Major videogame developer, Electronic Arts is finally bringing their premium video gaming service, EA Access, to Sony's PlayStation 4. The subscription will be available at $4.99 (approx. Rs. 350) billed monthly, or at $29.99 (approx. Rs. 2,100) billed annually, the same prices as on the Xbox One.
The service enables users to download and play full games on the console for as long as they are active subscribers. It offers over 50 games from the publishing house, with additional benefits, including exclusive access to early releases of major titles and a 10 percent discount on digital videogame purchases, expansions and in-game items.
This decision has come as a change for Sony. A representative from the company had said back in 2014 that the service did not "bring the kind of value PlayStation customers have come to expect." PlayStation Plus is Sony's own service, which gives access to full games and special offers on popular titles at Rs. 600 per month.
The 'Vault' of EA Access includes popular titles, ranging in genre from sports to simulation to action and adventure. Among the growing library of games are the latest titles as well as older ones. Some of the popular names are FIFA 19, Anthem, The Sims 4, Need For Speed: Payback, Burnout Paradise: Remastered, Unravel 2, Mass Effect: Andromeda, A Way Out, Mirror's Edge, Titanfall 2, Battlefield 1, Star Wars: Battlefront 2, NHL 19, Madden 19 and UFC 3.
EA Access brings Xbox 360 games to the Xbox One, but we might not see this feature on the PlayStation since the console does not yet support backward compatibility.
Xbox users can rejoice. The two subscription-based services – Xbox Gold and Xbox Game Pass – are getting an upgrade. The former enables an online gaming experience, while the latter grants full access to a huge library of games. Both services will be merged into one wholesome package, which will be called Xbox Game Pass Ultimate available for $14.99 (approx. Rs. 1,050) billed monthly.
Slow internet has held back Indian gamers from using digital stores everywhere, but with the onset of 5G technology in India, it seems like the perfect time for companies to adapt. This move to bring major games at steep discounts to players is apparent as the gaming industry is going through a digitisation phase (see Stadia). Several publishers have begun offering games through digital means only. Notably, Steam had been a major perpetrator of this shift, garnering infamy for the enticing discounts.
