EA Sports introduced the new Season Ticket program with a hefty load of perks this morning, but division head Peter Moore is making sure to stress that the program doesn't put non-subscribers at a disadvantage.

"Look, this is a program that's additive and supplementary to your core experience," he said. "It's not something that, if you don't subscribe to it, all of a sudden is less than optimal. We are very clear on that."

"There are people who will just say, 'Look, I don't believe in paying extra for content or access,' and that's perfectly fine, but my e-mail box over the last few years has been full of requests saying, 'How do I get the game early. I spend a lot of money with you guys, how can I get a discount like I can with some other kind of, if you will, retailer – and I'm putting quotes around that," he told GamesIndustry.biz.

He says the program will "continue to evolve" as the company learns more about the consumers. Moore says that data and feedback will determine what comes next for the Season Ticket, but again stresses: "we need to be very clear that it doesn't take away from the core experience you can buy at retail."

The focus on retail is important, because Season Ticket seems poised to embrace a digital philosophy without turning its back on brick-and-mortar stores. EA is partnering with GameStop for marketing this promotion. "The idea is that we're allowing people early access to the game, but the focus then is that you still need to go to retail," he said. "We're partnering with retailers to drive this program, so we see it is very complementary to the usual process. We have very strong relationships with retailers and that's not about to change."

In a note to the fans on the EA Sports Blog, Moore points out again that the Season Ticket isn't exclusionary. "We also know that EA Sports Season Ticket isn't for everyone, which is why non-subscribers can continue to play exactly the way they do today," he said. For example, early digital access to the various titles included in the program expire once the game releases at retail. "Our games on disc continue to have all the same great content, and nothing changes. This is entirely additive content for our biggest fans."