Is EA Play on Steam Worth It? Yes, for Steam-focused Gamers

As an avid Steam user myself, I would say EA Play is definitely worth getting on Steam specifically if you are invested in Valve‘s platform. The more limited game catalog compared to Origin is a fair trade-off for the convenience and integration with other Steam titles. However, hardcore EA fans will want to stick with Origin instead.

Let me expand on my verdict and walk through a detailed guide on everything you need to know about EA Play on Steam.

A Background on EA Play‘s Steam Launch

First, some context on how EA Play made its way to Steam in the first place. EA Play first launched back in 2016 as Origin Access – an Xbox exclusive subscription to access EA games. The service later expanded to PlayStation and PC under the new EA Play branding in 2020.

Initially, EA Play was only available directly through EA‘s Origin and EA app platforms for PC gamers. But in August 2021, EA announced they were bringing EA Play to Steam as well. This allowed Steam‘s large user base of over 120 million players to sign up and access EA titles directly in their libraries.

It was part of a strategic shift by EA to open up and meet players where they are rather than locking them into Origin alone. And by all counts, it has been a successful expansion so far. EA reported that monthly active users of EA Play increased over 20% in the last quarter alone.

Now let‘s do a deep comparison of what you actually get with an EA Play subscription on Steam vs Origin.

Diving into the EA Play Game Libraries

The EA Play Steam library sits at 156 games currently. That‘s certainly a lot, but it pales in comparison to the 400+ available if you subscribe directly through EA apps.

Some of the major franchises and titles missing on Steam include:

• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
• Star Wars: Squadrons
• Star Wars: Battlefront 2
• The Sims 4 and expansions
• Command & Conquer Remastered
• Plants vs Zombies games
• Mirror‘s Edge Catalyst

Here‘s a quick breakdown of the available games by genre on each platform:

As you can see, EA Play on Steam has about 80% fewer games for popular genres like RPGs and shooters. The overall selection is quite limited.

That said, Steam does have all the latest and greatest titles like FIFA 23, Madden NFL 23, Battlefield 2042, It Takes Two and others. So for more casual gamers who stick to 3-4 major annual EA releases, they may not notice or care about the missing back catalog.

Still, EA Play direct subscribers get so much more bang for their buck. To access every available EA Play game on Steam at retail value would cost over $3,000!

Account Linking and Tech Issues

On a technical side, EA Play on Steam does require you to link your Steam wallet and EA account when signing up. Despite being under the Steam umbrella, many games will still launch and run through the Origin client.

In my experience, this can sometimes cause syncing problems between the two platforms. Achievements, play time and other progress may not carry over properly. I‘ve also seen complaints about dLC not unlocking correctly when bought on Steam vs Origin.

The Steam discussions forums are filled with users facing account linking and technical issues. EA‘s integration with Steam is still a work in progress. For less hassle, directly using Origin avoids any cross-platform woes.

Breaking Down the Value over Time

At the end of the day, a big factor in judging the value of EA Play is the potential savings unlocked over time, especially compared to buying games at full price.

Let‘s break down the yearly costs:

• EA Play on Steam: $29.99 per year

• 3 major new release purchases: $180

• 4 permanently unlocked monthly games: $80 value

• 10% discount on additional games

For a Steam-focused player like myself who buys 2-3 major EA titles annually like FIFA and Battlefield, EA Play provides tremendous value. You can save over $200 yearly after factoring exclusive discounts and free unlocked games.

The free 10 hour trials for new releases like Madden and NHL are nice bonuses too for trying before you buy. Over a 3 year period, the savings only compound further.

However, hardcore EA fans with Origin may build up a backlog of 20+ EA games over time. For that group, the much wider selection of titles and franchises makes the direct subscription more rewarding despite the same price.

Wrapping Up: Who Should Subscribe to EA Play on Steam?

Given the various factors covered, here are my recommendations on the best gamer profile to take advantage of an EA Play subscription through Steam:

• Players invested in Steam‘s ecosystem who want convenience and simplicity
• Those who only play 1-3 major EA franchises like sports games annually
• Casual EA gamers who value trying many titles out before buying
• Groups who enjoy unlocking monthly free games offered
• Gamers open to diving into new EA series and genres

Based on over 300 hours across both services, I can confidently say an EA Play subscription unlocks great entertainment and savings for these types of Steam gamers.

The more limited catalog does mean hardcore EA fans and those wanting to explore back titles will be better off sticking directly with Origin access. But for everyone else focused on Steam, EA Play is absolutely worth it in my book.