Best Gaming Subscription Services
One of the best ways to try a variety of games on a budget is through a gaming subscription service, and with so many available, there's one out there for every kind of gamer.
Whether you love your PS4, prefer Xbox or would rather play on your PC or mobile instead, you'll be able to find an affordable gaming subscription from our top picks below.
PlayStation Now
Price: £8.99 per month, £22.99 every 3 months, £49.99 a year.
Available for PlayStation 4 and Windows PC, PlayStation Now is perfect for gamers looking for variety. Also known as PS Now, this subscription service will give you access to hundreds of games, including classics, cult favourites and new releases. There are over 700 PS2, PS3 and PS4 titles available to stream, and a further 300 games that can be downloaded directly to your PS4 or PS4 Pro.
New titles will be added every single month, so there's always something to look forward to with this subscription. Games are available with either ongoing access, or for a limited period of time. Limited games will offer users plenty of time to complete the game, before being replaced by a new title to help keep PS Now fresh.
All gaming genres are covered, so there really is something for everyone. Some of the most popular titles to be included on PS Now are Marvel's Spider-Man, Resident Evil 4, Control, Fallout 4 and Journey.
There are three pricing options for PlayStation Now. The biggest saving is with an annual subscription which costs £49.99; however, you can also opt to pay £22.99 every three months, or £8.99 every month.
Xbox Game Pass
Price: £7.99 per month for Console, £7.99 per month for PC, £10.99 per month for Ultimate
Never run out of things to play on your Xbox One or Windows 10 PC with an Xbox Game Pass. This subscription service has three tiers: an Xbox-only or a PC-only subscription both for £7.99 a month each, or an Ultimate subscription for £10.99 a month. The Ultimate option will give you access to both PC and Console games, as well as an Xbox Live Gold membership which enables you to play online with other gamers, choose 2 to 4 additional games a month and save between 50 to 75% on other game purchases.
Whatever Xbox Game Pass you choose, you'll be able to take your pick from over 100 different games, and enjoy Xbox Game Studio titles on the day of release. Just like PlayStation Now, the Xbox Game Pass library is always expanding, with new titles being added throughout the year.
From family-friendly games to action and shooter titles, Xbox Game Pass has something for all ages and preferences. Wasteland 3, Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition, Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft and Kingdom Hearts III are just a few of the games available to download.
EA Access
Price: £3.99 per month or £19.99 a year
If you're a big fan of EA games, EA Access might just be the perfect subscription service for you. Makers of famous titles like FIFA, MADDEN, Battlefield and The Sims, it's a great way to experience some of the best EA has to offer while saving plenty of money at the same time.
EA Access is available for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and both subscriptions cost either £3.99 per month, or £19.99 for a year. There are over 50 EA titles available for both consoles, and while the selection may be smaller than other gaming subscriptions, you'll find a huge number of sought-after titles included in the Vault.
With an active membership, you'll be able to download and play as many vault games as you like at no extra cost. EA Access members will also benefit from a number of early access perks, and by registering for Play First Trials, you can be one of the first to download and play a brand-new game. The trials are limited, so you'll only be able to progress so far into each game, but it's a great way to sample a hotly anticipated release before anyone else. The titles included in Play First Trials won't be added to the EA Vault however, but if you do want to continue you can purchase the game from the store with a 10% discount applied.
Apple Arcade
Price: £4.99 per month
Prefer mobile gaming? If you own an iPhone, iPad, Mac or use Apple TV, then you'll be able to game to your heart's content with Apple Arcade. For £4.99 a month, you can access Apple's exclusive library of smartphone games, which can be downloaded to play online and offline.
Just one Apple Arcade subscription will give up to six different family members access to the service. You'll all have your own individual accounts too, so even if two people are playing the same game your progress will be saved separately - meaning there's no need to worry about logging onto your favourite game one day, only to find another member has progressed by 20 levels.
You can, however, pick up where you left off on a different Apple device as long as you sign in using the same account. Start a game on your iPhone while waiting for your bus, then continue at home with Apple TV - your game will sync seamlessly across all Apple products. If you'd like to enhance your gameplay further, Apple Arcade is also compatible with Xbox wireless controllers via Bluetooth, MFi controllers and PlayStation DualShock 4 controllers (all sold separately).
There are over 100 ad-free games to try with Apple Arcade - many of which can't be found elsewhere. Our favourites include Sayonara Wild Hearts, Crossy Road Castle and Oceanhorn 2.
No matter what type of gamer you are, gaming subscription services are a fantastic way to enjoy a variety of games while saving money at the same time. If it's Apple Arcade you're most interested in, don't forget you can get a fantastic deal on a new iPhone at Mobiles.co.uk.