PlayStation Plus vs Games with Gold – which is better?

Everybody loves free stuff, especially free games, and the main console makers know this.

Cue Microsoft’s Games with Gold and Sony’s PlayStation Plus – subscription-based services which give you free games to download every month. To access PS Plus or Games with Gold, gamers must pay an annual fee to their respective console manufacturers and simply wait for the titles to arrive.

What we want to find out is: which platform gives you the better games, and is the better buy overall?

We took the price of the subscription service and what it offers, and present you with the results.

PlayStation Plus

PS+ is a feature that was introduced during the Sony press conference at E3 2010. The paid for service gives members free games, DLC, and early access to beta events across the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita consoles.

PS+ subscription costs:

• 12 month membership – R489.00
• 3 month membership – R145.00
• 1 month membership – R69.00

Since its launch, the service has given away the following number of games (by platform):

• PlayStation 3 – 132 titles
• PlayStation Vita – 44 titles
• PlayStation 4 – 7 titles

Games with Gold

Games with Gold was revealed at Microsoft’s E3 2013 conference for all Xbox Live Gold Members. Gold Members are given a free game on the 1st and 16th of every month, and once downloaded will be playable even if you discontinue your Gold membership – for Xbox 360 owners that is. Xbox One players will need to keep their membership going to enjoy the free games they already have.

Xbox Live Gold subscription costs:

• 12 month membership – R389.00 cheapest online retailer/ R599.00 on Xbox Live
• 3 month membership – R175.00 cheapest online retailer/ R149.00 on Xbox Live
• 1 month membership – R89.00 cheapest online retailer R50.00 on Xbox Live

Since its launch, the service has given away the following number of games (by platform):

• Xbox 360 – 22 titles
• Xbox One – launching in June

The Games

Below are the various titles given away on the two platforms over the past few months. All scores were taken off Metacritic, and were accurate at the time of publication.

November 2013

PlayStation Plus

• Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (2013) – 80
• MotorStorm RC (2012) – 78
• Remember Me (2013) – 72
• Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath HD (2013) – 82

Xbox Games with Gold

• A World of Kelfings (2010) – 77
• Iron Brigade (2011) – 82

December 2013

PlayStation Plus

• Grid 2 (2013) – 82
• Guacamelee! (2013) – 87
• Sonic & All-Star Racing Transformed (2013) – 75
• Resogun (2013) – 84
• Contrast (2013) – 59

Games with Gold

• Gears of War (2006) – 94
• Shoot Many Robots (2012) – 67

January 2014

PlayStation Plus

• Devil May Cry (2013) – 85
• Borderlands 2 (2012) – 91
• BlazBlue: Continuum (2012) -83
• Soul Sacrifice (2013) – 77
• Don’t Starve (2014) – 78

Games with Gold

• Sleeping Dogs (2012) – 80
• Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (2010) – 85

February 2014

PlayStation Plus

• Outlast (2014) – 78
• Metro: Last Light (2013) – 80
• Bioshock Infinite (2013) -94
• Dynasty Warriors Next (2012) – 67
• ModNation Racers : Road Trip (2012) – 62

Games with Gold

• Dead Island (2011) -71
• Toy Soldiers: Cold War (2011) – 81

March 2014

PlayStation Plus

• Tomb Raider (2013) – 87
• Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (2013) – 85
• Dead Nation Apocalypse (2014) – 74
• PixelJunk Monsters: Ultimate HD (2013) – 84
• Smart As (2012) – 72

Games with Gold

• Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution (2008) – 84
• Full House Poker (2011) – 77

April 2014

PlayStation Plus

• MotoGP 13 (2013) – 80
• Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (2013) -75
• Mercenary Kings (2014) -70
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 (2013) – 78
• Hotline Miami (2013) – 85

Games with Gold

• Hitman: Absolution (2012) – 79
• Deadlight (2012) – 68

May 2014

PlayStation Plus

• Stick it to the Man (2013) – 79
• Puppeteer (2013) – 80
• Payday 2 (2013) – 74
• Muramasa Rebirth (2013) – 78
• Everybody’s Golf (7/10 Eurogamer)

Games with Gold

• Dust: An Elysian Tail (2012) – 83
• Saints Row: The Third (2011) – 84

Conclusion

We are sure you have chosen your winner from the above information, but we would not be doing our job if we did not put together a summary of our findings.

Games with Gold

• Few games.
• Older releases normally offered.
• Game offered on Xbox One will always require Gold membership to play.
• Cheaper than PlayStation Plus at times.

PlayStation Plus

• Games are given away on all PlayStation platforms.
• Games are more recent and score higher.
• Subscription includes other incentives.
• More expensive compared to Games with Gold.
• PS4 offerings have been a let-down so far.

What are your thoughts on PS+ and Games with Gold? Let us know in the comments and forum.

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