Both Sony and Microsoft have put a lot of money into developing subscription gaming services for their respective Xbox and PlayStation platforms. By allowing gamers to pay a monthly subscription to access hundreds of games, these Netflix-style memberships offer greater value to users.
On Xbox consoles, PCs, and even offers the option to stream games to mobile devices, Microsoft’s Game Pass is accessible. All of the newest games from Microsoft Studio are available to members the day they are released, along with a tonne of other well-known titles. Owners of PlayStation consoles can get comparable functionality through Sony’s PlayStation Plus programme, although it does not consistently provide new content on day one or allow mobile streaming.
PC owners can utilise either service’s cloud gaming capability to stream video games, but players on either console can only use the service that works with their console while playing directly. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each service will help you decide whether to buy an Xbox or a PlayStation if you’re on the fence. Here is how the plans, prices, and features of PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass compare.
A Netflix-style subscription with hundreds of titles and support for online multiplayer is available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate ($15/month). even stream games on mobile devices for members. Your first month will only cost $1 if you sign up right away.
Pricing and goals for PlayStation Plus vs. Xbox Game Pass
Players can play online, download a tonne of games, and stream some games to PlayStation consoles and PCs with the PlayStation Plus Premium ($18/month) service.
Plans for Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus start at $10 per month and provide three distinct service options.
Console, PC, and Ultimate plans are available with Xbox Games Pass. You may download hundreds of Game Pass games to play on each specific platform with the $10 monthly plans for consoles and PCs, respectively.
The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate plan, which costs $15 per month, combines memberships for the PC and console, as well as Xbox Live Gold ($10 per month value), which allows you to play online multiplayer games, and the option to stream some Game Pass titles to your console, PC, smartphone, or Samsung TV.
There are three payment options for PlayStation Plus as well, however unlike Game Pass, each plan comes with the ability for online multiplayer. The entry-level PlayStation Plus Essential tier costs $10 per month and entitles subscribers to a limited number of free games each month. Typically, this choice includes three titles.
With PlayStation Plus Extra, you may download more than 400 PS5 and PS4 titles for $15 per month. Game streaming capability for PlayStation consoles and PCs is included in the top tier, PlayStation Plus Premium, which costs $18 per month. Access to a library of classic PlayStation titles from the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP is also included with Premium.
In addition to monthly payment options, PlayStation Plus is also available for an annual or quarterly membership fee, which is somewhat more affordable. But regardless of how many months you subscribe for, Game Pass costs the same per month. Nevertheless, Microsoft frequently runs promotions where you can buy your first month of Game Pass Ultimate for just $1.
Online multiplayer and saves for PlayStation Plus vs. Xbox Game Pass
Online multiplayer is supported by all PlayStation Plus subscriptions, but Game Pass subscribers must upgrade to the most expensive tier, Game Pass Ultimate, in order to use online play with their plan. To enable online play, Xbox users must have a separate Xbox Live Gold subscription ($10 per month).
Plans for PlayStation Plus also enable support for cloud backup of PlayStation game saves. You don’t need Game Pass to enjoy cloud saving support, which is essentially a free feature for all Xbox owners.
In contrast to Xbox Game Pass, all PlayStation Plus subscribers also have access to the Share Play feature, which lets them online screen-share with other PlayStation console owners. By doing so, you can play multiplayer games as though they were played offline, and share games with friends who might not own their own copy.
The downloaded game libraries that Game Pass and PlayStation Plus have are their key selling factors. Both platforms offer access to hundreds of titles, but they also have unique catalogue strategies, particularly when it comes to brand-new titles.
When a new Xbox Studios game is launched in stores, Microsoft promises to add it to Game Pass the same day. In contrast, Sony delays adding its own high-profile games, like Horizon: Forbidden West, to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium for several months.
Highly anticipated independent games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and online multiplayer games like Outriders are also available on day one with Xbox Game Pass. Indie games are now occasionally being added to PlayStation Plus’s library the same day they are released, but there aren’t as many brand-new releases coming to the service, like Stray and Tchia.
Some titles enable cross-platform play and shared cloud saves because Game Pass is accessible on Windows PCs as well. Nevertheless, a small number of Game Pass titles are exclusively accessible through console or a PC, not both.
Other industry publishers are partners with PlayStation Plus and Game Pass. EA Play, a subscription from Electronic Arts that includes games like Madden 23, Need for Speed, The Sims, and Star Wars, is available to Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass PC members. Fans of Riot Games can also benefit from Game Pass by unlocking every champion in the well-known PC game League of Legends.
In the meanwhile, PlayStation Plus subscribers can access the Ubisoft+ Classics catalogue, a paid service that offers titles from the Tom Clancy, Far Cry, and Assassin’s Creed series.
Occasionally, games will disappear from the PlayStation Plus and Xbox Game Pass catalogues, but the publisher determines how long they remain accessible. Games from third-party companies, such as Square Enix and 2K Games, are more likely to rotate out of the subscription library than first-party titles from Sony and Microsoft, which frequently remain there permanently.
Newer releases typically have a defined period of time before they are removed from either collection, although classic games from earlier consoles are rarely deleted. The majority of games will typically remain on Game Pass for at least six months before you need to worry about their removal. Though Sony only released the complete catalogue in 2022, there haven’t been many games that have left PlayStation Plus’ library thus far.
You may always find a deal before a game completely departs Game Pass because users of Game Pass receive a 10% discount when grabbing games that are already available on Game Pass. The downloadable content and add-ons for Game Pass titles, which aren’t usually included with the standard version, are also eligible for that 10% discount.
Cloud gaming
The most expensive levels of Game Pass and PlayStation Plus feature cloud gaming abilities. This function enables you to stream games to other devices provided you have a strong internet connection, allowing you to play some titles even if you don’t own an Xbox or PlayStation console.
With the flexibility to stream games on Xbox consoles, PCs, phones, tablets, and even some Samsung smart TVs, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate delivers a much more complete streaming experience than the other two platforms. You don’t need to worry about bringing a controller with you when playing mobile games because many of them even include touch controls.
On the other hand, PlayStation Plus Premium allows direct streaming to PS4 and PS5 consoles or PCs, but there is no option to stream your collection to mobile devices or smart TVs. Furthermore, PlayStation 4 controllers are required, and PlayStation 5 games cannot yet be streamed.
Conclusion
Both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus offer great value for their respective consoles and have advantages for players who don’t own either an Xbox or a PlayStation. Xbox Game Pass, on the other hand, has had more time to improve the whole membership experience.
More new games are available through Game Pass than through PlayStation Plus, users receive discounts when purchasing games or DLC add-ons, and the service is easy to use on both consoles and laptop pcs.
The cloud streaming and accessibility features of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate surpass those of PlayStation Plus Premium for subscribers in terms of technology. Game Pass is now a feasible option for users who simply want to play games on their phones thanks to mobile streaming capabilities.
Even though PlayStation Plus has a large number of critically praised exclusive games and a strong selection of vintage games, it still needs to increase its selection and device support if it wants to one day compete with Xbox Game Pass in terms of value.
While Microsoft’s membership remains the gold standard, Sony’s gaming service currently offers promise.
