While the recent price hikes have caused panic among gamers in the West and led to subscription cancellations, Game Pass remains a sweet deal – especially if you prefer sampling a variety of games rather than committing to one or two titles a year.
Ultimately, it depends on how much you value those exclusive Xbox/Day One releases and whether you’re comfortable not owning the games while paying around US$360 a year for access.
For now, Malaysian users still have access to PC Game Pass at RM20.00, making it an affordable, occasional-use option. That said, there are alternatives out there.
Free-to-play fighting games like 2XKO only require payment to unlock additional characters for competitive play or cosmetics. PlayStation Plus, meanwhile, offers retro titles and true exclusives – though many leave the service after a year.
The Game Pass price hike was inevitable. The service was never sustainable in the long term. Still, having a “Netflix for gaming” platform with an ever-updated catalogue of quality titles remains a value-for-money proposition.
Again, it comes down to your play style – if you only play a maximum of three games a year, Game Pass may not be for you.
Short beats
Metronomik has won the most awards for its upcoming title No Straight Roads 2 at the SEA Game Awards 2025 during the Level Up KL 2025 game developer conference. Click here for the full winners list.
Ubisoft allegedly cancelled an Assassin’s Creed project set in post–Civil War America, featuring an African-American protagonist fighting against the Ku Klux Klan. The project was scrapped due to “political concerns”.
The Early Access version of upcoming strategy title Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has been delayed to 2026, though a new demo is available.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received a major “thank you” update featuring new environments and bosses, celebrating over 5 million sales worldwide.
Nintendo has released a new CGI short called Close To You, which hints at a possible new Pikmin entry.
Indie studio Heart Machine has ceased development on Hyper Light Breaker’s Early Access.
Op-ed
In case you missed it, check out all our Tokyo Game Show 2025 coverage from the past month.
We were also among the first Malaysian media outlets to experience Super Nintendo World and its Donkey Kong Country expansion at Universal Studios Japan.
2XKO is now available in Early Access for PC. The League of Legends–based fighting game by Riot Games features a fun 2-versus-2 tag mechanic, smooth netplay, and a free-to-play model.
Little Nightmares 3 is a new 3D horror adventure from Supermassive Games, slated for PC and consoles. It follows best friends Low and Alone as they try to escape the eerie world of Nowhere.
Absolum is a roguelite beat-’em-up set in a world where magic is banned. Play as one of four outcasts battling to overthrow the Sun King in intense 2D side-scrolling combat.
Battlefield 6 is the latest large-scale first-person shooter from EA and DICE, featuring improved gunplay, larger maps, better netcoding, and a revamped engine. Out now for PC and consoles.
Scurge: Hive is a re-release of the classic Nintendo Game Boy Advance and DS isometric shooter, now available for PC and consoles. Players control bounty hunter Jenosa, racing against time to eliminate the biomenace known as the Scurge before it consumes her.
Recommended viewing
IGN has published an op-ed claiming that PlayStation’s cinematic games feel increasingly similar – a piece that’s drawn criticism from fans and critics alike. While we don’t agree with the headline, we understand the sentiment. Read it here.
