Subscription services have become one of the most important solutions for businesses in recent years. Everything from video games to mobile apps is now available en masse for a small monthly fee, encouraging users to sign up for a plan and pay indefinitely, rather than buying games and apps outright.
Of course, Google joined this trend in 2019 with the Play Store, which provided access to games and applications with Google Play Pass for a monthly fee, as well as special offers and discounts on other games and applications not in the catalog. The service — which costs $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year — has become shockingly popular, growing 120% over the past year, yet Play Pass’ top selection of apps and games rarely changes. So the real question is: why do so many people subscribe to Google Play Pass when many of the apps and games within it can be purchased immediately?
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Who are the 220 million people who use the service?
Google announced at the Games Develop Summit (GDC) earlier this month that Google Play Pass has 220 million subscribers in 35 different countries, making it “one of the largest loyalty programs in the world.” For some context, Amazon Prime — arguably the most prolific subscription service in the world — has 230 million subscribers, so Google Play Pass is quickly becoming a big deal.
The short-term benefits seem obvious, such as getting access to an unlimited selection of paid mobile apps and games without any ads at a relatively low cost. That’s how they get you, though. Considering that the selection of apps and games you’d actually want to play isn’t that big, simply buying the ones you want is certainly more affordable, especially over a few years. Sure, $30 for a year sounds like a bargain, but that’s six pr,iu, $5 apps/games, twelve in year two, and 18 in year three. When was the last time you used so many apps at once? It’s almost as if paying endlessly to access the few apps you enjoy using is a better deal for Google than for its customers.
The Google Play Pass catalog is missing
What games and apps are even available?
The lure of subscription services like Amazon Prime and Netflix is that they have a large selection of premium content that’s regularly updated, so for a regular fee it feels like you’re actually getting something in return. Google Play Pass, on the other hand, doesn’t work that way because you don’t get much for your money. Yes, there are 1,000 different games and apps to choose from, which is 800 more than Apple Arcade, but does anyone actually want to use most of them? Can you even see the full list of what’s available before subscribing? Of course not, being an informed consumer is the last thing Google wants, which is why the Play Store has been updated over the years to actively hide useful data behind extra clicks.
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What is the difference between the two subscription services?
We’ll be the first to admit that there are some useful apps that can organize your life and a few fun games that can briefly pass the time with Google Play Pass. However, the reality is that you can already grab most of them for free or at a unique price. Yes, you might have to put up with a few ads, but it’s definitely better than a monthly fee that slowly eats away at your financial security.
Stardew Valley is, of course, the exception that proves the rule. It is one of the most popular life simulation games on the market and is the crown jewel of the Google Play Pass selection. But it’s also available for just $5, the full monthly price of the service, which means if you only subscribe to Google Play Pass for it, you’re paying 100% more for each additional month you play. And trust us, you’ll be playing Stardew Valley for more than a few months.
Even worse, the selection of apps and games doesn’t seem to change often, at least not in any measurable way that users can track. There is no obvious “recently added” section or updated list to find. Yes, Google Play Pass will give users deals on other popular apps and games in the Play Store, like discounts for in-app purchases, but as far as we can tell, that’s all the coolness you’ll get on a monthly basis. Even Google can’t prove Play Pass in any significant way, and the growth is no matter what. Please make sense.