The short answer is no, EA Play does not give you the full Madden NFL 23 game for free. However, EA Play members do get some nice perks and early access for Madden 23, which I‘ll explain in more detail below.
As a hardcore Madden fan and EA Play subscriber myself, I‘ve broken down exactly what you get (and don‘t get) with an EA Play membership when it comes to Madden 23. Let‘s dive in!
A Breakdown of Madden 23 EA Play Benefits
Here‘s a quick overview of what EA Play members can access for Madden 23:
- Early access to play up to 10 hours starting August 16
- 10% discount on buying the full Madden 23 game
- Monthly rewards for Madden Ultimate Team
- Access to The Play List vault of older Madden games
But the full unlimited version of Madden NFL 23 is not included free with a standard EA Play membership. You can either play the 10 hour trial, or purchase the game to continue playing past that.
Now let‘s look at each of those EA Play perks for Madden 23 in more detail…
Early Access
As an EA Play member, you get to jump into Madden NFL 23 up to 10 hours early before release!
- PlayStation, Xbox, and PC EA Play members can all start playing Madden 23 on August 16, 2022.
- The full game doesn‘t launch until August 19, so you get nearly 4 days of early access.
- Your progress during the early access period will carry over if you decide to purchase the game.
This early access is one of the biggest benefits of EA Play for eager Madden fans who want to get a head start on the new game every year.
Those 10 hours fly by fast though, so make the most of it! I recommend spending your time testing out new features, player ratings, and formation strategies to get a feel for how to dominate in Madden 23.
10 Hour Trial
Once the game officially releases on August 19th, all EA Play members can play a 10 hour trial of the full Madden NFL 23 game.
- Available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
- Gives you access to all modes and features
- Lets you carry over progress if you upgrade to the full game
The 10 hour trial lets you take Madden 23 for an extended test drive before deciding if you want to buy. And just like the early access period, I really try to strategize the best way to maximize my 10 hours in the trial.
Here are a few things I focus on doing in the trial to get a feel for the new game:
- Play skill trainer exercises – Refresh yourself on mechanics and new features
- Test different playbooks in Play Now mode – Find best plays and formations
- Build your Ultimate Team and work the auction house – Get a head start on your dream team!
- Tweak game plans and settings – Dial in difficulty, sliders, and gameplay preferences
If you‘re on the fence about purchasing Madden 23, the 10 hour trial is extremely helpful to decide if it‘s worth the investment. Especially if you‘re transitioning from older gen consoles to new consoles, use the trial to see how the game performs.
Discounts
This is one EA Play benefit for Madden 23 that saves you a nice chunk of change. Members get a 10% discount on digital purchases of Madden NFL 23.
That means:
- Standard Edition – $59.99 instead of $69.99
- All Madden Edition – $89.99 instead of $99.99
The 10% also applies if you want to buy Madden Points to build your Ultimate Team.
For example, the 12,000 Madden Point pack costs $99.99, but with EA Play it‘s just $89.99. Those savings add up, especially if you buy multiple packs throughout the year.
Monthly Madden Ultimate Team Rewards
One way EA sweetens the pot is by giving EA Play members free Ultimate Team packs and items each month.
As a Madden Ultimate Team addict myself, I love ripping open these free rewards every month! Here‘s an example of what EA Play members got in Madden 22:
- 1 Madden Ultimate Team Starter Pack (Pre-release)
- 1 Madden Ultimate Team Starter Pack
- 1 Madden Ultimate Team Series 1 Pack
- 1 Madden Ultimate Team Series 2 Pack
- 1 Madden Ultimate Team Series 3 Pack
The pre-release pack includes recommended players to help kick off your team building. Then the Series packs contain items from that month‘s new content releases.
EA Play Pro members on PC get even better Ultimate Team rewards, like bonus Legend player items.
So even if you don‘t get the full Madden game free, you can still build up an solid Ultimate Team each month thanks to EA Play.
Access to The Play List
This last EA Play perk may not excite you…but it‘s still worth mentioning.
Members get access to The Play List – a library of EA games you can download and play unlimited. This vault includes older Madden NFL titles all the way back to Madden 17.
Am I ever going back to play Madden 17? Probably not. But it‘s nice to have the option I guess!
The Play List is better for checking out older games you may have missed across EA‘s catalog. But it does provide free, permanent access to older Madden releases if you want to relive the past.
Is Madden 23 Free with Xbox Game Pass?
Now this is an EA Play related question I get all the time – is Madden 23 included free with Xbox Game Pass?
The answer is that Madden NFL 23 will be added to Xbox Game Pass and EA Play for Game Pass members, but not until February 2023.
So at launch in August 2022, you won‘t get Madden 23 free with your Xbox Game Pass membership unfortunately. But hang in there, because it‘s coming!
Here are the key details on how it will work:
- Available starting February 9, 2023
- For Xbox Game Pass members on Console only (not PC)
- Requires an active Xbox Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription
- Provides access to the full standard version of Madden NFL 23
- Does NOT include MVP or All Madden edition content/perks
Once February rolls around, Xbox Game Pass will be by far the cheapest way to get Madden 23. But you have to wait about 6 months after release.
So in summary:
- EA Play = Early access and discounts at launch
- Xbox Game Pass = Free Madden 23 in February 2023
Hope this clears up whether Madden 23 is free or not with Xbox Game Pass and EA Play!
When Does Madden 23 Release?
Let‘s quickly recap all the important Madden NFL 23 release dates:
- Standard Edition Launch: August 19, 2022
- Early Access (Pre-order): August 16, 2022
- EA Play Early Access: August 16, 2022
- Xbox Game Pass Release: February 9, 2023
Mark those calendars and start planning the best way to get Madden 23 for the lowest cost based on when you want to play.
I don‘t know about you, but I‘ve already pre-ordered the All Madden edition so I can dive in as soon as possible on August 16!
Should You Subscribe to EA Play for Madden 23?
So based on this full breakdown, is EA Play worth it for Madden fans?
In my opinion, yes – the early access, discounts, and Ultimate Team rewards make the $4.99 monthly or $29.99 annual fee absolutely worth it. Especially if you‘re planning to pick up the new Madden every year.
Here are a few examples of how much value you can get:
- 10% discount on buying Madden 23 saves you $6-10
- 4 days early access lets you learn the game early
- Free Ultimate Team packs saves you $20+ in points
- Play 10 hour trial to decide if you want the game
Considering a single Ultimate Team Redux pack costs $20, you can easily recoup the cost of an EA Play subscription in a month or less.
But casual players who only grab Madden every few years may not find as much long term value. At the very least, I suggest getting one month of EA Play right before Madden 23 launches to take full advantage of the 10 hour trial.
Give the new game an extended test run, earn some Ultimate Team rewards, and make an informed decision if you want to buy Madden 23 or not. That alone makes $4.99 worthwhile for a lot of people on the fence.
So in summary:
Casual players – Consider 1 month before release to try the trial
Hardcore fans – EA Play is a must for early access and discounts
No matter what type of player you are, EA Play provides great benefits for diving into the newest Madden game each year. I hope this guide clearly answered if you get Madden 23 free or not with an EA Play membership. Let me know if you have any other questions!
