EA enters the cable business thanks to games streaming partnership with Comcast

Cable provider Comcast is forming a partnership with EA to provide a games streaming service to its X1 set-top boxes, the company recently told Polygon. The service, which begins its beta today, offers 23 games, most - but not all - of which are published by EA.

Dubbed "Xfinity Games powered by EA" (really rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?), the service is aimed squarely at the casual/mobile crowd, as you'll need to use your smartphone or tablet to play games like Plants vs. Zombies, Peggle Nights and Monopoly. Titles like Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Star Wars Battlefront will continue to live on console.

As for cost, right now the service is free, though that is almost certain to change down the road. "Comcast's business is built on subscriptions and that can make sense here, but at the same time we have a fantastic on-demand business," a Comcast spokesman told Polygon, adding that the company will use customer feedback to determine pricing structure.

I'm sure all feedback will be helpful and constructive. After all, it's EA plus Comcast; what could go wrong?

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