Before you freak out, this is a completely optional program for EA Sports biggest fans. EA Sports Season Ticket is a subscription based program that is said to bring premium benefits across five EA Sports Titles. The subscription has an annual fee of $24.99 or 2000 Microsoft Points, and will earn subscribers four new premium benefits.
Subscribers will get these benifits for the following EA Sports games,Madden NFL Football, NHL hockey, FIFA Soccer, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf and NCAA® Football:
· Early Full-Game Digital Access: Three days before a game’s scheduled release, fans will be able to download and play the full version of all five participating titles on Xbox 360 and PS3™**. The digitally downloaded game will time out when the game is available at retail and consumers have the option to purchase the same full game on disc at retail. EA SPORTS Season Ticket subscribers can transfer all achievements earned during the three-day download period to the purchased disc, resulting in an early edge over the competition.
· Discounted Downloadable Content: Subscribers will get a 20-percent discount on all available downloadable content for participating EA SPORTS titles. Downloadable content, which enhances and refreshes the core game experience, includes such items as Ultimate Team packs, accelerator packs and gear upgrades.
· Free Premium Web Content: Premium web content extends the game experience beyond the console to a web browser. All participating titles will feature premium web content that will be free to EA SPORTS Season Ticket members beginning with the premium Creation Center packs for FIFA Soccer 12. These packs provide a deeper set of customization tools and abilities within Creation Center to build your own teams and tournaments, and will be available to the consumer until the membership to the program has expired.
· Membership Recognition: Subscribers are easily identifiable with an exclusive membership recognition badge displayed both in-game and on their EASPORTS.com profile.
I don’t play sports games period, so this service isn’t exactly geared towards me. I’m not exactly sure how the core EA Sports fans will look at this program, being an outsider looking in, this program doesn’t look all that attractive. So you get to play the game a full three days early, big deal, you still have to go out and purchase the game. As for 20% off DLC, that sounds great but is there even DLC worth purchasing for sports games?
EA Sports President, Peter Moore, had this to say:
“EA SPORTS Season Ticket is an exciting program for our core fans – it lets our biggest fans play earlier, play more and play better than anyone else,” said Peter Moore, President, EA SPORTS. “EA SPORTS Season Ticket is an important step in our vision for transforming how deeply fans connect with the sports games they love through digital products and services. We’re excited to continue evolving EA SPORTS Season Ticket as we listen to what consumers want most in their gaming experiences.”
I respect that they’re trying to strengthen the EA Sports brand and all, but this might not be the way to do it. EA Sports fanatics, let me know what you think of the Season Ticket service.
