Game Pass vs. PS Plus – A comparison of the two major subscription models for console and PC
Sony has released the new PS Plus for PS4 and PS5. Game Pass dominates on PC and Xbox. PS Plus or Game Pass – Which is Better? MeinMMO explains differences and similarities to you.
What subscription models are you talking about? With the (Xbox) Game Pass and PS Plus, there are two subscription models that you can currently (as of July 2022) subscribe to on PC, PS4, PS5 or Xbox.
- PS Plus is a subscription service from Sony for the PS4 and PS5 and was released in June 2022.
- The (Xbox) Game Pass is a subscription service from Microsoft for the Xbox consoles and the Windows PC. Some cloud functions can also be used on Android and iOS.
You can find that in our article: In the following article we will introduce you to both the Game Pass and PS Plus in detail. We’ll go over things like price, games, and cancellation. In a further step, we explain what you get for your money and for whom which subscription is most worthwhile.
PS Plus and Game Pass – What is it anyway?
This is PS Plus: If you want to play online on the PS4 or PS5, then you need PS Plus for many games. Sony has revamped PS Plus, replacing the unpopular PS Now.
You still need the new PS Plus for online gaming on the PS4 and PS5. But now there are several tiers that you can subscribe to. These offer various advantages at a corresponding price. You can also use PS Plus on the PC with the corresponding app and stream certain PS4 games.
This is the Game Pass: Game Pass is a subscription model that you can use on both PC and Xbox. Xbox includes the service you need to play online with Xbox Gold. In addition, you get other benefits depending on whether you play on the PC or the console.
You can read about how Xbox Game Pass came about and helped transform gaming in the following article:
Game Pass: How an MMO helped Xbox transform gaming forever
PS Plus vs. Game Pass – These are the prices
How much does PS Plus cost? The new model of PS Plus offers you three price levels:
- PlayStation Plus Essential
- Monthly: €8.99; quarterly: €24.99 or yearly: €59.99
- PlayStation Plus Extra
- Monthly: €13.99, quarterly: €39.99, yearly: €99.99
- PlayStation Plus premium
- Monthly: €16.99, quarterly: €49.99, yearly: €119.99
How much does the Xbox Game Pass cost? Microsoft also offers three different models of Game Pass that you can subscribe to:
- PC Game Pass
- Monthly €9.99, quarterly €29.99, yearly €120
- Xbox Game Pass
- Monthly €9.99, quarterly €29.99, yearly €120
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
- Monthly €12.99, quarterly €38.99, yearly €140
By the way, there is a trick you can use to save a lot of money when buying Xbox Game Pass. You can now also purchase the Xbox Series X|S in combination with the Game Pass. You can read here on MeinMMO whether and for whom “Xbox All Access” can be worthwhile:
Xbox All Access: Starting today you can buy the Xbox Series X/S by subscription – who is it worth it for?
PS Plus and Game Pass content and benefits
This is what PS Plus offers: With PS Plus Essential you get the same service that you previously got with PS Plus. This includes the two free games a month, exclusive PS Store discounts, cloud storage and online multiplayer.
In the higher categories such as “Extra” and “Premium” you get additional benefits such as additional games or access to cloud functions.
| advantages | |
|---|---|
| PS Plus Essential | Free games exclusive discounts in the PS Store Cloud storage for saves Online multiplayer |
| PS Plus Extra | Free games exclusive discounts in the PS Store Cloud storage for saves Online multiplayer Access to 400 games |
| PS Plus premium | Free games exclusive discounts in the PS Store Cloud storage for saves Online multiplayer Access to 740 games |
This is what the Game Pass offers: The Game Pass is clearer than PS Plus. Here you can choose either the PC or Xbox Game Pass. If you use Game Pass on both platforms and want to use cloud gaming, then go for Game Pass Ultimate.
If you only want to gamble online on your Xbox, you can buy “Xbox Gold Live” for 6.99 euros, but you will not have access to the Game Pass games here.
| advantages | |
|---|---|
| Xbox Gold Live (Xbox only) | Free Games (Games with Gold) Online multiplayer |
| PC Game Pass (PC only) | access to games EA Play subscription service AAA games straight to release |
| Xbox Game Pass (Xbox only) | access to games EA Play subscription service AAA games straight to release |
| Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (PC and Xbox) | access to games AAA games straight to release Online multiplayer Free Games (Games with Gold) EA Play subscription service cloud gaming |
PS Plus vs Game Pass – Games
What games are included with PS Plus? With PS Plus, the new subscription model depends on which level you have subscribed to:
- With Plus Essential, you get access to all the games you got through the free games of the month. More games are not included here.
- Above all, PS Plus Extra gives you access to PS4 and PS5 games, which you can play on your console at no extra charge. You can then download these games.
- With PS Plus Premium you also get access to older games from PS1, PS2 and PS3, which you can then stream on your PS4 or PS5. Some can also be downloaded, but many are only available as a stream.
All games from PS Plus Extra and Premium can be found in our extensive list, which we keep up to date for you:
What games are included in Game Pass? If you subscribe to Game Pass, you have access to an extensive library of dozens of games. In addition, the Game Pass also gives you access to “EA Play” and all games that are included in the EA subscription at no additional cost.
The Game Pass primarily advertises that you can play strong titles like Age of Empires: IV or the new Starfield right after the release at no extra charge.
However, you cannot play all games equally on the PC and the console. Some games like older Xbox One or Xbox 360 games can only be played on one Xbox, and some modern games like the MMORPG Elder Scrolls Online also have this limitation.
There is no multi-level subscription system like PS Plus. If you only use Xbox Live Gold, then you only have access to your games that you grabbed with “Games with Gold”.
PS Plus and Game Pass Cancellation
What happens if I cancel PS Plus? If you cancel PS Plus, you can no longer use the free games. Unless you buy a digital license from the PS Store. You also lose access to the cloud and thus also to the cloud save function. Your saves remain stored in the cloud for 6 months and are then deleted without a subscription. Basically, you should always back up your savegames externally.
Once downloaded, PS Plus games can be used as long as you have an active Playstation Plus membership. Those who temporarily pause their PS Plus subscription can access all collected PS Plus games again as soon as they renew their membership.
All information about canceling PS Plus can be found here:
PS Plus: Cancel subscription – All information, costs and what happens to your games
What happens if I cancel Game Pass? If you cancel Game Pass, you will lose access to all Game Pass games unless you purchase the digital license. You will also lose access to the Cloud Services and the EA Play membership included with Game Pass.
Any Games with Gold titles you’ve earned as an Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member are yours to keep, regardless of whether you renew your subscription.
PS Plus vs. Game Pass – Which is the better deal for whom?
Who is PS Plus the better deal for? If you want to gamble online on the PS Plus, then you absolutely need the cheapest subscription “PS Plus Essential.” If you gamble a lot on your console and also want to catch up on older titles because you just bought your first PS4 or PS5, then you could the upgrade to PS Plus Extra is also worthwhile for you.
However, if you rarely or never play on your PlayStation 4 or 5 and only occasionally buy a game from the PS Store, then the subscription may not be worth it.
You can read about which subscription model is most worthwhile for you here on MeinMMO:
PS Plus subscription: Essential, Extra or Premium – Which package is right for me?
Who is Game Pass the better deal for? The Game Pass is a powerful offer for anyone who would like to try out many games without spending any money. Because the Game Pass includes many games right from the release.
Unlike PS Plus, you don’t need an Xbox to use Game Pass Ultimate. Thanks to cloud gaming, you can even use Game Pass on your mobile phone.
However, if you only want to gamble online on your Xbox and are not interested in all the games, then an “Xbox Live Gold” membership might be the better deal for you.
If you are also looking for a PS5 to match the new PS Plus, then check our sales ticker on MeinMMO regularly: Buy PS5 in the ticker – all news and offers
What do you think? Are you subscribed to PS Plus or Game Pass or are you not interested in the subscription model for games? Tell us in the comments and discuss it with other users!
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