While everyone will have access to these Anthem gameplay features come February 22, 2019 (the global release date), publisher EA has also outlined several ways to play the game early. The first of these is to get the Anthem demo that launches on February 1, 2019. This “VIP demo” will be open to anyone who has pre-ordered Anthem (any version of the game), as well as active subscribers to either EA Access (Xbox One), Origin Access Basic (PC), or the newly available Origin Access Premier subscription (PC).
There are also varying periods of Anthem early access, which begin on February 15. Subscribers to EA Access or Origin Access Basic will only be able to play Anthem in early access as part of a 10-hour trial. Origin Access Premier subscribers, meanwhile, will gain access to the full game on this date, with no time limit.
Those who remember the days when a game’s release date was its only release date may be a bit perplexed or frustrated with this tiered release system. It can be confusing and it’s hard enough to figure out which version of a game is worth the money without the added incentive of early access. But unfortunately for those who don’t like this new business model, it’s set to continue. For example, Ubisoft is offering early access to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey based on different editions of the game and EA’s subscription model means that the majority of its major releases will likely have some sort of early access.
The majority of Anthem’s fans are delighted by this, though. Many were incredibly disappointed when EA and BioWare delayed the game again to 2019 and although fans understood the game needed more time, this didn’t lessen the blow. But with the early access period, it means that they won’t have to wait quite as long to get their hands on it. That extra 21-day wait (without demo access) could feel agonizing for fans who’ve been waiting for the game for so long, so a fair few will jump at the chance to play Anthem early.
Anthem is scheduled to release on February 22nd, 2019 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: EA
