Subscriptions To Play Online

Console games usually require a subscription to that platform maker's online service to be able to play games online. While there are some games you can play online without this subscription, the majority require it to access servers and other players.

This enables you to play online games against or with other people, along with some other online services like backing up your game save progress to the cloud, talking to other players and exchanging messages.

Xbox Live Gold

Costs £6.99/month to let you play with others online. It also offers a few free games each month and substantial discounts on games and game add-ons.

Xbox Game Pass £7.99 is a complimentary subscription offering 100's of top games on Xbox. You can buy Xbox Gold Live, to play online, and Xbox Game Pass, for hundreds of games, together for £10.99/month.

PlayStation Plus

Costs £6.99/month to play PlayStation games online.
It also offers discounted and two free games each month. This provides cloud saves, and you can also share games with other players:

Screen Share – Let's someone in another place watch your game on their PlayStation. PlayStation Plus is not required for either party
Pass the Controller – Let's someone in another place take turns on a game you own, without owning the game themselves. PlayStation Plus is required for the host, but not for the guest
Playing Together – Let's you play local co-op or split-screen games with someone in another place who has a PlayStation. PlayStation Plus is required for both players.

PlayStation Plus Collection expands this offering on PlayStation 5. It enables you to download and play some top PS4 titles on your PS5. The games are top-tier from the PlayStation 4 library, although not a huge number are rated for younger players. This includes Batman: Arkham Knight, Battlefield 1, Bloodborne, Days Gone, Detroit: Become Human, Fallout 4, Final Fantasy XV, God of War, Infamous Second Son, Monster Hunter World, Mortal Kombat X, Persona 5, Ratchet and Clank, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, The Last Guardian, The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Until Dawn.

PlayStation Now £8.99/month is a complimentary game subscription service that provides hundreds of PS2, PS3 and PS4 games to play.

Nintendo Online

Costs £3.49/month for a single membership or £31.49/year (£2.62/month) for a family subscription for up to 8 people.

Enables online play for Nintendo Switch games. It also provides a free library of retro games that were on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). This also provides cloud saves of your progress. There is also a Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app that lets you talk to other players in certain games.

Image of the cover of the hardback edition of the Taming Gaming book by Andy Robertson

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