Game Subscriptions Have Never Been Cheaper

Game Subscriptions Have Never Been Cheaper

With Google’s Stadia cloud based gaming service arriving sometime next month in the U.S. with a $15/month subscription fee, the competition is already preparing for an all out war this holiday season. Today Sony announced it’s officially dropped the price of PlayStation Now from around $30/month to $15, but with even more competition looming, you can probably expect further discounts.

Editor’s Note: Google Stadia’s launch in Australia has not been officially announced, and PlayStation Now has never been available in Australia. Games streaming is becoming a hot topic globally, but Australia is still lagging behind, for the most part.

Previously, subscribers to PlayStation Now, which features a rolling selection of games that can be downloaded or streamed, could also opt for a $70 quarterly subscription, or pay $150 up front for an entire year of service. Those options have also seen a price drop, with a quarterly subscription now costing just $40, and a full year at just $90. Sony is also adding a handful of A-list titles to the PlayStation Now service to further entice and lock in gamers, including God of War, Grand Theft Auto V, inFAMOUS Second Son, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which will all be available for a limited time for users.

Just as Netflix finally has some stiff competition in the video streaming market with Disney+, Apple TV Plus and many other streaming services, PlayStation Now is staring down some fierce global competition from Google’s Stadia, Apple’s iOS-based Arcade gaming subscription service, Nintendo Switch Online which offers gamers an all they can eat buffet of retro 8-bit and 16-bit titles, and Microsoft’s Game Pass, which gives you a similar run of high profile games, like Gears 5 and Devil May Cry 5, for just $15 a month.

Pricing isn’t the only factor when it comes to choosing which console maker will get a cut of your paycheck every month, game selection will be an even bigger factor. The lack of big-name titles almost certainly played a part in Apple settling on $7.99/month for its Arcade subscription fee, and while Sony appears to be bolstering the PlayStation Now’s lineup, there are concerns that the Stadia might already be losing some ahead of its launch, according to commenters on Reddit who’ve noticed certain titles disappearing from lists maintained on Google’s website. We’ve reached out to Stadia’s representatives for confirmation.

While Stadia hasn’t even launched yet, it has clearly already motivated the competition. If you don’t want to wait to see what gaming on your Chromecast is like, Microsoft Game Pass, Nintendo Switch Online and Apple Arcade are all available in Australia right now for $15 or less a month.


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