Tag: xbox game pass ultimate

Battlefield 2042 Coming to EA Play, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in Time for Season 3

Battlefield 2042 is coming to EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. In a development update blog post, EA confirmed that starting with Season 3, its multiplayer shooter will be included as part of its own subscription service, which also comes packaged with Xbox’s high-tier gaming subscription plan. The publisher has not unveiled a release window for the next chapter, but hopes to rope in wary players, who’ve avoided the game since its troubled launch in late YEAR. In December, EA has planned free access periods across all major platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.

“We’re proud of the work that we’ve done over the past 12 months and so if you haven’t jumped in yet, starting in Season 3 we’ll be introducing Battlefield 2042 into Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and making the game available for subscribers with EA Play,” the post reads.

With Season 3, developer DICE will reintroduce Classes to Battlefield 2042, placing Specialists within defined roles that see them equipped with a unique set of gadgets, suited to specific situations on the field. Similar to past entries in the franchise, Classes are divided into four types: Assault is equipped with a med pen, the Engineer has a repair tool, Recon players carry an insertion beacon, and the Support types have a defibrillator at the ready, for quick revivals. This will be deployed as part of Update 3.2, scheduled for the early part of 2023, which falls during the latter half of the aforementioned Season 3 multiplayer component.

For those who can’t bothered with EA Play or Game Pass Ultimate, EA has also confirmed a free trial period across all platforms, hoping to bring boost the player base for Battlefield 2042. The game was received poorly by fans and critics alike at launch, due to the slew of glitches, rendering issues, and underuse of map segments. EA cut down development costs on several iconic aspects such as destructible environments and a campaign segment, while not bothering to iron out bugs before launch.

Here are the details for the free Battlefield 2042 trial period:

  • PC (Steam): From December 1, at 11:30pm IST/ 10am PT through to December 5, 11:30pm IST/ 10am PT
  • PS4, PS5: From December 16, at 9:30pm IST/ 8am PT through to December 23, 9:30pm IST/ 8am PT
  • Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X: From December 1, at 1:30pm IST/ 12:01am PT through to December 5, 1:29pm IST/ December 4, 11:59pm PT

EA also plans to introduce a new Specialist soon, alongside a new battle pass, events, changes to the Battlefield Portal, and several quality-of-life improvements. Battlefield 2042’s “Manifest” and “Breakaway” maps are also getting reworked in season 3, with the latter receiving a “massive overhaul.”

In September, EA established Ridgeline Games, a new studio dedicated to the Battlefield franchise, that will focus on creating a proper campaign experience. The component has been lacking in recent entries, but will see a positive shakeup under Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto’s direction, who will lead the new Seattle-based team, composed of industry veterans. The publisher first spoke about building a new campaign-focused team for Battlefield, merely weeks after 2042’s launch, completely revamping their management. At the time, Vince Zampella, CEO, Respawn Entertainment — known for Titanfall and Apex Legends — was put in charge of the series, aiming to build a “connected Battlefield universe,” exploring new experiences and stories.

Currently, there is no launch window for Battlefield 2042 Season 3, but it will be out on EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate once that happens.

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FIFA 22 Is Coming to EA Play, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on June 23

FIFA 22 is coming to the Play List later this month, Electronic Arts announced on Tuesday. EA’s latest entry its popular FIFA series will be available at no extra cost with an EA Play or an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. FIFA 22 is the last of EA Sports’ titles from 2021 — including F1 2021, Madden NFL 22, and NHL 22 — to become part of the Play List. Meanwhile, the publisher also announced recurring member-only benefits for subscribers while playing FIFA 22.

In a post on Microsoft’s Xbox blog, EA revealed on Tuesday that FIFA 22 is coming to the Play List on June 23. EA’s Play List includes a list of several popular titles including It Takes Two, Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Star Wars: Squadrons, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, as well as other 2021 EA Sports titles such as F1 2021, Madden NFL 22, and NHL 22.

EA Play, which is included as part of an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, will offer member-only challenges and in-game rewards on FIFA 22 later this month, according to the publisher. These rewards include Volta Apparel, coins, Ultimate Team Seasonal XP Boosts, and Stadium Sets. Members also have access to 10 hours of free playtime for new releases, and can purchase EA digital content at a 10 percent discount.

FIFA 22 Review: More Arcade Than Ever

Last month, EA announced that FIFA 23 would be the last FIFA-branded game from EA Sports — following titles will switch to EA Sports FC from next year. EA parted ways with world football governing body FIFA which it had partnered with nearly three-decades ago, after they failed to strike a new licensing deal. The first EA Sports FC title after FIFA 23 will be unable to include FIFA-specific content such as the World Cup.

EA also began testing cross-play — also known as cross-platform play support — for multiplayer matches for current generation consoles last month. This means that gamers on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Google Stadia can play Online Seasons and Online Friendlies modes with others across these devices. EA Sports could be working on adding support for cross-play on other game modes for the upcoming FIFA 23 title, which expected to release later this year.

Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — including EA Play, Xbox Live Gold/ Xbox network, as well as game streaming in select markets — is priced at Rs. 499 per month, or Rs. 5,999 per year on PC and console in India. EA Play is priced at Rs. 315 a month, or Rs. 1,990 a year, while EA Play Pro is priced at Rs. 999 a month, and Rs. 6,499 a year. Gamers can subscribe via the EA App, stores for PlayStation and Xbox, and Steam.

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Microsoft Says Over 10 Million People Have Streamed Games via Xbox Cloud Gaming Till Date

Microsoft announced its earnings report for the its FY22 Q3 period on Tuesday, and on the earnings call, CEO Satya Nadella revealed that over 10 million people have streamed games using the Xbox Cloud Gaming service till date. However, it is not yet clear if these users have streamed games online through an active Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, or whether the games were streamed during the trial period before cancelling the subscription.

On the earnings call, Nadella said, “And with Xbox Cloud Gaming, we are redefining how games are distributed, played, and viewed. To date, more than 10 million people have streamed games. Many of our most popular titles, including Flight Simulator are now accessible on phones, tablets, low-spec PCs for the first time.” He added, “Billions of hours have been played by subscribers over the past 12 months, up 45 percent.”

These numbers can include active subscriptions, as well as those who purchased Xbox Game Pass Ultimate that can be cancelled later. Moreover, there is no description given for minimum playtime required to count one stream. However, the figures shared by Microsoft proves the popularity shared by Xbox Cloud Gaming, with a lot of people checking the service out. For those who are unaware, Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently in beta, and a part of the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate package, which can be subscribed at a cost of $14.99 per month (Rs. 499 a month in India, though Xbox Cloud Gaming is not available in India).

Back in January 2022, Microsoft revealed that it had achieved more than 25 million subscribers on Xbox Game Pass, which was up from last year’s 18 million subscriptions. In the recent Q3 earnings call, Microsoft has not delved into any details on the updated number of subscriptions on Xbox or PC Game Pass.

The quarterly report also revealed that Xbox gaming has accounted for 4 percent growth in content and services, while Xbox hardware revenue was up by 14 percent with an overall 6 percent boost for gaming revenue. In its forward-looking statements, the company stated that it will be “increasing focus on cloud-based services presenting execution and competitive risks,” along with lower revenues due to intense competition.

In March 2022, Microsoft India slashed subscription tariffs by roughly 28 percent, with a price drop for Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Xbox Live Gold, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions. The new subscription prices, active from April 1, starts at Rs. 499 per month for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, while the yearly subscription is now available at Rs. 5,999.

PS5 vs Xbox Series X: Which is the best “next-gen” console in India? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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