Players Still Like Game Pass, PS Plus, and Switch Online, but the Price Is

Subscription game services are a popular option for many gamers, with the ability to pay a single monthly fee and gain access to a large collection of games to download or stream. For gamers who like spreading their time around instead of pouring endless hours into one or two games, monthly plans can save money while keeping the experience fresh by letting you swap in something new if something feels stale.

That doesn’t mean everything about monthly game pass options is a delight for gamers; sometimes it’s still the right time to cancel. Now, thanks to the Circana Future of Insights for Video Games Consumer Survey, we know a bit more about what is causing some gamers to leave their plans.

Nearly Half Of Gamers Who Cancel Blame Cost As A Primary Motivator

The survey asked gamers who had previously subscribed to a game service but eventually canceled about their motivation. Across all three of the biggest console makers’ game pass services, the percentage of gamers citing costs has gone up:

Xbox Game Pass Essential, PS Plus Essential, and Nintendo Switch Online all increased, with Xbox and PlayStation users posting identical gains from 37% in the first quarter to 41% in the third quarter. Nintendo Switch Online started with a higher Q1 baseline at 40% and still saw a larger increase, up to 50%. This represents a substantial 25% increase in Nintendo Switch Online cancellations driven by cost concerns.

Gaming is currently in a trying financial period. In addition to being situated in a broader economic landscape where rising costs have led to many consumers making tough decisions about their budgets, the cost of gaming outside of subscriptions has also been on the rise, most notably in elevated hardware costs as the AI boom has driven up component costs. Coupled with developer concerns about the value of subscription services, it’s been a difficult year for one of video gaming’s most accessible ways to play.