I have the three current consoles, The XBox Series X, the PS5 and the Nintendo Switch 2. Most of my gaming is on the Switch 2. Most of my streaming is on the Switch 2. Most of the people that play games with me are on the Switch 2. But this post is not about the Switch 2, its poor battery life, or excellent portability. No, we are here about the heavy weights.
For me the Xbox Series X is a literal brick, while the PS5 actually feels refined. Add to that the DualSense controller is elite. It performs well, has motion sensors and feels comfortable in the hands. I mostly buy these on sale at the same price of an XBox controller.
Next lets talk about how I don’t need a second mortgage just to expand the storage on the PS5? The certified options always seem to be so expensive. I have given up waiting for their price to drop. In the current market, the price will probably only go up.
Throw in the fact that I can easily get my audio out to my speakers without a engineering degree, and it’s an easy win. For the XBox, I cannot use a USB adaptor like I use on my other consoles. Instead, I have to split the audio from the HDMI signal. This is just shoddy work on Microsoft’s part.
I am just going to throw this in because it really annoyed me. When Microsoft almost doubled the price of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, I was close to just selling the Xbox and giving up on Microsoft off as a bad joke. Luckily they figured out that there is only so much corporate greed that users will tolerate. And dropped the price back down to something affordable.
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital gaming, “subscription fatigue” has transitioned from a buzzword to a financial reality. For years, services like Xbox Game Pass and Playstation Plus were hailed as the “best deal in gaming,” offering a massive library for the price of a few coffees. However, recent shifts in pricing strategy have forced gamers to reach for their calculators, asking a difficult question: Is it actually cheaper to just buy the game?
The Rising Cost of “Unlimited”
Microsoft’s recent overhaul of its subscription tiers has served as a wake-up call for many. As of late 2025, the flagship Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier has climbed to a staggering £22.99 per month in the UK. While the service justifies this with the inclusion of perks like Ubisoft+ Classics, and Day-One access to massive titles, the annual cost now sits at roughly £275.
To put that into perspective, consider the current market for new AAA releases. Major 2025 titles like Battlefield 6 or Monster Hunter Wilds typically retail between £60 and £90.
The “Break-Even” Point
Gaming is a time-intensive hobby. Unlike a 2-hour movie on Netflix, a modern epic often requires 40 to 100+ hours to complete. For a casual gamer who plays a few hours a week, finishing a single major title can easily take three to four months.
Purchase Method
Total Cost (3 Months)
Ownership
Game Pass Ultimate
£68.97
Revoked if you stop paying
Buying a New Game
£64.99 (Avg)
Yours forever (Digital/Physical)
As shown above, if it takes you just three months to finish a game, you have already spent more on the subscription than the game is worth. If you spend six months dipping in and out of a massive RPG like The Outer Worlds 2 or Starfield, you have effectively paid for the game twice over—yet you still don’t own it.
The Loss of Permanent Value
The core issue is that a subscription is a “rental” that never ends. When you buy a game outright, especially a physical copy, it retains value. You can play it five years from now without an active subscription, or you can trade it in to subsidize your next purchase. With a Game Pass, that £22.99 is a sunk cost every single month; the moment you stop paying, your entire library vanishes.
The Value of Sales
Sales are a great time to get a title you always wanted. Is it worth getting the game on sale instead of paying the subscription? A great example is that Microsoft Xbox is pushing the Ultimate subscription to play Plants vs Zombies GW2. It is currently on sale for £3.74 from EA. Why pay £22.99 to rent a game when you can just pay £3.74 to have it permanently?
The “Demo” Defense
Despite the diminishing financial returns, Game Passes do retain one undeniable advantage: The Discovery Factor. It is incredibly easy to “test drive” a dozen new indie games or experimental titles to see if they click before committing to a purchase. In an era where £70 is a high-risk investment for a game you might dislike, the pass acts as the world’s largest demo disc.
Summary
While the “buffet” model works for those who play several different games every week, the recent price hikes have made it a luxury rather than a bargain. For the intentional gamer who focuses on one or two big titles at a time, the math is clear. Buying the game is no longer just about ownership. It’s the smarter financial move.
Seriously, Microsoft? £14.99 to £22.99 for Game Pass Ultimate? That’s not a price adjustment, that’s a hostile takeover of my wallet. That’s a 53% jump for a service I barely use!
I’m out here juggling a PS5, my beloved Switch (the true champion of my gaming time), and yes, the Xbox Series X, which mostly sits there collecting dust and judging me.
Lining the Pockets, Not the Library
You can’t tell me this hike is about “improving value” or “better games.” It’s about securing that sweet, sweet quarterly revenue report. They’re seeing the success of Game Pass and thinking, “How can we make this passive income even more aggressive?”
For the amount of time I spend on my Switch (which is basically glued to my hand), I could just buy the two Xbox exclusives I might actually play, and still have enough left over for a fancy coffee.
If this is what “Ultimate” now means, I’m happy to downgrade to “Essential” (or better yet, “None at All”).
Console ecosystems should compete on games and innovation, not on who can fleece their most loyal (if least active) customers the hardest.
Introducing the ZX Spectrum reborn as an emulator that will transport you back to the golden age of gaming. Get ready to dive into a world where pixels hold poetic power and gameplay is filled with whimsical charm.
I will unleash my inner gamer and rediscover classic titles that will ignite your imagination and keep you on the edge of your seat. The ZX Spectrum emulator is my ticket to reliving the magic of retro gaming while enjoying modern convenience.
Why settle for ordinary when you can experience the extraordinary with a touch of poetic flair? Expect to be astounded with some ZX Spectrum emulator streams.
The week of the 14th October 2024, we will be hosting a special event. Every day (monday to friday) will be a Mother 3 stream. Unless of course we manage to finish the game. We can be found at https://twitch.tv/TorvaFirmus.
I created a new tutorial. This shows how simple it is to take a VRoid Studio (Beta) model and print it on a 3D printer. I don’t cover the specifics of printing, but converting the VRM file to a STL file that 3D printers tend to require.
