The implementation of cloud gaming services is arguably one of the greatest milestones in gaming history. The fact that you can play whenever and wherever you wish to is a revolution in itself. Hardware restrictions are a problem of the past now.
Since its hype grew in 2018, cloud gaming has been going strong. Yes, it had its fair share of problems, including network and login issues, and a few bugs here and there too. However, Wi-Fi 6 and 5G connectivity have solved this too. Now, you can buy subscriptions and plug-and-play.
Some of the biggest names in this market are Xbox with its Xbox Game Pass, EA Play from Electronic Arts, Ubisoft Plus, and Nvidia GeForce Now. There are a few others too but not as popular as the aforementioned names – Amazon Luna and PlayStation Plus Premium.
In this article, we are going to run a quick comparison between some of the best cloud gaming services and help you decide which one is the best for you.
Disclaimer: This article is subjective and reflects the writer’s views on the matter.
Cloud gaming services: Comparing the various options available
1) Xbox Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass is one of the best options out there due to its extensive variety of games. Some of the titles are produced by Xbox itself, while some are tied up with EA Play.
Microsoft is another company that has its games in it, while many other developers have also added their titles to the service. Due to all of this, Xbox Games Pass has more than 500 games in it that you can download and play anywhere and anytime with a subscription. Some of the best games become available on their first day of release as well.
The subscription rates are pretty reasonable too, with a $14.99-a-month rate for the Ultimate edition. You can also opt for the Standard variant that has a cheaper price, but you will miss out on various discounts, free perks, and a free Xbox Live Gold. All the subscription options for PC run a $1 first-month promo, so it is great if you want to try it.
2) EA Play
EA Play is another great option for cloud gaming, but is solely limited to games published by Electronic Arts. So, if you are a fan of games made by EA, this option is good for you. You can access EA Play alongside Xbox Game Pass, and many EA games from Xbox redirect you to it. You can even get trials and early access to the titles that will be released in the future.
EA Play has two different ways of subscription – a per month or a per year basis. The rates for the different editions are $4.99 per month and $29.99 per year. Sometimes they run discount offers or promos, so you might want to keep a watch out.
3) Ubisoft Plus
Ubisoft Plus works exactly like EA Play. It is a cloud gaming service that catalogs its 100 games and you can play them with a subscription, and is only accessible through a PC. Just like EA, you can gain access to all the upcoming Ubisoft titles and DLCs. Ubisoft has also confirmed that it will be added to Xbox Game Pass in the future, but no tentative date has been provided yet.
The subscription for the PC is monthly and it will cost you $14.99 a month to buy it. Ubisoft Plus is available in about 100 countries and if you are in one of them, you can try it if you like games from the developer.
4) Nvidia GeForce Now
Nvidia GeForce Now is probably the most different out of all entries on this list and works in an interesting way. It offers a free-to-play plan with cloud access to all your games on stores like Steam, Epic Games, Origin, etc. Your titles are streamed over the internet through remote servers like Xbox, where you receive 4k 120fps video of your gameplay back.
All happen at the same time without lag, depending on your hardware. The games run on the best RTX cards to give you the best visual experience from the titles you already own. Moreover, you can play them on whichever device you log in to through GeForce Now.
There is no additional cost to this process, thus the subscription rate is free. This makes it a must-try for basic 1080p streaming. Additional prices are put in when you want to increase the streaming quality, going as high as $20 a month. This will unlock all the perks for you, such as 4k 60/120 fps HDR or 2k/120fps for eight-hour-long sessions. Ray-tracing will be available by default.
Best cloud gaming service on PC: Final thoughts
There are four aforementioned options to choose from. Though there are other options such as PlayStation Plus Premium and Amazon Luna, they are yet not comparable to these four.
PlayStation Plus is infamous for its small catalog of games and low storage space. Amazon Luna does not receive much support from Amazon, thus the prices are very high compared to the others. Google Stadia was shut down a few weeks back.
But among these four, our pick would be Xbox Game Pass. Having a plethora of 500 games at your fingertips, with a minimal price of $14.99 a month for Ultimate, is just a bargain. Moreover, it is one of the fewest cloud gaming services and is not heavily limited in its content. Thus, if you want an all-in experience with great variety, Xbox is the one for you. You can even try the promo as a sampling for a dollar the first month around.
It is important, again, to have a choice of your own. That is exactly what this article tried to do for you, to help you choose which one you find the best.
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