The Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 have officially arrived, and are already engaging in the war for next-generation players. But there are benefits to each system that are worth considering – particularly when it comes to on-demand gaming.
First up was Sony, launching the PlayStation Now service in 2014. It got off to a rough start with its cloud-based origins, but has since blossomed with the addition of PlayStation 4 games, as well as the PlayStation Plus Collection, available now exclusively for PlayStation 5.
Microsoft launched the Xbox Game Pass service in June 2017, offering a subscription program for just $10 a month. (Well, $15 if you want to upgrade to Ultimate and get Xbox Live service as well.)
Both have something to offer, but who’s the champ? Well, let’s take a look at each specific category.
Price and Availability
Xbox Game Pass clocks in at just $10 a month, or, again, $15 for Ultimate. That’s pretty considerate of Microsoft, especially when you realize that covers both Xbox game platforms and PC. Not to mention that Xbox Live Games With Gold are included, offering two Xbox One and Xbox 360 games to keep each month.
And while there are some titles that leave the service each month, Microsoft’s key first-party releases are here to stay. That includes day-one releases like Sea of Thieves, Battletoads and Bleeding Edge, along with Gears Tactics, which became available at the time of the Xbox Series X’s launch. It’s no Halo Infinite, but it beats nothing.
As for PlayStation Now, it got off to a rough start because it was heavily priced at $20 a month.
That was a bitter pill to swallow considering that it was separate from the PlayStation Plus service, which offered two free games a month in its own right. (As long as you subscribe to the program, that is.)
But eventually, Sony caved and brought the price down to $9.99 earlier this year, around the same time it introduced downloadable PlayStation 4 games to the program. That means games from the PS2 era, PS3 era and PlayStation 4 are available to play on PS4 platforms. Xbox Game Pass has tremendous value for its price, and has kept that program going for quite some time. But PlayStation Now eventually caught up, and now offers a reasonable service for just $10 a month. We’ll give Game Pass the nod, just because there’s a deal where you can combine that with Xbox Live and get tremendous value, whereas PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus, sadly, are still apart.
Winner: Xbox Game Pass
Accessibility
One great feature included with both programs is the ability to play games on PC. There’s no question that PC players feel right at home with on-demand services, as well as building up a solid game library. Both allow players to do that.
With PlayStation Now, you can enjoy a number of favorites on PC through an easy-to-access menu. It’s fairly easy to hunt down the titles you want to play. What’s more, there are games that aren’t even on PC (yet) that are worth investing in, like the first Red Dead Redemption and several more.
But Xbox Game Pass has the advantage yet again. Along with a number of Xbox favorites and Microsoft titles, the program also includes games specifically for the PC, including its super- popular Flight Simulator. Not to mention the cloud service available on Android for no additional cost, allowing a next-level approach to mobile play.
Both services are excellent, but Game Pass’ ability to open up a bit and offer some exclusive perks allows Microsoft to win yet again.
Winner: Xbox Game Pass
Games
Next, let’s talk games. Microsoft and Sony both offer a library of first-party titles through their respective services, along with a magnitude of third-party titles. So who’s the best?
In the PlayStation Now camp, there are a variety of PS4 games to download, along with older favorites from the PS2/PS3 era to enjoy. These include a number of favorites, like the 2011 version of Mortal Kombat, along with pretty much every Ratchet and Clank game, the amazing Killzone 3 and many others. And they load up fairly easy, allowing you to jump right in and play, and then save your progress for later if need be.
But Microsoft really upped the ante for the Xbox Series X launch. Along with a bunch of first- party games, it also added EA Play to its program. This subscription based service brings the very best of Electronic Arts all in one place, instead of requiring a separate subscription (like it has on PlayStation 4). This includes a number of outstanding titles, including the just-added Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
With that, surprise, Microsoft wins again.
Winner: Xbox Game Pass
Overall
Man, this was a pretty lopsided battle, wasn’t it? While Sony may have launched its impressive streaming technology first in the game, it made a number of mistakes at its start that kept it from really flourishing. Microsoft, however, did the complete opposite, launching with a bevy of entertaining titles and features, and continuing to build on with big additions like Red Dead Redemption II and others. And it’s not done yet, as 2021 could bring in even bigger hits to the service, adding to its tremendous value.
If Sony could somehow find a way to combine PlayStation Now with PlayStation Plus, it’d really take off in terms of popularity and accessibility. But since they’re separated, Microsoft wins the war, if only because the price is hard to beat – especially considering all that you’re getting.
Winner: Xbox Game Pass