EA Access members can play 10 hours of 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' before launch

By Danny Cowan January 23, 2017

mass effect andromeda trial coming to ea access meandro — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Want to get an early peek at BioWare’s next sci-fi epic? EA Access and Origin Access members can download a 10-hour trial version of Mass Effect: Andromeda starting on March 16, giving series fans an early look at the sequel’s new storyline developments and gameplay mechanics.

The trial offer is open to all paying members enrolled in the Xbox One-exclusive EA Access program. Origin Access members will get access to the PC demo version of Mass Effect: Andromeda on the same day. PlayStation 4 owners, however, will have to wait until launch day to get their hands on BioWare’s latest project.

Announced at E3 in 2015, Mass Effect: Andromeda is a sci-fi action-RPG that allows players to explore a series of massive otherworldly environments during a lengthy spacefaring quest. Gameplay alternates between exploration sequences and combat encounters with hostile alien life, requiring players to make effective use of their party’s skills and abilities in order to survive.

Mass Effect: Andromeda follows up on a trilogy of Mass Effect series releases for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC platforms. The latest sequel marks the franchise’s debut for current-generation consoles like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

In addition to securing exclusive access to the Mass Effect: Andromeda demo, EA Access members can also download and play full versions of the original Mass Effect games via the Xbox One’s backward compatibility feature. The original Mass Effect games are not currently downloadable as part of the PC-equivalent Origin Access service.

Gamers can start up an EA Access membership for as little as $5 a month, while a year’s subscription costs $30. Subscribers get access to dozens of free EA-published games via the service’s “Vault” feature. Other currently featured EA Access games include Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst, Battlefield 3, and Star Wars: Battlefront.

Mass Effect: Andromeda launches for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PCs on March 21 in North America. A European release will follow on March 23.

Editors' Recommendations

Lots of Mass Effect and Dragon Age DLC is now free for PC players

Topics

Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Gaming

The Nintendo Switch just got 2 surprise games — and they’re both worth grabbing

A teddy beat sits on an embroidery hoop in Stitch.

If you were unable to catch this week's Nintendo IndieWorld showcase, then you missed a surprisingly loaded show. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes got a May release date, WayForward showed off its Yars' Revenge revival, and Steamworld Heist 2 got an exciting reveal. In the midst of all those headlines, two smaller games were surprise released on the platform: Stitch and Sticky Business. Don't sleep on either of them, as they're both worth a purchase.

Both games are ports of previously released games, but both went a bit under the radar upon their original launch. Sticky Business modestly launched last summer on PC, whereas Stitch has actually been around since 2022 as an Apple Arcade exclusive. The latter even has an Apple Vision Pro version now that can be played in mixed reality. I can't blame anyone for missing either, but their Switch releases offer a good opportunity to catch up with some quiet hidden gems.

Computing

Is this Razer’s Steam Deck killer?

The Razer Kishi Ultra sitting on a table.

Razer has been oddly quiet in the burgeoning world of handheld gaming PCs. When I met up with the company at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) to learn about its new products, I was happy to hear it had an answer to the success of the Steam Deck.

But it was not the type of answer I was expecting.

Gaming

The best iPhone emulators

A collage of the delta emulator.

The market for iPhone games has become so wide and diverse that it can realistically compete with most console and PC offerings. Where we once only got cheap time-wasters, we now have complete experiences that don't feel any less impressive than what the competition offers. In fact, a lot of games made for consoles are appearing on the iPhone now that it is becoming so powerful. However, older games have paradoxically been mostly absent from the app store. That all could be about to change as emulation is now allowed on iPhone, though with some caveats that any retro fan should know about before getting too excited to play all your favorite NES games on your phone. Here's what's up with iPhone emulators, as well as our picks for a few of the best ones you can get right now.
What you need to know about emulation on iPhone
Emulators on iPhone, as well as emulation in general, are in a strange legal gray zone. Previously, the only way to get an emulator on your iPhone was through some workarounds that generally involved jailbreaking your phone, That differs from Android, which has enjoyed native emulators for years. In 2024, Apple updated its App Store guidelines to allow for emulators on its store, but with some important restrictions.

Here's the exact wording: "Apps may offer certain software that is not embedded in the binary, specifically HTML5 mini apps and mini games, streaming games, chatbots, and plug-ins. Additionally, retro game console emulator apps can offer to download games. You are responsible for all such software offered in your app, including ensuring that such software complies with these guidelines and all applicable laws. Software that does not comply with one or more guidelines will lead to the rejection of your app. You must also ensure that the software adheres to the additional rules that follow in 4.7.1 and 4.7.5. These additional rules are important to preserve the experience that App Store customers expect, and to help ensure user safety."