5 best video game subscription services

Buying every video game you want may not be possible, but getting a game subscription service is easily the next best thing. It's like Netflix or Disney+ but for games: you play anything from a large library for a small monthly fee. Essentially, you will pay a fixed amount every month, no matter how many titles you want to play.

In this article, we look at five of the best game subscription services you can buy.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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List of the best video game subscription services to buy

1) Xbox Game Pass

Starfield is available from day one on Xbox Game Pass (Image via Xbox)

Price: Starting at $9.99 per month

Xbox Game Pass is the only game subscription service that allows you to play its titles on the Xbox console, PC, and even phone. On the phone, the games run via its cloud streaming service as long as you have a decent internet connection, but this feature is exclusive to the Game Pass Ultimate Edition. Other perks include bundled EA Play game subs, providing access to many EA games.

The Game Pass also provides Day One availability for select games. So, you won't miss out on newer releases.

Pros

• Available on multiple devices.
• Integrates other game streaming services for a better experience.
• The app comes integrated into every modern Windows PC.

Cons

• The base console version has fewer features than the base PC version.

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2) Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online Membership (Image via Nintendo)

Price: Starting at $3.99 per month

You need the Nintendo Switch Online membership if you own a Switch console. Nintendo games rarely go on sale and require you to pay full price to play them. However, with the purchase of this game subscription service, you get access to a vast number of Nintendo games without paying the full price.

It allows you to play all the games you haven't been able to play yet for a small cost of $3.99 per month. The company does charge a lot for its games, but its subscription is the cheapest on this list.

Pros

• Can play a large number of Nintendo games.
• Provides game vouchers to help save on other games not available on this service.
• It's the cheapest subscription on the list.

Cons

• If the Switch Online service isn't renewed in six months, all your cloud saves could get deleted.

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3) EA Play

EA Play one-month subscription (Image via Electronic Arts)

Price: Starting at $5.99 per month

If you're a fan of EA Games and want to play them for free on their release day, you need the EA Play game subscription. You will not only get access to newer games on its launch day but also unlimited access to all of its previous games.

The Dead Spaces series, Dragon Age series, EA FC 24, and a whole bunch of EA games will be available to you for a monthly price of just $5.99. However, keep in mind that the EA Play subscription is included in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so if you buy that, you get both game subs.

Pros

• Unlimited access to all of EA Games.
• Early access to new games.
• Available on every platform, including Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Cons

• EA Play's game library isn't as big as others on this list.

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4) PlayStation Plus

PlayStation Store Gift Card for PS Plus subscription (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Price: Starting at $10 per month

The PlayStation Plus is like the Xbox Game Pass but for PlayStation. It allows you to access various PS games as well as provides two new games to its users every month. This game subscription can be the perfect way of saving money on games.

To save more, subscribe to its yearly plans, which are cheaper in the long run and provide extra perks like access to PS2 games, PSP games, or even cloud streaming services.

Pros

• Provides two games every month to its users.
• Higher-tier subscriptions come with more perks.
• Higher tiers have more value in the long run.

Cons

• It needs a PSN account that is not available in every region.

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5) Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade (Image via Apple)

Price: Starting at $6.99 per month

If you're in the Apple ecosystem, the Apple Arcade is the best way of playing games. This game subscription service lets you play a ton of exclusive games on your Apple devices, including MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads.

It has a ton of creative titles from big corporations as well as indie developers. The best part is that these games don't have any form of microtransaction built in. Besides that, new games are added to this sub every month, and the game library is growing continuously.

Pros

• One subscription for all your Apple devices.
• The game library contains some really creative titles.
• No microtransactions.

Cons

• Some Apple Arcade games on Apple TV may require separate controllers.

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While every game subscription service has something unique to offer, the Xbox Game Pass easily wins my recommendation. That's because if you buy the ultimate version for a few extra dollars, you will get the EA Play subs for free.