Origin Access Premier goes live next week

Electronic Arts revealed during an investors call today that Origin Access Premier, a new service announced at E3 that will give subscribers early access to new "frontline" games like Battlefield 5 and Anthem, will go live next week. More information about how the service will work was also shared on a new EA Help page. 

Current Origin Access accounts will be relabeled as "Basic," but will offer the same services it always has: A ten percent discount in the Origin Store, time-limited "Play First Trials" for new games, and access to The Vault. The Premier tier will have the same in-store discount and Vault access, but will provide unlimited access to full games, including major new releases, as long as the subscription is active. 

"We do know from our EA Access experience and our Origin Access experience for non-frontline titles that we find people play twice as many games for twice as long and spend twice as much money as they did outside, or before they joined the subscription," Electronic Arts CFO Blake Jorgensen said. "That's what led us to believe that frontline titles would be also very advantageous to the subscription, as well as help drive new users into the system."

Jorgensen cited Madden NFL 19 in August, FIFA 19 in September, Battlefield 5 in October, and Anthem in February 2019 as the four PC-based "frontline" games that will headline Origin Access Premier when it goes live.   

The soon-to-be-"Basic" Origin Access goes for $5 per month, or $30 per year, while the Premier tier will cost $15 per month, or $100 per year. Existing Access subscribers will not have their service changed when Premier goes live, but will be offered an option to upgrade. EA said more information is "coming soon."