The gaming industry has been in a state of upheaval at least since the beginning of the pandemic. Since we have all had to spend significantly more time indoors, the numerous gaming subscriptions have been on the rise to inherit the classic digital single purchase of games. If you invest in the Microsoft Game Pass, Uplay+ or EA Play monthly, you get a lush arsenal of games to choose from.
But the market is so competitive that potential customers are beginning to scratch their heads: Which gaming subscription services are available for PC at all? Which service costs how much? How flexibly can I cancel Game Pass, Uplay+ and the like? And are there perhaps unknown alternatives that I don’t know about yet?
If you don’t feel like wasting the time you could spend gaming on Google, just stay here: We offer you a handy overview of all the relevant subscription services and clarify prices, offers, cancellation periods and roughly the question of what is suitable for whom.
The gaming subscriptions in comparison
For whom is it worthwhile?
Not every gaming subscription is worthwhile for every type of gamer, as blockbuster fans will discover about a few favourites for themselves in Humble Choice Lite’s indie trove. Those who are not interested in streaming on mobile devices should also steer clear of Stadia and Geforce Now. As a little orientation, here are a few tips.
For whom is Uplay+ worthwhile?
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Whether Uplay+ is the right subscription for you can be answered quite easily: Do you like Ubisoft games? If you like the idea of owning all Assassin’s Creed games, all Splinter Cells, Ghost Recons, Rainbow Six spin-offs as well as Rayman and the like, you can’t go wrong.
However, you should be particularly interested in the latest blockbusters, because the fact that Watch Dogs Legion, for example, will be included in your subscription right at release is the real bonus. Older Assassin’s Creed games are regularly available for a few euros in sales.
For whom is EA Play or EA Play Pro worthwhile?
You like sports games, The Sims or multiplayer shooters? Then EA Play (formerly Origin Access) is a possible home. The Basic service gives you access to a fairly large library of “older” games like Battlefield 5, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order or other Star Wars titles for just 4 euros a month. The significantly more expensive Premier service is only worth it if you absolutely have to have the biggest, latest blockbusters like Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
Who is Microsoft Game Pass worth it for?
The Xbox Game Pass is currently the biggest, most versatile and in many ways best subscription service of all. The first month costs just one euro and you get every PC Microsoft game, including Age of Empires, the latest Gears of War, Forza Horizon 4 and the Halo: Master Chief Collection. In addition, there are tens of games from other publishers such as Paradox (Hearts of Iron 4) and Square (Final Fantasy 15) – and the complete portfolio of EA Play (Basic) has recently been integrated into the subscription.
For whom is Prime Gaming worthwhile?
As a pure games subscription, Prime Gaming is not very attractive at the moment – after all, it mainly offers a handful of retro games such as the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection. However, if you are already an Amazon Prime member, you can get the Prime Gaming offer for 8 euros a month in addition to the shipping benefits, Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Reading.
Gamers who already have a Prime membership should check out Prime Gaming from time to time and get free games like Layers of Fear or in-game rewards like currency for GTA Online. By the way, our editor-in-chief Heiko Klinge has a theory as to why Amazon’s subscription attack seems deliberately half-hearted.
For whom is the Humble Choice package worthwhile?
If you’re in the mood for creative indie games, use Humble Choice. The Steam reseller’s indie trove grows monthly with new small games that you can download DRM-free and keep forever. If you want to play mostly blockbusters instead, you can of course activate the more expensive Humble services, but if you only have your sights set on triple-A, the Game Pass might be more worthwhile.
Who is Stadia and Geforce Now for?
Stadia and Geforce Now are not so much convincing because of their games, but much more because of their technology: thanks to the streaming technology, you can play your favourite games on all kinds of devices. However, there are a few catches. You need very fast internet for Stadia, you have to pay for every single game and the selection is currently very limited.
Geforce Now is much cheaper, accesses your Steam library and already offers almost 1,000 compatible games. However, waiting times are the biggest problem here. Nevertheless: If you just want to get a taste of streaming technology, you should rather go for Geforce Now.
