When Xbox Game Pass first released in 2017, it was a service unlike anything the gaming industry had seen before, at least on the scale that Microsoft was promising. For years, Xbox Game Pass was able to operate without any significant competition, becoming widely regarded as the “best deal in gaming” by those who wanted to try a wider range of video game experiences and receive first-party releases on launch day for no extra cost.
But Xbox Game Pass wasn’t left alone forever. In June 2022, PlayStation Plus released a new three-tier system that followed closely in the footsteps of Xbox Game Pass, with PS Plus Extra offering a library of both first-party and third-party titles, and PS Plus Premium finally offering the backwards-compatibility that fans had been yearning for. For almost three years now, Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus have been waging a silent war against one another, competing to prove their worth month after month. That continues today, as within the span of just a few weeks, PS Plus has delivered one of its worst Essential line-ups, reversed that with one of its best Extra and Premium line-ups, and left Xbox Game Pass to retaliate.
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PS Plus’ January Reversal Should Encourage Xbox Game Pass to Bring Out The Big Guns
PlayStation Plus Had a Rough Start to The Year
Though it may be the least expensive tier of PlayStation Plus, PS Plus Essential still costs $80 for a 12-month subscription, and fans rightfully expect some bang for their buck. Along with the ability to play online games, PS Plus Essential gives players three ‘free’ games a month. PS Plus Essential has had some really solid offerings the last few months, with November 2024 giving subscribers Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Death Note: Killer Within, and December giving them It Takes Two, Temtem, and Aliens: Dark Descent.
But unfortunately, PS Plus Essential has lost its hot streak in spectacular fashion, with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League headlining its January 2025 line-up. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been an infamous failure for developer Rocksteady, and its place on PS Plus Essential feels like too little too late, with the game having just received its final update.
While Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe are good games, they don’t do quite enough to alleviate the disappointment of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League being PS Plus Essential’s January headliner.
PlayStation Plus’ Extra and Premium Line-Up Has Turned Things Around
But PlayStation Plus has quickly turned things around, at least for subscribers of its more expensive Extra and Premium tiers. God of War Ragnarok headlines PS Plus Extra’s January 2025 line-up, and it’s a pretty big deal. It’s surprisingly rare to see first-party PlayStation games come to PS Plus, and that paired with God of War Ragnarok‘s renown makes it an incredible addition to the subscription service. God of War Ragnarok is also joined by great games like Sayonara Wild Hearts and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, along with classic Premium-tier picks like Medievil 2.
The Ball Is Now In Xbox Game Pass’ Court
Xbox Game Pass has had a rather slow start to 2025, offering just three new additions so far. But there are some promising games on the horizon. Sniper Elite: Resistance, Eternal Strands, and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector are all day-one titles set to hit Game Pass this month. But even they might struggle to outshine God of War Ragnarok.
Xbox Game Pass is going to need to bring out the big guns for February, and while Obsidian’s Avowed is highly anticipated, it’s going to need some other long-awaited additions to stand out in what’s shaping up to be an incredibly busy month for the video game industry.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.