Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: which subscription is right for you?
Xbox Game Pass offers two subscription tiers to choose between. Both are great value for money, but only one will be the best option for you
Trying to choose between Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate? Microsoft’s gaming subscription service offers loads of fantastic features, but there are a few key differences between the two membership tiers aside from the name and price.
Xbox Game Pass Standard is the basic subscription tier for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S consoles. It provides members with a massive library of downloadable games, as well as a bunch of Xbox discounts and deals. Previously, it also included day one releases of first-party titles from Microsoft and other publishers. But on September 12, Microsoft removed that perk, but added Xbox Game Pass Core (previously known as Xbox Live Gold) so you can play online.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, meanwhile, gives you all of the benefits of Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Core, alongside day one releases, access to PC games, Xbox Cloud Gaming, an EA Play membership, and various monthly perks.
The choice between the two membership tiers is a lot more clear-cut than deciding between the Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S, but whichever you choose, rest assured you’ll still be able to play some of the best Xbox games as part of your subscription.
The bottom line is this: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs more than Xbox Game Pass, but it’s worth the extra dollars for most people. If you’re not interested in day one releases, pick up an Xbox Game Pass Standard membership.
If you haven’t already subscribed to Microsoft’s service, remember to use our Xbox Game Pass Ultimate discount code for a little money off. Or if you’re all set for software, read our guide to the best Xbox controller, best Xbox Series X accessories, and best Xbox headsets to find out if your hardware is up to scratch.
Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: price 💲
An Xbox Game Pass Standard subscription will set you back $14.99 per month while Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $19.99 per month. It’s a significant price difference that adds up over time.
Despite Xbox Game Pass Ultimate looking like an expensive, premium option, it’s the difficult to dismiss. It packs in a bunch of useful features that justify its higher price tag. The trick is to calculate whether they’re worth the extra price to you.
Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: games 🕹
The gaming libraries included in Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate are similar but not the same. As a console-only subscription, Xbox Game Pass Standard includes hundreds of games to play on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One. However, it no longer includes big triple-A day one releases like Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon, as well as indie gems such as Hollow Knight, Vampire Survivors, Pentiment and many more.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate includes day one releases, PC Game Pass (the platform’s PC equivalent service) and an EA Play membership. You get access to all the games on Xbox Game Pass alongside a bumper library of PC games and titles from EA, including heavy hitters like Total War: Warhammer 3 and Age of Empires 4. You’ll still need a PC rig capable of playing most of them, mind, but if you’ve already got the hardware, a venerable bounty of PC delights awaits.
Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Xbox Cloud Gaming ☁
Included in every Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft’s in-development game streaming service. It lets you play games on your Xbox console, PC, or even phone and tablet directly through the cloud, with no download required.
A large selection of the current Xbox Game Pass library is available on Xbox Cloud Gaming, including several major releases like Gears 5, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, No Man’s Sky, and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Not every game can be streamed, so don’t bank on your favorite series appearing in the cloud. Check out the full library on the Xbox Cloud Gaming webpage.
Remember, you’ll need a strong, reliable internet connection to use the streaming service. Microsoft recommends “rates of 10 Mbps on mobile devices, 20 Mbps on consoles, PCs and tablets, and 5Ghz WiFi or mobile data connection”. Microsoft recently added keyboard and mouse control scheme for PC games, as previously Xbox Cloud Gaming was only compatible with controllers.
One day, you might not even need an Xbox console to use Xbox Cloud Gaming. Microsoft has been teasing an Xbox streaming stick for a while now, and although the project is currently mothballed, it will hopefully get picked up again one day.
Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Xbox Live Gold 🥇
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate comes bundled with Xbox Game Pass Core, which was previously known as Xbox Live Gold. Microsoft’s older subscription service was recently rebranded and is needed to access the online portions of Xbox games. If you regularly play multiplayer titles or reckon you will after you pick up an Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass Core is used to be a necessity.
Microsoft has set up Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as a replacement for a standalone Xbox Game Pass Core subscription. Not only does Ultimate include online, but it’s priced very competitively against it. For only $10 extra a month (Xbox Game Pass Core costs $9.99 monthly) you get access to the entire Game Pass library and all the other Ultimate benefits.
If you were to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Standard and Xbox Game Pass Core, you’d end up paying $24.98 a month, with far fewer benefits than you get from an Ultimate membership.
If you’re certain that you’ll never, ever use the Game Pass library or Xbox Cloud Gaming, and just want access to online multiplayer, then you may as well forget Xbox Game Pass Standard entirely and subscribe to Xbox Game Pass Core, which includes 36 free games. But honestly, you’re probably best off shelling out a bit of extra cash each month to reap the many, many benefits of Xbox Game Pass Standard, which includes online access.
Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: EA Play 🎮
If you’re a devout EA fan, you’ll be pleased to know EA Play is included in every Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The membership service gives you access to a bunch of EA games, including several Battlefield titles, Titanfall 2, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, FIFA 22 and plenty more.
Not every EA release is included right away, though. FIFA titles (or EA Sports FC as they’re now known), tend to come many months after launch. Battlefield 2042 was similarly absent on release, coming to EA Play only a year after launch following several months of poor commercial performance.
Most EA releases tend to arrive on Game Pass up to 12 months after launch. Some arrive after only six months, while some can take a little longer. Don’t expect to play the latest EA games immediately on Game Pass when they launch, but EA Play does hand you a convenient way of dipping into the developer’s past library.
Xbox Game Pass Standard vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: monthly perks 🎁
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate rewards subscribers with several perks each month. They range in type and quality, but often take the form of free downloadable item packs for hit multiplayer games. Cosmetics and free in-game currency for Halo Infinite, Fall Guys, Fallout 76, and FIFA 22 have all been featured in the past, letting you bag a bunch of exclusive in-game goodies.
More tantalizing offers have also appeared. Microsoft partnered with Crunchyroll to offer members 75 days free. Other times, members have been able to bag three free months of the meditation app Calm.
The freebies aren’t always the best, and never consistent enough that they should influence your decision over what tier of Xbox Game Pass to buy. But they’re worth keeping an eye on. You never know what sweet treats you might be able to bag.
Should you get Xbox Game Pass Standard or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate? 🆚
Both Xbox Game Pass Standard and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate are fantastic platforms that give you an easy, affordable way of playing many of the latest and greatest Xbox games. Most people, however, will feel the benefit of spending a little extra on an Ultimate subscription.
The extra $5 a month looks off-putting and certainly ramps up the price of the service over the long term, but if you like playing multiplayer games, or think you might want to play online multiplayer games on Xbox in the future, it’s worth paying.
That’s to say nothing of the other features you’ll get access to with Ultimate as well. Xbox Cloud Gaming might still be in beta, but already offers a wonderfully handy way of playing triple-A and indie games on the go by streaming them directly to your phone. Additionally, access to PC Game Pass is a real boon for anyone who enjoys strategy games, RPGs and other gaming genres that are more comfortable to play on a keyboard-and-mouse system. You also get day one releases, which is sadly not part of Xbox Game Pass Standard.
If you have no interest in playing PC games, ditch Ultimate and opt for a standard Xbox Game Pass subscription. You’ll miss out on Xbox Cloud Gaming, day one releases, and a few monthly goodies, but you can still play hundreds of games and have online access.
Last updated: July 11, 2024