The State Of Gaming Subscriptions In 2026

The Game Informer Show

Game Informer

Hobbies, Leisure, Video Games, Games

4.5 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 16 January 2026

⏱️ 147 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It's a feature-length episode of The Game Informer Show this week. Marcus, Charles, and Eric gather together to discuss the games they've been playing lately, including the charming new 3D platformer Big Hops and return visits to games like Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.

Then, the trio get into a discussion about the subscription services in gaming that they still do, or don't, use. From Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus to various battle passes and MMO monthly subs, there are a lot of expenses that can easily add up. Are they all still worth it, or are we cutting some as part of our New Year's resolutions?

The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about your favorite titles – past and present – alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry.

Jump ahead to a specific segment:
00:00 - Intro
05:37 - Big Hops
14:07 - Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
33:50 - Dragon Age: The Veilguard
46:44 - Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
1:06:18 - The State of Gaming Subscriptions in 2026

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey, everybody, welcome to the Game Informer Show, a weekly podcast covering the video game
0:13.3	industry.
0:13.8	Join us each and every week for discussion of the latest gaming news, reviews, and exclusive
0:19.1	reveals with Game Informer staff and special guests
0:22.0	from around the industry. I am your host, Marcus Stewart. I am joined by Eric Van Allen.
0:28.5	Hello, hi. Completely normal intro time. A hundred percent normal intro time. And when I think
0:34.0	of normal intro times, you would not believe the number of times I've had to on the spot come up with weird intros for Charles Hart's based on previous statements. And this is the latest one. Because Charles Hart is the king of completely normal intros. Wow. Okay. Yes, hello. My name is Charles Hart. Nice to meet you. Here's my business card.
0:55.6	Yeah, you can tell this is definitely the first time that we've recorded this intro.
1:00.4	Yeah, this is our first take.
1:01.6	Yeah, naturally.
1:03.4	Yeah, they start calling us Stephen A. Smith because we're the king of first takes.
1:07.6	Is this show right?
1:08.5	First take.
1:08.9	I like how you couldn't even say the phrase,
1:11.0	King of First Takes, in one smooth sentence.
1:15.6	As opposed to me, who is normal and professional all the time.
1:18.8	Yes, got the real Brian Gumble voice performance going on there, and I like it.
1:25.0	Hey, everybody.
1:26.4	This week, we're going to be talking about
1:28.3	A few games
1:29.4	We got a brand new game that came out this week
1:31.0	Called Big Hops
	...

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