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PoV: EA Sports announces Season Ticket program
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After months of rumors and speculations, EA Sports today announced its Season Ticket initiative, a new program which aims to provide gamers "premium benefits for a better gaming experience on five participating EA Sports titles," or from what I call it nowadays, another cash grabbing inititiave from the greedy publishers.
For a US$ 24.99 or 2,000 Microsoft points annual fee, EA Sports is offering gamers four all-new program benefits: "access to play all participating EA Sports games via a full-game digital download three days before consumers have the option to purchase a disc at retail launch; a 20-percent discount on downloadable game content; free premium web content; and membership recognition. GameStop will introduce EA SPORTS Season Ticket in North America with an innovative multichannel marketing campaign, including its PowerUp Rewards program of more than 11 million members."
The program will start with this month’s release of Madden NFL 12, and will then include future releases of Madden NFL Football, NHL hockey, FIFA Soccer, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR golf and NCAA Football. Here's the full benefits of the program according to EA:
- 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.
Ok, this sounds like a complete rip-off to me. You'll have a benefit to download the entire game three days in advance, but once the game hits retail, you'll have to purchase it on disc if you want to keep playing. What the hell?
Any of you guys excited about EA's Season Ticket program? Or do you feel ripped off by this greedy publishers? Share your thoughts below or continue the discussion at the forums.
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Comments
So i say no one buys this game and if you have respect to the gaming industry in any way you would spread this to all the forums you know.
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WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FUCK?!
So people get a 3 day edge? Yeah, because that's going to convince people into paying $25. A rental is cheaper! And if you're lucky enough to know someone who works in a rental shop you can get the game up to a week before everyone else!
The sad thing is, people will actually buy this because they can. And without knowing it, they're actually condoning what EA are doing.
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