It’s no secret that large publishers and game developers are doing their best to attract new customers. In the 21st century, the vast majority of them have their own platforms for trading digital products, on which they constantly offer goods at a promotional price, arrange global sales, all kinds of Black Fridays, etc. Examples of such platforms are, for example, Steam, Xbox Live, Uplay … Each of them has its own characteristics and, of course, provides opportunities to buy games from completely different developers.
Electronic Arts, which started out as a game publisher, was later able to acquire several successful and promising developers, which brought it a lot of money and worldwide fame among gamers. The corporation’s most famous products have become a series of sports games, especially FIFA, as well as the very popular Need For Speed racing series and the multiplayer shooter Battlefield.
What is this Origin Access, how much does it cost, what games can the user enjoy and on what terms?
What is Origin Access?
It should be noted right away that Origin and Origin Access are slightly different things. The first is a digital client in the form of a program or an Internet resource that allows you to purchase and install purchased games , store their saves, auto-update, chat with friends in an online chat, etc.
Origin Access is a paid subscription that allows its owner to have access to certain games. By purchasing it, the user has the right to play throughout the paid period without restrictions. In addition, everyone who buys a subscription automatically receives a bonus in the form of a 10% discount on all games in the store, which, by the way, is added to other discounts and promotional offers.
How it works?
The algorithm of the subscription is very simple. The user purchases it for a symbolic 249 rubles per month, and in return gets unlimited access to a certain list of games called The Vault. In addition to the monthly subscription, users can also pay for an annual subscription, which costs 2988 rubles. At the moment, a subscription will provide you with the opportunity to play 29 games, including, for example, the entire Mass Effect series, Need For Speed Rivals and Most Wanted, 3 parts of the space-horror Dead Space, Titanfall and others. The store encouragingly assures that the list of games will continue to expand.
All games are complete, not demos. By the way, the subscription also allows you to see the early and beta versions of the games.
Pros and cons of an Origin Access membership
Now, having figured out what services this subscription provides, you should sort out its advantages and disadvantages on the shelves. Let’s start with the pros:
- Prices for games these days are almost a fortune for some gamers. Just by looking at the list of games a subscriber will have access to and comparing them to the prices of the full version, many will not hesitate for a long time, because the latter costs quite a lot compared to the subscription. For example, Battlefield 4 Premium Edition now costs as much as 1999 rubles. If you just wanted to play a variety of games for a month or two, this subscription makes it affordable and possible.
- Sometimes new games get a pretty cool reception, or they have a lot of both positive and negative reviews. It becomes not entirely clear whether it is worth your attention and time spent or not? Of course, it’s best to try the product yourself and give it a personal rating. With this subscription, the user can test a new game or an early version of it at any time.
- The bonus in the form of a 10% discount on the entire product range looks very nice. Many special editions of games can boast a price tag of 3, 4, and sometimes 5 thousand rubles, so a small discount is at least a pleasant addition to the purchase.
Any product has two sides of the coin. Since the pros are already obvious and described, let’s look at the cons:
- As we have already found out, the subscription is valid for exactly one month, after which you can renew it by paying for the next month or turn it off in the profile settings. Upon expiration, the user loses access to all downloaded games, and with this, the 10% discount in the store.
- A subscription is clearly not suitable for someone who simply does not have enough time to take advantage of it. Everything is strict here. You didn’t have time to play due to personal reasons – this is purely your problem.
- Those gamers who especially liked a certain game, and they clearly intend to go through and replay it more than once, should also pass by. It is much easier to buy the full version, because access to it will not disappear in a month, and you will not have to pay for a whole list of other games that, quite possibly, are absolutely not interesting to you personally.
- If you have your own collection and always keep your games close by, this option is also not for you. After all, as already mentioned, after the subscription expires, the user loses access to games.
In general, each gamer himself will determine the appropriateness of buying the considered subscription. After all, while providing undoubted advantages, it at the same time has a number of disadvantages that many may not like. You just have to paint all the pros and cons for you personally and decide whether the purchase is worth the money spent.
