Nowadays, with the purchase of any tech device, an extra re-occurring cost is commonly needed to access content or services. This creates a problem because additional expenses may not be affordable for consumers and can make a big purchase, such as a TV or games console, obsolete if features become unavailable. Most adults around the UK are spending less on non-essentials, and this includes entertainment subscription services.
Most game consoles require an online subscription to access online play and additional storage, especially as cheaper consoles have less storage capacity. If this service is not enabled, consumers must forfeit these features, which affects the overall experience of the console.
Online gaming information site, Indivisible Game, investigated the most popular online gaming subscriptions against six criteria to determine which service offers the best value for money.
| Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Service | Nintendo Switch Online | Xbox Game Pass | PlayStation Plus | EA Play | Ubisoft+ | Apple Arcade | Prime Gaming |
| Monthly Price (£) | 3.49 | 7.99 | 6.99 | 3.99 | 14.99 | 4.99 | 8.99 |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch | Xbox / PC / Tablets / TV | PlayStation / PC | Xbox / PlayStation / PC | Xbox / PC / Amazon Luna | Apple Devices | Windows PC |
| 1. Online Access | Yes | No* | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| 2. Cloud Storage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| 3. Multi-Device | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 4. Classic Console | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| 5. Member Discounts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| 6. Weekly Updates | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Score out of 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Nintendo Switch Online
The research revealed that Nintendo Switch Online is the best value-for-money gaming subscription service. Unlike other gaming services analysed, Nintendo offers the most benefits for the lowest price, £3.49. The service meets five of the six criteria, missing the mark on ‘Weekly Updates,’ which was only met by one other subscription service, Apple Arcade.
The standard subscription gives access to online play, storage, and virtual consoles such as the NES, SNES, and Gameboy, including free-to-play games within those virtual consoles. An expansion pack can also be added to the service, providing additional content for the Switch’s biggest titles; Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon.
The service also provides an exclusive gaming coupon that subscribers can only purchase. This coupon allows users to buy two games for the Nintendo Switch for £84, which provides a discount as big titles on the Switch starts at £49.99.
Xbox Game Pass
The Xbox Game Pass ranks as the second-best value-for-money gaming subscription service. Data shows that the standard subscription does not come with online or weekly updates; however, according to Microsoft, there are updates twice a month. Furthermore, users can add online play separately by purchasing Xbox Gold Live or the premium version of Xbox Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate.
Despite not offering online play in the baseline edition, the service allows for cloud storage, member discounts, and the ability to play new games on the same day as the release. The cost of the service starts at £7.99.
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus also ranks as the joint second-best value-for-money gaming subscription service. The data showed that the subscription service met four of the six criteria, missing out on classic console and weekly updates.
The service, which is exclusive to PlayStation Devices and PC, offers a range of PS4 and PS5 games. The cheapest option of the service is £6.99, and offers online multiplayer, monthly games, exclusive discounts, and game help – a benefit not offered by any other service. The highest tier is the ‘Premium Plan’, which includes all benefits in addition to classic catalogue games, game trials and cloud streaming.
The service does offer a classic catalogue of games from previous consoles, including the PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2; however, this is only included for PS Plus Premium members, which costs £13.49 a month.
EA Play
EA Play is a subscription service dedicated to all EA game titles. It gives users access to EA’s back catalogue of games and early access to upcoming titles and ranks as the joint third best value-for-money gaming subscription service overall, alongside Ubisoft+.
Data shows that this service does not offer online play, but this is because EA does not own any hardware, and the service can only be downloaded to specific consoles; Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
The service is charged at £3.99, the same monthly rate as Nintendo Switch Online but offers fewer benefits.
Ubisoft+
Ubisoft+ ranks as the fifth best value-for-money gaming subscription service. Starting at £14.99, Ubisoft+ is a subscription service dedicated to Ubisoft titles, similar to EA Play. The subscription gives access to 100+ games and premium editions of games on PC games or on Xbox and Amazon Luna if subscribed to the multi-access pass.
The service promises to add new indie games monthly and offers users a 10% discount on virtual currency packs for in-game use, and give user monthly rewards.
Apple Arcade
Ranking at number six is Apple Arcade, a subscription service only available on iOS devices, allowing you to seamlessly play games on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV. The research shows that this service only met two of the six criteria, checking the box for multiple devices and weekly updates. This service has only one tier price of £4.99 and allows for up to five family members to join the same account.
The service includes over 200 premium games not available on the app store and original titles from the App Store, such as Fruit Ninja Classic+. Unlike other services, Apple Arcade allows you to play games offline at a baseline cost.
Prime Gaming
Ranking last is Prime Gaming, a service included within Amazon Prime benefits, offering free games to play at no additional cost. The service is only available on Windows PC by downloading the Amazon Gaming desktop app. The research shows that the service only met two criteria, cloud storage and multi-device.
Prime Gaming allows users to subscribe to one Twitch channel a month and will enable them to add badges to their chats to show they are subscribed via Prime Gaming. The service also allows users to store streams on Twitch for up to 60 days, as opposed to the standard 14 days.
Commenting on this data, a spokesperson from Indivisible Game says: “Online subscription services are another important expense to consider before purchasing gaming consoles. Brands often use tactics such as nostalgia or extra benefits to have consumers join their services. For example, Nintendo has released virtual consoles allowing users to play video games from their childhood, which entices users to subscribe to their services resulting in additional costs.
“This study provides interesting insight for new gamers into which gaming subscriptions offer the best value for money, which is especially helpful during the current cost-of-living crisis. Consumers must compare these costs and benefits to determine which system suits their individual needs and if the benefits are worth the additional fees.”
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