EA Access and its “Vault” bring select games from the publisher exclusively to the Xbox One, including past sports titles such as FIFA 14, NBA Live 15, and Madden NFL 15. The program also allows members to play several major releases nearly a week in advance; for instance, FIFA 15 was available to play on EA Access five days before it went on sale last year. Similarly, a small trial of Dragon Age: Inquisition and the Battlefield Hardline campaign were also playable several days in advance.
Related: EA Access: What is it and what does it mean for you?
While EA Access is available for a $5 monthly subscription fee on Xbox One, the service is unlikely to arrive on other platforms. Last summer, Sony told Game Informer that the service “does not bring the kind of value that PlayStation customers have come to expect.” The services would have offered an alternative to Sony’s own PlayStation Plus program, which similarly offers games for unlimited free play for as long as one remains a subscriber.
The Xbox One-exclusivity of EA Access could limit the impact of FIFA 15 being offered for free. Although the console has found success in North America, EA Sports’ soccer franchise appeals to an international audience that hasn’t jumped on board the Xbox One train yet.
Da has still given PlayStation owners some freebies, however. Late last year, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare was made available for free (to keep) during the PlayStation Experience event, as were Need for Speed: Most Wanted and cult classic Mirror’s Edge. This came just months after Garden Warfare — initially an Xbox exclusive — arrived to Sony’s systems.
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