The short answer is – yes, FIFA 23 is included at no extra cost with an active EA Play Pro subscription.
By joining EA Play Pro, you get full access to the latest FIFA games on PC as soon as they are released. This means you can play FIFA 23 during early access from September 27 without having to pay anything beyond your Pro membership fee.
So if you‘re a dedicated FIFA player on PC eager to get a headstart on FIFA 23 Ultimate Team, EA Play Pro is a great option to get the game for free. Keep reading and I‘ll explain everything you need to know!
What Exactly is EA Play Pro?
For those unfamiliar, EA Play Pro is a premium membership from Electronic Arts that offers special benefits not available with their standard EA Play subscription.
It sits above EA Play and provides PC players with unlimited, early access to new EA titles like FIFA, Madden NFL, NHL and more.
Here‘s an overview of what‘s included with an EA Play Pro membership:
- Early access to new EA games – Play upcoming titles before release
- Full game access – No 10 hour trial limits
- In-game rewards – FUT packs, cosmetic items etc.
- Unlimited playtime – No restrictions, play as much as you want
- 10% discount on EA digital purchases
- Access to deluxe editions of games
- Category of classic EA titles to play for free
The key highlights are unlimited early access to new releases, and getting deluxe editions of games included.
It‘s designed for players who want to play the latest titles as soon as possible, without restrictions. As opposed to EA Play which offers trials and The Play List of older games.
So in summary, EA Play Pro gives you unlimited early access to new premium EA games before anyone else. All for a monthly or annual fee.
How Much Does an EA Play Pro Subscription Cost?
Naturally, the unlimited early game access comes at a higher price point compared to regular EA Play.
Here are the current EA Play Pro membership pricing options:
- $14.99 per month
- $99.99 for a full year
There is no free trial available for EA Play Pro unfortunately. You have to commit to at least one month to try out the benefits.
When comparing month to month, EA Play Pro is significantly more expensive. But over a full year, it works out to only around $8 extra per month, which is much more reasonable for serious players.
Below I‘ve put together a simple table showing the differences in membership fees:
Membership | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
---|---|---|
EA Play | $4.99 | $29.99 |
EA Play Pro | $14.99 | $99.99 |
So if you‘re strategic and sign up for a full year to get the lowest monthly rate, EA Play Pro is a pretty good deal to get early access to all upcoming EA titles.
What Games Are Included with EA Play Pro?
The major benefit of EA Play Pro is getting full digital access to new releases from EA‘s catalog on PC.
As soon as games like FIFA 23, Madden NFL 23 and NHL 23 launch, you can play them instantly with your active Pro membership, days before the standard release date.
Other key games you can play early via the subscription include:
- Need for Speed
- Battlefield
- Plants vs Zombies
- UFC
- Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
- It Takes Two
- F1
Plus many more!
You also get access to the Deluxe Editions of these games where available, which includes extra in-game bonuses and cosmetic items.
In addition to the latest titles, EA Play Pro members get The Play List – a library of classic EA games to play at no added cost. So there‘s plenty of extra value and variety.
But the main draw is definitely early access to flagship franchises like FIFA, Madden and more on PC.
What About FIFA 23 Specifically?
Since this article is focused on FIFA 23, let‘s take a closer look at exactly what you get as an EA Play Pro subscriber:
- Full game access – Get the complete FIFA 23 game
- Early access – Play from September 27, 2022 (PC / Xbox)
- Unlimited playtime – No 10 hour limit like basic EA Play
- FUT packs & more – Special member-only FUT and Volta items
- 10% discount on points – Save on buying FIFA Points
The biggest benefit is undoubtedly getting to play FIFA 23 a whole week early. This gives you a big advantage to build your FUT Club before the standard launch.
You also get the full game as opposed to a trial, so can play FIFA 23 Ultimate Team or Career Mode with no restrictions for as long as you remain a member.
So in short, EA Play Pro is ideal for hardcore FIFA fans who want early, unlimited access to the latest game every year on PC.
What‘s the Early Access Release Date?
EA Play Pro members can begin playing FIFA 23 during the early access period leading up to the game‘s worldwide launch.
Here are the FIFA 23 early access start dates for EA Play Pro subscribers:
- PC and Xbox: September 27, 2022
- PlayStation: October 1, 2022
So Pro members on PC and Xbox will get a 6 day headstart to play FIFA 23 from September 27 onwards.
PlayStation EA Play Pro members have to wait until October 1 for early access.
Once early access begins, you can preload and play FIFA 23 right away as an active Pro subscriber. No need to purchase anything separately.
Do I Get to Keep FIFA 23 with EA Play Pro?
A common question about getting FIFA 23 through EA Play Pro is whether you keep full access after canceling your membership.
The short answer is no – FIFA 23 and other EA games are only playable while you have an active Pro subscription.
If you cancel your membership after accessing FIFA 23 early, you will lose access to the full game. So it‘s not permanently yours to own like buying a regular copy.
However, any progress you make in FIFA 23‘s various modes is saved. So if you resubscribe to EA Play Pro later on, you can continue where you left off.
Think of it more like renting or borrowing FIFA 23 rather than owning it outright. You ultimately have to keep paying for EA Play Pro access.
Are There Any Playtime Limits?
A great perk of getting FIFA 23 through EA Play Pro compared to the standard EA Play membership is no playtime restrictions.
The basic EA Play only provides limited 10 hour trials of new releases like FIFA 23. You have to purchase the full game separately after the trial expires.
But with EA Play Pro, there are no playtime limits whatsoever. This means you can play FIFA 23 Ultimate Team, Career Mode or Pro Clubs endlessly from early access onwards.
As long as your EA Play Pro membership stays active, you have unlimited access to FIFA 23 on PC without any constraints.
So you can play to your heart‘s content and fully enjoy the latest entry for months until the next game is released!
How Does EA Play Pro Compare to Regular EA Play?
EA Play Pro is definitely a premium service compared to the standard EA Play membership option.
Here‘s a quick overview of the key differences between the two:
Feature | EA Play | EA Play Pro |
---|---|---|
Monthly Price | $4.99 | $14.99 |
Early Access | ❌ | ✅ |
New Releases | ❌ | ✅ |
Playtime Limits | 10 hours | Unlimited |
In-Game Rewards | ✅ | ✅ |
Game Discounts | 10% | 10% |
Free Games | The Play List | The Play List |
Platforms | PC, Consoles | PC Only |
The main advantages EA Play Pro offers are:
- Playing new games like FIFA 23 first
- No 10 hour access limits
- Getting deluxe editions
- Exclusive member rewards
Whereas standard EA Play focuses more on trials of new games, and access to older titles via The Play List.
So if early access and unlimited play of the newest titles is most important to you, EA Play Pro is easily worth the extra monthly cost.
Is EA Play Pro Worth It Just for FIFA 23?
Whether or not EA Play Pro is worth it mostly depends on your interest in FIFA 23 specifically.
If you only play each new FIFA for a month or two every year, EA Play Pro is harder to justify.
But for dedicated FIFA players who put hundreds or even thousands of hours into each new game annually, the benefits are extremely worthwhile:
- Build your FUT Club – Get early access to build an advantage in FIFA Ultimate Team
- Learn the meta – Figure out overpowered tactics before most
- Earn rewards – Complete challenges to get exclusive Pro member packs, cosmetic items and other in-game content
- Squad Battles – Dominate and rank up against AI teams before the crowds arrive
- Champions Finals – Qualify for FUT Champions finals earlier when qualification is easier
- Play the market – Use your early start to trade, invest and build a fortune in FUT
- No barriers – Play without worrying about 10 hour limits
Considering EA Play Pro gives you at minimum a week headstart plus unlimited gameplay, it provides a really nice edge for dedicated FIFA players against the general public.
Not to mention saving $60+ on buying the game itself. So if you plan on playing all year anyway, the subscription easily pays for itself.
What Devices/Platforms Work with EA Play Pro?
When considering EA Play Pro, one important limitation to note is that it‘s only available on PC – both Windows PCs and Steam.
Unlike standard EA Play, EA Play Pro does not work on PlayStation or Xbox consoles. You can only access the benefits through desktop and laptop.
So for console gamers wanting to play FIFA 23 early, unfortunately EA Play Pro isn‘t an option. You would need to move to PC or simply buy the game outright.
But for PC players, especially those running high end rigs ideal for running FIFA 23 at max graphics settings and frame rates, EA Play Pro delivers huge value.
Just bear in mind it‘s a PC-exclusive membership, not supported on other platforms.
Signing Up for EA Play Pro
If you want to join EA Play Pro and experience FIFA 23 early for yourself, signing up is quick and easy:
- Open the EA Desktop app on your Windows PC or laptop
- Go to the EA Play tab
- Click the "Try EA Play Pro" button
- Select whether you want to purchase a 1 month or 12 month membership
- Enter your preferred payment method details
- Confirm your transaction
And that‘s it! Your EA Play Pro membership will activate immediately and you can then gain access to FIFA 23 during early access.
Make sure you turn off auto-renewal in your EA account settings if you only want Pro temporarily for FIFA 23. Otherwise, it will automatically renew each month.
Tips for Maximizing FIFA 23 with EA Play Pro
Here are some tips to get the most out of your EA Play Pro subscription for FIFA 23:
- Subscribe a few weeks before early access starts so your membership is ready
- Pre-load FIFA 23 as soon as possible so you can start playing at midnight on launch
- Focus on Squad Building Challenges from the Web App before early access to generate starter packs
- Stack up on training, contracts and other consumables while the market is quiet
- Build a solid FIFA Ultimate Team from rewards earned during the early access period
- Learn overpowered tactics, skill moves and exploits before the masses
- Leverage the quiet transfer market in the first week to trade and invest
- Play as much Rivals, Squad Battles and FUT Champions as you can early on while competition is lower
- Take advantage of early qualification for FUT Champions finals
- Save replay footage of gameplay to study the new meta closely
- Cancel auto-renewal as soon as early access ends unless you want to continue your membership
- Enjoy your headstart advantage!
Putting in focused hours during the early EA Play Pro access window can give you a big edge in FIFA 23 Ultimate Team.
Conclusion
To summarize, FIFA 23 will be included at no additional cost with an active EA Play Pro membership for PC.
Subscribers gain unlimited access to the latest FIFA over a week before standard release, allowing dedicated players to get a headstart.
While EA Play Pro is a more premium service at $14.99 monthly, for hardcore FIFA fans who will play the new game extensively, the early bird benefit is extremely valuable.
Not to mention saving money on buying FIFA 23 itself. So if you want to experience the new FUT, Volta and Career Mode as soon as possible, EA Play Pro is definitely worth considering.
Just be sure to activate your subscription 1-2 weeks before early access begins to get set up. And turn off auto-renewal once the FIFA 23 headstart period ends if you only want it temporarily.
With clever preparation, you can use the EA Play Pro early access advantage to dominate FIFA 23!