You may have come across an ad offering Google Play Pass on Android, or Apple Arcade on iOS, but what are these services? It's simple, for a modest monthly fee, both packages promise endless apps and games (or just games, in the case of Arcade), with new titles and programs coming out all the time. And that's when you ask yourself: is it worth it? Should I subscribe?
Google Play Pass and Apple Arcade works in a very similar way to subscription plans found in online console stores, such as Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Now, for Microsoft and Sony consoles, respectively. The subscription gives the user access to a catalog of games. Roughly speaking, it works like a streaming service, like Netflix or Amazon Prime — you pay for the service, not the products.
Advantages and disadvantages of subscription
The advantage of these plans is that they save money. Typically, the cost of each app or program individually exceeds the cost of a monthly subscription, so it's a way to have access to more than one product while paying less.
On the other hand, this comes with the disadvantage of not having control over the permanence of the programs, since they may go out of catalog, but as other options frequently come in, the novelty factor makes some users continue with the subscription.
Ultimately, to determine the utility of such a subscription, it is important to think about how much you are actually getting for what you are paying for. If testing out various mobile games or apps and utilities is one of your hobbies, you may want to consider one of these plans.
How does the Google Play Pass subscription work?
Like console subscription plans, Google Play Pass is a service that provides access to several apps, utilities and games within a package, which is updated monthly. Launched in Brazil in December of last year, the plan has two subscription options: R$9,90 per month and R$89,90 per year. Payment is made through the Play Store wallet.
Google Play Pass is curated by about 800 applications, which can be shared with up to five family members. The account holder must be personal and not subordinate to a school, family or work ecosystem.
One of the distinguishing features of Google Play Pass is that it includes successful titles, with many desktop games adapted for Android, and whose price exceeds the subscription fee. In addition, apps and games with internal transactions become completely free.
Interested in subscribing? You must have at least version 16.6.25 or higher of the Google Play Store app installed on an Android device running version 4.4 or higher. Users can start a free XNUMX-day trial of Play Pass directly from the store.
How does Apple Arcade?
With a more modest and refined catalog, the Apple Arcade is a subscription package specifically aimed at gamers. With around 180 titles updated weekly, the curation separates games by genre, such as puzzle, adventure, RPG and action — all without in-app purchases or ads.
One of the highlights of the package is its exclusive titles, as games from the creators of final Fantasy e Monument Valley are present in the signature. Another difference of the Apple Arcade is that the titles are available on the multiple platforms of the ecosystem. The games are available on the box of Apple TV, on iPhones, iPads and iMacs.
Like Play Pass, the subscription costs R$9,90 per month and offers a thirty-day trial version. Users who have purchased a new device Apple get three free months of Apple Arcade, which can be shared with up to five family members. Finally, users who subscribe to the Apple One will receive the game pack for free.
Interested in using the Apple Arcade games need to have the latest version of the operating system on the device. The performance of the games also depends on the hardware of each device and, in the case of Apple TV, some titles may require a controller.
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