In an era of rising costs for both hardware and individual game purchases, subscription services have become an increasingly popular way to access a large library of titles. However, beyond the well-known options like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, several other services may already be at your disposal, often bundled with existing memberships.
Netflix, a streaming giant with millions of subscribers, offers a growing collection of video games at no additional cost. These titles range from mobile games to those streamable on PC or TV, featuring ports of popular games such as "Street Fighter IV Champion Edition," "Into the Breach," "Sonic Mania Plus," "Dead Cells," and "Red Dead Redemption." The service also includes games based on Netflix intellectual property, like "Money Heist: The New Chapter," "Love Is Blind: Stories," "Narcos: Cartel Wars Unlimited," and "Stranger Things 1984," as well as original titles like the horror game "Unhinged," developed in collaboration with filmmakers David Fincher and Zach Cregger.
The New York Times has also expanded its offerings to include gaming. While "Wordle" remains free for all players, a New York Times Games subscription grants access to titles like "Spelling Bee," "The Crossword," "Connections," and "Crossplay." Subscribers to "All of The Times" receive these games alongside the publication's news, cooking content, and The Athletic.
Rockstar Games' GTA+ membership, often sought for its in-game perks for "GTA Online," also includes a curated library of titles. Subscribers can access the story mode of "GTA V," "Red Dead Redemption," "Bully," and "L.A. Noire," alongside older "Grand Theft Auto" entries like "Chinatown Wars" and "Liberty City Stories." "GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition," which updates "GTA III," "Vice City," and "San Andreas," is also part of the GTA+ package. The service is expected to remain a part of Rockstar's ecosystem, particularly with "GTA 6" preorders bundling the subscription.
Amazon Prime members can access Amazon Luna, a cloud gaming service, through the standard Prime subscription. This tier includes a selection of games such as "FC 24," "Destiny 2," "Hogwarts Legacy," "Fortnite," "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," "Skyrim," and "Alan Wake II." For an expanded library, a Luna Premium subscription is available, adding titles like "Batman: Arkham Knight," "Mafia: Definitive Edition," and "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order." Luna is a streaming service, meaning no dedicated local hardware is required beyond a device capable of streaming. As of late July, Luna games are integrated into the Prime Video app under a dedicated "Games" tab.
While not a subscription service, the Epic Games Store consistently offers free PC and mobile games weekly as part of its strategy to attract and retain users. These games are permanently added to a user's library upon redemption. Epic reported that its "Free Games Program" significantly boosted engagement, with hundreds of millions of games claimed, often setting concurrent user records for the store during their free availability periods. This initiative has also shown a positive impact on overall PC gaming, with player numbers reportedly increasing on competing platforms like Steam.