Xbox Game Pass – Is It The Cheapest Way To Game?

A popular hobby among many (including yours truly) is gaming.

But let’s be honest, games are getting expensive. It’s not really surprising – games are more complicated, technical, and have better graphics than ever before – but it can still be a hard pill to swallow sometimes.

Luckily, there’s one way you can reduce your gaming costs by taking advantage of gaming subscriptions. With these subscriptions, you pay a set monthly fee for access to hundreds of huge titles.

The best of the best out there? Xbox Game Pass, which was launched in 2017. Everyone has an opinion on Microsoft, but there’s no doubt that they have created a service worthy of your attention.

What does it offer, and how much does it cost? Is it worth the price of admission?

Here are your answers.

Please note: All prices and features are accurate as of November 29, 2022.

What is Xbox Game Pass?

For those of you who don’t know what Xbox Game Pass is, you can think of it as Netflix for games.

So, let’s start by going over what Netflix is. It’s a collection of videos and TV shows you can freely watch whenever you want, with no limits as to how much you watch.

Not all TV shows and movies are on Netflix. You can only watch movies and shows that Netflix has agreements with, and movies and TV shows come and go. But Netflix is also a major producer of content, and their stuff is always there.

Xbox Game Pass works in a similar fashion. They have tons of games you can download to your console or PC, and you can play as many as you want for a set monthly fee. But it’s only games from publishers they have deals with, and the list of available games can change at any time.

But Microsoft is also a large publisher, and pretty much all games they publish are on Game Pass (like Halo Infinite, Flight Simulator, and Forza Horizon 5).

And if you try out a game that you love and want to make sure you always have access to it, one perk of your membership is you can get a discount of 10% on the digital version through Microsoft, so you can keep on enjoying the game when/if it leaves.

One last point – despite the fact it’s called Xbox Game Pass, there are plenty of games available for PC users. In fact, most new titles published by Microsoft are available on both Xbox consoles and PCs.

Xbox isn’t just about consoles anymore – it’s now the name of Microsoft’s game studios.

It also goes without saying, but you won’t be getting access to Game Pass on Playstation or Nintendo consoles (not that Microsoft hasn’t tried).

The cost of games today

New games are not cheap to buy. A new game gets released, and it typically costs $80 (or more) plus tax. Assuming an average sales tax rate of 13% in Canada, and that gets bumped up to $90.

Here’s an example of what a game costs – one of the best rated games out there is Microsoft Flight Simulator.

This game has been out on Xbox for over a year (2 years on PC) and still costs $90 with tax (of course we should point out with this game there have been plenty of free upgrades).

But, it’s still a pricey game.

However, if you have Xbox Game Pass, you don’t have to pay for it – it’s part of your subscription.

Xbox Game Pass subscriptions

What are your subscription options with Xbox Game Pass? There are 3 tiers you can choose from, plus an almost-free trial available to everyone.

You can pay $1 for 3 months of Game Pass Ultimate – the highest tier in the program. It’s an easy way to try it out and see if it works for you. If not? Then no hard feelings, you’re only out $1. We should note you have to give a credit card number, and you’ll automatically start paying the full price after your trial is over.

Microsoft makes it easy to cancel – just:

• login to your Microsoft account,
• manage your Game Pass subscription, and
• click cancel.

No need to haggle with a sales rep over it (or cancelling your credit card).

Here are the details on each Game Pass subscription tier. Just note that sales taxes aren’t included in any of the prices you see.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Let’s start with the high-end tier – Game Pass Ultimate.

With Game Pass Ultimate, you get access to games for both Xbox consoles and PCs.

Don’t have a PC capable of playing high-end games? Don’t want to splurge on a new Xbox? You don’t have to with this tier. You’ll get access to cloud gaming which lets you play games on any old PC.

If you have an Xbox One of some kind, you’ll be able to use cloud gaming to play any games that are only available to Xbox Series X|S consoles. And you can even play games on your Android or iPhone device if you’ve connected an Xbox gamepad to it.

With that said, not all games have the cloud option, but a majority of them do.

It also includes an Xbox Live Gold membership, which is what you’ll need to play games online with others.

And finally, you’ll get access to EA Play. You can access a set of EA published games as part of your subscription.

Sports games are among them, since EA is the publisher behind the new versions of Madden and NHL that come out every year. With Game Pass Ultimate, you won’t have to worry about missing out. You may not always play the latest version, but at the very worst you’ll get the previous year’s edition.

The monthly fee for this package? $16.99, which is cheaper than getting Netflix in 4K.

Xbox Game Pass PC and console

Is that monthly fee too much? Just like Netflix, there are cheaper versions of Xbox Game Pass.

There are 2 other options. Both options are skimmed down versions. They don’t include Xbox Live Gold or cloud gaming.

• The first is PC Game Pass. For a lower monthly fee of $11.99, you’ll get access to PC games that are available on Game Pass. This version does include EA Play.
• The other skimmed down version is Console Game Pass. For $11.99 per month, you’ll get the full library available to Xbox consoles. With this tier, EA Play is not available.

Existing Xbox Live Gold members

If you’re an existing Xbox Live Gold member, you can convert your remaining months at a 1:1 ratio to Game Pass Ultimate.

As a kicker, you’ll also get their trial of $1 for 3 months.

I actually did this a few months ago. Even if I’m not interested at the end, I haven’t really lost anything. I can always go back to Xbox Live Gold later on if I choose.

A new tier coming: Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family

Microsoft has started a pilot project with a new tier – Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family.

With this subscription, you’ll be able to split the cost of an Ultimate membership with up to 5 other people.

It’s not available everywhere yet, just in Ireland and Colombia at the moment. If you get even 2 people in, it’s a cheaper option.

Take Ireland – this plan costs 21.99 Euros. Currently, a standalone membership for an Ultimate membership costs 12.99 Euros.

Get 5 people in, and you’re paying a fraction of the cost. Hopefully the trial works well and Microsoft starts bringing it to other countries.

Games available on Xbox Game Pass

The big question – what games are there? Tons. At the time of writing, there are 475 games to explore.

And, you’re not just limited to titles released since the Xbox One console era. There are games going back to the Xbox 360 and even the original Xbox era.

There are a few points to note. First, if a game has a few tiers you could purchase, you only get access to the base tier. Take Flight Simulator as an example. There are 3 tiers to the game, but Game Pass just gives you access to the standard version. You’ll have to pay the full price to get access to the others.

If a game has additional add-ons, you have to pay for those. Forza Horizon 5 is an example. There are plenty of add-ons, but if you want them you have to pay for them. However, as a Game Pass member you may get a reduced price for some of them.

As for when a game comes to Game Pass? Well, let’s start with Microsoft published games. These are all released to Game Pass day 1 – you won’t have to wait for them. This includes Bethesda, which is owned by Microsoft.

As for other publishers, it depends on when Microsoft gets an agreement with them.

Here are some big titles you could play right now. You can view the Xbox Game Pass library here.

First, here’s a selection of Xbox Game Studio games.

• Halo: Master Chief collection,
• Halo Infinite,
• Microsoft Flight Simulator,
• Forza Horizon 5,
• Minecraft, and
• Gears 5.

What about EA? Here are some of their more popular games:

• Mass Effect Legendary Edition,
• Dragon Age series,
• Battlefield series,
• Madden 22, and
• Star Wars Squadrons.

When it comes to sports games like Madden and NHL, the latest version usually hits Game Pass around 6 months after they release.

With Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda, all of their games are here. Some of their famous series include:

• Fallout series,
• Wolfenstein series,
• Elder Scrolls series, and
• Doom.

And here are some popular games by other publishers:

• Farming Simulator 22,
• Assassin’s Creed series,
• Far Cry 5,
• Mechwarrior 5,
• MLB The Show, and
• Ori And The Will Of The Wisps.

Microsoft Gaming itself is also primed for a big year in 2023. Games like Redfall, Starfield, and a new Forza Motorsport are coming, and all of them will be on Game Pass the day they are released.

Overall, there’s a high quality library of titles waiting for you to discover.

Is Xbox Game Pass worth it?

The big question – is it worth it? It really depends on the games you’re playing.

Lots of big series aren’t here. Call Of Duty is one – Activision Blizzard games aren’t on Game Pass right now. However, if Microsoft is successful in their acquisition, all of their games will be. And we would assume the entire catalogue of Call Of Duty games will be here.

But, if you generally get around 2 to 3 new games per year, it’s worth it – especially if you’re already an Xbox Live Gold Member. You can typically pay for a full year of Xbox Live Gold for around $6 per month. For an extra $11 per month, you’re now getting access to a huge library of games (instead of shelling out $10 – $90 for every game you want to try).

A big bonus to a service like Game Pass – since you’re not paying anything directly, if a game turns out to be a dud, you’re really not out anything besides the time you’ve played the game. No one likes paying big bucks for a game they didn’t like or only got a few hours out of.

Our suggestion if you’re curious about it? Take Microsoft up on their trial. You’ll likely know within 3 months if the service is going to be worth it or not. If there are plenty of games you like there, you’re set. If they don’t have what you’re looking for, then feel free to move on with your life.

And remember, you’re only paying per month. At any time, you can walk away, unless you take up one of our tips to cut down on your Game Pass costs.

How to pay for Xbox Game Pass

So you’ve decided to try it out, and you love what you’re seeing. There are few options to paying for your subscription beyond just your credit card.

However, these 2 tips only work for the Ultimate tier – if you get the console or PC tiers the only real way to pay is with your credit card

Get a gift card at a grocery store

At grocery stores (or really anywhere gift cards are sold), you can buy either a 1 or 3 month card to pay for your Game Pass Ultimate subscription. They look something like this:

If you’re looking for an easy birthday or Christmas present idea for family or friends, here’s an option you can give them.

But there’s one more reason – you can save the sales tax on your membership. When you buy these cards in a store, you won’t be charged any sales tax. When you go to redeem it, Microsoft won’t impose any additional charges either (we assume Microsoft is eating the sales tax).

Getting these cards is an easy way to save between 5% to 15% on your membership, depending on where you live.

And, you can refer to our best credit cards for groceries page to earn more rewards if you buy these yourself.

A supercharged savings option at Costco

If you have a Costco membership, these cards are available there. In a warehouse, you’ll save an additional $5 over the standard $50 cost.

And there’s also this online option for members only:

Over 6 months, you’re only paying $90, and of course you’re skipping the sales tax. And you won’t have to wait for them to arrive in the mail – you’ll get your digital codes within 2 days of placing your order.

So what is the cost per month of this vs. simply Microsoft charging your card every month?

Here’s the monthly cost for this online option:

$89.99 / 6 months = $15 per month

And here’s the monthly subscription price, with 13% sales tax added on top.

$16.99 x 1.13 = $19.20

It’s a little over $4 in savings every month. And while that’s not much, it all adds up at the end of the year.

For the Costco shopper, here are our credit card recommendations to earn more rewards at Costco.

Credit cards for your monthly Xbox Game Pass subscription

You have to provide a credit card to Microsoft to get a Game Pass account, even if you do go the gift card route above.

Here’s a summary of the best credit cards for recurring bill payments, with a pair of unique options with gaming specific bonuses.

Credit Card	Welcome Bonus	Earn Rates	Annual Fee, Income Requirements	Learn More
MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard	$150 GC Boost + 30,000 bonus points (terms)	* 5 points for every $1 spent on restaurants, groceries, and select recurring bills (up to $50,000 spent annually per category) * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases	* $120 * $80K personal/$150K household	Learn More
Scotia Momentum Visa Infinite Card	$20 GeniusCash + 10% cash back for the first 3 months, first year free (terms)	* 4% cash back on groceries and recurring bill payments * 2% cash back on gas and transit * 1% cash back on all other purchases	* $120 * $60K personal/$150K household	Learn More
Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card	$125 GeniusCash + 10% extra cash back for the first 2 months (terms)	* 2% cash back on purchases in up to 3 Money-Back Categories * 0.5% cash back on all other purchases	* $0 * $12K persona	Learn More
RBC ION Visa	$60 GeniusCash + 7,000 Avion points (terms)	* 1.5 points per $1 spent on groceries, daily transit, rideshares, EV charging, streaming, digital gaming, and subscriptions1 * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases	* $0 * None	Learn More
RBC ION+ Visa	$60 GeniusCash + 14,000 Avion points (terms)	* 3 points per $1 spent on groceries, dining, food delivery, daily transit, rideshares, EV charging, streaming, digital gaming, and subscriptions * 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases	* $48 * None	Learn More

Pay plenty of bills with a credit card? Here’s how to get the most rewards with your credit card.

Do you game with Xbox Game Pass?

If you never want to pay for a game again, in the same way you don’t ever pay for movies at home, Xbox Game Pass is an excellent service, filled with plenty of high quality games.

Do you have Xbox Game Pass?

What are your thoughts on the service? Or if you don’t have it, are you thinking about giving it a try?

Let us know in the comments below.

FAQ

What is Xbox Game Pass?

Xbox Game Pass is a service like Netflix, but for games. For a flat monthly fee, you can download any game on the service to your Xbox or PC and play it as long as it’s available through the service.

How much does Xbox Game Pass cost?

There are 3 tiers to choose from. Here’s the monthly price of each, which does not include sales tax:

• Ultimate: $16.99
• PC: $11.99
• Console: $11.99

What kinds of games are on Xbox Game Pass?

There’s a wide variety of games. Pretty much any Microsoft published game is on Game Pass, as well as games from Bethesda and Ubisoft. If you have the Ultimate or PC Tiers, many EA games are on the service, and there’s a wide range of games from various other publishers. Some major franchises that can be played include:

• Halo,
• Battlefield,
• Doom,
• Elder Scrolls,
• Fallout,
• Madden, and
• NHL.