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EA kills its Online Pass program
- Thread starter Takao
- Start date
They killed Origin a long time ago.
Oh wait, you're talking about a different Origin.
Maximilian Kolbe
Member
MS no need to do this,just allow publishers do what they want is enough,market will decide which publisher is right which publisher is wrong
And why would they do that for whole console when their game doesn't even have online pass btw.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=554314
TOM f'N CRUISE
Member
so when will this take effect??
My thoughts exactly. I wonder what other nefarious new scheme they've cooked up to replace this?
Killing_Joke
Member
I think it's pretty hilarious people would pay for XBL and then pay an extra $10 to play a game online. The industry can be really fucking stupid sometimes. At least this proves gamers didn't fall for it. Gives me hope.
The_Inquisitor
Member
My instinct is that they plan to use multiplayer as a way to sell more things like loot boxes and whatnot. An online pass has a negative connotation. Paying 2.99 for a weapon skin doesn't. Plus you can't resell digital goods on eBay like many passes are today.
The Faceless Master
Member
the problem with online passes was that it means a lower player population for online games because yes, some people buy used, and with an online pass requirement, they will simply not play online at all.
funkystudent
Member
There is a twist to this story coming I just know it.
They are getting in bed with MS with a bunch of exclusive nextbox games that require a a constant internet connection and MS or all next gen games can be tied to your PSN/XBL account anyway so online passes become pointless when the disc just becomes a coaster after you install it.
Roll on the 21th / E3. The EA next gen mystery is getting deeper and we all know like with most thing out of EA recently, the ending is gonna suck.
They are getting in bed with MS with a bunch of exclusive nextbox games that require a a constant internet connection and MS or all next gen games can be tied to your PSN/XBL account anyway so online passes become pointless when the disc just becomes a coaster after you install it.
Roll on the 21th / E3. The EA next gen mystery is getting deeper and we all know like with most thing out of EA recently, the ending is gonna suck.
edit: Actually, even though I'd love this it's probably pretty successful for them. Not "Steam" successful, but they're probably making more money off of selling their big PC games through the store and not having to give Valve 30% of the cut.
Night_Trekker
Member
So all the oodles of money they made by cutting down on used game sales didn't make it worthwhile, huh?
EDIT: ^ Thank you!
EDIT: ^ Thank you!
Kill Your Masters
Member
Whats the catch? Freemium? More grinding? Or just EA playing nice? (lol)
Isn't that the same for... everyone?
probably that it's not needed due to what the new consoles will do.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Limited Editions all around.
Microsoft runs the online infrastructures for all 360 games (which is why you're suppose to be paying them in the first place), PC servers can be independently ran for most games. I don't know how it works for the PS3.
Someone still needs to run the master server list and any other global tracking stuff.
What are the other options aside from p2p connections?
On the PS3 Sony only runs the main infrastructure for logging in. Same with Nintendo and the Wii U. A lot of Xbox 360 games are also peer to peer so you're mostly paying for general infrastructure.
Breakfast at Noon
Member
does this mean there making online passes for past games free? would love to play me3 multiplayer bu refuse to pay (my kid used card on his account the little shit.
Miles Quaritch
Member
Makes sense. After all, you can't have activation keys and online passes.
Infernal Monkey
Member
Haha, don't be silly!
B1gg_Randall
Member
License transfer his account to your 360.
Fox Mulder
Member
That's how I feel. An odd move, unless this really hurt their bottom line somehow.
Miles Quaritch
Member
Pretty much. You can't have both. It would sow confusion. Having one activation key/pass instead of an online pass will undoubtedly be better for EA. They can charge more for the activation pass on second hand titles and they deal a small blow to the used games market too.
They probably just found out that nobody bought online passes if they had a used game, but needing to enter a code when bought new was frustrating for legitimate users and maybe led to lower online use or bad feedback.
Plus I assume it costs EA a cent or two to put an online code in the box and manage the infrastructure to support it.
Plus I assume it costs EA a cent or two to put an online code in the box and manage the infrastructure to support it.
How it was done before Xbox Live?
I mean, by giving people the software to run their own servers. Which is why you can still play Quake but not any EA console offering from before 2010.
pieatorium
Member
I remember somone saying a while back that the reason Acti didn't uses online passes was they thought they made more money off selling DLC to those second hand customers.
But there is not really a precedent for that on consoles, no?
BladeoftheImmortal
Member
"EA wasn’t the only publisher using an online pass system. Activision and Ubisoft are among a handful that make use of it."
Isn't this wrong?
Isn't this wrong?
Was it really necessary to bold and underline Activision? Sony also uses this pass too, by the way. But I get the feeling it may not stick since EA quit doing it.
Which is clearly the reasoning behind EA choice, seeing they make a fuckton of money off BF Premium. I fully expect BF4 on disk content to be slim on the line of GOW Judgment.
BladeoftheImmortal
Member
Yes because my question, "Isn't this wrong?" is asking that Activision has never used Online Passes on any games.
Funnily enough, Activision were the only big publisher not actively doing that shit, I think.
Not that that hasn't prevented them from swimming right into always online territory.
NinjaBoiX
Member
Get the fuck out of here with that shit! It was a way to further nickel and dime the consumer. Scumbags.EA said:
Anyway, the whole concept is flawed. They've gone on record as saying it's to pay for server costs. Well if that's the case, surely every game bought has a "unit" of server space put aside. When that user sells the game, his "unit" is no longer in use. The next owner of that copy can use the vacated server space.
It's a fucking con, and I'm not looking forward to seeing whee they go next!