EA Access Exclusively On Xbox One Available Now

[Elandyll]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/07/...15330f4400000c

$5/ month and you have unlimited access to a list (4 titles to start with) of EA games (not recent ones, of course)

EA ANNOUNCES SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE ON XBOX ONE: EA ACCESS
$5 a month (or $30 a year) nets you unlimited access to a bunch of EA games.
BY COLIN MORIARTY

Today, EA revealed EA Access, an Xbox One-exclusive subscription service that grants players access to EA's so-called Vault.

Subscribing to EA Access will cost $4.99 a month (or $29.99 a year), and since the program is technically in beta, only four games will initially be available: FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, Peggle 2, and Battlefield 4, "with more titles being added soon."

Additionally, EA Access will also net subscribers 10 percent discounts on all EA digital content, which includes full games and DLC, as well as access to trials of new EA games nearly a week before they come out (with saves that copy over to the final game, should you choose to purchase it later). Games that will be eligible for early access and save copy-over are Madden NFL 15, NHL 15, FIFA 15, NBA Live 15, and Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Memberships can be purchased on Xbox Live, and will also be available at retail stores like GameStop and online destinations like Amazon. The subscription service will launch "soon," according to EA, and will be available in North America and Europe.

We'll have more on EA Access as soon as it launches.

Pro: It's only $5 a month for unlimited access to some big games (even if not recent), and additional discounts on EA games via Xbox Marketplace.

Con: It basically removes said games (and perhaps EA entirely) from the PS+ and Games for Gold model types (basically free with sub for online play).
How long until Activision, Ubisoft, Rockstar and Bethesda (to only cite these) follow suite, leveraging their older games for a monthly sub?

Also doubt we will see many older EA games on PSNow with this deal...


Possible extra pro: Possibly lighting a fire under Sony to offer PSNow at a killer monthly sub rate? ($10 for 5 games streamed a month and $15 for unlimited game streamed a month, both plans within a specific sub catalogue? - as companies like Square are leveraging their older titles at $15 a pop on mobile-)

[ariakon]

If this was for ps4, I'd definitely try it. I have no idea what's going on with EA, though. Here's a cool new service, let's offer it to 25 percent or so of our customers! A great boon for Xbox, but why is EA passing on millions of potential customers...again?

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by ariakon

If this was for ps4, I'd definitely try it. I have no idea what's going on with EA, though. Here's a cool new service, let's offer it to 25 percent or so of our customers! A great boon for Xbox, but why is EA passing on millions of potential customers...again?

Xbox probably paying them for exclusivity. That's not too hard to understand really.

[Elandyll]

Aye, probably subsidized by MS at half price or more. With EA, you know that kinda service would be at least $9.99/ month. MS pays half the price, they get exclusivity for some amount of time, as usual.

It's interesting that they would allow themselves to be so clearly aligned with MS though, after denying it so vehemently after the $400m deal and Titan Fall.

Money talks?

[ariakon]

Originally Posted by ultlife2013

Xbox probably paying them for exclusivity. That's not too hard to understand really.

That's obviously the case, but how much cash is MS shelling out that could make this worthwhile? Just like with the Titanfall deal, EA has seemingly reached for the cash in pocket at the expense of future profit. That sort of tunnel vision is what I was questioning, rather than the actual mechanics of this specific exclusivity deal..

[dyne]

So wait. If a game wasn't released on the One, how will they get them to play? Just port the PC versions of older games? Or is this releases from this point forward?

[Steelmaker]

God, this is so typical Microsoft. So Sony acquires Gaikai and helps develop PS Now in-house. Instead of trying to develop something internally to compete with it, Microsoft moneyhats EA and outsources the whole thing.

[ariakon]

Originally Posted by dyne

So wait. If a game wasn't released on the One, how will they get them to play? Just port the PC versions of older games? Or is this releases from this point forward?

At least as the service is now, it's just the games EA put out on the X1. So, the 8 games so far (except Titanfall) will likely show up in the vault at some point. We just don't know how many games the vault will hold at a time (so far it's 4). It sounds like EA might swap out games when they add in new ones, but they haven't been very specific.

Plus, you get 2 hour trials of new EA games a few days before release. As to when games go into the vault? Probably when their revenue dries up.

[Elandyll]

Originally Posted by Steelmaker

God, this is so typical Microsoft. So Sony acquires Gaikai and helps develop PS Now in-house. Instead of trying to develop something internally to compete with it, Microsoft moneyhats EA and outsources the whole thing.

It isn't specified to be streaming, so it's probably all download afaik.

It will have pros (not dependant on fast connections, no lag) and cons (download wait, HDD space occupied, harsh on monthly caps on DL from providers...) if that is indeed the case.

[timbobarry]

Originally Posted by ariakon

At least as the service is now, it's just the games EA put out on the X1. So, the 8 games so far (except Titanfall) will likely show up in the vault at some point. We just don't know how many games the vault will hold at a time (so far it's 4). It sounds like EA might swap out games when they add in new ones, but they haven't been very specific.

Plus, you get 2 hour trials of new EA games a few days before release. As to when games go into the vault? Probably when their revenue dries up.

EA has said they don't have any plans of taking games out of the vault and if they do, there will be an option to buy the game to continue your progress.

https://twitter.com/EAAccess/status/494185209378516994

[ariakon]

Originally Posted by timbobarry

EA has said they don't have any plans of taking games out of the vault and if they do, there will be an option to buy the game to continue your progress.

It's not that I don't trust them...okay it's that I totally don't trust them.

[Grim Reaper]

this is what i got in an email about it.

Dear CMaggotbone,

First off, thanks for previewing Xbox One updates. You're an important part of Xbox One, and we value your feedback. So much so that we want your thoughts on something new.

Today we're writing to let you know about EA Access announced today by EA. EA Access is a subscription product created by the teams at Microsoft and EA, and it's exclusive to Xbox One!

EA Access members receive the following benefits:

Access to The Vault, a collection of EA’s best games ready for you to download and play. During the beta, gamers will have unlimited access to four great EA games: Madden NFL 25, FIFA 14, Peggle 2 and Battlefield 4, with more to be added soon.

Play upcoming EA titles five days before the release date through exclusive trials.

Enjoy discounts on EA titles and DLC.

As a member of the Xbox One Preview, you are getting a first look at EA Access. You'll receive an Xbox Live message on your console with a code to download the EA Access Hub app, and there'll be some quests and surveys available in the Xbox Preview Dashboard app. (Note: While you can download and browse the EA Access Hub app for free, you'll need to purchase a EA Access subscription to enjoy all the benefits.)

Enjoy and let us know what you think!

Emily Hanson
Program Manager, Xbox Preview Program

[ithrowawayslipcovers]

Just came here to post that exact email, ya beat me to it Grim

Is it weird that everything about this seems awesome and a good deal, but since its EA i dont remotely trust them and think that there has got to be some ridiculous,shady catch? Hopefully there isn't because i will be signing up as soon as i can.

[Grim Reaper]

i hear ya. i also added you on the xbone as well.

[Decepticon07]

I am in for at least a year of this...

[ithrowawayslipcovers]

Originally Posted by Grim Reaper

i hear ya. i also added you on the xbone as well.

Added you back.

I wonder if everyone that is in the preview program will have beta access to this program?

[Grim Reaper]

ide like to say yes. but, i could be wrong.

[ariakon]

Why does EA hate my money? My dirty, dirty ps4 money?

Hoping this program eventually makes its way over, and that other devs follow suit.

[timbobarry]

Just downloaded the app. Time to sell my physical copies of Madden 25 and Battlefield 4.

[ithrowawayslipcovers]

Just downloaded the app, bought a year and am downloading all 4 games right now.