EA Discontinues Its Online Pass Program

Stress Welker

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Electronic Arts won't require an "online pass" — the one-time use codes required to access certain online features like multiplayer — in its future games, a company spokesperson tells GamesBeat. The publisher, which popularized the practice starting in late 2009 to encourage "original purchasers" of its games, says it has discontinued the program.

EA senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg told Gamesbeat "many players didn't respond to the format." The system was designed to curb used sales of video games and generate revenue from players who purchased games secondhand, but wanted access to downloadable content and online features.

Some of the first games from EA to feature online passes were BioWare's Dragon Age: Origins and Pandemic's The Saboteur. Vouchers included with new copies of those games granted access to downloadable content. EA soon extended the concept, which the publisher referred to as "Project Ten Dollar," to online multiplayer and cooperative modes of its other titles.

Other publishers pursued similar efforts, with Sony notably attempting to stem piracy on the PSP with an online entitlement voucher for 2010's SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3. Publishers Warner Bros., THQ, Ubisoft and others followed suit, and online passes became a common practice for console and handheld games.

EA would forgo online passes for certain titles published under its EA Partners label, like Crysis 3 and the upcoming Fuse, but it appears future first-party titles from the publisher will also remove the restriction.

Microsoft's next-generation Xbox is rumored to have anti-used game features built into its system. The company is scheduled to release the first official details on the next Xbox at an event in Redmond next week on May 21.

I don't believe for a second this is because gamers complained about the practice. Would like to see other companies do the same though.
 

Rain

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What fukkery do they have in store to replace it brehs :lupe:
 

ugksam

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it wasnt cause they complained its cause no one buys that bullshyt
 

Ill-Mind

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A step in the right direction I guess, but until I get my 2K football back it's still fukk EA :pacspit:
 

cfountain

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they're probably going to have a season pass for DLC for every game now instead.
 

Iamnoone

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From a business stand point though, they make ZERO money off used games, and servers cost money to run. Its reasonable to make cheap skates pay a fee to get online and play multiplayer. a 5 dollar fee is reasonable. Gotta keep the industry alive
 

Poppa_Dock

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From a business stand point though, they make ZERO money off used games, and servers cost money to run. Its reasonable to make cheap skates pay a fee to get online and play multiplayer. a 5 dollar fee is reasonable. Gotta keep the industry alive

If it's not your business who gives a shyt. People have to start being capitalist bloodsucking consumers finding every way possible to rape these companies out of their money IMO. Earth keeps spinning if EA goes away.
 

Iamnoone

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If it's not your business who gives a shyt. People have to start being capitalist bloodsucking consumers finding every way possible to rape these companies out of their money IMO. Earth keeps spinning if EA goes away.

not if video games go away. It's costing more and more money to make video games, with such a small audience actually paying for them. it doesnt excuse some of the DLC bullshyt. But a monetary fee to play online is reasonable
 

Liquid

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Hmmm....that just means more DLC rape..... :snoop:




thank you based M$ for starting that bullshyt! :birdman:
breh you part of the PlayStation team all day, but it wasn't because of Microsoft that all the DLC started. It was inevitable and was already happening on the PC.

Sony in fact lied about Blu-Ray almost implying that because of the larger discs that it would be more value to gamers...when in fact there is just as much DLC on the PS3.
 

Liquid

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not if video games go away. It's costing more and more money to make video games, with such a small audience actually paying for them. it doesnt excuse some of the DLC bullshyt. But a monetary fee to play online is reasonable
No it isnt.
 

MikelArteta

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does this include sports games?

takes the value out of buying a used sports game
 
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