Xbox Game Pass adds EA Play at no extra cost

By Chris Morris September 9, 2020

Microsoft and Electronic Arts are teaming up to accelerate the arrival of the Netflix pricing model to the video game industry. The companies announced Wednesday, September 9 that Xbox Game Pass members would receive an EA Play membership at no extra cost beginning this holiday.

The announcement brings 60 more titles to the all-you-can-play service, including FIFA 20, Titanfall 2 and Need for Speed Heat. Players will also get up to 10-hour trials on newer titles such as Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21. EA Play access also includes some of EA’s biggest franchises, including Battlefield, Mass Effect, Skate, and The Sims.

That’s on top of the over 100 Microsoft games that are already a part of Game Pass and the looming arrival of access to Microsoft’s xCloud streaming service.

Gamers with an “Ultimate” subscription will be able to access EA Play on their Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and Windows 10 PCs.

Game Pass has been an increasingly popular service with Xbox owners. The company says 10 million people have signed up for it over the past three years.

The partnership is part of a growing tsunami of news Microsoft has been releasing in recent days as it prepares for the November 10 launch of Xbox Series X. Also on Wednesday, the company announced pre-orders for the Xbox Series X would open up on September 22. And on Tuesday, it confirmed the long-rumored Xbox Series S – a smaller version of its next-generation console, with fewer onboard features – and shocked players with a low $299 price point.

Sony, meanwhile, has remained silent about pricing and dates for the PlayStation 5, which has given Microsoft the spotlight to make its case to gamers. Sony is expected to begin making its own announcements soon.

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Chris Morris has covered consumer technology and the video game industry since 1996, offering analysis of news and trends and…

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