Netflix for PC games/EA Access

Walking in the footsteps of OnLive.

Gosh, I kinda wish government would go around and set exec straight: a game is a product, not a service.
 
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Seems EA is planning to ditch Origin client for Netflix.
Steam killer is born!

Of course, only in EA's dreams.
 
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Legacy Customers

So if that was the case how would this impact those of us that already have games on the Origin client? No doubt we would get accounts but not pay anything or is there some legal mumbo-jumbo we agreed to without realizing it.

For TV it works for me (Virgin Media subscriber), but for games I am far more selective and I probably would not willingly pay a monthly subscription.

I can see EA would like this as it would ensure that they get a constant stream of cash so the odd bad game(s) would not threaten the company's survival.
 
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Anything that would slay the Origin platform is a good idea. However, if that means an entirely new platform, and not steam, I'll be taking a pass. I see no need to have multiple platforms on my computer, and if EA is in any way involved with this, just no. No, no, no, go away.
 
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Carnifex said:
Anything that would slay the Origin platform is a good idea. However, if that means an entirely new platform, and not steam, I'll be taking a pass. I see no need to have multiple platforms on my computer, and if EA is in any way involved with this, just no. No, no, no, go away.
Click to expand...

what will you do once steam decide to screw you over?
 
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Question I have with there be different content or games like with the choices of TV shows.

We have Netflix at my home because it is cheap and with busy lives my children like it for tv shows on weekends. But the content of US Netflix and Canada is vastly different.
 
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Does EA even have enough games in their catalogue realistically to offer sometning like this? I have a few of their games that feature limited activations and are now completely worthless.

In my perfect world, Ea sells off their good pc franchises like Dragon Age to a company that will support the customers. Leaving Ea free to concentrate on console and phone game nonsense. Good riddance!
 
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redman5427 said:
Does EA even have enough games in their catalogue realistically to offer sometning like this? I have a few of their games that feature limited activations and are now completely worthless.

In my perfect world, Ea sells off their good pc franchises like Dragon Age to a company that will support the customers. Leaving Ea free to concentrate on console and phone game nonsense. Good riddance!
Click to expand...

Free Bioware! :dance:
 
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azraelck said:
Use GoG exclusively, like I do. Granted, that's because of my stance on DRM viruses, and nothing else. Steam actually has never done anything wrong by me, but I stopped using their service regardless.
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I will ask you the question, what will you do if GoG screw you over? Stop playing games? :)

Ideally I like to have all my games on one platform however I believe multiple platforms are a necessary evil to keep the companies behind them in check.
 
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lostforever said:
I will ask you the question, what will you do if GoG screw you over? Stop playing games? :)

Ideally I like to have all my games on one platform however I believe multiple platforms are a necessary evil to keep the companies behind them in check.
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GOG can't screw you over.
Buy the game, download, backup on external HDD, install and play any time even if GOG goes bankrupt or something.

To be honest I don't think Steam games can't be played in offline mode too even if Steam disappears.

Unlike GOG and Steam, EA shuts down it's servers that are mandatory to run games, or simply pulls them from stores.
For example, one time superpopular Pet Society garbage is no more. On phones you can't buy Sims Ambitions nor Sims Medieval any more.

The best option you have: buy singleplayer games on PC that don't contain MMO garbage part inside. Any platform.
It's not 100% safe you won't get screwed, but is 99%.
 
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redman5427 said:
Does EA even have enough games in their catalogue realistically to offer sometning like this?
Click to expand...

As the article states they already have a subscription service on the consoles so the answer is a resounding yes.
The only two EA franchises that never get a PC release are Madden NFL and… NHL (I think?) but everything else would probably be a part of their PC service if it ever happens.

Also note that this isn't for new games, of course. I'm not sure when games get added to EA All Access on the consoles but it is a few months or a year after the release usually.

This service would therefore most likely exist in addition to Origin and not replacing it. They would almost certainly keep Origin for full price online sales just like their games are on the PSN or Xbox store for the consoles and not just on EA All Access.

I have a few of their games that feature limited activations and are now completely worthless.
Click to expand...

That's very odd because EA released tools in conjunction with most of their limited activation games that allowed you to manage your activations (there might have been a couple of games with limited activations that came out before the release of the tool but they could be managed retroactively). Maybe check here?
 
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On the question of number of games the survey talks about 5 publishers being involved. I don't know how big their catalogues are but there is roughly 84 titles mentioned in the article. They look like the best sellers over the last ten or so years. There are probably others they would add, probably based on the current user base.

The survey also indicates 4 options which have an availability of 1 month, 6 months, 9 months or 12 months after publication. I think some of us already wait several months for the bugs to be killed before purchasing so there would be no hardship waiting. It difficult to get data for EA Access but DA:I was released November 2014 but did not get to EA Access until August 2015 but the cost is £4/month or £20/year. (Figures/ data for GB).

I still don't like it but I think I said the same about Steam when it first turned up. Now I have three dozen games on Steam.
 
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hat's very odd because EA released tools in conjunction with most of their limited activation games that allowed you to manage your activations (there might have been a couple of games with limited activations that came out before the release of the tool but they could be managed retroactively). Maybe check here?
Click to expand...

Thats interesting. I have never heard of this but I remember doing something similar with Sacred 2. I have reformatted two of the three machines that I put a couple of these titles on so I wonder if It will still work.
Going to try it and will get back to you.
 
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redman5427 said:
Thats interesting. I have never heard of this but I remember doing something similar with Sacred 2. I have reformatted two of the three machines that I put a couple of these titles on so I wonder if It will still work.
Going to try it and will get back to you.
Click to expand...

By the way as an additional advice: If you install games with limited activations in the future, try to remember to properly uninstall them before reformatting. A proper uninstall procedure (control panel -> programs and features) will usually automatically free up the activation that was used.
Finally, some SecuROM protected titles also had an auto-reset where you got +1 activation back every... oh... I can't remember 90 days or so(?)

Anyway, I would be very surprised if you can not activate any of the games you own. EA regularly shut down multiplayer servers so you can no longer play some of their older titles online (at least not on official servers... there are, however, community servers for some popular titles such as the C&C games) but activations should always work.
 
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