Electronic Arts has implemented a big price hike on its EA Play game subscription service in South Africa, including more than doubling the fee of its entry-level annual plan.<\/p>\n
The adjustments were confirmed in emails sent to EA Play subscribers in multiple countries, but South Africa seems to be getting among the worst hikes.<\/p>\n
The monthly price of a regular EA Play membership on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox is increasing from R48.50 to R89.95, an 85% hike.<\/p>\n
The annual subscription price has been raised from R299 to R649.95, a whopping<\/em> 117% increase.<\/p>\n EA Play Pro’s monthly price is also jumping from R200 to R304.99, while the annual plan is getting hiked by over R500, going from its previous price of R1,199 to R1,699.95<\/p>\n Electronic Arts said the price changes allow it to keep giving members all the benefits and content they love.<\/p>\n “The service we offer has grown in value since it launched almost 10 years ago, and we plan to add even more value for members in the future,” the company said.<\/p>\n The new pricing already applies for new subscribers, while existing members will start paying the new fees on their next billing data on or after 10 May 2024.<\/p>\n The table below shows the old and new prices of EA Play and EA Play Pro in South Africa.<\/p>\n EA Play provides access to dozens of the publisher’s games, including popular titles from the Battlefield, Fifa, Mass Effect, Need for Speed, Star Wars Jedi, and Sims franchises, and 10% discounts in its store.<\/p>\n EA Play Pro adds access to some of the publisher’s new releases on launch day.<\/p>\n Strangely, the price change means a standalone EA Play subscription on PC is now more expensive than a Microsoft PC Game Pass subscription that includes access to EA Play, as well as hundreds of other games from Microsoft game studios and third-party publishers.<\/p>\n The Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which adds access to the Game Pass library with EA Play on Xbox consoles, is now also only about R40 more expensive than a standalone EA Play subscription, where it previously cost R80.50 more.<\/p>\n The biggest losers in the adjustments seem to be PlayStation users, who don’t get EA Play on their PS Plus subscriptions.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n EA Play prices in South Africa<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Subscription option<\/strong><\/td>\n Old price<\/strong><\/td>\n New price<\/strong><\/td>\n Difference<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n EA Play monthly<\/td>\n R48.50<\/td>\n R89.95<\/strong><\/td>\n +85%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n EA Play annual<\/td>\n R299<\/td>\n R649.95<\/strong><\/td>\n +117%<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n EA Play Pro monthly<\/td>\n R200<\/td>\n R304.95<\/strong><\/td>\n +52%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n EA Play Pro annual<\/td>\n R1,199<\/td>\n R1,699.95<\/strong><\/td>\n +42%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Microsoft cracks whip on Game Pass stacking loophole<\/h2>\n