Massive EA Play price hike in South Africa

Electronic Arts has recently implemented a significant price increase on its EA Play game subscription service in South Africa, with substantial hikes across various subscription plans.

The adjustments were conveyed to EA Play subscribers through emails in multiple countries, highlighting South Africa as one of the regions facing considerable price increases.

For the regular EA Play membership on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, the monthly price is being raised from R48.50 to R89.95, marking an 85% increase.

Furthermore, the annual subscription cost has surged from R299 to R649.95, reflecting a notable 117% increment.

Similarly, EA Play Pro’s monthly price is ascending from R200 to R304.99, while the annual plan cost is escalating by over R500, transitioning from the previous price of R1,199 to R1,699.95.

Electronic Arts has stated that these price adjustments are intended to ensure that members continue to receive the benefits and content they appreciate.

The company emphasized, “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 revised pricing structure is already in effect for new subscribers, while existing members will begin paying the new fees on their next billing date on or after 10 May 2024.

The following table outlines the previous and updated prices of EA Play and EA Play Pro subscriptions in South Africa.

EA Play offers access to a variety of games from Electronic Arts, including popular titles from franchises like Battlefield, FIFA, Mass Effect, Need for Speed, Star Wars Jedi, and Sims, along with providing 10% discounts in the EA store.

Additionally, EA Play Pro grants access to the publisher’s new releases on launch day.

Interestingly, with the revised pricing, a standalone EA Play subscription on PC now surpasses the cost of a Microsoft PC Game Pass subscription, which includes EA Play and numerous games from Microsoft studios and third-party developers.

Moreover, the Game Pass Ultimate subscription, incorporating EA Play on Xbox consoles, is only about R40 more expensive than a standalone EA Play subscription, a notable decrease compared to the previous margin of R80.50.

PlayStation users appear to be significantly impacted by these adjustments, particularly as EA Play is not included in their PS Plus subscriptions.

Microsoft Cracks Down on Game Pass Stacking Loophole

Concurrently with EA’s price changes, Microsoft has reportedly begun blocking users from stacking cheaper Game Pass subscriptions in specific countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, and Turkey.

Previously, users could extend their Game Pass subscriptions up to 36 months in advance, but now they are restricted to a maximum of 13 months.

As a result, users in these regions will also no longer be able to access EA Play at reduced rates.

It is not uncommon for users in countries with higher Game Pass subscription fees to alter their region settings to access more affordable plans in regions like South Africa and India.

South Africa’s previous price of R48.50 per month for EA Play was notably low in comparison to developed nations.

For instance, the price was formerly $4.99 (R93.35) in the US and £3.99 (R93.76) in the UK, whereas the new price of R89.95 in South Africa aligns more closely with the revised $5.99 (R112.06) and £5.99 (R140.77) rates in those countries.

Source: MyBroadband