Call of Duty titles on day one, and includes extra perks like EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, and a Fortnite Crew membership.
After this price hike, the verdict is clear: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is no longer the undisputed “best value in gaming” for the average player. It is now a premium service for a specific type of gamer who will use all of its many perks. The real winner of this new structure might be Xbox’s own cheaper plans. The new Game Pass Premium tier at $14.99 is a fantastic middle point. For those not entirely interested in playing every Xbox first-party game on day one, it provides a massive library of other great games and unlimited cloud streaming for a very reasonable price.
The best value in gaming…
When you break it all down, the best service really depends on how you play. For those who want a massive, high-quality game library, PlayStation Plus Premium is a top contender. If you are a PC gamer, GeForce Now or Boosteroid are the most logical choice as it lets you play games you already own. However, if you are looking for the best “Netflix for games” experience, the new Game Pass Premium is now arguably the best all-around value, giving you hundreds of top games and unlimited streaming for a very fair price.
Personally, I think the best value subscription for gamers is one that’s often overlooked: Amazon Prime. While it’s not a dedicated gaming service, its perks are remarkable. Through Prime Gaming, you get free PC games to keep forever on platforms like GOG and Epic. Your membership also includes a rotating selection of games to stream on Amazon Luna, plus a free monthly Twitch subscription.
While dedicated services like Game Pass offer a bigger game library for a much higher price, no other subscription provides this many quality gaming perks on top of everything else. When you consider the total value of the entire bundle, Amazon Prime is very hard to beat. Specially, now that the Luna Team teased a huge rework that will provide even more value to Prime subscribers.
With subscriptions getting so cluttered, it makes you wonder what “value” really means. What do you consider the better deal: a straightforward subscription that offers a great game library for a simple price, or a huge, all-in-one bundle like Game Pass Ultimate, even if it includes extras you might not use? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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