Home Gaming Xbox Live subscription not required for EA vault access

Xbox Live subscription not required for EA vault access

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Microsoft led the way for years when it came to solid, interlinked online functionality for consoles and for years it was quite obvious why Microsoft insisted on charging for this access. The service it provided was far superior to what was being offered for free by their competitors.

However as time went on the PlayStation Network consistently improved but it only really became an equal when they also started charging for certain sections of their service which went a long way in proving that you simply cannot expect a first class system for free.

So when EA announced they will be adding a new service to the Xbox One in the form of EA Access I simply presumed it would be one of the services that is ring fenced behind that Xbox Live Gold pay wall. However EA has confirmed to Polygon that this is actually not the case and that you will be able to subscribe to the EA Access service even if you are not an Xbox Live Gold member.

Obviously the multiplayer portion of the games will still require that Gold access but if you are more interested in playing some Peggle or Dragon Age then you can do so without sending any extra money into Microsoft’s coffer.

Personally I’m a huge fan of the idea of EA Access, for around R350 ($29.99) a year we are going to get unlimited access to a bunch of EA games starting with FIFA 14, Battlefield 4, Madden NFL 25 and Peggle 2. What I’m most excited for though is the fact that EA has promised they will keep adding titles to the vault so that the offering becomes more and more enticing as time goes on.

Basically they are offering a PSN+ service without the titles expiring.

I wouldn’t expect all EA titles to land on the service though with a money spinner like TitanFall unlikely to make an entrance until the sequel is released.

As for Sony, well they’ve already stated that they are not impressed with the idea and weren’t open to partnering with EA with this as they didn’t feel it brought the kind of value that PSN+ subscribers were used to. Honestly I think that’s just PR spin from Sony to deflect away from a great capture by Microsoft and with the EA Sports titles regularly being the most popular titles on the planet I can’t see how this service isn’t going to succeed.

Last Updated: August 5, 2014

42 Comments

  1. Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

    August 5, 2014 at 10:05

    I guess that’s a plus (no pun intended), but even EA admits that if you want to play online with games leased via EA Vault, you’re going to need Xbox Live.

    So it still brings us back to “Hey bro, we see you like subscriptions, well here’s a subscription for your subscription”

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      August 5, 2014 at 10:11

      “EA admits that if you want to play online” Admits?? Really? That to me and most people I’d think was a bit obvious right from the start to be honest! ROFL! Like Sony “admitting” that you’ll need PSN to play PSNow games! The mind boggles……

      Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        August 5, 2014 at 10:18

        You know what they say about assumptions, while it might be obvious to us, it might not be to Joe Public or Susy Casualgamer. They might believe that subscribing to EA Access would also mean being able to play Madden Same Game As Last Year or Fifa Copy & Paste online.

        Reply

        • Pieter Kruger

          August 5, 2014 at 10:20

          If you can read you should be sorted! This is great value, try harder Piesang! ????

          Reply

        • Jonah Cash

          August 5, 2014 at 10:20

          I love Fifa copy and paste!!! 🙂
          Maybe not so much love for Fifa 10 or Fifa 14… But I will get Fifa 15… Just won’t be on release again!!

          Reply

          • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

            August 5, 2014 at 10:22

            Hey, I only get a new Fifa every 5 years—-> I’m not the target audience. :/

          • Jonah Cash

            August 5, 2014 at 10:26

            I am definitely the target audience!!!! I have bought every single one of them for the last 10 years!!! All on release day, and I trade the old one in a week before the new one releases…. Usually get about R100-R150 for the old one, after at least 80-120 hours of playtime over the year!! It is by far my best buy every year when it comes to hours I get out of what I paid for it!!

  2. Jonah Cash

    August 5, 2014 at 10:11

    I haven’t bough a full Madden and NHL game in years!! I would have loved to, but for a while they weren’t available and then it just didn’t seem worth R600 a year as I already buy Fifa for that(now R899) So I for one would be more than happy to play a year old, or even a two year old Madden and NHL for only R350 per year!!

    What happens to the games that I have downloaded from the Vault, if I don’t pay my subscription next year???? Are they mine or do they stop working?

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      August 5, 2014 at 10:12

      They’d probably stop working as it is a subscription service.

      Reply

      • Jonah Cash

        August 5, 2014 at 10:15

        Still not bad!! I would gladly have paid for this!!

        Reply

  3. Alien Emperor Trevor

    August 5, 2014 at 10:13

    That’s really not a bad deal for people who’re fans of those games.

    Reply

  4. Hammersteyn

    August 5, 2014 at 10:15

    This is an intriguing move from EA, my question though is say EA makes a truck load of cash from this when is Ubisoft or Take-Two Interactive gonna do the same? Or what could possibly stop them?

    Reply

    • Jonah Cash

      August 5, 2014 at 10:18

      I don’t mind if these are extra services!! Make a games library which I pay you a sub per year, and if there are enough games I want to play I will pay it… But don’t put your new games on there and tell me I have to pay for the game and the sub, because then I am out!!

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        August 5, 2014 at 10:22

        It looks like older games, which are probably those that have stopped selling a lot at retail, go in the vault & if you want a new game you buy it separately.

        Reply

        • Jonah Cash

          August 5, 2014 at 10:27

          Then it will be a great service!! Don’t see a downside to it at all!! Would love to get Madden and NHL of a year or two ago and play them for R350!!

          Reply

        • Kensei Seraph

          August 5, 2014 at 10:32

          Which will then be released on the vault 9 months later.

          Reply

          • Jonah Cash

            August 5, 2014 at 10:38

            That will make me more than happy then…. Only problem… I won’t buy a Xbox ONE for this… Sad Sony missed this, I would have loved it on the PS4!!

  5. Rince

    August 5, 2014 at 10:17

    Oh yay, ANOTHER service…

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      August 5, 2014 at 10:18

      Is this how they plan to launch Origin on consoles?

      Reply

      • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

        August 5, 2014 at 10:21

        It definitely sounds like it. It’s all about wanting an extra slice of that pie and to curb second hand. The latter pisses me off greatly. No you greedy dicks, YOU CAN’T CAPITALISE ON SECOND HAND SALES!! THAT’S BULLSHIT!

        Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      August 5, 2014 at 10:20

      Wait for Ubisoft to also have UPLAY PREMIUM or Activision’s NoVaseline

      Reply

  6. Anon A Mouse

    August 5, 2014 at 10:19

    “Basically they are offering a PSN+ service without the titles expiring.” ~ Can you stand by this statement as being 100% correct? [Refer to Ultima as a reference]

    Reply

  7. Hammersteyn

    August 5, 2014 at 10:22

    I bet they release the next BF Beta first on this service to encourage people to subscribe.

    Reply

    • Pieter Kruger

      August 5, 2014 at 10:26

      A given I’d say! And if I can get 10% off and a 5 day head start on the next BF, AND carry over my progress to launch……????????????

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        August 5, 2014 at 10:27

        They will queue like a Moscow breadline (figuratively speaking)

        Reply

  8. Umar

    August 5, 2014 at 10:24

    “I can’t see how this service isn’t going to succeed.”
    ….Its EA

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      August 5, 2014 at 10:26

      Right, except if you look at their sales figures you start to realize there is something very wrong with the industry

      Reply

      • Umar

        August 5, 2014 at 10:31

        I don’t know, its like poeple are attracted to crap *looks at Kim Kardashian game*. They may be making a lot of money. Doesn’t mean they’re a good company. Also what people fail to realize is that there are a lot of trust issues between gamers and EA services, and that will play a role.

        It amazes me though. One minute we trash EA then they announce this ‘service’ and suddenly they’re like gods….Yeah I don’t trust EA services, and I think its foolish to be so trusting of them so soon

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          August 5, 2014 at 10:36

          That’s why I say there is something very wrong. Gaming has become too big. It’s the same with food. For every decent restaurant you have 3 McDonalds, 5 KFCs and 2 Spurs. The decent restaurant plays with a new menu now and then. The other just serves up the same kak year after year increasing their prices as the go along and they make the most money.

          Reply

          • Umar

            August 5, 2014 at 10:37

            I couldnt agree more bro….Push the most crap out = more money….Sad days bro

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      August 5, 2014 at 10:33

      Wow… Umar just dropped his balls on Gavin. 😮 Why would you do that Umar? 😮

      Reply

      • Umar

        August 5, 2014 at 10:35

        LOL It’s got nothing to do with Gavin….Still love the chilli drinking guy to bits. I’m just stating. Can’t trust dem EA suits

        Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        August 5, 2014 at 10:36

        Putting the EA into tEAbag!

        Reply

        • Kensei Seraph

          August 5, 2014 at 10:39

          Isn’t that one of the main draws for games like BF, CoD and Titanfall?

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            August 5, 2014 at 10:43

  9. Kensei Seraph

    August 5, 2014 at 10:29

    “… proving that you simply cannot expect a first class system for free.”
    *Cough*Steam*Cough*

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Dovahkiin

      August 5, 2014 at 10:39

      XD

      Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      August 5, 2014 at 11:02

      LMAO!

      Reply

  10. iAmWeasel

    August 5, 2014 at 10:41

    Honestly if this was a service for something like Ubisoft I’d be a bit more interested… not keen on subscribing to a bunch of soulless shite.

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      August 5, 2014 at 10:44

      With you there

      Reply

  11. Tulipdame

    August 5, 2014 at 10:43

    This is an awesome idea and its even better that Microsoft joined in and only with One.

    Reply

  12. DrKiller

    August 5, 2014 at 12:04

    This makes me more excited to get NextGen console… But you will need Xbox Live to get this service anyway… I can’t remember when last I saw a single player game from EA (Sims doesn’t count)

    Reply

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