EA Sports Debuts Premium Pass - Moving Toward Subscriptions?

Thanks to GameInformer for its story discussing EA Sports' announcement of a new Premium Pass service for Madden NFL 2005 players. Although it's explained that "This package of paid subscription-level features will be available [on the PS2 and Xbox Live] at no cost to Madden NFL 2005 owners, as long as the user enters their credit card number, by way of sponsorship by Dodge", there's some speculation that subsequent Madden seasons will include a higher-tier, optional fee, especially as "If you do not have a credit card, you can still sign up for the EA Sports Premium Pass with a PayPal account, or Telecheck for $19.95." In the meantime, this extra service means: "Players who sign up for the EA Sports Premium Pass receive a boost to their online Reputation Rating, which is a publicly visible indicator that rewards and penalizes players for following EA Sports Fair Play rules", as well as receiving: "Name in lights... personalized career pages... members only medals [and forthcoming] Web leagues [and] enhanced Web tournaments." Update: 08/06 17:47 GMT by S : Game Informer now has an interview with EA's Chip Lange which helps clarify the subscription-related shenanigans.

wait and see

[Anonymous Coward]

wait till you go buy c&c generals 2 and find out you have to pay to play online

"EA games, own everything"

Not Fair

[thebdj]

This just isn't fair. The reason they are trying to do this is because people on XBox are already having to pay for XB Live and EA figures they should get into the act as well.

The reason I bought a PS2 is because I could play the games I liked, including EA games online for free. I guess I will just go back to the PC versions of the games which typically play faster, load faster and look better then they do on my PS2.

Re:Wait a minute...

[Goldberg's Pants]

What do you mean becoming?

Dreamcast: EA never touched it, died a death.

Of course, it didn't help that Microsoft allegedly paid them off to not release Shenmue 2 in the US market. Valve were also allegedly paid to can Half Life for the DC too. (Heard both allegations from people involved in development.)

EA are evil. They represent everything wrong with the gaming industry. If this plan succeeds, which it will because people are sheep, you just wait... EA have opened the floodgate.

Mark my words folks. This could very well the end of free online gaming as we know it. A class system is being created with this plan of EA's. Not content with fucking people with updated rosters and a couple of new features every year, and charging top dollar for it, they now want you to pay all year round.

EA aren't becoming the Microsoft of games publishers. They already ARE.