We don’t think that Sony and EA Games are on the best of terms. After the latter promised an unprecedented partnership [Haha – Ed] with Microsoft for the launch of the Xbox One, we’ve always got a sense that relations are a little, well, strained. And a statement from the platform holder regarding the mega publisher’s new Xbox One exclusive EA Access subscription service has reinforced that suspicion in our minds.
For those out of the loop, the impending promotion sees you stumping up $5 per month or $30 per year in order to obtain complete on-demand access to “catalogue titles”, game trials, and discounts. It’s basically the EA Games equivalent of PlayStation Plus – but Sony doesn’t think that it’s very good. “We evaluated the EA Access subscription offering and decided that it does not bring the kind of value that PlayStation customers have come to expect,” an outspoken spokesperson said.
The firm continued: “PlayStation Plus memberships are up more than 200 per cent since the launch of the PlayStation 4, which shows that gamers are looking for memberships that offer a multitude of services, across various devices, for one low price. We don’t think that asking our fans to pay an additional $5 a month for this EA-specific programme represents good value to the PlayStation gamer.”
We’re a little torn on this to be honest. On the one hand, we’ve always appreciated options, so it would have been nice for the platform holder to allow us to make up our own mind about the model’s value proposition. However, on the other, this potentially sets a dangerous precedent, with other major publishers likely to create their own custom subscription services separate from PlayStation Plus if this proves popular.
There’s also the fact that games like Peggle 2 aren’t even available on the PS4 yet, so subscribers would probably end up with even less value should they stump up for the service on Sony’s machine. What’s most strange, however, is seeing the platform holder come out and publicly dismiss the programme. We get the sneaking suspicion that SCEA boss Shawn Layden won’t be exchanging Christmas cards with EA Games gaffer Andrew Wilson this holiday.
[source gameinformer.com]
Comments 45
Good for Sony, nobody likes ea or ms. Scurge spawn = ea sub's. No thanks.
#4theplayers! Haha Becoming more and more of a joke with each passing month...
This is just hypocrisy. Sony cut the camera because they wanted to give customers choice and they turn around and not only forbid EA Access on PS4, not providing choice but diss it by saying it isn't a "good value." PS Now prices aren't either.
Well even with this statement and similarity to Nintendo & Origin & EA dilemma. EA can't leave PlayStation, sales are too strong.
@Punished_Boss To play devil's advocate: separate subscriptions like this could lessen the quality of PlayStation Plus. Why would EA ever put, say, Battlefield 4 in the Instant Game Collection if they could peddle it under their own $5 banner? Extrapolate that across Activision, Ubisoft, Capcom, SEGA, Konami, and more... And well, you have a problem.
@get2sammyb Of course in the long-term this subscription strategy will be hellish because if this EA Access program takes off... Every publisher will jump aboard... It will become even more costly then add in season passes, DLC, online passes and several editions of games like COD...
Not looking pretty.
There's such an extreme difference in the monthly and yearly prices. Doesn't seem consumer friendly!
It's going to go the same way as Premiership football, with subscriptions required to both Sky and BT Sport if you want to get access to every game.
It will bite them all in the arse, because - as with the football - I no longer subscribe to either. I'm sure others are the same.
The problem is that as a customer, you really want all this in one convenient subscription and all in one place. But then any company that tries to provide that is accused of monopolising the market.
There's no such thing as bad value when you're just offering another option to a consumer and said option is digital.
So yeah, worst excuse ever.
@Paranoimia aye, its a rip off, I get BT sport for free anyway. Its the whole sports package nonsense, I'm only willing to pay for footie, not the attached junk. I can't see how ea can offer that much so early into ps4 era. I can see in future exclusive stuff and DLC that only works if subscribed etc. PS plus is more than enough for me, I can only see it taking off if they start offering irresistible stuff like free games etc.
Just noticed after reading more that one of the main draws is you can play a game like dragon age 5 days early to test it and then see if you want to buy it. You get up to 2 hours with the sub. Does that change anyone's mind?
@ztpayne7 For me, no. That's a paid demo at that point...
@get2sammyb Agreed, and who wants to pay for demos?
What's EA? XD
EA favour microsoft in virtually every way!!, the deal to let ms buy exclusivity of titanfall, when they published the game. The deal to offer the uber popular FIFA14 as a free digital download for XBOX1 with select console bundles. Elxclusive FUT content also ONLY on xbox!! And now THIS!!! Its no wonder sony are not keen on the idea.
EA "We do not favour microsoft, over other platforms" that statement simply reeks.
“PlayStation Plus memberships are up more than 200 per cent since the launch of the PlayStation 4, which shows that gamers are looking for memberships that offer a multitude of services, across various devices, for one low price.”
The fact that PS+ is essential for online play on PS4 has nothing to do with that?
I love PlayStation and always have but at this point Sony is starting to build up a perception problem that it doesn't work well with others.
First of all they lose Sunset Overdrive (and Insomniac) from allegedly aggressively pursuing the IP ownership and now they're bad mouthing a partner instead of teaming up with them and finding a way to make it work in the best interests of providing choice for us the gaming community.
The professional thing for Sony to have done would be to keep quiet and let the gamers decide whether having the extra choice is worthwhile.
I find unhelpful statements like this from Sony concerning for the future of EA games coming to our platform.
This isn't really that bad people are just hating because it is EA doing it, if they had more that appealed to me I'd be up for this.
EA: We're very proud to announce that we've come up with a new way to take your money.
I swear man EA and Microsoft are all about subscriptions like people are rolling in dough. I remember ms advertising a subscription for some health fitness game during the early stages of Xbox one.
@THEundying27 Lol they all about that dough
"PlayStation Plus memberships are up more than 200 per cent since the launch of the PlayStation 4"? Nothing to do with you having to have it, of course. Can prove anything you want with statements like that.
As for the actual EA subscription, if it works out doing this is cheaper than buying a new FIFA each year then it will bite EA on their ass. Their yearly sports updates are just that, updates. Why pay £40-50 for a new FIFA when you can pay the £30 yearly fee and get the new Battlefield, Mirror's Edge, PvZ?
@Davros79 More like Microsoft offered more money than Sony were for all those deals. Not a matter of favouritism in business but money.
"this potentially sets a dangerous precedent, with other major publishers likely to create their own custom subscription services separate from PlayStation Plus if this proves popular."
OK NO ONE TELL CAPCOM! lol
The Sony guy just should have said - we don't want it b/c we're afraid it's cheaper than PS+ and we're afraid people will sign up for it instead of PS+. Well not anybody who plays online though.
@rjejr People who play a lot of EA games are likely to play online, so that probably isn't the reason.
@rastamadeus well thank you captain obvious!! Of course its about money, thats why i said this------> "THE DEAL TO LET MS BUY"!!! I never said they did it for the feckin fun of it , Now did I.
Also do you realise the amount of money it wouldve took MS to secure titanfall, taking into account the lost projected sales from ps3/ps4 versions. EA and respawn have admitted they took a loss by having titanfall on pc xbox only(even with the disgusting amount of cash MS gave them) they lost alot of money,. But that didnt stop them, signing a deal with MS in the first place did it?.
There is something really odd about this EA access. I can just tell that the subscribers of this are going to get royally screwed and EA are going to sit back have play word games "Well, we didn't say that, we actually said this" TADA!!!
Also, MS is not a stranger to smearing crap on consumers and I honestly think there is more to this access then what they've said so far. I will sit back and laugh at the gullible that think EA is not going to rimrod the gamers from this.
This doesn't bother me 1% considering I've not bought an EA game in years.
Don't like the idea of having more than one subscription either, plus new EA games will not be included I doubt. In the unlikely event I want an EA game I'd rather just find a good deal at retail/digital...
I could see this as hurting sales as Madden fanboys will obviously be lured to the Xbox One instead of a PS4 because of this but honestly this just seems to be another desperate move by MS to boost is Xbox One sales due to the backlash from their previous policies. Because of the stupid NFL giving all rights to EA for their Madden games Sony can't come up with a comparable game like Sega did with NFL 2K back during the Dreamcast Era.
For me though it doesn't bother me cause I don't play to many EA games.
@Davros79 So obvious you stated EA favour Microsoft and give examples of it without mentioning the pennies though. The amount of money it took Respawn to make it Xbox/PC isn't important as if Sony offered more it would've been on PS4/3. Just like how Ubisoft games always have that extra 'sixty minutes' of content on Sony machines. Regardless Respawn wouldn't have recouped the lost money on Sony consoles as the game is ****.
@rastamadeus Titanfall isnt "****" you really dont know much do you? I doubt You've even played it. Every game is garbage according to you, especially the ones you've never played. You're as transparent as a glass of water.
Apparently a years sub for EA access is £20 in the UK. If that's true then it's fantastic value. Add to that another £30 for XBL and Microsoft could have just dealt a massive blow to Sony. £50 for EA Access and Games with gold against £40 for PS+ with two indie games a month. Sony now need to step up.
@Davros79: Ok man that's enough you don't have to hurl insults at other users just because your guys gaming opinions differ from each other. Everyone likes different things what is bad to another is great to someone else that's what makes the world great. If everyone else liked the same thing it would be a pretty boring world.
If you can't reply without insulting others then please do not reply. It's that simple.
I can "kinda" understand what Sony is saying, but at the end of the day it is a good deal being offered by EA. Therefore this is a win to MS.
So in the article on here it is stated $5 a month or $30 a year? that doesn't make any sense, wouldn't it be something like $60 a year or $50 for a better deal?
I don't think we have the full story on this EA access on here. so far, a couple of people on here are saying what a good deal it is but I don't see the games they are offering up front, in fact, I haven't seen it in real world workings. o.O it's like blindly stating something is good without even knowing it. like Titanfall
Maybe to some this would seem like a slap in the face from Sony not letting the playstation fans decide for themselves but I think they have done the right thing, if every publisher started doing a paid monthly access there wouldn't be much to put on Ps plus.
I personally don't think it will take off for EA people would cancel after shorter periods of time compared to Ps plus because people need Ps plus for the online on ps4, people need EA for....
It's decent value but anybody who wanted to play any of those games has likely already bought them by now. With new versions of FIFA and Madden due in the very near future it's just a clever way for EA to create a revenue stream from a bunch of old games with diminished retail worth. A plus point might see the server life for the older sports titles extended a bit ... but it's no guarantee
Not a chance I'd ever pay for this.
EA subscription plan
$60 = 2 years of 10% off EA games only, digital only, on Xbox One only
Best Buy Gamer's Club Unlocked (on sale right now 1/2 off- normal $120)
$60 = 2 years of 20% off ALL games, PHYSICAL, on ALL platforms.
And with My Gamers' Club Rewards most AAA releases (including most all of EA's games like Dragon Age Inquisition, Madden, all that stuff) qualify for an ADDITIONAL $10 in reward certificates, making most major AAA games just $38 shipped to your door the day before release.
@Tasuki ok. I just respond to certain people who claim games are "w"nk" when the person involved has no idea or experience of the game.
Paying several subscriptions a month, just to game online does not sound like something I'm looking forward to. PS Plus is a great value, but I don't pay extra for the music service. Likewise, I will not be paying monthly for EA, Ubisoft, Capcom, etc. should they start this crap. Even a small $5 per month fee, multiplied by 2, 3, 4 publishers, and you get my point.
@Davros79: I hope that you are joking, but if not I would actually prefer you not doing that, as that tends to disrupt the thread/comment section.
@Shaolin
My thoughts exactly. The fanboys love this stuff but to me it just does nothing. I don't see any good in the guy in charge saying he doesn't understand people who don't give a crap about indie games, I don't see any good in pushing away away a once really strong partner in Insomniac over bs (don't care what the Sony defenders say about owning the IP) and this most recent statement potentially alienates another company that has been a strong partner in EA. Regardless of what people think of EA, it has many popular franchises and aside from Titanfall, which I'd love to know what MS paid for that, I can't think of any 'important' games that EA hasn't brought to the PlayStation brand.
Lol well done play station it's a rip off and you have save dumb customers money.
EA and M$ deserve each other.
@Gamer83 It's nice to find someone else on here who is trying to look at the bigger picture and the consequences of Sony making these statements instead of just being limited to blurting out "EA sucks!". Refreshing, very refreshing.
@Shaolin
Well, I do think EA sucks, but that's just because since 06, the Madden series has disappointed me massively and that was really the only EA franchise I cared about.
For fans of EA though, I could see this being a cool service if done right. Again, I think it's too early to judge one way or another but I think if Sony could've had it on PS4, it should be there. The guys calling the shots there are a little bit up their own rearends lately though. Apparently a few good months after spending the majority of last gen in third place warrants going back to the old, arrogant Sony circa 2006.
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