Game Services thread, v2: Ubisoft headline portends a darker gaming future

Madmick

Madmick

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Updated August-30-2023
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Sony Playstation Plus
[PS5] [PS4] [PS3] [PS Vita] [PC*]
  • $10 ---- Essential, monthly ($9.99/mo)
  • $15 ---- Extra, monthly ($14.99/mo)
  • $18 ---- Premium, monthly ($17.99/mo)
    ===
  • $25 ---- Essential, quarterly ($8.33/mo)
  • $40 ---- Extra, quarterly ($13.33/mo)
  • $50 ---- Premium, quarterly ($16.67/mo)
    ===
  • $80 ---- Essential, yearly ($6.67/mo)
  • $135 -- Extra, yearly ($11.25/mo)
  • $160 -- Premium, yearly ($13.33/mo)
    ===
    *PC access thru the premium tier via cloud-streaming only
    • Allows online access for multiplayer & cloud services; has companion mobile app [iOS / Android]
    • Sony outline of the three tiers in this blog
    • Essential tier comes with 2-5 free game giveaways a month for download; these can be (re-)downloaded and played at any time in the future, including offline, so long as you were [1] subscribed during the month it was given away [2] claimed it that month [3] are currently subscribed at the time you wish to download/play
    • The Extra tier adds a library of 489 downloadable games PS4 games for subscribers, but these are not giveaways (103 of these have PS5 versions)
    • The Premium tier includes those, and adds another 358 cloud-streamable PS3/PS4 games (312 of these are PS3)
      • Streaming is only available to PS4, PS5, and PC, not mobile devices
      • PC must be Windows 7 or later, with a base frequency 2.0GHz i3 or better CPU, 2GB+ RAM, and 300MB+ available storage
      • A minimum 5Mbps internet connection is recommended by Sony for cloud-streaming 720p, and 15Mbps for 1080p
    • Additionally, Premium offers 63 older PSP/PS1/PS2 games which may be downloaded and played at any time
    • The Extra/Premium tiers grant access to the Ubisoft Classics library
    • A Redditor compiled a list of couch co-op games available on the service.
    • The full list of PS Plus games ever given away or part of the Extra/Premium tiers may be browsed with the PSNowGuide, or in this spreadsheet
    • Sony ended free game giveaways for the PS3 and PS Vita in March 2019
    • According to Polygon, the total MSRP value of games given away was $1,304 in 2022; $1,425 in 2021; $790 in 2020; $894 in 2019; $1,508 in 2018; $1,287 in 2017; $1,151 in 2016; $1,053 in 2015; over $1,300 in 2014 (a $10,712 total for these years)
    • The history & catalog of games "given" away are listed in the Instant Games Collection, running since June 2010; this stands at 357 games for the PS3, 333 games for the PS4, and 51 games for the PS5 (lists for those outside North America can be found here)


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Microsoft Game Pass
[XSX/XSS] [Xbox One] [PC] [Steam Deck*] [Android#] [iOS#]
  • $10 ---- monthly, Game Pass Core ($9.99/mo)
  • $10 ---- monthly, Game Pass PC ($9.99/mo)
  • $11 ---- monthly, Game Pass Xbox ($10.99/mo)
  • $17 ---- monthly, Game Pass Ultimate, Xbox & PC ($16.99/mo)
    *Steam Deck useable if one installs Windows, or through cloud-streaming via Microsoft Edge (Ultimate tier only)
    ##Mobile play through cloud-streaming (Ultimate tier only)
    • Game Pass has a companion app on mobile (iOS / Android); third-party app listing cloud-playable games for Apple users here: iOS
    • Xbox companion app is the highest rated companion mobile app of all the major gaming services [iOS / Android]
    • The Core tier, formerly Xbox Live Gold, allows online multiplayer access for Xbox games & cloud services, as do all higher tiers
    • The EA Play service and all its non-Pro games/perks (detailed at the top of Post #2 below) is included for Xbox users on Game Pass Ultimate, and PC users via the PC or Ultimate tiers
    • The Ultimate tier includes monthly perks like in-game loot including cosmetics, weapons, bonus packs, XP boosters, etc; also free one-time temporary subscriptions to services like Paramount+, Spotify, or Hulu
    • Every Microsoft-published game is a Day 1 release accessible by subscribers to the PC, Xbox, or Ultimate tiers of this service
    • 100% of titles on the service are downloadable
    • Microsoft Cloud Gaming is bundled with the Ultimate tier, and enables the option of streaming any game on Game Pass to your PC, Xbox, or mobile device over WiFi/cellular networks. This does not require installation of the game on any device-- it's an instant launch. It boasts 1080p@60fps with 12.2 TFLOPS rendering power (Xbox Series X servers). Mobile device requirements:
      • Any PC or Android 6.0+ device via the "Cloud" tab of the Xbox app; alternatively, iPhone/iPad support in beta via web browser sign-in
      • Bluetooth 4.0+ with an Xbox or other Controller (Dualshock works) for Android/iPad/iPhone; those or USB wired controllers work for PC
      • 5GHz WiFi network with 10 Mbps download speed whether WiFi or Cellular (only necessary if not on wired ethernet)
      • Games are coded to support dual-analog joystick accessories like the Razer Kishi V2 for Android, or the Backbone One for iOS
    • Game Pass games are also now playable on NVIDIA GeForce Now (a cloud service detailed at the bottom of Post #3 below that's base tier is free). This means if you are a subscriber, but your PC doesn't meet the minimum specification requirements for a game, you can play it via the Cloud. This is mostly attractive to PC users since it includes keyboard+mouse support, and game data is sync'd to the PC version of a game (the same one would launch in the Xbox app with Windows). Microsoft Cloud already supports game data sync'd to the Xbox console version of a game.
    • There are 316 titles currently on the Microsoft Play Anywhere list. If one buys a Play Anywhere game on either PC or Xbox platform (purchase must be from the Microsoft or Xbox stores) he then owns it on both, and gameplay-- including progress, settings, and saved data-- is sync'd across console & PC. For some of these games online multiplayer cross-play between both platforms is enabled. These Play Anywhere integration perks apply to titles available on the Game Pass service, and Microsoft now includes a filter in their Game Pass & Xbox apps to find these. As of Aug-23-2023, 139 Play Anywhere titles are on Game Pass (31.3% of all PC titles on the Game Pass service).
    • 20% discount for Game Pass titles on Microsoft/Xbox stores if one wishes to buy them permanently (90+ days after release-- 10% off until then), and this includes the complete editions with all DLC even if that version of the game isn't the one appearing on the service; also 10% off DLC, add-ons and related microtransaction content
    • Xbox Game Pass Quests is a program that allows you to earn reward points you can spend in the Microsoft/Xbox stores by completing in-game tasks on the service, and you can even redeem these to pay for Game Pass itself. This is part of the larger Microsoft Rewards program. In total, it's always possible to earn well over 12K rewards points per month without spending any money. The total possible points varies, but it averages about 27K per month. Reward costs:
      • 1-month Game Pass Ultimate = 12,000 points
      • 1-month Game Pass for PC = 7,750 points
      • Xbox Gift Cards = varies by amount (91,000 for $100)
      • See all redeemable rewards
    • Game Pass Ultimate is the cornerstone of the Xbox All Access monthly payment service that bundles the service with the next-gen Xbox console of your choice at a monthly cost; >>>click here<<< to read more about how this program works
    • Redditor "ABattleVet" maintains a God-tier spreadsheet of every game that has ever been on the Game Pass service, which platform it is on (Xbox/PC), whether it is available via Cloud, whether it is actively available on the service, if it is leaving or arriving on the service soon, its release date & age, its Metacritic score, the average number of hours to complete the campaign, and its genre according to Giant Bomb. Games also have various color codings to indicate things like console exclusivity. Simply incredible if you learn how to use filters to sort columns. Don't miss that there are multiple sheets.
    • 38 games in the Core catalog
    • 389 games in the Cloud Game Pass library [available to Ultimate-tier subscribers only]
    • 444 games in the PC Game Pass catalog
    • 476 games in the Xbox Game Pass catalog
    • 520 games in the Ultimate Game Pass catalog (discrete count)


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Nintendo Switch Online
[Switch]
  • $4 ----- monthly, individual ($3.99/mo)
  • $8 ----- quarterly, individual ($2.66/mo)
  • $20 ---- yearly, individual ($1.67/mo)
  • $50 ---- yearly, individual expansion-pack tier ($4.17/mo)
    ===
  • $40 ---- yearly, family up to 8 accounts ($3.33/mo)
  • $80 ---- yearly, family up to 8 accounts expansion-pack tier ($6.67/mo)
    ===
    • Allows online access for Switch games & web services; has a rather lousy companion mobile app [iOS / Android]
    • Expansion-pack tier enables you to play N64 and Sega games with fresh classic games added monthly to the service
    • Very rarely special offers are made exclusively to subscribers
    • Access to cloud-streamed Nintendo Classic library; currently 57 Super Nintendo games & 65 Nintendo games available with co-op and competitive multiplayer enabled
 
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EA Play
EA Play [XSX/XSS] [Xbox One] [PS5] [PS4]
EA Play for PC [PC] [Steam Deck*]
  • $6 ------ monthly, EA Play ($5.99/mo); either PC, PC via Steam, Xbox* or Playstation [not all]
  • $17 ---- monthly, EA Play Pro ($16.99/mo)
    ===
  • $40 ---- yearly, EA Play ($3.33/mo)
  • $120 -- yearly, EA Play Pro ($10.00/mo)
    ===
    *Steam Deck useable if one installs Windows


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Ubisoft+
[PC] [PS5] [PS4] [XSX/XSS] [Xbox One] [Android] [FireTV] [Steam Deck*]
  • $8 ---- monthly, Ubisoft+ Classics ($7.99/mo)
  • $18 ---- monthly, Ubisoft+ Premium ($17.99/mo)
    *Steam Deck useable if one installs Windows
    • Available to Playstation, Xbox, & Android users through Luna with the "Multi Access" tier
    • Ubisoft+ grants you access to all the games in the Ubisoft+ library which you can stream from the cloud or download/install so long as you are subscribed
    • This service is an extension of Ubisoft Connect which tracks and saves all your progress and achievements in the cloud for games bought from the Ubisoft Store (754 total products supported including 393 base games + 172 DLC purchases available)
    • On 8-21-2023, Microsoft sold Activision-Blizzard cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft in order to obtain approval from UK regulators, so an Ubisoft+ subscription will provide access to titles like Call of Duty via the cloud upon completion of Microsoft's acquisition
    • 20% off purchases on the Ubisoft store
    • Subscribers may have additional benefits such as being invited into closed betas for some of Ubisoft's upcoming games
    • 45 games currently in the Classics library
    • 134 games currently in the Ubisoft+ library


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Humble Choice
[PC] [Steam Deck]
  • $12 ---- monthly ($11.99/mo)
  • $129 -- yearly ($10.75/mo)
    • curated "mystery box" delivered monthly as code to email with 10-14 games included that you may claim to own forever
    • 20% off Humble Bundle store purchases
    • You may access and download over 50 DRM-free games in the "Humble Games Collection" so long as you are subscribed
    • Almost are games are Steam keys for the Steam service, so giveaways are valid for the Steam Deck
    • 1-year subscription promises minimum of $1,200 MSRP value in games
    • Steam Curator "Humble Choice" Tag (or look at specific past bundles in this Google Spreadsheet of all past giveaways; unfortunately, not updated since Mar-2021)


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Utomik
[PC] [Steam Deck*]
  • $5 ----- monthly, Single User ($4.99/mo)
  • $9 ----- monthly, Single User + Cloud ($8.99/mo)
  • $13 --- monthly, 4 Users + Cloud ($12.99/mo)
    *Steam Deck useable if one installs Windows
    • Subscription service granting access to a depot of games that are downloaded, not streamed, and can be played as long as one is subscribed
    • They've added a depot of cloud-playable games, currently 289 titles, which can be viewed using the filter on their main game library page
    • Mostly smaller releases, but also aging AAA titles
    • 1417 games available as of Aug-25-2023


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Amazon Prime Gaming
[PC] [Steam Deck*]
  • $15 ---- monthly ($14.99/mo)
  • $139 -- yearly ($11.67/mo)
    *Steam Deck useable if one installs Windows
    • Amazon Prime Gaming (formerly known as Twitch Prime) is a perk of Amazon Prime membership. This comes with free 2-day shipping on Amazon purchases, access to Amazon Prime TV, and other benefits.
    • They have launched a new sister website: Amazon Games. Here you can find the Amazon Games app for Windows.
    • Despite the rebranding, Prime members still retain their Twitch Prime perks like one free Tier 3 channel subscription per month and special chat privileges for the Twitch service
    • There are typically up to a dozen or more games subscribers may claim for free with varying expiration dates on the eligibility to claim them, typically claimable many weeks beyond their first appearance as a giveaway, owned permanently once claimed, playable via the Amazon Games app on Windows PCs
    • There are also typically several dozen instances of in-game loot that can be claimed for games (ex. vehicles, weapons, skins, avatars, boosts, upgrades, possibly even exclusive items, etc). These are on numerous services where the respective game is sold (Amazon Games, Luna, Ubisoft Connect, Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch)
    • Prime subscribers may also play a free rotating monthly selection of games available on the "Prime" channel of the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service. See more details about that service in the next post.
    • This website shows all games given away by Prime Gaming in its history dating back to the launch of the service in September 2016.


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Gamefly
[PS5] [PS4] [PS3] [PSP] [PS Vita] [XSX/XSS] [Xbox One] [Xbox 360] [Switch] [Wii U / Wii / Gamecube / GBA / 3DS]
  • $11 ---- monthly, 1 Game/Movie Plan, Budget ($10.95/mo)
  • $18 ---- monthly, 1 Game/Movie Plan, Standard ($17.95/mo)
  • $26 ---- monthly, 2 Game/Movie Plan, Standard ($25.95/mo)
  • $33 ---- monthly, 2 Game/Movie Plan, Elite ($32.95/mo)
    • Mail-in rental service: check out any game you want and hold as long as you like. Physical games only. Their digital front failed. After perusing the above competitor services, with these prices unchanged four years later, it probably isn't hard to see why. The available inventory fluctuates with how many games are checked out at any given time, but it has shrunk considerably over the past five years.
    • I'm not going to explain the differences in their new plans. I'll just link: https://www.gamefly.com/registration
    • 4,540 games available (present stock as of Aug-25-2023)
 
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Apple Arcade
[iOS] [tvOS] [MacOS]
  • $5 ---- monthly ($4.99/mo)
  • $50 -- yearly ($4.17/mo)
    • No microtransactions (in-app purchases) or ads will be allowed in the Arcade
    • Gameplay is also limitless (no lockout timers or restricted access)
    • Offline play must be allowed, and games must be downloadable to play
    • All Apple devices capable of running the latest respective operating systems will support Xbox & Playstation controllers (for iOS games designed for controllers aka "MFi" games). This means Mac Pros, iMacs, & MacBooks from 2013 and on updated to MacOS Catalina 10.15 or later; all iPads since the iPad Air 2 & iPhones since the iPhone 6s updated to iOS 13 or later; and all Apple TVs since the HD (2015 release) updated to tvOS 13 or later
    • Currently 170 games support controller; there is a filter for this in the "Arcade" if you browse to it on your Apple device
    • There are 330 games including originals/exclusives as of Aug-25-2023 with Apple actively participating in development, now


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Google Play Pass
[Android]
  • $5 ---- monthly ($4.99/mo), grants access for up to 6 Google accounts
  • $30 -- yearly ($2.50/mo), grants access for up to 6 Google accounts
    • Android 4.4 or later required
    • Google's answer to the Apple Arcade. Get access to games (and apps) without ads or in-game purchases. This includes many games that are paid apps, but unlike the Apple Arcade, no exclusives or originals
    • Unlike the Apple Arcade, Play Pass also includes access to paid apps; in total, over 1,000 games & apps are on the service, and Android Police has curated a "Best Of" list here
    • There were 666 total games on the service as of Aug-25-2023


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Amazon Luna
[FireTV] [PC] [MacOS] [iOS via Chrome Browser] [Android via Chrome Browser]
  • Free -- Prime Channel, perk included with Amazon Prime membership
  • $5 ----- monthly, Jackbox Games channel ($4.99/mo)
  • $10 --- monthly, Luna+ channel ($9.99/mo)
  • $18 --- monthly, Ubisoft+ channel, beta ($17.99/mo)
    • Cloud-streaming service that grants you access to a depot of games
    • A cloud-streaming marketplace rather than a standalone service: like Cable TV. The Luna+ base package is not required to subscribe to other channels.
    • Prime channel includes a rotating monthly selection of games that can be played at no additional cost to Amazon Prime subscribers
    • Luna+ channel allows streaming to 2 devices at a time
    • 1080p60fps quality (10Mbps internet speed required); 720p@60fps available for low-bandwidth users (5Mbps recommended); 4K@60fps promised to come (35Mbps recommended)
    • You can connect on a mobile connection if it is fast enough to support it (beware data overages)
    • Rendering Power: 8.1 TFLOPS
    • Supported devices are select FireTVs or Fire Sticks, PCs (Windows 10 or later with DirectX 11+), Macs (OSX 10.13 or later), and iPhones/iPads. Click here to see all supported devices
    • Compatible with dual-analog controllers for games that support them: Luna controller, Xbox One Controller, Dualshock 4 Controller, and Keyboard+Mouse are supported inputs. The Luna controller connects directly via Cloud (preferable). It isn't clear if the others also use Cloud Direct, or if they connect via Bluetooth (not ideal).
    • 299 games available on the Luna+ channel as of Aug-25-2023


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[Android] [iOS]
  • $7 ------- monthly, Standard with Ads ($6.99/mo)
  • $16 ----- monthly, Standard ($15.49/mo)
  • $20 ----- monthly, Premium ($19.99/mo)
    • A perk of Netflix membership
    • All games on the service prohibit all ads and in-game purchases for the ad-free tiers; some games may be played offline
    • The game library is the same for all tiers
    • 72 total games available as of 8-25-2023


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NVIDIA GeForce Now
[PC] [MacOS] [Android] [Android TV] [LG TV] [Samsung TV] [iOS via Safari Browser] [ChromeOS via Chrome Browser] [Steam Deck via Chrome Browser*]
  • Free --- Free access, see below
  • $10 ---- monthly, Priority ($9.99/mo)
  • $20 ---- monthly, Ultimate ($19.99/mo)
    ===
  • $50 ---- biannually, Priority ($8.33/mo)
  • $100 --- biannually, Ultimate ($16.67/mo)
    ===
    *Steam Deck instructions for use via Chrome Browser
    • Community-maintained FAQ here
    • Cloud-streaming service that allows one to cloud-stream PC games (one owns) to compatible devices with gameplay and progress sync'd across devices. To play the games, you must already own them at a supported digital store (Steam, Epic, UPlay, EA Origin, GOG, Riot, etc). Furthermore, the game must be owned at a specific store(s) supported for that game on GeForce Now because some supported games aren't supported for all store versions.
    • Xbox Game Pass is now supported, so subscribers to that service may play their games-- once added by NVIDIA-- via the GeForce Now cloud instead; this is chiefly attractive to Game Pass for PC subscribers since NVIDIA supports keyboard & mouse input, and progress will sync to the Microsoft PC version of a game, not the Xbox console version
    • Free Access doesn't support ray-tracing, assigns a low-priority to queuing, and only affords 1-hr sessions before requiring you to re-queue
    • Priority & Ultimate tiers support ray-tracing, offer instant queues, and afford 6-hour or 8-hour sessions, respectively (comparison of Priority vs. Free here at Android Central)
    • The Ultimate tier exclusively supports HDR, DLSS 3, NVIDIA Reflex, and 1080p@240fps or 1440p/4K modes
    • Requires compatible hardware & internet connection. Compatible devices include nearly every device in existence.
    • Bandwidth requirements (check your own internet at Speedtest.net):
      • 15 Mbps = 720p@60fps
      • 25 Mbps = 1080p@60fps
      • 35 Mbps = 1080p@240fps
      • 35 Mbps = 1440p@120fps (or 1600p@120fps via Chrome)
      • 40 Mbps = 4K@60fps
      • 45 Mbps = 4K@120fps
    • Rendering Power (estimated server GPUs implemented based on NVIDIA FAQ statement specifying analogue GPU power by tier, and user reports):
      • ?.?? TFLOPS for Free membership ("Basic Rigs up to 1080p@60fps")
      • 15.76 TFLOPS for Priority membership (RTX 3060 equivalent) [3060d reported= 2 users on A10-G]
      • <64.00 TFLOPS for Ultimate membership (RTX 4080 equivalent) [RTX 4080 Superpod]
    • For those not using mouse & keyboard, click here to see the list of supported controllers by platform.
    • Steam is now offering a beta called Steam Cloud Play allowing its users access to GeForce Now through their own service which means all of your progress, settings, and modifications for games will also be forever sync'd to your Steam Cloud (this is different than storing progress for a Steam game only in NVIDIA's GeForce Now Cloud)
    • Download page for the software is here
    • FAQ here: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce-now/faq/
    • 1,658 games are fully supported by the service as of Aug-25-2023. You can search from within the GeForce App itself to find supported games, browse with filters at InstantGaming, or visit the below link:
      https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce-now/games/
 
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Cloud Streaming
These are listed in the posts above. These aren't focused on selling games; rather access to & delivery of the content-- like Netflix. Game streaming (or cloud gaming) services render games on a remote server instead of your local machine, and then stream the video back to you over the internet. Because some services let you download their games. Some don't. If they don't, forcing you to cloud-stream, this suffers issues with latency and reduced visual quality. Still, many believe this model is the future of gaming.

Comparison of cloud services processing power (i.e. graphic quality) can be found here:
https://forums.sherdog.com/posts/165234455/


PC Launchers & Marketplace
I didn't include PC game marketplaces above despite that some of these also offer services. Below are the major stores that offer launchers for their marketplaces which you must use to launch the games you buy from them. You browse & purchase games/DLC via the launcher, but they also store your game licensing, store your progress/achievements, offer chat services, enable mod management, capture & share screenshots, host online play, or provide access to free games:

Front Ends
Unlike the above launchers, front ends are not stores. Historically, they were first used to add a graphic interface for emulators (like Retroarch) so that classic game libraries could be organized, managed, filtered, browsed, and launched from an eye-pleasing app like the launchers above. Thus, while the emulator software runs the game in the back, this software offers a pleasing front for the merchandise. More recently, many front ends now also incorporate support for the above services (i.e. Steam, Epic, EA, Ubisoft, etc.) There are dozens [1, 2], but I will mention only two.
  • Playnite
    The best completely free and open-source option, IMO. An attempt to simplify all launchers into a single launcher, similar to the GOG Galaxy above, except it is even more comprehensive: Amazon Games, Battle.net, Bethesda, Epic, GOG, Humble, itch.io, EA, Playstation, Steam, Twitch, Ubisoft Connect, and Xbox/Game Pass can all be integrated. It also acts as a front end which integrates emulators and their game libraries. It's completely open source, and may be used as a portable program (meaning you don't have to install it). It links with Discord, allows fetching of metadata like cover art for games, including games not purchased through a store, and offers more customization & addable functionality than GoG Galaxy thanks to plugins aka "extensions". It has many downloadable themes to change its look. It can run in Desktop or Full Screen (i.e. controller-friendly "big picture") modes. It centralizes mapping of your controller for all games if you like to play with a dual-analog controller. It allows you to integrate your Steam friend's list. This is what I use. Best launcher out there. So pleasing to the eye, and yet uncluttered by the obnoxious salesmanship that has bloated the corporate launchers like Steam.
  • Launchbox
    Launchbox is hands down the best commercial front end. It does have a free version, but the premium version runs a companion app called Big Box specifically designed to simplify setting up the app to be used by a controller in a regular living room couch setup. It also gets a few more features and faster update support, but the big draw of premium is Big Box. Its other strength for either version above Playnite is how robust and automated the emulator calibration/support is. Plus it downloads the theme music for each game on some platforms like Nintendo which will automatically play when you browse your library-- I love that touch. Subscription to the Big Box version costs $15/yr, or $75 for a lifetime.

Onto other marketplaces without launchers. Many of these also sell console games. I suggest using https://isthereanydeal.com/ to shop the games you desire since it tracks every marketplace in this post except eBay & the gray key markets below:

Gray Key Marketplaces
Major discounts including on console games, but use these at your own risk [2]. Note that the best prices for online subscriptions (ex. Game Pass, PS Plus) can be found on these sites. They're sometimes less than half the price of the retail 12-month cards, for example. This is the simplest definition of terms:
>>> White Market Key = Legally sold key code directly from developer, retailer (ex. Steam, Epic, GoG), or authorized third party store (ex. Gamestop, Best Buy, Wal-Mart or Amazon directly)
>>> Gray Market Key = Legally sold key code purchased by merchant from excess of officially distributed roll of keys, but resold outside the official terms of agreement for their resale; subject to potential deactivation
>>> Black Market Key = Illegally sold key code that is stolen or pirated; will definitely be deactivated once/if the distributor finds out
Many merchants on eBay sell officially authorized keys or regionally-accurate game discs, but eBay doesn't satisfactorily control this, so I have moved it here.

Loot Mystery Boxes
Finally, there are geek culture mystery box subscription services out there, but none is truly focused on game delivery. It's nerd culture kitsch, and they are widely criticized as a lottery scam. The most beloved of these is Loot Crate:
https://www.lootcrate.com/
 
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SALES TRACKERS

Freebies

Game Sales Trackers:

These websites track actual discounts in the Playstation store:

These websites do the same for the Xbox (and you may sign up for an email list where you specify notifications for certain games at certain price levels):

Two websites which track all resellers for active PC game sales. The top one is indispensable for PC gamers:

Steam's seasonal sales used to be the most famous sales all year for PC gamers. Not a subscription, but just as reliable. This website is devoted to a countdown until the next one:
Meanwhile, while you can browse the "Specials" section in the Steam Launcher, or at their Web Store, the Steam Database offers the best tool for browsing sales. You can add filters so that your results only produce results where the discount is greater than a certain percentage, where the Steam rating from users is above a certain percentage, or where the total cost after the discount is above or below a certain figure, for example. Game results have a direct link to the Store:
Synergistically, the website isthereanydeal.com from above manages a phenomenal extension for Chrome & Firefox that adds tools and a refined UI for browsing the Steam website/store called "Enhanced Steam" (previously known as "Augmented Steam"). Any Steam gamer who doesn't have this installed to his browser is failing himself:
 
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Sorry, everyone, I had to create a new thread version because I couldn't edit the OP of v1 any longer due to the new character limit restriction. In any case, I have updated it. I will also copy the Epic Mega Sale post below because that's still going on for another 6 days, and they have quite a few stellar deals once you apply that $10 discount coupon.

Epic's Mega Game Sale
May 14 - June 11

Start by claiming your first $10 coupon at this link if it isn't already automatically claimed for you by visiting the link. This will be applied to your first purchase of an eligible Mega Sale game costing $14.99 or more. Once purchased, a fresh $10 coupon will be generated for you to apply to your next qualifying purchase. So it's a discount that can be endlessly chained during the sale:
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/promotion/mega-sale

Here are all the games available as part of the sale:
https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/collection/mega-sale-games

The Witcher 3: Game of the Year Edition, which includes the game and all DLC, is $14.99, meaning it is effectively $4.99 after a coupon code application. That's $10 below the historical low on any store ($14.99 at GoG). Below is a list of highlights that are similarly cheap after implementing the $10 coupon code discount chain:

$4.99-$5.99 (after $10 coupon code discount)
  • The Witcher 3: Game of the Year Edition
  • Assassin's Creed: Origin
  • Far Cry: New Dawn
  • Far Cry 5
  • The Crew 2
  • Vampyr
  • Outward
  • John Wick Hex
  • Batman: The Telltale Series (Shadows Edition)
  • Superhot

Other Highlights (price is after $10 coupon code discount)
  • $7.99 = Watch Dogs 2
  • $9.79 = Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint
  • $9.79 = Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
  • $9.99 = Metro Exodus
  • $14.99 = Shenmue III
  • $19.99 = Control
  • $19.99 = Borderlands 3
  • $19.99 = Anno 1800
  • $24.99 = Mechwarrior 5 (an Epic exclusive)
  • $25.99 = The Sinking City
  • $28.99 = Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
  • $28.99 = The Outer Worlds
 
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Madmick said:
Twitch Prime is a perk of Amazon Prime membership. This comes with free 2-day shipping on Amazon purchases, access to Amazon Prime TV, and other benefits.
Click to expand...
How did I not know this OMG?!

Was thinking of ditching Prime the other day; guess this adds something to the "keep" side
 
$29.99 for Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, $19.99 for Star Wars: Battlefront II (Celebration Edition), and $9.99 for Star Wars: Battlefront (Ultimate Edition). This is the best price ever on Steam for all:







Steam is also offering its best price ever on all the Battlefield games (#1-#5), and also on Mass Effect 3 and Andromeda.
 
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Everybody saying this game is literally a masterpiece.

And here I am still wondering if I should buy it on sale.

Anybody here played it?
 
Not a freebie but Gears Of War 5 is $9.99 at Amazon right now.
 
Massive Sonic sale with almost of all these games hitting their lowest all-time sale on any store, They're all 75% off or more, and Generations is marked down from $20 to $1. Almost all of these are only up for another 10 hours:









 
GeForce Now will now automatically sync to your Steam library
GeForce Now users can sync their Steam libraries to their accounts with Nvidia’s new Game Sync feature. Compatible games will appear in the My Library section of Game Sync, Nvidia announced.

The “bring your own game” cloud service, which launched its paid tier earlier this year, allows users to play games purchased through other platforms— including Steam, the Epic Games STore, Battle.net, and Uplay— in the cloud. But searching for games in your Steam library that were compatible with GeForce Now was a bit of a slog.

The new feature will identify games in a user’s Steam library supported by GeForce Now and will add them to the “My Library” list within the app automatically, Nvidia says. To sync your Steam account with your GeForce Now library, go to Game Sync in Settings whenever you purchase a new game via Steam.
Click to expand...
Also 11 new games have been added to the service:
https://www.tweaktown.com/news/7416...to-sync-their-steam-gaming-library/index.html
Steam:
  • Blightbound
  • Hellpoint
  • Dead Age 2
  • Life is Strange - Before the Storm
  • Stationeers

Epic Games Store:
  • Far Cry 3
  • For The King
  • Magic the Gathering: Arena
  • South Park: The Stick of Truth
  • This War of Mine

My.com:
  • Warface
Click to expand...

In other gaming service-related news, Xbox Game Pass is now just "Game Pass", and Microsoft has confirmed they will no longer charge for online multiplayer when the Xbox Series X arrives. They specifically confirmed Halo Infinite will be free to play online multiplayer.
 
Tomb Raider (2013) is $2.99:
 
No mention of Epic giving away 1-2 games every week or so? it was the only reason I got an Epic account and it's the list of games they are giving is pretty damn solid.
 
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