Xbox Game Pass is a bad option? A player spent $1,200 on the subscription over 5 years and regrets it

Xbox Game Pass is definitely one of the most popular services in the gaming world, mainly because you can play new releases right away. Despite this, not everyone is satisfied with it. The latest discussion on Reddit shows that for some users, Microsoft's subscription model might be a total rip-off, especially after the big price hike.

Player summarizes 5 years with Game Pass

A user with the nickname Valuable_Bill961 posted on Reddit, admitting that over five years of subscribing to Game Pass, he spent a total of over $1,200. During this time, he played about 50 games, which, in his opinion, makes the entire investment not very worthwhile.

The player pointed out that for the same amount of money, he could buy between 100 to 200 games on Steam, which, unlike the subscription games, would stay in his library forever.

Under his post, a big discussion kicked off, and a lot of people agreed with him:

Another player highlighted the key advantage of platforms like Steam over Game Pass:

Not everyone complains

In the comments, there were also opinions defending Microsoft's subscription model. Some players believe that Game Pass is great if someone plays a lot of games or likes to test them before buying:

Furthermore, thanks to the subscription, abandoning a game halfway doesn't hurt as much as paying the full price. Nevertheless, even Game Pass fans admit that the recent price hikes are really dampening their enthusiasm, and a lot of them aren't planning to renew their subscriptions once their cheaper plans run out. Some of them are surprised that those complaining paid so much:

For others, the problem is time—not the price. Players who have less and less free time point out that: "less time for gaming as you age is the main reason why Game Pass might seem like a bad solution in the long run."

However, there are also those who still see great value in the subscription:

More expensive and different

The recent changes in the subscription structure have stirred quite a bit of emotion. Until recently, the available options were Core, Standard, and Ultimate variants, but Microsoft decided to revamp the offer, resulting in the price of the most expensive Ultimate package increasing from $19.99 to $29.99.

For many players, the high costs are the key argument against the subscription:

Game Pass – Great deal or financial trap?

The discussion shows that Game Pass has two sides. For some, it's a great option, allowing them to play dozens of games for a fraction of their regular price. For others, it's just too pricey and doesn't make sense if you don't play much or prefer owning your games.

The conclusion from the whole storm on Reddit is that Game Pass isn't bad—it's just not for everyone.

• subscriptions
• Xbox Game Pass / PC Game Pass