I love that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate saves me money and anxiety
I have many subscriptions. “Too many!” the little voice in the back of my head says loudly. “What you should cut off most of,” my wallet beeps. But one they agree is worth keeping, despite the increase to $20 per month this summer, is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Why? SO many reasons.
One is the breadth of devices it supports; Microsoft is even making a hype about it in its new ‘This is an Xbox’ campaign. I have an Xbox Series S and a PC, both of which I use more than the cloud gaming on my phone, and while not all games are offered for PC, a good number are, and they share progress across the different platforms.
It also has a large library, including a large number of EA Play games, with more being added regularly. There’s plenty of choice for someone like me, who tends to play games and jump around a lot over time. When it comes to gaming (among other things), I’m the equivalent of a teenager who’s stuck her head in the fridge for ages, waiting for something that strikes my fancy. I don’t really do multiplayer, but most people do and that requires Ultimate on Xbox.
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New games on day one
Since Microsoft owns many game studios, it can also offer many new games on launch day. I may not like some of them, but it means I can try them and save myself the anxiety if I discover a few hours in that I don’t like it bogging me down with mandatory side quests or if I give up in anger, knowing that by the time I get back it will cost $5. And besides the other benefits, I only need four new games to make it a wash; anything above that is savings.
I rarely pay more than $20 for a game because I know I could leave it for months, and the Game Pass Ultimate library makes it possible to keep that promise to myself. As with any subscription platform, games tend to drift in and out thanks to licensing deals, and that happens here with a few games per month; When that happens, Microsoft will usually give you a discount to buy the game.
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There have been times when I almost quit the service in anger – Microsoft occasionally wouldn’t let me play on the PC unless I updated Windows – but honestly, I’m often infuriated in all aspects of my life.
The only thing I game on anymore is my Steam Deck, because I already have a large Steam library and it’s the most frictionless way to play: I roll over in bed and grab it and I’m usually up and running in a few minutes the battle. But sometimes you need a big screen and beautiful graphics, or you just don’t want to buy something expensive. That’s where Game Plus Ultimate comes into play.
Why Xbox Game Pass Ultimate makes a great gift
Not only does the service make a great gift for anyone with an Xbox, PC, or anyone who loves cloud gaming, or already has an Ultimate subscription, it’s also an easy and inexpensive gift to give.
They’re digital codes, but you can also buy a gift card (even at a local drugstore chain) if you want something physical, so it’s possible to give them at the last minute. They come in one- and three-month versions, and you can stack them for a longer term. That means you can pay as little as $20 – less if they’re on sale – or stack several for a truly epic gift.
If you need additional gift ideas for the people in your life, here are my picks for the best gifts for gamers this holiday season.
