EA’s interest in subscription-based release methodologies is deepening with the announcement of a new premium subscription tier for their Origin platform. Called Origin Access Premier, the new tier will allow PC players to access new release EA titles up to five days ahead of their official launch.
That includes big draw AAA titles like Battlefield V and Anthem as well as EA Sports stalwarts like Madden NFL 19 and FIFA 19. This is good news for excited fans who can’t wait any longer, but we’ll be interested to see how it affects communities of games like Battlefield V where player progression is generally tied to available loadouts. How’s it going to feel for people jumping in on the official release date to find players with five days worth of higher tier gear waiting for them? An argument could easily be made that this is no different to weapons granted as a pre-order bonus, and you may be right to make that comparison. Time’s gonna tell on this one.
This early-bird functionality is an add-on to the Origin Access Basic subscription which is EA’s attempt to take on Steam, an on-demand platform that is home to hundreds of games not only from EA but from other publishers like Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment and numerous indies.
The service is still a little ways off right now, but there’s already confirmed Australian pricing set at $19.99 AUD monthly or $119.95 for a full 12 month sub.
You can find out more over at the official site.
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