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[icespide]

Well, offline > streaming. $5/mo > PS Now prices.

EA is offering a better package via a (generally) more prefered way. I get that Sony wants to do streaming so they can get non-core gamers on board via tablets, tvs, etc but EA's package is very core-gamer focused imo and thus why it resonates better, at least with me.

they aren't competing services IMO, they're both going after very different things

 

[gamechanger87]

Further details, yet still nothing too specific.

http://www.ea.com/eaaccess/terms.html

 

[shwimpy]

The games in the vault are entirely free w/ the subscription and won't be removed from the vault, new games will be continually added

Upcoming ea games have a trial before their launch

All EA content on the Xbox store is 10% off

This is pretty great then. It's a shame that it's not coming to PS4. Probably timed exclusive like everything else.

 

[Google]

This is the same company that's shoving ridiculous microtransactions into all their games.

I actually quite like their microtransactions in FIFA. I've spent a good amount of money with Ultimate Team and never felt ripped off.

Horses for courses.

 

[FranXico]

My guess is that MS (xbox live) has the infrastructure in place to support this. PSN does not (yet)

You should really try actually logging into the PSN store in a PS3.

 

[StoOgE]

It starts out with BF4

Oh hey!

I already own that.

Although this will certainly have a Gold like effect where I don't buy any more EA games unless I really really want to get into the online game. Cuz it'll be free next year.

Oh no, they make the awful basketball game

NOOOOOOOO 2k make one. your game is F2P anyway.

 

[VibratingDonkey]

How will this affect EA games in Microsoft's Gold Games Gold?

 

[Kuni]

When you break it down, it's not a good deal if you're trying to game the system financially.

-If you buy the $30 membership, you need to buy at least 6 EA retail games within that year to come out ahead, or buy over $300 in EA digital content and DLC.

-Buying a $5 subscription for one month only requires you to buy one retail game or $50 worth of EA DLC, so that theoretically you could wait till December, buy a one month membership, and buy all the EA games and content you wanted to save money. But it's highly unlikely anyone would do that.

-So in regards of discounts, no, it isn't worth it for this membership unless you feel that the extra features make up for it. You get to dip into an "EA Vault" that has old titles that are either bringing in less revenue or are reaching the end of their shelf life (essentially all of last year's sports titles), games that depend less on making that initial $60 sale and more on keeping the player count high and offering premium DLC and subscriptions (Battlefield), and the occasional "goodwill" game that can be considered a small loss to EA (Peggle 2, though I think that got some DLC if I'm not mistaken?). You also get limited early play time for games up to a few days beforehand, which is neat.

-EA doesn't mind taking the hit for all this because their revenue for digital is higher than retail anyways, and allows for less used games on the market. Total win for EA.


EA doesn't really need to keep updating their "EA Vault" because they aren't going to be dependent on making sure they get that $5/month from players. The $5 is just a way to make the $30 even more appealing to new subscribers. As soon as you pay that money, you're essentially locked in to a new digital-only store with benefits that won't cost EA much money at all.

A really, really smart play by EA that could be worth it for players who love both sports and EA developed franchises. But there's not gonna be much here for someone like myself who has zero interest in sports.




See, this is what I mean. If you bought Battlefield and Titanfall ($120) and their season passes (I dunno how much this is, so lets say $20 for each so another $40), and Peggle (I think it was $20?). That's $180, which means you saved $18, and did not cover the cost of your subscription. You'd have to make the call whether or not free access to last year's FIFA and Madden is worth the extra $12, or any future potential EA Vault games.

Like I said, easy to make that call if you love sports and videa'games, maybe not so much if you don't.

Nails it.

 

[Donos]

Well that's not bad. MS struck a good deal there. And it will nail the users to the xbox eco system (like PS+ keeps people resubscribing).

 

[panda-zebra]

[.IMG]http://i.imgur.com/LhOSOk3.gif[/IMG]

This will sell consoles to sports gamers

Sports gamers who like to play last year's version of current titles? Who wants to play FIFA 14 when FIFA 15 is out...? and are they the kinds of people who are buying into the new current gen? Hardly likely.

 

[BlackBuzzard]

I find their phrasing funny, like who is a "fan" of a retailer?

Shouldn't they say "Gamestop customers" instead of "fans of Gamestop?"

Retailar wars is real. Much more brutal then console wars.

 

[Google]

Oh hey!

I already own that.

Although this will certainly have a Gold like effect where I don't buy any more EA games unless I really really want to get into the online game. Cuz it'll be free next year.

Do you really not buy single player games because they might be free in 12 months time?

 

[mike4001_]

And this is a great post sums up why it's fishy and why there not getting any of my money because well this. Just buy games you really want it's nothing like PS+ at all.

You are forgetting the free games.... Just take one older free game you would have bought for 20 USD and you only need one new retail game and 2-3 DLC´s to be on top of the 30 USD.

It´s as you say PS+ for 50 USD only offers the -10% for games. Then PS+ would also suck

 

[Omiee]

where can i subscribe? when is this launching?

 

[OneEyeTwoHead]

Jesus fuck this service...lol.

 

[Head.spawn]

its pretty much the same structure as ps+...

Considering MS announced a few months back that they JUST updated their back-end for this type of stuff (guessing it wasn't supported before), I don't think that is a good assumption to make.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Do you really not buy single player games because they might be free in 12 months time?

I'm guilty of this.

 

[Xando]

Further details, yet still nothing too specific.

http://www.ea.com/eaaccess/terms.html

"As part of the EA Access Services, members with an active subscription are offered (1) the ability to play a limited trial of certain EA Content 5 days prior to the date that EA Content is otherwise available on the Xbox Marketplace (“Play First&#8221,"
So its no full access and pretty much a demo

 

[ramuh]

I wonder if say Xbox has a sale on a EA title, will the 10 percent EA Vault discount stack?

 

[fedexpeon]

How come you ignore the value of one full year of access to (at minimum) 4 EA games?

Because you are playing a 1 year old annualized game series?
FIFA 14-Useless, can get it for 5.00 in 2015
Madden NFL 25-Useless, can get it for 5.00 in 2015
Battlefield 4-Semi-useless, can get it for 5.00 in 2015
Peggle 2-Eh...I guess this is worth the money.

 

[Quazar]

Real great and insightful post, thanks for that.

Except for the fact that their is value in the free games as well. Other incentives include 5 day prerelease access given the consumer a better idea if they want to spend the discounted price on release. Thus avoiding costs etc. their is many ways to interpret this model. It's whether it works for you at an individual basis.

 

[Mass Effect]

It's the continuation of the transfer from games as physical media to games as a service.

A future I'm not looking forward to

Yeah. Don't ever expect a beta or demo of EA to be free from now on. Everything will be locked behind this service.

Yep. Exactly what I was thinking as well. "You want to try our new game before you buy it? Pay us $5!"

 

[chugen]

there is a large amount of salt in this thread

 

[FleetFeet]

This is the same company that's shoving ridiculous microtransactions into all their games. How are people just taking this at face value and not questioning it? EA has proven over and over that their priority is squeezing as much money as possible from their customers. This is just yet another way to bleed everyone dry cleverly disguised as a "good value."

If you think they are going to be adding new titles to this on a regular basis you are kidding yourselves. The fact that Titanfall is not included speaks volumes. Don't fall for this crap guys.

*tips hat*

Hear, Hear!

 

[Maintenance]

Do you really not buy single player games because they might be free in 12 months time?

I would not buy, with the market so packed with games, why would I pay premium price for a game if I might get it free a year later? People already wait for GOTY editions, a free edition would be even better to me.

 

[Google]

I'm guilty of this.

Dont feel guilty.

I just didnt know it was a thing. I subscribe to all the game services but still buy games I'm excited about when they're released - regardless of online/single player components.

 

[AyaisMUsikWhore]

Well, offline > streaming. $5/mo > PS Now prices.

EA is offering a better package via a (generally) more prefered way. I get that Sony wants to do streaming so they can get non-core gamers on board via tablets, tvs, etc but EA's package is very core-gamer focused imo and thus why it resonates better, at least with me.

I don't get this at all. PS+ already does the basics of what this service entails. PS Now doesn't have final prices so that's not even up to debate. "Core-gamer focused", Wat?

What is not Core Gamer focused about PS Now? You are able to play catalog of games from various generations on plenty of different systems? What is not core gamer focused there? They are spreading exposure with the service..

 

[Shaanyboi]

Not bad. If you care about a lot of EA games, that can be a hell of a deal

 

[Google]

why would I pay premium price for a game if I might get it free a year later?

Because you're excited about a game and want to play it sooner rather than later?

Like everything in life.

 

[mike4001_]

Because you are playing a 1 year old annualized game series?
FIFA 14-Useless, can get it for 5.00 in 2015
Madden NFL 25-Useless, can get it for 5.00 in 2015
Battlefield 4-Semi-useless, can get it for 5.00 in 2015

I don´t think you know the prices of older sports games ....

they don´t go much below 20 USD even when they are a year old.

 

[mattp]

Why wouldn't he be serious? I agree with him. Many of the prices I've seen on PS Now are major ripoffs. PS+, on the other hand, is fantastic value. I'm a little concerned that if other publishers start offering similar services as EA, PS+ games will become much worse.

oh! woops! i thought he said ps PLUS was a terrible value haha

 

[Nokterian]

You are forgetting the free games.... Just take one older free game you would have bought for 20 USD and you only need one new retail game and 2-3 DLC´s to be on top of the 30 USD.

It´s as you say PS+ for 50 USD only offers the -10% for games. Then PS+ would also suck

Why do i want older games? I have a lot all ready. At least Sony is giving away NEW games every month with PS+ and with new it's less then a year old and across all platforms from playstation but also a lot of new indie games and also triple AAA games out of the wazoo for example.

This is the same company that's shoving ridiculous microtransactions into all their games. How are people just taking this at face value and not questioning it? EA has proven over and over that their priority is squeezing as much money as possible from their customers. This is just yet another way to bleed everyone dry cleverly disguised as a "good value."

If you think they are going to be adding new titles to this on a regular basis you are kidding yourselves. The fact that Titanfall is not included speaks volumes. Don't fall for this crap guys.

Perfection.

 

[VanCityGamer]

How will this affect EA games in Microsoft's Gold Games Gold?

Hard to say for sure, but I suspect it'll mean no EA games in Games with Gold. Which is why I don't like this EA Vault announcement and hope it doesn't catch on with other developers.

 

[SeanTSC]

I guess if you're dead set on buying Digital only this is a good service, but it pales in comparison to what Best Buy's GCU offers for new Physical games with 20% off and frequent extra + $10 in rewards credit. And Fifa 15, Madden 15, BF Hardline, and the Sims 4 are all games that get that extra $10.

 

[wumster3000]

"FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, Peggle 2, and Battlefield 4"
Four complete and utter shit games.

That idea is interesting though but I can't think of any good EA games.

Dat opinion

Edit: Wonder what the response would be if Sony had done this.

 

[JetBlackPanda]

Well that's not bad. MS struck a good deal there. And it will nail the users to the xbox eco system (like PS+ keeps people resubscribing).

Yeah, don't you think its a little crazy that a third party publisher is doing this?

instead of both?

no salt here btw. Good for people that love EA and play on xbone.

its just that another sub blows my mind.

like I said, soon we will all be subscribed to our favorite publishers so we don't miss out on DLC and pre order bonuses.

 

[BPoole]

By the time a game like Battlefield comes to this, there will be more premium maps out than standard ones, so you won't even really be able to play the game unless you purchase BF Premium

 

[MagicWithEarvin]

Whoa, play Dragon Age: Inquisition 5 days before release, your progress carries over to the full game at launch and you can purchase at 10% off. Very tempting...

 

[statham]

where can i subscribe? when is this launching?

They only mention 'this summer' on twitter.

 

[Krakatoa]

You should really try actually logging into the PSN store in a PS3.

I am talking about the backend infrastructure. Not what the end user views.

 

[Sectorseven]

What?

I can afford $15 a month...

Isn't Xbox one attach rate like 2.6? That's like $150 per year before Xbox Live fees.

 

[mike4001_]

FIFA 14 for instance does not go any lower than 35 Euros at the moment @ebay.de

Deal would already be worth it

 

[FranXico]

Yep. Exactly what I was thinking as well. "You want to try our new game before you buy it? Pay us $5!"

To be fair, a 5-day full game trial does not exclude making a short demo available for free.

 

[Chû Totoro]

I don't get it. So 5$ for old games and demos of upcoming games?

 

[jet1911]

So 30$ for BF4 and Peggle 2? Not bad.

 

[Maintenance]

Because you're excited about a game and want to play it sooner rather than later?

For a multiplayer game? Yes, that could be true. For a single player game? Not me.

Like everything in life.

I'm sorry but nothing coming from EA would make me go apeshit and spend 60 dollars right in the launch, especially after some games that they made.

 

[Navy Bean]

At $30 it's worth trying for a year to see if the value is there.

 

[3rdamention]

This will sell consoles to sports gamers

But how the hell are they going to market it? I dont see how it is going to sell consoles to gamers. You get a discount off games you buy, you can try new games for up to 5 days, and you get access to a vault of older games that many have already been replaced by newer games (example, you could play Madden 25 in the vault, but the new Madden will already be out).


There is value to be had, sure, I can see that. But to encourage people to buy a console for this service, and for Microsoft to be able to market this for people to easily understand, sounds like it could be difficult.


I also find it funny how just yesterday, we have that silly Reuter's article talking about Sony going to extend services and subscriptions within the PSN, in an attempt to maximize profits on it (you know, make money), and everyone is freaking out. People were calling Sony the new Microsoft, Sony is Arrogant Sony again, and this story breaks the very next day. It made me giggle a bit.

 

[Lucreto]

I am thinking this is a replacement for the season pass. A new way to hurt second hand sales. Give an incentive to people to use it and they will go all digital.

I expect hidden in the fine print that an requiring to be always online while playing the games.

It is EA after all so I expect it.

I also expect it to roll out on PC and PS4 before Mass Effect gets released in 2016.

 

[FleetFeet]

Except for the fact that their is value in the free games as well. Other incentives include 5 day prerelease access given the consumer a better idea if they want to spend the discounted price on release. Thus avoiding costs etc. their is many ways to interpret this model. It's whether it works for you at an individual basis.

Games that are relatively useless if you consider yourself a fan of sports... and don't get me started on that broken mess which is BF4. There is no serious value if you don't want to play a year old sports game, or a game they still can't fix, close to a year after release. And that 5 day trial seems somewhat limited, since you know, they said that it is limited. Certainly lots of room to wiggle... it could mean as much as a 2 hour trial, 5 days before release.