EA Play joins Game Pass for PC with official launch; here’s how to use it

EA Play was first announced to be available to Game Pass and Game Pass for PC players on December 15 but was eventually bumped back due to some issues with the rollout. Well, if you own a Windows desktop and subscribe to Game Pass, it’s time to rejoice: EA Play is finally available for you. Launched yesterday, let’s take a look at how you can use this service and enjoy some Star Wars or Sims 4 fun on your desktop.

You have to have EA’s latest EA Desktop Open Beta installed to enjoy Game Pass + EA Play

While you access Game Pass titles from within the Xbox app, EA Play is a bit different. You can still access it from within the Xbox app, but the Xbox app will redirect you to the new EA Desktop program. This is separate from Origin, and you’ll have to install it from this link in order to take advantage of the new bundled service.

I recently got this set up on my desktop, and it’s fairly straightforward, though I did run into one snag. After installing EA Desktop, I went to the Xbox app and saw that all EA Play games were now available. Success! But, after trying to install them, the EA Desktop app still wasn’t showing my EA Play subscription. But, thankfully, a simple restart of the app (a proper exit of it, not just minimizing or clicking the “X” button) fixed it. As soon as that was done, the Xbox and EA Desktop apps were properly talking to each other, and I could install any EA Play game I wanted.

Enjoy all EA Play has to offer

EA Play has quite a few titles in it that are worthy of consideration when you’re thinking about picking up a gaming subscription on your desktop. A Game Pass for PC subscription, which is $10 per month, will net you both Microsoft’s and EA’s latest titles, including Star Wars: Squadrons, Jedi: Fallen Order, Need for Speed Heat, Sims 4, Forza Horizon 4, and many others, including a slew of Bethesda titles that were recently added.

9to5Toys’ take

Game Pass is the one subscription that I very rarely take a break from because there’s almost always something new to play, be it on PC or console. I love the variety in titles, ranging from indie to AAA game studio and everywhere in between.

I love browsing and searching for something new to play, and my list is ever-growing for what I should dive into next. While yes, I’m normally glued to either Sims 4 or Apex Legends, I do enjoy branching out every now and then for games that aren’t as frequently listed high up on the charts for a unique and interesting experience. I love Star Wars games as well, which means that Squadrons and Fallen Order will likely be installed on the desktop soon for me to begin going through their campaigns, because who needs multiplayer, right?

Subscribe to the 9to5Toys YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!