Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus Black Friday deals are here, with very different discounts

A Black Friday deal that keeps giving through the whole year is a real bargain, and a discount on a gaming subscription service is just that. The two biggies are Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, and they're going about discounts in two very different ways.

According to the Xbox Game Pass discount that Microsoft is offering, super-cheap limited-time trials are the way to go, while the PS Plus discount offered by Sony instead nets you loads of money off an annual plan. It's two very different ways to offer a subscription saving on some of the biggest Black Friday gaming deals, but one saves you a lot more money than the other. Let's take a look at them below:

Xbox Game Pass Essential | $9.99 $1 at Microsoft (for first month)
Save $8.99 - You can enjoy your first month of Game Pass Essential, which mirrors past Black Friday deals but feels a bit better given the recent price increases.

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Xbox Game Pass Premium | $7.50 $1 at Microsoft (for first fortnight)
Save $6.50 - On XGP Premium, you get your first two weeks of a subscription for $1 before being enrolled in the full monthly price of $14.99. Again, this is the same deal as in past years.

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PlayStation Plus Extra (12 months) | $134.99 $101.24 at PlayStation
Save $33 - Sony's middle tier of PS Plus gets a 25% discount, which doesn't quite match the 30% off of last year, but will still save you lots of money. That's especially true if you consider the savings an annual plan generally offers anyway.

UK: £99.99 £74.99 at PlayStation

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PlayStation Plus Premium (12 months) | $159.99 $107.19 at PlayStation
Save $52.80 - The top tier of Sony's subscription service has a 33% discount, which beats last year's price cut and saves you a tiny bit more. That's probably the cheapest we'll see it sell for any time soon.

UK: £119.99 £80.39 at PlayStation

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You may notice some gaps in the deals. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate doesn't have any kind of deal, nor are there ways to save in any way beyond your first week (in Premium) or month (in Essential).

Likewise, PlayStation Plus Essential doesn't have a price cut, and the other tiers aren't reduced in any way.

Should you buy the Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus?

I wouldn't blame you if you were a little disappointed by the Black Friday deals on these gaming subscription services.

After its recent price hike, many fans were hoping for a serious Xbox Game Pass discount to make subscribing a little more palatable. A limited trial for $1 might sway new subscribers to test out the service, but existing fans, or people who want a long-term discount, are out of luck.

The PlayStation Plus deal is a little better, especially when you consider how much you can save over a 12-month contract. Plus, last year saw a 30% discount across the board, so while it's a shame that the cheaper tier isn't available discounted, Premium is actually cheaper this time around.

Unlike other devices during Black Friday, there's not actually much you can do about a lack of discounts on Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, due to the companies being the main vendor of them. So if you really want the gaming subscription, you're not going to find better discounts elsewhere.

However we're seeing some really good discounts on games in various Black Friday sales, so perhaps you can skip the subscription and just buy the titles you want.

• Shop Black Friday game deals at Amazon
• Shop Black Friday game deals at Gamestop
• Shop Black Friday game deals at Walmart

If you want more deals, we've got a round-up of Black Friday PS5 deals and Black Friday Xbox deals which cover consoles, games and accessories. And if you're treating yourself, why not look at the Black Friday TV deals to appreciate your games better.