Microsoft has announced that membership to its Xbox Game Pass for PC will now include access to Electronic Arts' EA Play at no extra cost. No specific date has been announced, but the fusion of the two subscription services is set for "Holiday 2020".
Previously known as EA Access and Origin Access, EA Play is Electronic Art's own game subscription service which can be readily bought through console and PC storefronts, including Steam. Subscribers get access to a 60-strong game library of EA titles, including The Sims, Mass Effect, Battlefield, Titanfall 2, and Fifa 2020 for $5/ £4 per month. But that price has been completely pushed aside with its addition to the Xbox Game Pass. Combine both EA Play's 100+ games library with the Game Pass library and that's a lot of games.
The EA Play membership also includes discounts on the EA's digital games, in-game rewards, trials of upcoming games like Madden NFL 21 and Fifa 21, and those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be able to play on Android devices.
The Xbox Games Pass is a great way to play a lot of games on the cheap, and, even before EA Play was added, it stood as one of the best deals in PC gaming. When first signing up you get your first month for $1/£1 and after that, it's been $5/£4 for the following months, though that price is rising now that it's leaving beta next week. I've really enjoyed my subscription to Game Pass and I'm looking forward to diving back into The Sims when it joins the service later this year.
