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EA is rebranding Origin and Access subscriptions as EA Play
EA Play events will be known as EA Play Live from now on.
EA and Valve's partnership includes connecting Steam and Origin friend lists
EA is once again selling its games through Steam, and it'll offer its EA Access games subscription service through Valve's platform as well. The partnership starts next month with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and multiplayer games such as Apex Legends and FIFA 20 are on the way to Steam too. When the latter games do arrive, you might find that your Origin and Steam friend lists are integrated.
EA Access game subscriptions finally go live on PS4
EA's subscription service, EA Access, finally arrives on PS4 today. For $5/month or $30/year, you'll get unlimited access to a range of games from EA's vault, including FIFA 19, Battlefield V, A Way Out, Titanfall 2, Mirror's Edge Catalyst and The Sims 4. More games will be added later, including FIFA 20 and Madden NFL 20.
'Battlefield 1' joins EA's on-demand gaming service
With EA Access' all-you-can-eat video game service, you can play full versions of the publisher's games, which include big name titles like Titanfall 2, Mass Effect: Andromeda, and FIFA 17. Today, the video game publisher tweeted that its popular shooter Battlefield 1 is now available for subscribers on Xbox One.
The best apps and streaming services for students
It's true that most of Engadget's back-to-school guide has comprised, well, gadgets, but as every nerd knows, a piece of hardware is only as good as the software it runs. That's why, to close out our guide, we wanted to highlight some apps and services worth downloading or subscribing to. On the media front, this is as good a time as any to see if you can survive in the adult world as a cord-cutter -- it's not like you're going to have a cable subscription in your dorm room, after all. If your parents are willing to share (or at least foot the bill), we recommend loading up on subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu and HBO Now -- you'll want different programs from each at some point. If you're a gamer and own a PlayStation, Sony's PS Now service is also worth the extra bucks, while Xbox One owners might want to pony up for EA Access. Music lovers will enjoy either Apple Music or Spotify, but your choice will come down partially to the other devices you own. As for schoolwork (yes, that thing), Google Drive is our favorite cloud-storage service, while Evernote and Bear both rank highly against other note-taking apps. Adobe's Creative Cloud could be worth it (or even necessary), depending on your major. Oh, and if you're worried about the "freshman 15," try MyFitnessPal -- it's a free app many of Engadget's own editors use to keep their calorie intake in check.
‘Titanfall 2’ arrives on EA’s PC and Xbox One subscription services
Titanfall 2, the criminally underrated man-vs.-mech multiplayer game that reliably releases new free content nearly every month, is now available for subscribers of EA's subscription services. Users on both EA Access on Xbox One and Origin Access on PC can play the game at no cost -- which is perfect timing, since the game's latest DLC introduced a new players-vs-computer horde mode that has likely reeled in a bunch of lapsed fans. Seriously, it's a game where wallrunning players try to dodge enemies in gun-toting mechs -- go play it already if you've already ponied up for EA's unlimited gaming services.
EA Access members get 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' five days early
If you're an EA Access subscriber you'll be able to play Mass Effect: Andromeda's first ten hours almost a week ahead of everyone else. Like Electronic Arts has done for games in the past, folks on Xbox One will be able to play the highly-anticipated sci-fi RPG five days before its retail release on March 21st. Sound familiar? That's because EA did the same thing for the most recent entry developer BioWare's other role-playing series, Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014. The news comes by way of a tweet from Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb. Xbox One is the only console where Access is available, but PC owners have the same deal with Origin Access according to Game Informer.
Play Xbox online for free this weekend
Microsoft has offered its Free Multiplayer Weekends before, but at the end of this week, the promotion will be available to both Xbox One and Xbox 360 together for the first time. In fact, it's the first time the free trial has been available on Microsoft's current-gen console. This means that from Thursday to Sunday (June 9-12), you'll be able to play with your pals online free of charge if you don't have an active Xbox Live Gold subscription. During that same period, Rocket League for Xbox One will also be free to play, so we hope you didn't already have plans.
EA's Vault is free for Xbox One Gold members next week
The EA Access Vault creaks open next week on Xbox One for those with an Xbox Live Gold membership, which enables many of the console's online functions. EA's Vault will be open from January 19th to 24th for Gold folks. Its library features 14 games, including Battlefield Hardline, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Titanfall, FIFA 15 and Madden 15.
Get a free game on every modern PlayStation console this weekend
PlayStation owners might not be blessed with Electronic Arts' EA Access subscription program, but the outfit's Peter Moore has a consolation prize for you. Sort of. Starting today at 3 p.m. Eastern / 12 p.m. Pacific, you can download Need for Speed: Most Wanted for PlayStation Vita, Mirror's Edge for PlayStation 3 and Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare on PS4, all for free on the PSN Store. Pretty cool, right? But, you can't put this off: when Moore took the stage at today's PlayStation Experience keynote, he said the downloads only last until midnight Pacific tomorrow night -- hopefully you have some free space on your Sony console of choice. If not, well, there's still time to make room. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Ubisoft won't attempt an unlimited gaming service until EA proves it can work
It turns out Electronic Arts' Access program has at least one high-profile spectator: Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. The Assassin's Creed and Watch Dogs company's head says that Ubisoft is keeping a keen eye on what that type of service can offer players, telling Game Informer that he's open to "any way" of giving fans access to Ubisoft's games. However, "it has to work well and be a smooth experience," he says. An Access-like system seems like the natural progression that the French company's been building toward for awhile, albeit slowly, putting various pieces in place and testing them out over time. Given Ubisoft's checkered history with DRM issues and that Uplay Passport system, though, it's probably better if Guillemot lets someone else deal with the growing pains with this time 'round.
EA Access restricts early 'Madden 15' gameplay to six hours
Thanks to EA's all-you-can-game subscription, early access to Madden 15 for those who fork over $5 per month is the closest thing the gridiron faithful will get to a demo this year. On top of that, gameplay for early access to the full title is capped at six hours according to the gaming service's Twitter account. In the past, there hasn't been a time limit for demos, but players were limited to options like one quarter of action at a time, and sometimes with a couple of pre-selected teams. Of course, EA Access is only available on Xbox One, so the PS4 faithful will have to wait until launch day for kickoff.
Every game in EA's on-demand service will always be in supply
So you're excited about the prospect of paying one low fee for all-you-can-eat, erm, access to a swath of Electronic Arts' games on Xbox One, yeah? Well the outfit has a few new details that might make its EA Access service a bit more enticing. For starters, any games on tap in "the Vault" won't disappear once they've been added. That means that Battlefield 4, Madden 25, Peggle 2 and FIFA 14 from the beta aren't going anywhere, EA's COO Peter Moore tells CVG. He also says that additional AAA games will be en route, but that EA hasn't quite figured out the specifics of when just yet. Moore notes that the Vault's catalog will be "substantial" and that new, permanent, additions to it will be determined based on franchise and timing. "We have to make decisions along that way, so there's no template, like 30 days after a game ships it goes into the Vault," he says. Could EA be preparing the Vault for Titanfall? We'll have to wait and see. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Sony rejected EA Access for the PS4 because it's not worth the money
EA revealed its new Access subscription service for the Xbox One yesterday, which lets you play a bunch of EA titles, take advantage of discounts and get upcoming games early in exchange for a small monthly (or yearly) fee. While it might've looked like a platform-exclusive partnership with Microsoft, Game Informer has learned that Sony actively rejected EA Access for the PlayStation 4. "We evaluated the EA Access subscription offering and decided that it does not bring the kind of value PlayStation customers have come to expect," Sony said, adding that the success of PS Plus "shows that gamers are looking for memberships that offer a multitude of services, across various devices, for one low price." And, just in case we hadn't got the message, Sony's statement concluded: "We don't think asking our fans to pay an additional $5 a month for this EA-specific program represents good value to the PlayStation gamer."
Engadget Daily: EA Access, upgrading your dumb home on a budget and more!
Today, we review LG's Heart Rate Monitor earphones, learn how to upgrade your dumb home on a budget, check out Apple's new Retina Macbook Pros and learn about a new Xbox game-streaming service called EA Access. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
'EA Access' subscription on Xbox One brings all-you-can-eat gaming for $5 per month
It appears EA and Microsoft have been paying attention to Netflix and PlayStation Now (which opens its doors to all PS4 owners in two days), and are combining to offer a different subscription service for gamers. The EA Access pass is available (currently in beta) for $5/£4 per month or $30/£20 per year and gives subscribers unlimited access to a "Vault" of games. Right now that list covers FIFA 14, Madden NFL 25, Peggle 2 and Battlefield 4, with the promise of more titles soon. Not enticed by the promise of last year's games plus 10 percent discounts on EA games, DLC, and in-game currency? They're also adding in early access trials for this year's round of EA sports games (Madden, NHL, NBA Live, FIFA) and Dragon Age: Inquisition that open up five days before the games go on sale and let your progress carry over to the retail version.
