Services like Game Pass seem like great value for money, but many are quick to point out the folly of not owning the games you play. Though this is true, it’s not a big deal for me.
5
Game Pass Is a Buffet
By far the best thing about Game Pass and competing services like PlayStation Plus Extra is having instant access to a massive library of games. You’ll never feel like you have nothing to play, since there’s always something new to try (whether it’s a new release or an old game that you missed).
The beauty of such a service is the ability to treat it like a buffet, sampling a little bit of everything before going back and filling up on the things you really enjoy. You’d be amazed how many new favorites you discover this way. Converting passing interests into firm favorites is a real highlight.
Because you’ve already paid the price of entry, there are no drawbacks to going on a download spree and trying anything you like. Microsoft is doing a killer job of constantly adding to the roster of games both with brand new releases and older games that are still worth playing.
I took a punt on JRPG Sea of Stars when it arrived on Game Pass, and I loved it. I fell hard for tactical World War II shooter Hell Let Loose when it was added to the library (and the game saw a big uptick in players as a result). I found out how much fun chopping spaceships up for scrap could be when I finally got around to Hardspace: Shipbreaker.
I’m choosing to pay for gaming experiences, not ownership. It takes the pressure off deciding whether big upcoming releases are worth the steep price tags, which means I’m free to just cross my fingers that upcoming games like Avowed and DOOM: The Dark Ages are good without worrying that I’m wasting my money. There’s always something else to play, after all.
4
I’ll Buy My Favorites on Sale
Games are, on the whole, a bad investment. The vast majority of them don’t hold their value (Nintendo games notwithstanding), and many are discounted mere months after launch. In the years that follow, game prices plummet to bargain bin prices.
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Why Are Nintendo Switch Games So Expensive?
Don’t be surprised if you end up paying top dollar even for older Switch releases.
Steam sales represent a golden opportunity to pick up some of the best games ever made for a few dollars. Humble Bundle supports both charity and your wallet, while Epic and Amazon frequently give games away for free (though you’ll need to install their launchers for the privilege).
While I don’t own the games I’m playing via Game Pass right now, I know that I’ll eventually have the option to own them at a cut price. If you pay $20 for a month of Game Pass and play through a game, then pick it up for $20 in a sale three years later, you’ve still saved money compared to buying the game outright on release day.
This isn’t to say that I never buy games on release, but the practice has definitely taken a backseat that’s to Microsoft’s day-one releases.
3
I Don’t Have Time to Replay Everything Anyway
The old “if you buy it, it’s yours and you can play it whenever you like!” argument falls a bit flat when you factor in how few hours I can find in a day to play games. And I’m not alone in this. Some colleagues have even taken to using tricks like streaming via Remote Play to steal a few quick sessions during work hours.
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Thanks to the Switch, I’m Playing My PS5 Again
I didn’t think I had time for gaming until the Switch proved I did.
Outside of a few near and dear titles, I rarely revisit games these days (even if I want to). I’m a sucker for SEGA masterpieces like Shenmue, arcade favorites like Street Fighter Alpha 2, and golden-era games like Half-Life, but even these don’t get the time they deserve.
Every year I miss new games that I fully intend to play, either because life gets in the way or because I’m playing something else at the time. In 2024 I missed Pacific Drive, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Helldivers 2, Astro Bot, and Animal Well to name just a few. I’m finally blasting my way through Robocop: Rogue City, a game that came out in 2023, in between bursts of UFO 50 on the Steam Deck.
Owning games that I’ve already played because I bought them at launch has little benefit when I won’t have the time to revisit them anyway. Even games that Game Pass effectively gives me permanent access to, like Starfield and Halo: Infinite, haven’t resulted in me revisiting them again.
2
The Resale Argument Is Less Relevant Now
One big argument in favor of buying games is that you can resell them or give them away if you want. This only applies to physical releases, of course, and like it or not these appear to be dying out. Many games never receive physical releases, while others arrive late in limited runs.
I still try and buy the odd physical release where possible, but the practice has its drawbacks. Buying Elden Ring and Baldurs Gate III digitally on the Xbox store has allowed both me and my partner to play the games on separate consoles, simultaneously (it even works for co-op play). I can’t split a disc in two but I can use the old “Home” Xbox trick.
I’m also fast approaching 40, and gone are the days of lending games to your friends in school. Everyone has jobs and the ability or desire to buy their own stuff now, even if it means loading up on things during a sale. Many of us choose the Game Pass or PlayStation Plus Extra route instead.
1
Game Pass Helps Direct My Attention
Do you ever find yourself staring at your Steam library, wondering what to launch? Do you buy too many games during sales and then never get around to playing them? Do you feel paralyzed by choice when presented with too many options? I do.
Sometimes I like being told what to play, and Game Pass is especially good for this. Despite there being well over 100 games on the service at any given time, a glance at what’s been added most recently can quickly help me decide. Usually, there’s a new release on there that I might not have bought but am happy to entertain.
As someone who loves to follow the conversation around new games, this rules. I jumped into brand new releases like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Flight Simulator 2024, Kunitsu-Gami, Little Kitty, Big City, Still Wakes the Deep, and Hellblade II all because they appeared on Game Pass at release.
I even do the same for older games that I’ve missed, which are added to Game Pass long after launch. Standouts include Sifu, We Love Katamari, Inscryption, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, and Loop Hero. These were all on my list, but their sudden arrival in the Game Pass alerted me that it was finally time to jump in.
Of course, I still buy games, and I always will. But I’ve had an active Game Pass subscription for a few years now, and I’m probably going to keep coughing up the monthly fee (even if I do need to pad out my Steam library).
