Mass Effect: Andromeda Now Available For Free Through EA / Origin Access Vault

PC and Xbox One owners who haven't already picked up the latest entry in the Mass Effect series can now do so for free, provided they're a subscriber to Origin or EA Access, respectively. EA has added Mass Effect: Andromeda to the library of free titles that Access members are entitled to.

As with all games in the EA and Origin Access Vault, Andromeda is playable in its entirety for as long as you're a subscriber. EA did not provide a date for when Andromeda would be added to the Vault when it announced it was coming recently, but it's suddenly appeared for free to subscribers today.

Andromeda was negatively received upon its release--at least relative to earlier games in the series--and poor sales have reportedly resulted in changes to BioWare Montreal and EA's plans for the franchise. While it's still not the game many were hoping for, post-release updates have improved aspects of it, including its facial animations.

This is the first of several perks that Access members will receive access to in the coming months. Star Wars Battlefront II and Need for Speed: Payback Play First Trials are on the way ahead of their respective releases on both PC and Xbox One. Console players will also get a trial of The Sims 4, as well as a new Vault game in Dead Space 3. Specific dates have not been confirmed.

EA and Origin Access are subscription services that provide discounts on digital EA purchases, Play First Trials, and free playable games. Those free games are available for as long as you're a subscriber and entitle you to everything available in the EA / Origin Access Vault, depending on your platform. An equivalent PS4 service is not yet available.