Over the past year we’ve seen game subscription services launch, grow, and evolve, and it’s time to check-in and find out which services offer the best bang for your buck. From Xbox Game Pass to the newly announced Amazon Luna and everything in between, we break down each of the biggest game subscriptions available today to help you decide which is best for you.
Note - all prices are in USD, and will vary from country to country.
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Xbox Game Pass (+Ultimate)
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PC, compatible Android devices
Price: Console Only $9.99/mo, PC Only $9.99/mo, Game Pass Ultimate (Xbox One, PC, mobile streaming + Xbox Live Gold) $14.99/mo.
Trial Period: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate $1 for first month
The king of game streaming continues to be Xbox with its Game Pass subscription service.
Even though Sony was first to the subscription party, Microsoft has just about perfected the formula. Xbox Game Pass allows you to play over 100 games as part of an ever-evolving catalog, including all of Microsoft’s first-party titles on the day they launch such as Halo Infinite, Gears Tactics, and more.
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With the recent acquisition of Bethesda, Microsoft is adding a back catalog of games to its service starting with DOOM Eternal. To make this even sweeter, all future Bethesda games will be included in Game Pass the day they launch including The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield, not to mention any future Fallout, Wolfenstein, and DOOM games.
If that wasn’t enough to entice you, Microsoft also announced a partnership with EA to bring EA Play to Game Pass this November at no additional cost. This will add another roughly 60 games to Game Pass including Titanfall 2, the Mass Effect series, Battlefield V, FIFA 20, Need For Speed Heat, and more.
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Xbox also recently added mobile streaming to Game Pass Ultimate for those with a compatible Android device. Game progress is synced to your Xbox Live account allowing you to pick up where you left off between console and mobile.
If you don’t have an Xbox, Microsoft also offers Xbox Game Pass for PC as a standalone service. For $9.99 per month you’ll have access to a library of over 100 games, often including games rotated in and out each month.
There’s also a number of limited-time perks and challenges included with Game Pass that you can take advantage of including 3 months of Postmates Unlimited, 3 months of Discord Nitro, free in-game loot, and more.
PlayStation Now
Platforms: PS4 & PC
Price: $59.99/12 mo., $24.99/3 mo., $9.99/mo.
Trial Period: 7-days free
Sony’s PlayStation Now service has been around the longest, beginning back in 2014. The service was originally available for PS4, PS3, PS Vita, PS TV, and select Sony Bravia TVs, but support has since ended on older platforms.
Currently, you can stream PS4, PS3, and PS2 games to your PS4 or PC. Additionally, Sony added the ability to download PS4 and PS2 games for offline play, however, this feature is only available on PS4. PlayStation Now still boasts the largest catalog of all the major streaming players at over 800 games for $9.99 per month. If you’re interested in checking out PlayStation Now, Sony offers a 7-day free trial that you can take advantage of.
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The best value is subscribing for the entire year, which only costs $59.99 - or the price of one full-priced game. The only downside to the service is that many of Sony’s biggest releases of this generation are suspiciously absent - including Horizon: Zero Dawn and Spider-Man, just to name a couple. There are some heavy hitters here, though, including God of War, The Last of Us, Bloodborne, and the original Uncharted trilogy of games on PS3.
Wondering what you should play? Check out our index that lets you sort the entire PS Now catalog by review score, release date, and more.
Google Stadia Pro
Platforms: Stadia-compatible devices,TV via Chromecast Ultra, laptops/desktops via Chrome browser
Price: $9.99/mo.
Trial Period: 1 month free with purchase of Stadia Premiere Edition ($99)
Google Stadia Pro is the premium tier of Google Stadia that includes a catalog of games updated on a monthly basis that includes Destiny 2: The Collection, HITMAN: The Complete First Season, and more. Additionally, you can stream games in 4K HDR with 5.1 surround sound on compatible devices (and with a minimum download speed of 35Mbps). Stadia Pro also offers discounts on games not included in the rotating catalog.
While Google also offers a free tier for Stadia, there are no games included in the service by default. Games will need to be purchased individually and will stream at a maximum of 1080p with stereo surround sound.
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For those looking to jump in and check out Stadia Pro, Google offers the Stadia Premiere Edition for $99 that includes the Stadia controller and a Chromecast Ultra for hooking up to your TV. While you can technically use any controller with Stadia, the Stadia Controller offers the best experience including seamless switching across screens, Google Assistant integration, and an easy capture button.
In our updated review we said Google Stadia’s “catalog is still troublingly empty and a handful of its most exciting features haven’t been mentioned for months.” With the addition of a free tier for Stadia, there’s little incentive to subscribe to Stadia Pro in its current state, save for a handful of old games available as part of the service.
Amazon Luna
Platforms: PC, Mac, Fire TV devices, iOS/iPad OS (via web browser), Android (coming soon)
Price: $5.99/mo. (introductory price)
Trial Period: Nothing announced, early access registration is open
Amazon has officially entered the game streaming market with Amazon Luna, its take on cloud-based games. Initially, it looks very similar to Google Stadia Pro, featuring a growing library of games that can be accessed across your many screens. But, what makes Amazon Luna unique are the various “game channels” you can subscribe to.
Amazon’s own channel, Luna+, will launch with games such as Control, Resident Evil 7, A Plague Tale: Innocence, and Yooka-Laylee and The Impossible Lair for the introductory price of $5.99 per month during its initial early access period. At launch, games will stream at 1080p/60fps, although Amazon has stated that 4K is “coming soon” and recommends a minimum internet speed of 35Mbps for the best experience. With Luna+, you’ll be able to stream to two devices simultaneously.
The Ubisoft channel will also be coming to Amazon Luna which will offer the latest games from Ubisoft’s catalog when they become available, including ultimate editions for specific titles. Pricing has not been announced, but games will be playable at 1080/60 with 4K being added later, as well. This is "the first of multiple Luna game channels in development, where customers can play games from their favorite publishers and genres,” Amazon has stated.
Twitch integration will be at the core of Amazon Luna, allowing you to watch streamers play games and jump right into playing the game yourself immediately, if available on Luna.
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