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Source: http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2013/0...s-online-pass/
Seeking Absolution, EA Kills Its Obnoxious Online Pass Program
BY RYAN RIGNEY05.16.1312:25 PM
Battlefield 3 was among many EA games to use the hated online pass. Image courtesy Electronic Arts
Just over a month after winning Consumerist’s “Worst Company in America” award for the second year in a row, Electronic Arts is taking steps toward redemption with videogame fans.
The company is killing its controversial “Online Pass” program, which forced buyers of used games to pay extra for access to online components of EA’s titles. Each game included in the program came with a slip of paper imprinted with a unique code that had to be entered before the game would work online.
Once the code was used, the game’s online modes would only function on the device it was entered on. So, if you wanted to let a friend or relative borrow your copy of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (or Madden, or any other major EA title), they’d be restricted to its offline components.
The Online Pass program was hugely unpopular with EA’s customers, a fact noted by EA spokesperson John Reseburg in an email interview with VentureBeat.
“Many players didn’t respond to the format,” Reseburg said. “We’ve listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward.”
EA is in need of face-saving moves like this one. When Disney announced that it had given the exclusive license to make Star Wars console games to EA, the reaction from fans was mostly fearful.
The company has had numerous PR debacles in recent years. Its online DRM scheme for SimCity was a disaster, and the company embarrassed itself last October when it re-released the Wii version of FIFA 12, with no changes other than a roster update, as FIFA 13.
Other game publishers have dabbled with online passes. Now-deceased publisher THQ embraced the trend in its UFC games and publishers like Activision and Ubisoft have utilized online-access codes as well.
In its first year, EA reported that the Online Pass program generated between $10 and $15 million for the company. Big figures like that may make other, more popular game makers reluctant to give up their own online restrictions.
Chris says: Pessimism time — what if EA is only killing off the Online Pass because Sony and Microsoft plan to implement some similar forms of system-wide DRM scheme across the PlayStation 4 and new Xbox?
BY RYAN RIGNEY05.16.1312:25 PM
Battlefield 3 was among many EA games to use the hated online pass. Image courtesy Electronic Arts
Just over a month after winning Consumerist’s “Worst Company in America” award for the second year in a row, Electronic Arts is taking steps toward redemption with videogame fans.
The company is killing its controversial “Online Pass” program, which forced buyers of used games to pay extra for access to online components of EA’s titles. Each game included in the program came with a slip of paper imprinted with a unique code that had to be entered before the game would work online.
Once the code was used, the game’s online modes would only function on the device it was entered on. So, if you wanted to let a friend or relative borrow your copy of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (or Madden, or any other major EA title), they’d be restricted to its offline components.
The Online Pass program was hugely unpopular with EA’s customers, a fact noted by EA spokesperson John Reseburg in an email interview with VentureBeat.
“Many players didn’t respond to the format,” Reseburg said. “We’ve listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward.”
EA is in need of face-saving moves like this one. When Disney announced that it had given the exclusive license to make Star Wars console games to EA, the reaction from fans was mostly fearful.
The company has had numerous PR debacles in recent years. Its online DRM scheme for SimCity was a disaster, and the company embarrassed itself last October when it re-released the Wii version of FIFA 12, with no changes other than a roster update, as FIFA 13.
Other game publishers have dabbled with online passes. Now-deceased publisher THQ embraced the trend in its UFC games and publishers like Activision and Ubisoft have utilized online-access codes as well.
In its first year, EA reported that the Online Pass program generated between $10 and $15 million for the company. Big figures like that may make other, more popular game makers reluctant to give up their own online restrictions.
Chris says: Pessimism time — what if EA is only killing off the Online Pass because Sony and Microsoft plan to implement some similar forms of system-wide DRM scheme across the PlayStation 4 and new Xbox?
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