Note: Do not confuse Xbox Cloud Gaming with Xbox Remote Play. Xbox Remote Play is free and lets you stream your Xbox games from your console to another Xbox over your phone, PC, or home network.
The service is only available in Colombia and Ireland, and now allows up to five friends and family to share Game Pass Ultimate benefits. In Ireland it costs 22 euros per month. Unfortunately, this service is not currently available, but this statement from Microsoft gives us hope that it may one day be launched worldwide.
“The Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family Preview program will end on August 15, 2023 as we reflect on what we’ve learned over the past few months and consider how we can build an offer that can launch around the world.”
Nintendo subscription
Comparison of Nintendo Switch Online and expansion packs
The choice with Nintendo is easy. Nintendo is currently the only console manufacturer to offer a family game plan.
Nintendo’s online multiplayer service costs $4 per month ($8 quarterly or $20 per year) for individual memberships and $35 per year for family memberships. Play games online with friends, save your games to the cloud, use voice chat in supported games, and access a library of over 100 classic NES and SNES titles. By using Nintendo’s smartphone app, you can also receive special benefits from time to time. Family Membership covers up to eight separate accounts within a family group, allowing everyone to play on multiple Switch consoles at the same time and enjoy the benefits of membership (unfortunately, PlayStation and Xbox do not have this option) ).
Provided by Nintendo
This new service costs $50 per year for individual memberships and $80 per year for family memberships. It offers all of the above, but adds a library of Happy Home Paradise Downloadable Content (DLC) for Nintendo 64 games, Sega Genesis games, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Visit Animal Crossing DLC (no subscription required to do so).
mobile subscription service
Apple Arcade, Google Play Pass, Netflix Games
Mobile games have gotten a bad rap, but the quality of these titles is slowly starting to change for the better. Ads and in-app payments are also removed for the following services:
Looking for a library of games for your iPhone or iPad? Enter Apple Arcade. Boasting over 200 premium games with no ads or in-app purchases, Apple’s mobile gaming subscription is easy to recommend. The subscription service costs $5 per month or $50 per year, and you can use Family Sharing to give access to up to five family members. Even better, get three months of Apple Arcade free when you buy a new iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV, or Mac. Apple Arcade has some exciting exclusive games alongside some of the premium titles available on the App Store. Apple adds some new titles every month, but it also removes games from time to time. Apple Arcade is also included as part of your Apple One subscription.
Have an Android smartphone or tablet? Consider Google Play Pass. The service includes nearly 1,000 games and apps. It costs $5 per month or $30 per year and can be shared with up to five family members. Like Apple Arcade, Google’s service has no ads or in-app purchases, but there’s nothing special here. It just provides access to some popular games that you usually have to pay for separately.
You might be surprised to learn that Netflix includes mobile games as part of its membership. Don’t get too excited. Choose from over 80 titles. Some of the titles are exclusive and some are very fun. Learn how to play Netflix games and find out for yourself.
game streaming service
GeForce Now vs. Amazon Luna
Microsoft and Sony have ways to stream games from the Internet to your PC, console, tablet, phone, or laptop, but there are several dedicated services focused entirely on this game streaming business model. there is.
Nvidia’s game streaming service is a little different. You’ll need a strong internet connection (at least 50 Mbps for best quality) and you’ll need to bring your own games. You can plug it into your Steam or Epic library, but not all games are supported. This is one of the easiest ways to play the latest games with the best graphics possible if you don’t have a fully equipped PC (graphics cards are still hard to come by). There’s a limited free tier that lets you play up to an hour on a basic rig, but if you pay $10 a month ($50 a year) you get priority service with the right setup, which gives you up to 6 hours at 1080p at 60 frames per second. can. , or for $20 per month ($100 for 6 months), you can access an RTX 4080 graphics card and play up to 8 hours of 4K games at 120 fps.
Amazon offers a game streaming service very similar to Google’s ill-fated Stadia. Luna is divided by channels. The Luna+ channel costs $10 per month and includes a variety of games from different genres, while the Ubisoft+ channel costs $18 per month and gives you access to dozens of Ubisoft games, including Assassin’s Creed. A party game channel called Jackbox costs $5 a month, and if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can play a rotating selection of games for free. Works with Windows PCs, Macs, Fire TVs, Fire tablets, iPads, Chromebooks, and mobile phones. You can play using Luna’s controller, Xbox One or PS4 controller, or keyboard and mouse.
This is Amazon’s fledgling service, but it’s a little strange. Admittedly, there’s not enough here to justify an Amazon Prime subscription ($15 per month or $139 per year), but if you already have it, it’s worth a look. Get in-game loot for some popular games, free game downloads, free DLC, and free Twitch subscriptions to certain Twitch streamers.
Unfortunately, Google’s Stadia has shut down. The service will be completely terminated on January 18, 2023.
rest
Humble Choice, EA Play, Ubisoft Plus
We have a different kind of membership from Humble, and some game publishers have decided that their catalog is large enough to offer it as a subscription service (although some game publishers (many of the titles are also available through the services already mentioned).
Provided by Humble Bundle
Unlike the other game subscription services on our list, the $12/month Humble Choice membership gives you monthly access to a fresh mix of mainstream and indie PC games that you can keep forever. You’ll also get access to the Humble Games Collection (a library of interesting indies) and special discounts. Additionally, 5% of your Humble Choice membership will be donated to Humble’s featured charity of the month.
For $6 a month or $40 a year, you can access EA titles like FIFA 23, Madden 23, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Titanfall 2, and more on Xbox, PlayStation, or PC. You can also play select new titles for up to 10 hours before they’re released, access in-game challenges and rewards, and save 10% on game downloads, season passes, and DLC. The Pro tier, which costs $17 per month or $120 per year, upgrades you to the premium gaming edition. For most people, a Game Pass subscription makes much more sense.
Note: EA Play is included at no additional charge as part of your Xbox Game Pass PC or Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
For $8 a month, you can play Ubisoft’s library of about 50 “classics” on your PC. If you want new releases, premium editions, DLC, and in-game benefits on launch day, you’ll need to upgrade to Premium for $18 per month. This also allows you to play the games of your choice via the cloud on Xbox or Luna. This service feels overpriced for what you’re getting, so it’s only for hardcore Ubisoft fans who can’t live without all the premium editions and perks.
Note: You can play over 50 of Ubisoft’s best games through Sony’s PS Plus Extra and Premium subscription services.
