Video Game Subscriptions
Ongoing coverage on Video Game Subscriptions.
Latest coverage
Fans raise a ruckus over the paywalling of World of Warcraft Forever’s Skyborne ‘cash elves’
Players are expressing significant dissatisfaction with World of Warcraft Forever's decision to lock the new Skyborne race behind a paywall, rather than including it with the game or subscription. Multiple bundles are offered, ranging from $30 to $80, with some including WarCraft III: Reforged. This move has sparked debate about value and the precedent it sets for future monetization in MMORPGs.
One Of The Coziest Games Of The Year Is Helping Crunchyroll Game Vault Grow Even Bigger
Crunchyroll is expanding its Game Vault perk for Mega and Ultimate Fan subscribers, adding over 100 ad-free mobile games. New titles include the cozy electronics repair simulator ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs, Baki Hanma: Blood Arena, Little Goody Two Shoes, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, and Streets of Rage 4.
Hardware spending in the US was so low in July that it nearly matched the 2020 Pandemic days when everything was out of stock
US gaming hardware spending in July saw a significant 29 percent drop compared to last year, nearing 2020 pandemic levels due to high prices despite ample availability. Physical software sales also hit an all-time low since 1995, with PlayStation and Nintendo leading sales percentages. Only the gaming subscription category saw growth.
Game Subscriptions You Might Secretly Already Have
This article explores how consumers might already have access to game subscriptions through services they already use, beyond typical gaming platforms like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. It highlights offerings from Netflix, The New York Times, Rockstar's GTA+, Amazon Luna, and Epic Games Store's free weekly titles, detailing the types of games available through each.
Forza Horizon 5 Creative Director Says Xbox Game Pass Was “A Good Idea”
Former Forza Horizon 5 creative director Mike Brown believes Xbox Game Pass was a good concept that ultimately failed due to insufficient subscriber numbers needed to sustain its business model. He expressed sadness over the potential studio closures and job losses resulting from this outcome. Brown also defended Xbox employees amidst criticism and recent layoffs, emphasizing that the core idea of Game Pass was player-focused, though it did not reach the scale required to justify major acquisitions like Activision Blizzard.
Subscriptions, Clouds, and Streams
NVIDIA's GeForce NOW service is enhancing its integration with member game libraries across various devices. This update aims to streamline the cloud gaming experience for subscribers by connecting to their existing game collections.
Bonus PS Plus Extra Game Available to Download Now
The Destiny 2 Legacy Collection, featuring the base game and numerous expansions from 2025, is now available on PlayStation Plus Extra. This collection includes content up to The Final Shape, with only a few minor pieces of content excluded. This bonus addition is separate from the usual monthly PlayStation Plus announcements.
The PlayStation Store Summer Games Fest Sale is now on
The PlayStation Store Summer Games Fest Sale is now live, featuring discounts on over 3,000 items including games and DLC. Alongside this, the Days of Play sale continues until June 10, offering reduced prices on PlayStation Plus subscriptions, with savings up to 33% on 12-month memberships for PS Plus Premium.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 567: One… billion… dollars!
The Massively OP Podcast episode 567 covers Star Citizen's crowdfunding milestone, the shutdown of Destiny 2 and Closers Online, a mobile client for Guild Wars, and subscription cost increases for The Lord of the Rings Online. The hosts also discuss upcoming expansions for Dungeons & Dragons Online and Throne and Liberty, and Camelot Unchained entering early access.
Xbox gets a new logo, a new mission, and reports of more changes to come
Xbox has unveiled a new translucent logo and the slogan "We are Xbox" as part of a significant brand overhaul led by new CEO Asha Sharma. Reports indicate potential collaborations with Discord, a rebranding of Microsoft Gaming back to Xbox, and a re-evaluation of game exclusivity and release windows. The company also aims to expand into China and is reportedly offering voluntary buyouts to up to 7% of its US employees.
Call Of Duty's Iconic Ghost Shows Up In New Fanta Ad, Making People Wonder About 2026's Call Of Duty
The character Ghost from Call of Duty has appeared in a new Fanta advertisement as part of an Xbox promotion, leading to speculation about the 2026 Call of Duty title, rumored to be Modern Warfare 4. The promotion includes specially designed Fanta cans with in-game bonuses for various Xbox franchises, including Call of Duty and Halo. Separately, Xbox Game Pass has seen price increases, with discussions about its value and the inclusion of future Call of Duty titles.
Amazon's Luna cloud gaming service is ending support for game purchases and subscriptions from third-party stores, and users will lose streaming access to purchased third-party games in June
Amazon's Luna cloud gaming service is ending support for purchasing games from third-party stores like EA, Ubisoft, and GOG, and will discontinue Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Games subscriptions. Previously purchased third-party games will remain streamable until June 10, 2026, after which access will be removed.
