Real cost
What each game really costs a group
The price to start, the optional pass, and what we would actually buy. Prices are approximate UK prices checked in September 2026; the official store always shows the current one.
| Game | To start, per person | Optional pass | What we would buy | A group of four, day one | Fair shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phasmophobia £15.99 |
About £16 each | None. There is nothing else to buy. | Nothing needed | about £64 | 9.8 |
| Helldivers 2 £34.99 |
About £35 each | Warbonds, about £8–£10 of Super Credits each; they never expire and the credits also turn up in missions | Nothing for the first month; one Warbond later if the group sticks | about £140 | 8.8 |
| Among Us £3.99 |
About £4 each on PC or console; free on phones | None | A small purchase on phones removes the adverts; nothing else needed | about £16 | 8.2 |
| Fall Guys Free |
Free | Fame Pass, about £8 of Show-Bucks per season, and it runs on a clock | Nothing needed | £0 | 7.4 |
| Overwatch Free |
Free | Premium pass, about £9 of Overwatch Coins per season, and it runs on a clock | Nothing needed; every hero is free | £0 | 7.6 |
| Sky: Children of the Light Free |
Free | Season pass, around £9–£10, optional | Nothing needed | £0 | 8.8 |
| Marvel Rivals Free |
Free | Luxury pass, about £9 of Lattice, and it never expires | Nothing needed; every hero is free | £0 | 8.4 |
| Valheim £23.49 |
About £23 each, or included with Game Pass | None | Nothing, apart from an optional rented server shared by the group | about £92 | 10.0 |
| Warframe Free |
Free | No paid pass; the seasonal track is free | Nothing needed; Platinum can be earned by trading | £0 | 8.4 |
| Final Fantasy XIV Free to start |
Free to level 70 | No pass; after the trial, the game plus a subscription from about £9 a month | Nothing until someone reaches level 70 | £0 | 8.6 |
| Dead by Daylight £17.19 |
About £17 each, often reduced in sales | Rift pass, about £8 of Auric Cells per season, and it runs on a clock | Nothing for a month; one extra character if the group wants one | about £68 | 6.8 |
| Stardew Valley £10.99 |
About £11 each on PC; console and phone prices vary | None | Nothing needed | about £44 | 10.0 |
“A group of four, day one” is four copies at the starting price and nothing else. Passes are optional in every game here, and none of them sells an advantage in play.
How to read the passes
A pass is a track of unlocks that fills as you play during a season. Paying opens the premium half. The two things that matter are whether it expires and whether it sells anything that changes play. In the twelve games here, nothing in any pass changes play. Marvel Rivals and Helldivers 2 let you finish a pass whenever you like; Overwatch, Fall Guys and Dead by Daylight run theirs on a seasonal clock, which is the version we mark down.
The cheapest good evenings
- Fall Guys: Free on every platform. Costumes and a seasonal pass are optional.
- Overwatch: Free on every platform. Cosmetics and a seasonal pass are optional; all heroes are free.
- Sky: Children of the Light: Free on every platform. Seasonal passes and cosmetics are optional; nothing gates the world.
- Marvel Rivals: Free on every platform. Every hero is free; cosmetics and a pass that never expires are optional.
- Warframe: Free on every platform. The premium currency can be earned by trading with other players.
- Final Fantasy XIV: Free to level 70 with no time limit; after that the game plus a subscription from about £9 a month.
Before anyone spends, it is worth setting a limit on the account. The spending limits page shows where the setting lives on each platform.