Jump to:
- Price and availability
- What is it?
- The positives
- The negatives
- Is it worth it?
Electronic Arts continues to expand their EA Play service, launched as far back as 2014 for the Xbox One. With access to over 90 games, the service is now available on PC and consoles. The largest selection of games is available on the Xbox, thanks to the backward-compatibility program buffing up its library with Xbox 360 games.
With Xbox Game Pass still enjoying success on console and PC, we're looking into what EA has to offer in 2022 and beyond with this EA Play review. We'll see if it's worth your hard-earned cash to gain access to this growing library of games.
EA Play
Bottom line: For a low price, EA Play gives you access to a variety of great games across consoles or PC.
For
- Instant access to EA games
- Early access to upcoming titles
- Fantastic value for money
Against
- Poor software on PC
- EA Play Pro tier too expensive
EA Play: Price and availability
Membership is available via a few different methods. Subscribe directly to EA Play either as a $4.99 monthly charge or $29.99 annual subscription at a 50% savings.
If you choose to subscribe through Xbox, EA Play is bundled with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at $14.99 per month, with no annual discount. PC players can subscribe to PC Game Pass via Xbox and enjoy EA Play as part of their service for $9.99 per month.
EA Play: What is it?
EA Play, formerly known as EA Access, is a subscription service available on PC and consoles. It offers a library of games developed and published by Electronic Arts, exclusive 10-hour trials for upcoming releases, and discounts on games to keep.
No matter which avenue you choose to subscribe to on EA Play, you gain access to the library of games available on your platform. There's a wide variety of genres, including bestsellers such as Battlefield, Need for Speed, FIFA, and Madden. Considering these games often retail for as much as $60 on release, subscribing to one month of EA Play is great value for money if you play only one of these flagship games. Any more you happen to get through will increase the value of the service, so it's attractive if only considering its low price point.
EA Play can act as a type of "demo" for games that don't offer one separately.
(Video) should you buy EA play?
While subscribed, any progress and saves that you create will remain on your platform. Should you decide to purchase a game during one of the frequent sales, you can freely continue the game without extending your EA Play subscription. In this sense, EA Play can act as a type of "demo" for games that don't offer one separately. Should you wonder whether the latest Battlefield is worth dropping $60 on, you could play for a month for $5 instead. It's tough to find any way to paint the service as anything but fantastic value for money.
The exception to the 10-hour rule is EA Play Pro, a PC-exclusive subscription charged at a much steeper $14.99 monthly or $99.99 annual cost at a 44% savings. EA Play Pro removes the timer limit and additionally gives players access to the highest deluxe variation of each game, editions with all their extra content included. Extra rewards also come with Pro, but the restriction to PC only means the higher price is less tempting.
Now we know what EA Play is, we'll dive into the features that make it great (and a few that make it not-so-great).
EA Play: The positives
Access to a plethora of games for as little as $5 a month is the primary benefit of EA Play. Additionally, subscribing to the service on an Xbox console gives you access to more EA games than any other platform. Titles from the Xbox 360 backward-compatibility library, including timeless classics Dragon Age: Origins, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Dead Space, and Skate 3 sweeten the deal. On the PC side, the gigantic EA PC title The Sims 4 is tempting for anyone who enjoys the life simulator. Add to that a wealth of first-person shooters in the Battlefield and Titanfall series, and you have plenty to enjoy with a mouse and keyboard.
The second-best feature of EA Play is the 10-hour trial period for upcoming games from EA. Before release, titles such as FIFA 22 and Battlefield 2042 offered early access to EA Play subscribers to try in a beta test of sorts. Though the trials are time-limited, the timer only counts down while you have the games open, so closing them down while idle increases the length of access you have. Yet another way to test the waters if you were considering dropping big bucks on the latest release from EA.
Your new hyper-fixation can be purchased at a reduced rate and kept forever.
On top of access to games during your subscription, EA Play offers generous discounts on titles. Should you be enjoying a particular game, chances are you will be able to purchase it at a reduced cost. The best part is that all saved progress in these games will carry over, so your new hyper-fixation can be purchased at a reduced rate and kept forever. Canceling EA Play temporarily or permanently would not affect your access to games bought with the included savings. Bargain.
Personally, my partner and I have played games through EA Play that we may have otherwise avoided. I've never been a big Star Wars fan (don't hate me), so the related games never interested me either. Subscribing to a month's worth of EA Play, my partner made her way through Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and I found myself watching along every time. Completely ignoring the potential that it could be a great game, just because the subject matter hadn't interested me before, I ended up trying the game myself and had a blast. It's Tomb Raider with light sabers. Nice.
Having friends from all over the world is one of the best perks of online multiplayer, and with my American buddies playing Madden weekly I decided to give it a shot during my month of EA Play. I knew absolutely nothing about American football, and to be fair, I still don't exactly understand what's happening most of the time. Fortunately, Madden's training mode goes through some lengths to explain the general concept of how the sport works, unlike FIFA failing to explain the offside rule in soccer to the uninitiated. I was able to watch Super Bowl LV last year and vaguely understand what was happening, all thanks to EA Play and Madden NFL 21.
Considering Fallen Order and Madden 21 both launched at $60 each, I saved a gigantic amount of money just from playing two games in a month. Granted, I also dabbled in other games on EA Play, increasing the worth of my $5 spend for the month even further. If for some reason you subscribed monthly for 12 total months, you would still have only spent roughly $60, meaning the annual asking price of $30 is more than fair. Even better if you nab it as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, opening up your library to hundreds of extra games on Xbox.
EA Play: The negatives
Fortunately the list of bad points for EA Play is slim, because there isn't much to complain about. As a service, it's wild how much you get for your cash, but some improvements could be made to the application itself, especially on PC.
EA Desktop is the launcher for EA Play on PC. Visually not much different than any other storefront like the Microsoft Store or Steam, it unfortunately crashes for me far too often. On top of the random hangs, the launcher seems to consume more memory than it should, leading me to disable it from automatically starting on boot and in turn, games don't automatically update.
Battlefield 2042 took an age to download, while games on Steam would take a fraction of the time to finish.
Slow downloads also seem to still plague the app, with nothing I could find to permanently remedy it. Battlefield 2042 took an age to download, while games on Steam would take a fraction of the time to finish and install. Most frustrating of all, the speed would occasionally perform as expected for a few minutes, and then crash back down to a snail's pace. Scouring the internet reveals plenty of similar complaints, with generic recommendations to solve the problem, but nothing has fixed it for me yet.
With EA currently in the process of migrating their service from the Origin software to EA Desktop, this leaves players in limbo of choosing between the two launchers. Naturally, EA would prefer users to choose EA Desktop but with these ongoing issues it's hard to recommend. The Origin app isn't without its problems, but they are certainly fewer in number than EA Desktop. Hopefully these bugs will be ironed out before the Origin software is officially retired.
Another reality of subscription services is that the library is often anything but permanent, and games will eventually leave the platform. Older sports titles have been removed over time, often due to licensing issues. This isn't a terrible loss, since sports games tend to be an incremental improvement every year, so unless you were particularly fond of an older version it shouldn't bother you. What does bother me is the planned removal of Titanfall, one of the best games from EA. It is frustrating to see games disappear, especially if you had them in a list of games to play, since it can mess with your schedule.
EA Play: Is it worth it?
EA Play is overwhelmingly worth the money, even if you only subscribe to one month. Worth mentioning that if you find enough enjoyment from a couple of months of EA Play, then you should strongly consider the annual subscription. Twelve months for $30 is an absolute steal and still half the price of a blockbuster release, so you should easily find enough entertainment to justify spending that cash.
Alternatively, bundle EA Play together as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on your console. Enjoy EA titles alongside some of the best games on Xbox and still save plenty of money.
What it's great for ...
- Saving money
- Trials of upcoming EA games
- Trying out games you might not have considered
What it's not great for ...
- Bugs in software
- Physical collectors — no disc rentals here
- EA Play Pro overpriced on PC
EA Play
Bottom line: Another subscription service, but one with fantastic value for money. Grab it by itself or as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and enjoy the savings.
Ben Wilson
Channel Editor
Ben is the channel editor for all things tech-related at Windows Central. That includes PCs, the components inside, and any accessory you can connect to a Windows desktop or Xbox console. Not restricted to one platform, he also has a keen interest in Valve's Steam Deck handheld and the Linux-based operating system inside. Fueling this career with coffee since 2021, you can usually find him behind one screen or another. Find him on Mastodon @trzomb@mastodon.online to ask questions or share opinions.
FAQs
Is EA Play subscription worth it? ›
If you're someone who plays a lot of EA games and wants access to the latest titles as soon as they're released, then the subscription service is definitely worth considering. The early access to new releases alone could be worth the cost of admission, especially if you're a die-hard fan of a particular franchise.
Is EA Play for 1 year worth it? ›If you've made the dubious leap to getting EA Play, upgrading to EA Play Pro gives you access to newer titles. That's about it, honestly. So it's only worth it if you're a dedicated fan of EA titles.
How do you get 99 cents on EA Play? ›For those of you that haven't subscribed to the EA Play service, new members can join for . 99 cents on Xbox and PlayStation consoles for the first month. After the month is over, you can cancel your subscription or pay $4.99 a month or $29.99 for a full year.
Is it hard to cancel EA Play? ›Go to the EA Play section of Services. Select the button labeled Manage. Turn off Auto-Renew. Confirm your choice by selecting Confirm Cancellation.
What happens if you stop paying for EA Play? ›When you cancel, you'll have access to all membership features until the start of your Next Billing Date. If your membership expires or you cancel it, you won't be able to play games available with EA Play unless you've purchased them separately, or you reactivate your membership.
Does EA Play give you the full game? ›Game Trials
You can try out select new release games for up to 10 hours with no commitment. If you decide to buy, your saved progress carries over to the full game. Trial length and availability varies by title.
EA Play is the ultimate gaming destination for anyone who loves EA games. EA Play gives you more of your favorite Electronic Arts titles. More rewards, more exclusive trials, and more discounts – all for just $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year!
Does EA Play only give you 10 hours? ›@soloman2008 When you buy the regular version of EA Play, you get access to newly released games even if you don't buy them, but you can only play each one for (up to) 10 hours. So you can try almost anything new for free, but if you want to keep playing it past 10 hours, you'll need to buy a copy of the game.
Can you buy EA Play for only one month? ›EA Play is just $4.99 a month or $29.99 for a full year.
Is there a free trial for EA Play? ›One Free Trial per EA Account. After the trial, the current Origin Access monthly or annual membership fee will be billed. Cancel during the trial period without charge.
How much is EA Play first month? ›
>> Subscribe to EA Play on Steam for $0.99 for one month <<
After a month, you will be charged $4.99/per month. You can cancel your subscription anytime before the renewal date.
* Members receive a 10% discount on all EA digital purchases on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 including full games, Season Passes, points packs, and DLC.
Do you lose your games if you cancel EA Play? ›If you cancel you will keep your game progress, but won't be able to play EA Play games unless you purchase them or resubscribe. After you cancel your subscription, you will keep your benefits until the end of the current subscription period.
Do games get removed from EA Play? ›In 2020–2021 many third-party games were removed, and in April 2021 EA began removing older EA Sports games from the service.
Do games expire with EA Play? ›It is a subscription so if it is removed you no longer have access to it. If it comes back and you still have progress you will continue from it. EA rarely removes games from this list.
How much do you save with EA Play? ›Save 10% on purchases of Electronic Arts digital content including game downloads, Season Passes, points packs and DLC.
Is it possible to refund EA Play? ›You may return eligible EA full game downloads (PC or Mac) and participating third-party titles purchased on the EA app or Origin for a full refund. You can make a refund request: Within 24 hours after you first launch the game. Within 14 days from the day you bought it, if you have not launched the game.
How does EA Play 10 hour trial work? ›Check the status of your game pre-order
As part of your EA Play subscription, you can play selected titles with a 10-hour trial. Once the trial time has expired for the game you're playing, it can't be reinstated, nor can you add to any remaining trial time. This cannot be adjusted by Xbox Support or by EA Help.
Your account
You can set up monthly Spend Limits for games, expansions, and microcontent. By default, your account doesn't have any Spend Limits set up. To change your Spend Limits: Go to your EA Account and Billing Settings.
The Sims™ 4 EA Play Edition
Description: "EA Play* members get access to a library of great EA games and a 10% discount on additional expansion packs and other EA digital purchases.
What game brings in the most money for EA? ›
| Characteristic | Revenue in U.S. dollars |
|---|---|
| Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes | 109.93 |
| FIFA Soccer | 75.98 |
| Golf Clash | 44.03 |
| SimCity BuildIt | 35.81 |
Subscribe today to get exclusive monthly rewards, a collection of EA's best titles, trials of new EA games, and more for just $6.99 a month.
What does it mean to buy a game with EA Play? ›EA Play is a gaming membership that gives you access to some of EA's best games. Your membership comes with perks, like: Trying brand new games for a limited time before they launch. Saving 10% on EA digital purchases - like full games, expansion packs, and in-game currency.
What is the difference between EA Play and EA Play Pro? ›EA Play vs EA Play Pro
The extra titles on the EA Play Pro plan tend to be the latest releases – EA games that have come out in the last two years. If you have the EA Play plan, you can still play the 40+ games that are exclusive to the premium EA Play Pro plan.
That means if you have 90 days left on your EA Play for Xbox membership, it'll convert to 30 days of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Does EA Play give you early access? ›EA offers anyone who subscribes to EA Play 10 hours of unrestricted early access to all of their games, and FIFA 23 is no exception.
What happens if you play video games for 10 hours? ›Effects of Video Game Addiction
Gaming addiction is a compulsive mental health disorder that can cause severe damage to one's life. It's common for a video game addict to spend over 10 hours a day gaming, usually well into the night, and many suffer from sleep deprivation 2.
This is a paid-for ongoing subscription. You will be charged a recurring fee of $29.99 every 12 months until you cancel the subscription. Prices subject to change.
Do I have to pay for EA Play twice? ›Yes, you will have to buy the game again since you are going to play on a different platform. Sorry.
What games does EA Play come with? ›- EA SPORTS PGA TOUR The Sims 4 FIFA 23 Madden NFL 23 F1® 22 GRID Legends. ...
- STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor™️ EA SPORTS PGA TOUR WILD HEARTS™ Dead Space™ Need for Speed™ Unbound The Sims 4. ...
- NHL 23 FIFA 23 Madden NFL 23 F1® 22 GRID Legends Battlefield 2042 Apply Reset.
How long does EA Play free trial last? ›
Re: Does EA play allow you to play for ten hours on each game or in total? You get a trial period of 10hrs with each game that is not in the Vault, once the trial period is over you can no longer play the game and will have to purchase it to continue playing; you don't get 10hrs per month. Hope that helps.
Can you cancel EA Play free trial? ›The EA Play subscription can be cancelled by visiting Subscriptions Management. Please note: If you cancel you will keep your game progress, but won't be able to play EA Play games unless you purchase them or resubscribe.
How long do EA trials last? ›The FIFA 23 EA Play Trial gives players who've signed up for EA's service to try out the game for 10 hours. Read on below to find out when and how you can access it.
Does EA Play add new games monthly? ›In our experience, some games are added to the back catalogue after a few months, other, bigger games can take almost a year to be added. Finally, all EA Play members get 10 per cent off digital game purchases.
How to get EA Play for free on Xbox? ›If you're an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, you'll automatically receive EA Play on console and can browse and download EA Play games via the Xbox Game Pass experience on your console.
Does Playstation Store have EA Play discount? ›Get a discount on EA digital purchases
Get more from your game with exclusive challenges and in-game rewards, member-only content. Plus, members save 10% on their EA digital purchases.
Sorry but discounts don't stack, the largest available discount will be applied for you in the Store.
How long is EA early access? ›It should be noted that early access via EA Play is limited to 10 hours of play time. However, as well as early access, members also receive rewards, such as XP boosts, FUT packs and a library of EA games, including titles such as FIFA 22.
Will I lose progress if I unlink my EA account? ›When you unlink a platform account from your EA Account, you can link it to another EA Account, but your in-game progress will not transfer over. That means you'll permanently lose access to all of the following: games and game progress. DLC, expansions, and anything extra you have for your game.
Why am I banned from EA games? ›Why do people get banned or suspended? We'll take action on accounts when we see any content that's inappropriate or when there's evidence of cheating. We'll also take action against any account that posts vulgar, threatening, or harassing content in any EA game or on any EA website.
Will EA ever get rid of Origin? ›
Say farewell to EA's launcher! EA is officially saying goodbye to Origin. When you log in to the launcher, you will see a notification saying that later this year, the EA app for Windows will replace Origin as the destination for purchasing, downloading, and playing EA games.
Will Dead Space remake be on EA Play? ›The Dead Space Remake Is on EA Play Pro for PC, but Not Regular EA Play. Well, we've got good news and bad news. The game is, technically, on EA Play — but only through the service's higher-priced tier, EA Play Pro. So what does that mean for you?
Is EA Play worth it? ›If you're someone who plays a lot of EA games and wants access to the latest titles as soon as they're released, then the subscription service is definitely worth considering. The early access to new releases alone could be worth the cost of admission, especially if you're a die-hard fan of a particular franchise.
Do you keep EA Play games after subscription steam? ›Yes. If you're an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass member, you'll need to link your Xbox and EA accounts and make sure that you have installed the EA app, now in beta, to enjoy EA Play titles on PC.
What does EA Play subscription do? ›Previously called EA Access on Xbox One and PS4, and Origin Access on PC, EA Play is a subscription service that offers "all-you-can-eat" access to Electronic Arts' back catalogue of games, plus timed trials and early access for new games. You also get 10 per cent off the purchase of new or future games.
Do I get games for free with EA Play? ›Get into the action at home or on the go with EA's roster of free-to-play games on console, PC, and mobile. Choose from a lineup of outlaws, soldiers, misfits, and misanthropes then fight your way to the top in Apex Legends.
Is EA Play Pro better than EA Play? ›EA Play vs EA Play Pro
The extra titles on the EA Play Pro plan tend to be the latest releases – EA games that have come out in the last two years. If you have the EA Play plan, you can still play the 40+ games that are exclusive to the premium EA Play Pro plan.
Following a recent rebrand and a hefty partnership with Xbox, EA has announced that its own subscription-based game library EA Play now has nearly 13 million active players.
How long is EA Play on sale? ›>> Subscribe to EA Play on Steam for $0.99 for one month <<
You can cancel your subscription anytime before the renewal date. The EA Play offer on Steam runs until March 8th, 2023.
How do I keep EA access games forever? You buy the games separately. EA Play(formerly EA Access) is only a subscription service that give you the games for whatever month you pay for it.
Is Sims 4 free with EA Play? ›
Already have the EA app for Windows or Origin for Mac? Open your launcher and download for free! The Sims 4 is not available on mobile devices.
How do I upgrade from EA Play to pro? ›- Go to your EA Account Settings.
- In the navigation panel on the left-hand side, click on EA Play.
- Next to Membership, click Change.
- On the new page that opens, click Change Membership.
- Choose whether you want to upgrade to the monthly or yearly plan for EA Play Pro, then click Confirm Change.
Get more from your game – more rewards, more exclusive content, and unlimited access to more top titles for a month. Unlock exclusive rewards and member-only content. Get instant access to a collection of EA's best-loved games. Play select new-release EA games for up to 10 hours.
Is EA Play included with PS Plus? ›If you want to play multiplayer games on EA Play, get a subscription to PlayStation®Plus.