Rumor: EA Sports Planning Annual Subscription Service

[Tom Goldman]

Rumor: EA Sports Planning Annual Subscription Service

To get the most out of upcoming EA Sports titles, you might have to fork over an annual fee.

EA's online pass [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103475-Online-Pass-Is-a-Success-Says-EA] system that requires used buyers to purchase a $10 code to play online might not be not be the only way the company plans to generate side revenue from EA Sports titles. EA might also be looking into offering an annual subscription plan that will provide extra features for those that sign up.

EA had been talking about a persistent ID program that would recognize players through multiple games and multiple years, but it wasn't mentioned as a pay service. PastaPadre claims to have received a document that explains an "EA Sports Subscription Service" that would include this feature, while a survey gives us further details.

The document says that a subscription would provide benefits across all EA Sports titles, from SSX [http://www.amazon.com/Madden-NFL-11-Xbox-360/dp/B002I0JB6E/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1303576269&sr=1-1]. Subscribers would get discounts on DLC, exclusive DLC, access to full downloadable versions of certain games before release, a "free opportunity" to extend the play experience to the PC and web, and the ability to transfer content from older titles to newer titles.

For example, subscribers would be able to download Tiger Woods 12 [http://www.amazon.com/Madden-NFL-12-Xbox-360/dp/B003O6EAM6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303576717&sr=8-1] into Tiger Woods 13. Information from a survey apparently reveals that EA is looking at multiple tiers with different levels of service that range from $14.99 to $34.99 per year. Those that pay a higher rate get better features.

I've got no problem with companies such as EA offering loyalty bonuses to their fans, but this subscription plan seems to prove how the overuse of DLC is a slippery slope. Subscribers could eventually be given exclusive access to content that certain fans would consider crucial. For example, what if we someday have to pay to bring our data from a games like Mass Effect 3 [http://www.amazon.com/Mass-Effect-2-Xbox-360/dp/B001TORSII/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1303577009&sr=1-1]? EA has to be mighty careful about how it handles implementing a service like this, if it's not just a rumor. Keep in mind that EA may have just been reaching out to judge the public's reaction to such a plan.

Source: NeoGAF [http://www.pastapadre.com/2011/04/22/ea-sports-planning-subscription-service]

Permalink

 

[sir.rutthed]

Times like these I really kinda wish we'd welcome more sports games fans into the main fold of gaming culture. This is the kind of thing that most gamers would riot in the streets over, but Madden fans? They might be ignorant enough to thing this is a good deal and actually invest in it.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Meh. This looks like a boat load of speculation. I want to see how thing turns out before I fire up the old hate machine and bark that EA is the devil.

 

[FallenTraveler]

When this is implemented I will completely hate EA, good thing I'm not a sports gamer eh?

 

[archvile93]

Eh, doesn't sound much different than what you get from a subscription MMO,except the game keeps working even without it and it comes with extras. Still wouldn't go along with it.

 

[omicron1]

EA Sports' titles already are an annual subscription service. You buy a game for $60, then a year later EA shuts down the servers so you have no choice but to buy the next edition.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

i say: "Cow-Money-Milking"

 

[Irridium]

Yeah, no. This is in SSX now? Well, guess I'm not going to buy that game.

 

[bootz]

wow this is horrible if it happens. They already make you buy the same game every year. Your system should already track the games. I dont see any benfit from the service.

 

[Ben Legend]

Wow, what a good idea. I'll defo pay whatever they want... except I'm not the dick head they obviously think I am. I'm already paying for the game, what more do they want? Past EA games have had online services running without subscription charges so why start now!

Side note, Please refrain from purchasing a subscription when this starts or else the floodgates will open.

 

[lord.jeff]

You know I don't like how this is looking in particular but I'm not against a yearly fee, if it gave you updates, it'd be a lot better then paying for a new game every year that's really nothing more then a roster update.

 

[chif-ii]

Oh goody. EA's really got the hang of this whole "milk the cash cow to death" thing.

 

[Armored Prayer]

If they were to stop with the yearly releases and just updated everything to one game disk then I'd be cool with it.

This sounds a bit silly, but I'm not complaining if one were to actually do this. I really don't get all the bitching about people buying the yearly sports games. What gives me the right to insult another person for purchasing what they want?

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Sounds decent to me, especially if you play 2-3 EA Sports series.

Just one EA sports series? Skip it. But those discounts on DLC will add up.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

I've been defending EA lately, particularly their whole "day-one DLC" thing, but this goes too far. I can't defend this.