Gift Your Gamer An Xbox Game Pass Subscription This Holiday Season

Game Pass Core is tied for the cheapest Game Pass option at $10 a month. It's aimed at console gamers who want to play online multiplayer. Here's what to know about Game Pass Core.

Pros of Game Pass Core

With this plan, you can access over 40 titles, including Doom: Eternal, Fallout 4 and Halo 5. You also get access to online multiplayer with this subscription.

Cons of Game Pass Core

You don't get as many games with Game Pass Core as other plans on this list. This level of the service rarely adds new titles, and subscribers won't be able to access Day 1 releases. That means you won't be able to play the upcoming Indiana Jones game upon release. And sorry, Star Wars fans, but EA Play's not included in this plan.

Who should subscribe to Game Pass Core?

If you mostly play online multiplayer games, like Halo or Gears of War, and you only play on console, this is the plan for you. You're mostly paying for access to play online multiplayer with this plan, but the added discounts and game library — despite its smallish size — are nice perks, too.

PC Game Pass is $12 a month, and it caters to PC gamers who want a large library of games and Day 1 releases. Here's what to know about PC Game Pass.

Pros of PC Game Pass

This subscription plan gives you access to about 400 Game Pass titles, which is most of the Game Pass library. New games are usually added every month, and you'll have access to Day 1 releases as well, so you'll always have something new to play. This plan also includes EA Play, which gives you access to EA games, like the Madden series and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Cons of PC Game Pass

As you might have guessed, you need a PC for this plan so console gamers need not apply. Even if you have a PC, machine requirements might limit which games you can play and how well others run on your PC.

Who should subscribe to PC Game Pass?

People who only play on PC. It may not offer every game in the Game Pass library, but PC Game Pass does bring new games to the service every month, including a host of Day 1 releases coming soon.

Game Pass Standard is the newest Game Pass plan; it costs $15 a month and replaces the Game Pass Console plan. Here's what to know about Game Pass Standard.

Pros of Game Pass Standard

The major draw of the Game Pass Standard plan is that it offers subscribers a library of over 300 games, which is about three-quarters of the entire Game Pass library. Subscribers can play games like Mafia: The Definitive Edition, as well as the Halo and Gears of War series. You can also play online multiplayer for Game Pass and non-Game Pass games.

Cons of Game Pass Standard

This plan is for console gamers only, so PC gamers need not subscribe. And while Game Pass Standard has a decent-size library of games, it doesn't include EA Play or get Day 1 releases. That doesn't mean those games won't come to Game Pass Standard eventually. Xbox said previously that those games could arrive on this plan up to a year or more later.

Who should subscribe to Game Pass Standard?

Console gamers who don't mind waiting a little longer to play some games and don't need to  play on PC or mobile devices. While you might not be able to play major games on Day 1, like the upcoming Gears of War game, you'll probably be able to play them later. And if you only play on Xbox consoles and don't need access to PC games or features like cloud gaming, this is the plan for you.

This is the most expensive plan, and you get a lot for the price tag, including access to games on console and PC. However, the price could be overkill if you primarily play on one platform, so here's what to know about Game Pass Ultimate.

Pros of Game Pass Ultimate

This is the top-tier Game Pass plan, and it offers top-tier features. You get access to over 500 titles in the game library — including EA Play and Day 1 releases — online multiplayer and Xbox Cloud Gaming Beta so you can play on any compatible device, not just your console or PC. Game Pass Ultimate gives you the most bang for your buck out of these plans.

Cons of Game Pass Ultimate

The price is the major hurdle for Game Pass Ultimate, and the price continues to go up. When Game Pass was introduced in 2017, there was only one plan and it cost $10 a month. Then in 2019, Microsoft unveiled Game Pass Ultimate with a price of $15 a month, and in 2023 the company raised the price for the service to $17 a month. And in July, the company raised the price of Game Pass Ultimate again to a staggering $20 a month. These price increases  especially over the last two years — are likely a pain point for some gamers.

Who should subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate?

Most gamers will be satisfied with Game Pass Ultimate, although you probably don't need it if you only play on PC or if you mostly play free-to-play online multiplayer games, like Fortnite or Overwatch. The price — and its potential to increase — might send people to other plans. If price is an issue, you can always unsubscribe at any time and resubscribe when a game you want to play is added. Otherwise, this is the plan for you.