EA Access Sparks Digital Subscription vs. Ownership Debate

The big success story sweeping the digital landscape is the infamous Netflix business model, which has unwittingly created a long line of copycats desperate to imitate their rapid ascent to success in the modern world.

Recently, the videogame publisher EA announced plans to offer their own subscription service called ‘EA Access’ in a collaborative effort with Microsoft and the Xbox One console. With many games retailing at $70 each, the allure of having access to a vault full of EA games for $29.99 a year sounds like a very tempting offer on the surface, but could also prompt other publishers such as Ubisoft to follow suit.

This could explain why Sony were so quick to criticise the new subscription scheme as the digital landscape enters a transitional phase that could dramatically affect the future of their PS Plus offering, as gaming turns into a TV style choose your own package subscription service.

If other publishers follow suit – and if we are brutally honest, it will only be a matter of time – we could end up in a situation where you have separate subscriptions for EA, Ubisoft and Activision for a total cost around £60 a year, but have a regular offering of games to play and a vault of free older games at your disposal.