online pass
News

EA Getting Rid Of Online Passes

One of the first publishers to dabble in the idea of an “online pass” – whereby gamers were charted a fee for accessing certain online content if they purchased a title pre-owned – has decided to do away with the program.

24 March 2012

News

How Long Should A Game Hang In There Online Before It Taps Out?

EA Sports MMA was conceived as a two-year series, alternating publication years with its Fight Night cousin. No one thought it would be getting a sequel after its major licence, Strikeforce, was acquired by the UFC. But pulling the plug on MMA‘s servers shows the first edition’s lifespan fell far short of EA Sports’ expectations.

2 February 2012

News

EA: No Online Pass For Syndicate

Not all Electronic Arts-published games will be given the Project $US10/ Online Pass treatment. Rather than slap Syndicate with a one-use code that unlocks the game’s multiplayer features, EA will keep such access free, to grow interest in the shooter’s co-op mode it says.

22 January 2012

PlayStation

Twisted Metal Will Require An Online Pass After All

The creator of venerable car-combat series Twisted Metal had hoped that the game’s upcoming PlayStation 3 reawakening would not be subjected to an “Online Pass” — a single-use code unlocking online multiplayer access to the game. David Jaffe admitted it wasn’t his decision though, and Sony proved him right. Twisted Metal will indeed know the code.

8 December 2011

News

Twisted Metal Hopes To Avoid The Online Pass Treatment

Twisted Metal‘s creator is hoping the PS3 game can get out of implementing an online pass, but told Eurogamer that it’s ultimately not his call. Still, David Jaffe thinks that keeping one out of the car-combat game could be a goodwill gesture that grows its installation base.

22 October 2011

PlayStation

Are Online Passes Actually A Good Thing?

Today, commenter Odin plays devil’s advocate, explaining how online passes may actually help the industry. See what you think of his argument.

16 October 2011

PlayStation

Battlefield 3 Will Require Online Pass, Too

DICE confirmed, via designer Alan Kertz on Twitter, that Battlefield 3 on Xbox 360 and PS3 would require the one-use “Online Pass” code included free in retail copies, but costs $US10 for those who have a copy of the game without a code — i.e. those who buy it used.

11 September 2011

News

EA’s $US15m In ‘Online Pass’ Revenue Isn’t A Failure

In comments yesterday, Electronic Arts’ chief financial officer suggested that Online Pass — the program under which gamers who pick up a used copy of an EA Sports game typically shell out another $US10 to EA if they want to activate multiplayer for it — has netted the company in the realm of $US10 to $US15 million since it was introduced in June 2010. That’s a paltry sum to a publisher that size, but it doesn’t mean the program’s a failure.

19 July 2011

News

Used Video Games Now Extra Used: Publishers Adding 800MP Fee To Play Online

Used gaming is under attack. This month Ubisoft and Sony joined the growing number of publishers who plan to start charging extra to play copies of used games online. Not every game… not yet. But Sony, Ubisoft, THQ, Electronic Arts, and Warner Bros. are all testing the waters for their own flavour of “online passport”.

7 July 2011

PlayStation

Sony Confirms PSN Pass Program, Required For Resistance 3′s Online Modes

Sony will bring single-use registration codes for online modes to the PlayStation 3 later this year in the form of the PSN Pass, the company confirmed today.

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