Xbox Game Pass, Origin Access And More: The Most Popular Gaming Subscriptions 2020

2023 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 15:18

	Games available	Price (monthly)	platform	Subscribe to
Xbox Game Pass	200+	3.99 / 9.99 euros	PC, Xbox	At Amazon
Origin Access	130+	3.99 / 14.99 euros	PC	At Amazon
Uplay +	100+	14.99 euros	PC	In the Ubisoft Store
Humble choice	90+	4.49 / 13.99 / 17.99 euros	PC	In the Humble Store
Nintendo Switch Online	70+	3.99 euros	Nintendo Switch	At Amazon
Apple Arcade	100+	4.99 euros	Mac, iOS	In the app store

Best value for money: Xbox Game Pass

With the Xbox Game Pass you get unlimited access to over 200 games - you can play them either on your Xbox One or on your PC. For the PC subscription, only EUR 3.99 per month is currently due, which makes the service all the more attractive. On the console, it costs 9.99 euros a month.

Alternatively, you can also opt for the Game Pass in the Ultimate version. There you then pay € 12.99 for Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold in a bundle. From September 2020, the subscription will then be expanded to include the xCloud service for the same price, which allows you to stream more than 100 games to your console or smartphone. Due to this flexible price structure and the large selection of games, the Xbox Game Pass is also our price-performance winner.

Buy Xbox Game Pass

advantages

• Combination can be combined with Xbox Live Gold
• Large selection of games
• For both PC and Xbox
• Member discounts

disadvantage

So far only a few interesting exclusive titles

For AAA gamers: Origin Access

Not only hardware manufacturers like Sony or Microsoft, but also video game publishers have long been offering their games in the typical Netflix subscription. EA is no exception and leaves it up to users whether they buy the games once or can play them in exchange for a small monthly fee. They offer two different models: Basic and Premier.

Origin Access Basic costs € 3.99 a month and gives you access to over 130 EA games. These include the latest offshoots from FIFA or Battlefield, but you can only play them in a 10-hour trial. This is where Premier comes in, because the subscription gives you unlimited access to all new releases. Therefore, the increased price of 14.99 euros per month is due here.

Buy Origin Access

advantages

• Constantly growing collection of EA exclusive titles
• Early access to new games
• Member discounts

disadvantage

• High price for the Premier subscription
• New AAA releases are only permanently available in the more expensive subscription

For mainstream gamers: Uplay +

Ubisoft takes a similar approach to EA with Uplay +. This subscription for 14.99 euros per month also gives you unlimited access to numerous Ubisoft treasures. This includes almost all offshoots from Assassin's Creed or Far Cry. In total, the subscription includes over 100 titles, including the respective premium editions and the associated DLCs. In comparison to Origin Access, this may sound like very little at first, but as the saying goes: quality instead of quantity.

Unfortunately, there is only one version of the subscription and it would be advisable to find out in advance which games are actually included in Uplay +. Depending on what you're interested in, membership could be worthwhile, especially since you also get early access to new releases.

Secure Uplay + subscription

advantages

• Constantly growing number of Ubisoft exclusive titles
• Early access and beta programs for new games
• Subscription also includes premium editions of the games including DLCs

disadvantage

• Only relatively few games currently available
• High price

For indie lovers: Humble Choice

Humble Choice offers you the complete contrast program to the previous gaming subscriptions. The subscription is available in three different versions: Lite, Basic and Premium. For 4.49 euros per month you get access to the "Humble Trove" - that's the name of the ever-growing library with currently over 90 indie games.

Humble Choice Basic and Premium cost a little more at 13.99 or 17.99 euros, but you can also choose from a rotating rotation of ten games each month and depending on the subscription keep three or even nine of them forever. As if that weren't enough, with every Humble Choice subscription you support nonprofit organizations that also change monthly.

Subscribe to Humble Choice

advantages

• Growing library of indie titles
• Supports charitable causes
• Depending on the subscription, additional games every month as a gift
• Member discounts

disadvantage

• Free games only included in the more expensive subscriptions
• AAA games are rather the exception here

Must for retro fans: Nintendo Switch Online

Strictly speaking, Nintendo Switch Online is not a real gaming subscription. Most membership for this subscription will probably use it primarily to gain access to certain online features in games. For example, to be able to play raids online with other players in Pokémon Sword & Shield. Your saves are also saved in the cloud.

Membership now also includes numerous retro classics from the NES and SNES console. At the beginning there were around 20 of them, but the offer is growing steadily and is becoming increasingly interesting for true retro fans.

Nintendo Switch Online at Amazon

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advantages

• Cheap price
• Growing collection of retro games
• Additional functions such as online gaming and cloud storage

disadvantage

Overall less functionality

Ideal for on the go: Apple Arcade

Apple is taking a different approach with its subscription service launched in September 2019: Firstly, it is not a streaming service, because you can download all the games it contains and optionally even play offline. On the other hand, the games of the Apple Arcade are exclusive and not available in the App Store or on Android. There are no nerve factors like loot boxes, microtransactions or hidden costs. Apple currently offers a selection of over 100 games for 4.99 euros per month. The first trial month is free of charge and can be canceled up to one day before it expires.

The iPhone manufacturer focuses in the arcade on puzzle, skill, adventure and shallow RPG games from the indie sector. The child-friendly offer can also be shared using a family account. Nice that the titles run on all Apple devices with the latest operating systems (iOS 13, MacOS 10.15) - whether iPhone, iPad, Apple TV or Mac. However, older hardware is left out.

The most important title of the Apple Arcade is the action adventure Oceanhorn 2, which reminds of Zelda playfully and visually. Also recommended: the comic RPG Yaga with Diablo mechanics, motley chases in Agent Intercept and absurd ball sports in What The Golf. There are also bouncy passages in the Rayman Mini and Monomals as well as a crime case in the Tangle Tower. Many games are based on simple touch controls, some also work with a Bluetooth controller, Dualshock 4 or Xbox gamepad. Conclusion: You don't go wrong with a trial month.

Click here for Apple Arcade

advantages

• Low price
• Large selection of new games of different genres
• Control possible via controller

disadvantage

• Apple exclusive and not compatible with Android or Windows devices
• Not compatible with older hardware (from iOS 13 and Mac OS 10.15)

Apple Arcade: games at a glance

Cloud gaming vs. Game Passes: What suits me best?

Whether a Game Pass à la Netflix or a cloud gaming service suits you better depends on the following factors:

Your hardware is getting on in years and is it too expensive for you to buy a new one? Here it might make sense to think about cloud gaming. Even more so if you have access to fast internet. The relatively low monthly cost appears more than attractive compared to the price of a new gaming PC or console

Further to the topic: Cloud gaming providers 2020: Google Stadia, PS Now and Co. at a glance