EA Drops Online Passes

[SuperShouden]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/15/ea-getting-rid-of-online-passes

Due to a poor response from "fans" to EA's Online Pass system, EA has said there will no longer be Online Passes in future titles. That means games like Mass Effect 4 won't have charge $10 to play online if you buy it used.

 

[Suzumiya]

That's one step in the VERY right direction, I'd say. 💡

 

[Lock2Lock]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/05/15/ea-getting-rid-of-online-passes

Due to a poor response from "fans" to EA's Online Pass system, EA has said there will no longer be Online Passes in future titles. That means games like Mass Effect 4 won't have charge $10 to play online if you buy it used.

Thank god

That's one step in the VERY right direction, I'd say. 💡

I totally agree

 

[Tornado]

How many companies does that leave who have them? Sony and Ubisoft?

 

[Downhill Dino]

CodeMasters as well. Unless that goes under Sony? I don't know how that sort of thing works.

 

[mikekhel30]

Thank god. Will this take affect on future releases only or the current ones as well?

 

[Cragapple]

Whatever, I honestly couldn't care less about Online Passes, I buy all my games new and they only require putting in an extra code, big deal. I guess everyone was mad about it so they did the right thing in that respect but doesn't really matter to me.

 

[SkylineObsession]

Fanpower for the win.

EA - 0
Us -1

 

[Northstar]

Fanpower for the win.

EA - 100,000,000
Us -1

Fixed, they still do plenty of other shady things.

 

[dr_slump]

Guess they no longer want to be seen as worst company...

 

[MXH]

Online passes were and are an abonimation. Shame it took them this long. Better late than never though.

 

[sesselpupser]

I guess this is the first major change since John Ricc... Er, their old CEO stepped down. Actually, closing the Partners program was quite big, and their recent layoffs were a thing. Still, they seem to be making changes so this is a good thing. Who will replace them as the worst company? Ubisoft maybe?

 

[Pagey279]

EA actually listened to their customers?!?!

Jesus Christ.

 

[sems4arsenal]

Thank you E.A

 

[Dean]

What a pleasant surprise! And, I'm amazed that EA listens to customers, too...

 

[Dan]

+1% respect earned.

Now if only EA could stop with DLCs, unnecessary lens flare, every single road appearing wet when there is no rain, and headglitching with their FPS games.

Actually, every company should stop with DLCs.

 

[Silver-Sylph]

I dont believe EA will stick to this. The greed will get to their head again.

 

[bluemoon_19]

They dropped the online pass but it says nothing about a season pass ( like BF3 Premium). You will be able to get online for free I reckon but a lot of the better stuff will probably be put into a season pass.

 

[RX-7_FD3S]

I dont mind dlc. I sure hope that microtransaction are kept for mobile use only. I hate it on Dead Space 3. Stupid idea if you ask me.

 

[Alltidxx]

I don't mind dlc either as long as it's done right. Meaning produced after the main game sold well and not ripped out of the game to be sold later on. Or worse: I'm looking at you, dirty Capcom (on-disc dlc).

 

[Lain]

Who needs online passes when games will require an always-on internet connection to be validated played?

 

[SuperShouden]

Thank god. Will this take affect on future releases only or the current ones as well?

It's only for future releases. It's EA, like they want to go through the trouble of removing the online passes from their current games.

Also, truthfully, the main reason they're getting rid of them is because they weren't making enough money off of the passes to make it worth their trouble. Now, this MIGHT also mean that an offline mode for SimCity 5 is finally in the works, but we'll see.

 

[fatkrakr]

What I wonder is what they have in mind to replace it. It is EA after all, Im sure they have some plan to replace it.

 

[dr_slump]

What I wonder is what they have in mind to replace it. It is EA after all, Im sure they have some plan to replace it.

Origin 2.0 - disc, console, id, ip, tons of personal information they do not have to know must match the data in their database to be able to play the game. Oh and online only for sure.

 

[Ellis]

One step of many for EA I think!

 

[SuperShouden]

With all the flack they've gotten for SimCity's BS Online Only, I somehow doubt that will last much longer, as well. I mean, the Online Pass didn't receive nearly as much bad press as that. Seems like, if we complain enough, EA will eventually listen to us and stop being stupid.

About the other companies that use it...they actually produce games that make sense to have an online pass for. Codemasters has games that are fun to play online. Need For Speed was the only game series from EA that the Online Pass made sense. Seems like Mass Effect 3 only had multiplayer just so EA could add the Online Pass to it. Mass Effect is really a single player game. Then there's the fact that no one likes EA, so no one wants to give them money, whereas, I don't mind giving an extra $10 to Codemasters for a Dirt 3 VIP Pass 'cause I like Codemasters and they produce quality games.

 

[HKS racer]

Always boycotted Online pass. Seems like I wasn't the only one.

 

[m8h3r]

Guess they no longer want to be seen as worst company...

You mean to say they're not going to aim for the hatrick on the bounce?

 

[sesselpupser]

Who needs online passes when games will require an always-on internet connection to be validated played?

That's a bingo, thinking about it this could go one of two ways:

1. EA really has turned over a new leaf.
2. They're planning something much worse.

I'm willing to bet it's the latter.

 

[Downhill Dino]

I don't mind giving an extra $10 to Codemasters for a Dirt 3 VIP Pass 'cause I like Codemasters and they produce quality games.

I like Codemasters. But their DiRT 3 move was a little questionable. Withholding around 10 (?) cars from your game unless you get the online pass? Ridiculous.