This Thanksgiving, GameRevolution and its sister site PlayStation LifeStyle are saying “thanks” to their favorite games, consoles, and developers.
Xbox Game Pass has been, without a doubt, a tremendous help in getting me back into video game journalism. When I left the industry about five years ago, Microsoft’s subscription service had only been out for a few months and only had about 100 games in its catalog at launch. Today, that number has ballooned to over 300, featuring a thorough mix of blockbusters and indies, all for the low price of $14.99 a month for the Ultimate tier plan. Being able to play the latest games for such an affordable price has made my return to the field far easier on my pocketbook. So thank you, Xbox Game Pass, for remaining the best deal in gaming.
Back in March this year, I didn’t own the latest consoles. I scoured the internet for good deals and found multiple threads and articles saying that Microsoft’s advertised promotion of an Xbox Series S with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate was actually great. Given the relatively high number of games I play and how many games I need to have knowledge about for my job, it was a no-brainer. At the time, supply chains had made it extremely difficult for me to secure a PS5 that wasn’t scalped to an exorbitant price. So the Xbox Series S easily became my first current-gen console purchase.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has let me play over $500 in games in less than a year
Even putting aside the Xbox Game Pass promotion where the first month of Ultimate only costs $1, which is a fantastic offer as a trial run, the service has already made up for its cost. The list of games I’ve already played through Xbox Game Pass since March this year is extensive. So setting aside some of the smaller indie games like Unpacking and What Remains of Edith Finch, I’ll highlight Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Dragon Quest XI S, MLB The Show 22, Psychonauts 2, and Halo Infinite. This doesn’t include other triple-A games I’ve sunk more than 40 hours into like Assassin’s Creed Origins, Forza Horizon 5, Wasteland 3, and Persona 5 Royal.
While video game prices fluctuate wildly, especially with all the sales promotions and holiday season discounts, it’s safe to say that I’ve played at least $500 in games with the service. Given that two years of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is $360, I’m already far ahead of the curve.
Better yet, I’ve been able to play a lot of games I would never even think about trying. The subscription service also turns every game in its catalogue into a full-game trial. I tend to avoid sports games unless they’re about tennis or golf, but I’ve had the chance to play through the single-player story modes for NHL 22 and Madden NFL 22. I’ve tried plenty of games that are good but just weren’t for me, like Signs of the Sojourner, NBA 2K22, and Before We Leave. I probably wouldn’t have downloaded Disney Dreamlight Valley at all without Xbox Game Pass, and now I’ve played it on a daily basis since launch.
With Microsoft owning Bethesda and likely bringing Activision into the fold, the value of Xbox Game Pass will only grow in the near future. Its ability to draw in subscribers over the last five years have forced Sony to launch its rival PS Plus service this year, which I’ve been looking at getting for a month or two. Maybe next year, I’ll be writing how grateful I am for PS Plus too!
