PS Plus and Netflix have set the trend, as EA is now also significantly increasing the prices of its subscriptions. The Californian publisher recently announced its intention to increase prices on May 10, and anyone who wants to sign up for a new subscription will now have to pay more than before. EA Play offers players access to a library of select games and discounts in the online store. Additionally, some new games can be played before their release.
Specifically, EA Play Standard will increase from $3.99 to $5.99 per month, or from $29.99 to $39.99 per year. The cost of EA Play Pro will increase from $14.99 to $16.99 per month and from $99.99 to $119.99 per year. In addition to the additional in-game content, the Pro version differs in that all new releases are included in the catalog. EA did not specify the reason for the increases, but other media groups have already raised subscription prices in recent months. The ongoing crisis in the gaming industry may have triggered the move. However, the price increase isn’t the only change to subscriptions; The allowed playtime of trial versions will also be reduced from 10 to 5 hours.
Microsoft’s Game Pass as an alternative
The Xbox Game Pass for PC may be an alternative for some. In addition to the Microsoft catalog, it also includes EA Play Standard. The basic version of Game Pass for PC costs around $10, which, compared to EA Play’s $6, represents much better value for users. However, a price increase in the future cannot be ruled out. The last price increase for Game Pass was in August last year.
