Tag: Xbox Game Pass

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What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in early April 2022

Every month, Xbox brings new titles to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

Normally, these come in two waves and now, the company has revealed what’s hitting Game Pass in the first half of April.

Notably, MLB The Show 22 — which is published by PlayStation — is releasing day one on Xbox Game Pass, just like last year’s The Show.

  • Cricket 22 (Cloud and Console) — April 5th
  • Chinatown Detective Agency (Cloud, Console and PC) — April 7th
  • Dragon Age 2 (Cloud) EA Play — April 7th
  • Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (Cloud) — April 7th
  • Star Wars: Squadrons (Cloud) — April 7th
  • Life Is Strange: True Colors (Cloud, Console and PC) — April 12th
  • Panzer Corps 2 (PC) — April 12th
  • The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk (PC) — April 12th
  • Lost In Random (Cloud, Console, and PC) — April 14th

As a reminder, one of the ongoing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks is a 30-day trial for Paramount+, on which the live-action Halo series is streaming.

Meanwhile, these four games are leaving Game Pass on April 15th:

  • MLB The Show 21 (Cloud and Console)
  • Rain On Your Parade (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • The Long Dark (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Pathway (PC)

On top of that, F1 2019 (Cloud, Console and PC) is exiting the catalogue on April 18th.

As always, you can take advantage of a 20 percent member-exclusive discount to purchase any game to keep playing it even after it leaves Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Android and iOS in beta. Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass each cost $11.99/month.

Furthermore, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/month and is required for streaming (which Xbox refers to as ‘Cloud’) to mobile devices and browsers. On top of that, this tier includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, as well as subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and EA Play.

Image credit: PlayStation

Source: Xbox

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Valve ramping up Steam Deck shipments, first set of Q2 reservations notified

After a tumultuous wait, Valve is sending shipment notifications for Q2 reservations of its highly anticipated Steam Deck.

Announced via Twitter, Valve has confirmed that the first set of order emails have been sent to those lucky enough to secure a Q2 reservation. Valve first revealed the portable PC handheld in July of last year. Initially, shipments were scheduled to kickstart in December but were delayed. Thanks to supply chain issues, shipments were postponed until February, and many were pushed later to Q2 2022.

However, the time has finally come, and Valve is making good on its promise. Starting today, the company is ramping up Steam Deck shipments. Every week, Valve says it’s sending more order availability emails. However, some weeks may see two waves sent out.

In addition to the tweet, Valve has updated its Steam Deck product page. Now, anyone who aims to reserve a Steam Deck for $5.70 will be notified of the expected window of availability. For instance, it currently states that new orders are expected to be fulfilled “After Q3” and as early as October 2022.

The Steam Deck is highly sought after, not only because of its specs but also for its features and portability. In addition to having access to your Steam library, Windows is now supported by the handheld, and Microsoft has added Xbox Game Pass and Cloud Gaming support.

Speaking anecdotally, I received an email outlining the notice to finalize my order. Once sent out, the recipient must confirm their order within 72 hours. If the order is not finalized by that time, Valve will automatically cancel it and move on to the next in line.

Keep an eye on MobileSyrup as our very own Patrick O’Rourke will have a review of the handheld up on the site in the coming weeks.

Source: @OnDeck Via: IGN

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How the new PlayStation Plus compares to Xbox Game Pass, Nintendo Switch Online in Canada

On March 29th, Sony finally unveiled its long-rumoured expansion to PlayStation Plus.

Keeping the same branding, the service merges PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now in addition to offering various other perks, all spread out across three tiers. This all-new PS Plus is set to launch sometime in June.

Naturally, one of the first questions people may have is “how does it compare to Xbox Game Pass?” After all, it’s a service that many have praised for its value, and one that has been reported to be PlayStation’s answer to Microsoft’s offering.

With that in mind, we’re breaking down how the all-new PlayStation Plus stacks up to Xbox Game Pass, as well as Nintendo’s Switch Online service. It should be noted that there are many differences between all three, so these are by no means 1:1 comparisons.

PlayStation Plus

For context, the current PS Plus offers access to online multiplayer, a few free games a month, cloud saves and exclusive deals on the PlayStation Store. PlayStation 5 owners, specifically, can get nearly two dozen games for free, including God of War, Uncharted 4, Bloodborne and Monster Hunter World.

There’s currently only one PS Plus tier, with three payment options:

  • One month — $11.99
  • Three months — $29.99
  • 12 months — $69.99

Meanwhile, the current PS Now service offers more than 800 PS2, PS3 and PS4 titles via streaming, and it costs $12.99/month.

With that out of the way, this is a breakdown of the new PS Plus. Note that we’re using rough conversions from USD to CAD because PlayStation hasn’t yet responded regarding Canadian pricing.

PlayStation Plus Essential — same perks as current PS Plus (same price)

PlayStation Plus Extra — All Essential perks, plus “up to 400” PS4 and PS5 downloadable games from first- and third-party studios ($14.99 USD/about $18.75 CAD monthly, $39.99 USD/about $50 CAD quarterly or $99.99 USD/about $125 CAD yearly)

PlayStation Plus Premium — All Essential and Extra perks, as well as:

  • “up to 340” more games, including PS3 games (streaming only), a “catalogue of beloved classic games” from the PS1, PS2 and PSP eras (can be streamed and downloaded)
  • time-limited game trials for “select” titles
  • costs $17.99 USD/about $22.50 CAD monthly, $49.99 USD/about $62.53 CAD quarterly or $119.99 USD/about $150 CAD yearly

Key takeaway: PlayStation has been almost completely mum about what any of these games are. In the company’s blog post announcing the PS Plus expansion, the only launch titles mentioned are Death Stranding, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mortal Kombat 11 and Returnal. The biggest question mark, then, relates to what those older PS1/PS2/PSP games will end up being. As such, the value of the service can’t properly be judged at present.

It’s also important to note that the new PS Plus will not offer first-party games like God of War: Ragnarok on day one. This is the biggest way in which PS Plus is different from Xbox Game Pass. That said, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan noted that the industry is always changing and that this stance could change in the future.

Xbox Game Pass

First, it should be noted that Microsoft’s direct equivalent to the current PlayStation Plus offering is Xbox Live Gold. At a cost of $11.99/month or $29.99/year, Xbox Live Gold offers access to online multiplayer plus a few free games every month and exclusive deals on the Microsoft Store — just like PS Plus.

That said, with PS Plus and PS Now merging to offer expanded, all-in-one functionality, it will be more apt to compare Sony’s service to Xbox Game Pass.

For context, there are a few Game Pass memberships.

The base Game Pass membership, which is available on Xbox and PC with some catalogue variations, costs $11.99/month and offers:

  • Hundreds of Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, including day one Xbox Game Studios titles like Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5 and the upcoming Starfield (new games added monthly)
  • EA Play (PC only) — catalogue of EA games, discounts and free trials
  • Member-exclusive 20 percent discounts to purchase any game in the catalogue

But the best value for Game Pass is the second tier, Game Pass Ultimate. For $16.99/month, you get:

  • Access to Game Pass on console and PC, including all of their respective catalogues
  • Xbox Cloud Gaming — streaming on a selection of these titles to console, PC and mobile devices
  • Xbox Live Gold (console)
  • EA Play (console)

Key takeaway: It should be noted that while Game Pass does include older games like Crimson Skies (OG Xbox) and Fallout: New Vegas (Xbox 360), the Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One’s innate backwards compatibility means that you can also purchase older titles individually or even use your discs if you still have them. This is in stark contrast to PlayStation Plus, which is locking titles from the PS1, PS2 and PSP generations behind its more premium tiers — no à la carte buying option available.

It’s also worth mentioning that a Game Pass “family plan” is also reportedly coming later this year, although it hasn’t yet been confirmed by Xbox.

Nintendo Switch Online

We’re largely just including this here to round out the “Big Three,” because otherwise, Switch Online really doesn’t have much in common with the other services.

Like PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold, Switch Online is required for online play. It also offers a catalogue of more than 100 NES and SNES games, including Super Mario Bros., Metroid and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, with new freebies added every month. Finally, cloud saves are supported.

This base tier is priced as follows:

  • One month (single account) — $4.99
  • Three months (single account) — $9.99
  • Twelve months (single account) — $24.99
  • Twelve months family membership (supports eight Nintendo accounts) — $44.99

That said, there’s an “Expansion Pack” option with includes everything from the standard tier, plus Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis titles. These include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie from the N64 and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Castlevania Bloodlines and Streets of Rage 2 from the Genesis.

Expansion Pack also includes Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe‘s respective DLC passes at no additional cost.

Expansion Pack is priced at:

  • 12 months (single account) — $63.99
  • 12 months (eight accounts) — $99.99

Key takeaway: The games catalogues offered with either Switch Online tier are exclusively retro titles. That’s a marked difference from PS Plus and Game Pass, which have older titles but mostly focus on more modern fare.

In the end, these services are really only “competitors” in that they’re all offered by rival console makers. Otherwise, they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. The unfortunate fact with all three is that the least expensive tiers are essential if you want to play games online which, let’s be honest, many people do. Beyond that, it’s really a matter of whether you care for their respective on-demand catalogues of games.

Which of these services do you subscribe to? Do you plan to sign up for the new PS Plus, and if so, which tier? Let us know in the comments.

Image credit: PlayStation

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PlayStation could reveal its game subscription service next week

A new report indicates that Sony could reveal its Xbox Game Pass-like PlayStation subscription service as early as next week.

According to Bloomberg, PlayStation’s Xbox Game Pass competitor will receive an official reveal soon. The publication was also the first to report that Sony is working on the service under the codename ‘Spartacus.”

Bloomberg’s report says that PlayStation’s game subscription platform will offer a “splashy lineup of hit games” and that it will merge PlayStation Plus (Sony’s online/game subscription platform) and PlayStation Now (game streaming) under one umbrella.

The report indicates that Sony plans to offer multiple subscription tiers. For example, the first tier will include online multiplayer and free monthly games, making it seem nearly identical to the current version of PlayStation Plus. However, more expensive tiers will offer a wider library of games, with the most expensive option featuring a collection of PS1, Ps2, PS3 and PSP titles, and the ability to stream games and play demos.

It’s important to note that unlike Xbox Game Pass, Sony reportedly has no plans to release first-party games on its subscription service on day one. For example, it’s unlikely that Sony Santa Monica’s upcoming God of War Ragnarok won’t be available on the subscription service when it releases.

Source: Bloomberg

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Canadian-made Tunic shadow drops on Xbox Game Pass today

Anticipated action-adventure game Tunic is releasing on Xbox Game Pass on day one, March 16th.

The surprise announcement came from publisher Finji during Xbox and Twitch’s indie-focused ID@Xbox Showcase. Tunic was previously only confirmed for Xbox consoles, PC and Mac without any Game Pass offering.

Notably, Tunic has been developed primarily by Halifax’s Andrew Shouldice over the past several years. Drawing inspiration from The Legend of Zelda, Tunic follows a sword-wielding fox as he explores a mysterious land. An emphasis has been placed on exploration and puzzle-solving, with the in-game text largely being displayed via a made-up language.

Xbox Game Pass for Console costs $11.99 CAD/month and is also included in a $16.99/month Game Pass Ultimate subscription. The game is also available for purchase for $34.99.

Image credit: Andrew Shouldice/Finji

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What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in late March 2022

Every month, Xbox brings new titles to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Microsoft adds games to its service in two different waves and now the company has revealed what’s coming out in the second half of March.

Notably, EA and Codemaster’s F1 2021 and FoamPunch’s upcoming Shredders are among the new Game Pass titles.

  • Shredders (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – March 17th
  • The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos (Cloud, Console, and PC) – March 17th
  • Tainted Grail: Conquest (Console) – March 22nd
  • Zero Escape: The Nonary Games (Cloud, Console, and PC) – March 22nd
  • Norco (PC) – March 24th
  • F1 2021 (Console) – March 24th
  • Crusader Kings III (Xbox Series X|S) – March 29th
  • Weird West (Cloud, Console, and PC) – March 31st

And, here’s what’s leaving Game Pass on March 31st:

  • Madden NFL 20 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Narita Boy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Shadow Warrior 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Xbox Game Pass is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Android and iOS in beta. Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass each cost $11.99/month.

Furthermore, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/month and is required for streaming (which Xbox refers to as ‘Cloud’) to mobile devices and browsers. On top of that, this tier includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, as well as subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and EA Play.

Find out what came to Game Pass in early March here.

Image credit: Xbox

Source: Xbox

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Mobile Syrup

What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in early March 2022

Every month, Xbox brings new titles to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Microsoft adds games to its service in two different waves and now the company has revealed what’s coming out in the first half of March.

Notably, the 2021 action-adventure game, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which was developed by Eidos-Montreal, hits the service this month.

  • Far: Changing Tides (Cloud, Console and PC) — available today
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator (Cloud) — available today
  • Lightning Return: Final Fantasy XIII (Console and PC) — March 3rd
  • Kentucky Route Zero (Cloud, Console and PC) — March 10th
  • Lawn Mowing Simulator (Xbox One) — March 10th
  • Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Cloud, Console and PC) — March 10th
  • Young Souls (Cloud, Console and PC) — March 10th

No Man’s Sky Sentinel Updates – Available now

Meanwhile, here’s what’s leaving Game Pass on March 15th:

  • Nier: Automata (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Phogs! (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Torchlight III (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • The Surge 2 (Cloud, Console and PC)

Xbox Game Pass is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Android and iOS in beta. Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass each cost $11.99/month.

Furthermore, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/month and is required for streaming (which Xbox refers to as ‘Cloud’) to mobile devices and browsers. On top of that, this tier includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, as well as subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and EA Play.

Find out what came to Game Pass last month here.

Image Credit: Xbox

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Mobile Syrup

What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in early March 2022

Every month, Xbox brings new titles to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Microsoft adds games to its service in two different waves and now the company has revealed what’s coming out in the first half of March.

Notably, the 2021 action-adventure game, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which was developed by Eidos-Montreal, hits the service this month.

  • Far: Changing Tides (Cloud, Console and PC) — available today
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator (Cloud) — available today
  • Lightning Return: Final Fantasy XIII (Console and PC) — March 3rd
  • Kentucky Route Zero (Cloud, Console and PC) — March 10th
  • Lawn Mowing Simulator (Xbox One) — March 10th
  • Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Cloud, Console and PC) — March 10th
  • Young Souls (Cloud, Console and PC) — March 10th

No Man’s Sky Sentinel Updates – Available now

Meanwhile, here’s what’s leaving Game Pass on March 15th:

  • Nier: Automata (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Phogs! (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Torchlight III (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • The Surge 2 (Cloud, Console and PC)

Xbox Game Pass is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Android and iOS in beta. Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass each cost $11.99/month.

Furthermore, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/month and is required for streaming (which Xbox refers to as ‘Cloud’) to mobile devices and browsers. On top of that, this tier includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, as well as subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and EA Play.

Find out what came to Game Pass last month here.

Image Credit: Xbox

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Details on pricing and features for PlayStation’s Xbox Game Pass rival reportedly revealed

A number of new details have reportedly been revealed about PlayStation’s long-rumoured response to Xbox Game Pass.

On VentureBeat, credible reporter Jeff Grubb spoke about the yet-to-be-announced service, codenamed Spartacus.

To start, Grubb said that testing could begin in a few weeks ahead of a reveal in March. This would align with Bloomberg‘s original December 2021 report on Spartacus, which offered first-ever information on the service, including a spring release window.

More tantalizing, though, was Grubb’s breakdown of names and pricing for the three tiers which Bloomberg had stated the service would offer. First, there’s ‘Essential,’ which would be $10 USD (about $12.80 CAD) and offer the same functionality as the current PS Plus (online play, free monthly games and cloud saves).

‘Extra,’ meanwhile, would be the middle tier and cost $13 USD (about $16.64 CAD). Per Grubb, Extra is the base PS Plus membership plus a limited offering of PS Now, Sony’s game streaming service. Specifically, you’d only get what he says is a “downloadable game catalogue” of any game that’s currently downloadable on PS Now. As Grubb notes, there are around 250-300 downloadable games out of the full 800-plus title catalogue. No streaming functionality would be offered.

Finally, there’s ‘Premium’ for $16 USD (about $20.48 CAD), which would offer PS Plus, the full PS Now catalogue with streaming capabilities and more. Bloomberg first noted that one of the extra perks would be classic games from the PS1, PS2 and PSP eras, and Grubb corroborated that.

One other Premium benefit Grubb mentioned is EA Play-like full game trials. While PlayStation has dabbled in trials before for the likes of Death Stranding, Grubb suggests that trials for all first-party PlayStation games would be included with Premium.  While PlayStation most certainly wouldn’t offer its big-budget first-party games on day one as Xbox has with the likes of Halo Infinite, the free trials seem to be a compromise. Grubb didn’t mention whether these would be 10 hours like EA Play, but regardless, they would be an option for consumers at a time when games normally cost $80 to $90 CAD before taxes.

Grubb noted that the pricing for all three tiers could be placeholders, but that’s what he’s heard for now. He also said he’s not sure whether there will be annual subscription options. For context, PlayStation Plus costs $11.99/month, $29.99/three months or $69.99/year, while PlayStation Now is priced at $12.99/month, $34.99/three months or $79.99/year.

Xbox Game Pass, meanwhile, is $11.99/month on Xbox and PC with a $16.99 ‘Ultimate’ tier that includes Game Pass for both platforms, ‘Cloud Gaming’ (streaming on mobile/in browsers), Xbox Live Gold and EA Play.

It’s worth noting that PlayStation is rumoured to be holding a major March event; the company’s last significant showcase was in September. It’s possible that a formal reveal of Spartacus, as well as updates on the likes of Final Fantasy XVI and Hogwarts Legacy, could come during this rumoured March showcase.

Source: VentureBeat

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What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in early February 2022

Every month, Xbox adds new games to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

Typically, new games join the catalogue in two waves every month, and now, Xbox has revealed the first half of February’s lineup.

Notably, Infernax from Quebec City-based indie Berzerk Studio (which we just featured this week), and Contrast from Montreal-owned Xbox studio Compulsion, are among the new Game Pass titles.

  • Contrast (Cloud and Console) — February 3rd
  • Dreamscaper (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 3rd
  • Telling Lies (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 3rd
  • Besiege (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 10th [Game Preview]
  • CrossfireX (Console) — February 10th [only includes the first single-player campaign, “Operation: Catalyst”)
  • Edge of Eternity (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 10th
  • Skul: The Hero Slayer (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 10th
  • The Last Kids on Earth and the Staff of Doom (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 10th
  • Ark: Ultimate Survivor Edition (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 14th
  • Infernax (Cloud, Console and PC) — February 14th

Meanwhile, here’s what’s leaving Game Pass on February 15th:

  • Control (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Code Vein (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age (Console and PC)
  • The Medium (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • Project Winter (Cloud, Console and PC)
  • The Falconeer (Cloud, Console and PC)

Xbox Game Pass is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Android and iOS in beta. Game Pass for Console and PC Game Pass each cost $11.99 CAD/month.

Meanwhile, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs $16.99/month and is required for streaming (which Xbox refers to as ‘Cloud’) to mobile devices and browsers. On top of that, this tier includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, as well as subscriptions to Xbox Live Gold and EA Play.

Find out what came to Game Pass in the second half of January here.

Image credit: Focus Home Interactive

Source: Xbox