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EA wants to move to a subscription model like Netflix

PC Aficionado: "Electronic Arts have been pushing subscription based video games services like EA Access and Origin Access of Xbox One and PC. However, it seems they want to go even further than that."

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freshslicepizza2209d ago

Of course you will say pass since Sony has pretty much made the decision for you already with EA Access. I don't get why people can see the potential for the way music is listened to and the way movies are watched but the gaming audience to be so fickle about everything.

“Right now if you want to play FIFA in the United States, it will cost you $460,” Evenden said. “You have to buy the game; you have to buy the console. In a streaming world, it could be $9.99 a month. The commercial details have to be worked out, but whatever number it ends up at is very much less than $460. So that extends your market, because all you need locally is literally a smart TV.”

Nothing in there suggests you won't still be able to buy games like you already can now. It's called an option but some fo you manage to turn options into a bad thing because like I said, one console maker doesn't want competition against their own online streaming service.

Erik73572208d ago

* a smart tv that also has to have good reliable internet for fifa to be streamed and improved latency with unknown technologies as of today

Rimeskeem2208d ago

EA will release this subscription based stream and if people buy into it they will milk the living hell out of it.

If you pay this much more you can get this too! You want 4K content? Pay an additional ___! You want HDR? That will be more! We are talking about EA -- the masterminds of DLC.

And if this happens plus trashing Net Neutrality consumers are gonna being gutted.

Kingthrash3602208d ago (Edited 2208d ago )

Moldy
I own a xbox one ....relax.
Fact of the matter is EA doesn't have enough quality games to run a subscription service.
This conversation had nothing going to do with ps4 or xbox...it was about EA subscription service...and I'll pass. Not everything has to be console war bs.

Godmars2902208d ago (Edited 2208d ago )

@Kingthrash360:

"Moldy
I own a xbox one ....relax."

You're asking for too much.

Nitrowolf22208d ago (Edited 2208d ago )

Wait, why si defensive? He didnt even mention Sony, he only said Pass.

Calm down

Let's not forget that EA was voted one of the worst company in america. What let me guess PlayStation fans, made that happen?

Razzer2208d ago

Making this about Sony? Of course you are.

Mroc132208d ago

This is just stupid. $460? Really. Most would have had the console already. Most would use the console for other games as well. Most FIFA players would already have used their consoles for past fifa games. If you just play fifa you'd be paying double ($120) the price per year.

thekhurg2208d ago Show
Goldby2208d ago

@moldy

The problem with their comment, is that they are claiming that its 460$ to play fifa, or madden on a console when it doesn't cost anywhere near that. it will cost 60$ not an extra 400, why, people people already have the console if they are planning on playign one of EA's sports games. they wouldn't wait 4 years to pick it up if all they do if buy fifa, they would ahve picked up the console years ago.

i guess if this is to be taken seriously, it'll cost someone 460$ to play Horizon in 4k and 560$ to play Sea of Theives in 4k. see how unrealistic that statement sounds now?

Puertorock772208d ago

Streaming games is a garbage concept. The latency is terrible. Also add the fact you always have to be only for even games that have nothing to do with online. Even Spotify music which is built to stream music know the value of off line play since you can download music onto your device and listen to it without needing a online connection.

Just stop, EA is not doing this for anyone's benefit. They want increase the profit margin out of their content and in the end we get nothing to show for it.

AdonisIsBeast2208d ago

You say it's $460 but any decision as such would be decided on to make the company more profits than it currently is. EA as a company is based off continous growth and EPS. So I wouldn't expect anything to be cheaper

spreadlove2208d ago

The good subscription model is Xbox Game Pass and EA Access. The bad one is PS Now. Terrible latency and the internet wasn't designed for it, so it will continue to be terrible for the foreseeable future.

TheUndertaker852208d ago (Edited 2208d ago )

@Erik7357: How is what you said not applicable to any device including consoles?

Unknown technologies? Then what are Gamefly & PlayStation offering?

The only difference in PlayStation would be it works on devices other than PS4 & PC since Sony cut other options out that were offered before.
https://www.playstation.com...

Gamefly already does it without the need for a controller.
http://m.gamefly.com/stream...

notachance2208d ago

he just said 1 word, yet you're able to twist it into a console war and somehow made an assumption of the detail of his opinion

you're broken in the head or something aren't you

arkard2208d ago

I called this when EA first unveiled EA access. It's just another step towards total control. For now it's an "option". Then it becomes the only way to play EA games. No more ownership, just a streaming rental service in which EA (and inevitably every company) has its subscription model. 10$ for base model. 20$ if you want all dlc. 5$ add on for 4k. 5$ add on for downloading game to local storage option.

RCslayer2208d ago

So buying a console plus the game is more than it will cost to keep a subscription? Yeah so add 9.99 over the course of a console year and see which one costs more. Not only 9.99 because we all know EA or who ever does this shit will jack the prices up over time. Once I buy the console which by the way doesn't cost 460 bucks. I can pretty much do what I want same goes for the game. If I want to sell it great, if I want to trade it great. With this I am stuck paying for it each month. If the internet goes down, guess what so does the game. All this amounts to is Lazy people who would rather rent or buy games at home than get off their ass and go out and buy them.

Christopher2208d ago

I think people are extremely ignorant to understand what a subscription model implies as a primary source of gaming.

1. You own nothing and lose control of content availability.
2. Download only.
3. The desired profit marks will be incorporated into future games, which means more content locked behind paywalls (more DLC and more microtransactions) which are always additional payouts for content you technically don't own.

Anyone who supports not owning the game or not having set prices for games that determine and allow us to review and criticize them based on market standards of price do not have the best interest of gamers and consumers and are merely parroting stuff to support a misaligned bias.

Flewid6382208d ago (Edited 2208d ago )

You can still own movies and music though. Streaming them is an OPTION, but it's not a requirement.

There is actually plenty of streaming gaming content already, and clearly PSNow will be as cheap as Netflix eventually once the library has every title.

Nonetheless, being hooked into HAVING to pay to play would be super annoying. There are games/services where it works (like multiplayer), but I don't see the point in making it a standard.

Realms2208d ago

Moldy not everything is about Sony vs MS, many gamers don't care about EA that much should be apparent but like always you manage to make it about that. I stoped caring about EA games when I realized that they like to polish turds FIFA and Madden haven't changed that much over the years and games like Battlefield are half baked with many of the content lock out on DLC so tell me why would gamers want to support a company with a track record like that? You love EA access more power to you, you want to support this new BS service by all means but just because you care that they are in business with MS doesn't mean everyone else has to like their idea. IMO it's just another way for them to nickel and dime people.

arkard2208d ago

@cdz while yes you can still own the movies you also aren't streaming the latest thing the day it comes out. Movies don't go to Netflix for what 5 to 7 years? EA wants to go 100% subscription I guarantee it. Don't have to pay any cuts to retailers. Nobody can share games with friends. If people support this streaming option it will one day be the only option.

roadkillers2208d ago Show
leoms2208d ago

Your obsession with Sony is unreal. Get some therapy bud.

Christopher2208d ago

***You can still own movies and music though. Streaming them is an OPTION, but it's not a requirement. ***

They already have it as an option. They're talking about moving towards it as a whole.

CKPan2207d ago

I don't want EA to have any of my money, PERIOD!

fr0sty2207d ago

um, moldy, what about those of us that also "pass" on PSNow because streaming gaming isn't what we want? Also, you're basically defending developers overcharging for DLC content as a means of forcing people into a streaming model where they own nothing.

UltraNova2207d ago (Edited 2207d ago )

Moldy, throughout my years here I've seen you develop from a neutral gamer to a pseudo-neutral gamer leaning towards MS's side, to the full blown MS blind cold-war-level propagandist you are today. Its sad really, what you've become.

I mean did you just defend the beggining of the end for us non-rich gamers, as clearly planned by EA, while blaming Sony somehow?

And what's exactly so evil about Sony wanting their own service to succeed? Is Netflix, Hulu, HBO etc evil too for not wanting to merge or collaborate (See EA Access) with each other?

God man get a hold of yourself.

Markusb332207d ago (Edited 2207d ago )

Just because someone doesn't agree with EA and you do, doesn't make you right or anyone else wrong. It's not for me but you knock yourself out kid. People are not all sheep, things start out little by little before long you can't remember how you ended up paying for stuff that used to be free or part of a retail game. I'm not predicting anything but people like choice. I choose to dislike EA for my reasons and want no part in their service. EA don't have enough games I'm into anyway so it has even less appeal.

The_KELRaTH2207d ago

But I prefer to BUY the music I like then transfer it to what I want to listen to it on. I've got CD's that are from 1983 - just consider the price I would have paid for that on subscription.
And if you don't want to own it and keep paying there's always rental - it's not new but it's worked perfectly for many years.
As for options; if the subscription takes hold then the price to buy will shoot up and it will continue in an effort to make subscription the only affordable / viable option. This in turn will drive more retailers/e-tailers out of business offering you less and less options and as with all monopolies - supply lower quality products at ever higher prices.
A simple example: You want to buy an Audiobook - there are very few now available on the high street. You end up subscribing to Amazon Audible. I've been using this service for 4 years and during this period the length of the books keeps getting smaller so what was once 1 good length book is now in 3 parts - hell it's now going to 4's and 5's so I'm effectively paying 2 to 3 times as much to listen to a complete book.

Consistus2207d ago

EA has been voted as the worst company in the gaming industry for multiple times now. That's not without reason They are greedy cocks! So for people to be wary isn't something strange. I see you are picturing it at its best with low monthly pricing. But games are more expensive than music or movies last time I checked. And remember this is EA.
Options now, only option tomorrow. I like to resell games too sometimes.

Liqu1d2207d ago

Sony already provides the option to stream games and all we heard from you guys is how crap streaming games is and BC is better etc. yet you talk about others downplaying options. But when EA talks about streaming it's an option and a good thing.

DigitalRaptor2204d ago (Edited 2204d ago )

The insecurity really does flow through you.
Attacking Kingthrash360 who owns an XB1, while you don't have one at all.
You are the same guy who goes into articles and criticizes Sony fans for bringing up MS or going off-topic...
Yet here you are doing the EXACT SAME THING.

Just face it, not everything that MS is doing and Sony isn't is as big a deal as you think it is. Remember that announcement they had of mods on consoles and you were attempting to drag Sony through the mud, just like you always do, and fast forward to 24+ months later and we have about 2-3 games with mods on consoles and ZERO game mods have come from Microsoft's first-party studios. Your comment is the epitome of somebody with an agenda, the kind of person that hates on everything they can that Sony does, but ignores similar activity from Microsoft on the platform (PC) that they actually game on and makes up senseless excuses as to why it's okay. And notice, in typical moldybread style, he skulks away and doesn't respond at all or hold himself accountable, after everybody called him out on his agenda-driven nonsense, and will to make up stories about people because it doesn't align with his expectation that everybody match his admiration for Microsoft and disdain for Sony.

You know what, EA Access would suck for me because I'm not really a big fan of their games. Ubi Access would be absolutely RAD though. That would be awesome. I'll pass too on more EA games I don't want to play, thanks.

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Sam Fisher2208d ago

Thats a good thing, since im all digital i dont mind paying 8$ most a month, id get this activision and i don't know about ubi, theyve been facking up lately, Bethesda? Thats most likely a no.