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[Stumpokapow]

I'm sure they'll discontinue online passes for existing games, won't they? *crickets*

 

[Uno Venova]

Damn

 

[Nabs]

lol

 

[Shaanyboi]

After you break up, you gotta clear out your ex's old shit....

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

Discontinue Online Pass Program, go exclusive NextBox next gen, require Always Online.

 

[Giolon]

Discontinues online pass


Employs online-only authentication

This is what I'm thinking. People are already cheering without knowing what horrible machination EA is going to supplant the online pass with.

 

[vg260]

Yeah, don't get too excited folks.

 

[sunnz]

MEGATON.

Very nice though.

 

[nero2082]

yes and free cookies for everyone

 

[Squire]

Plot twist!

 

[SolarPowered]

Not even five minutes and you guys have convinced me that there is a storm a brewin'.

Why can't we have nice things?

 

[The Faceless Master]

They probably saw COD raking in all the money with DLC. You want to hook people first, then they'll buy extra stuff. Not the other way around.

You're next, Sony.

this right here. people were picking up BF3, playing SP, then balking at MP completely due to the Online Pass and EA made no money instead of some money on DLC and Season Pass sales.

 

[Zeouterlimits]

So online passes aren't the move forward for mining AA+ games?
It seems like they were the sure bet going forward into next gen.

EA trying to turn its image around a bit? Good for them.

 

[Y2Kev]

how about for sony, buttocks? post kaz if true

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

Don't need a pass when the console is always online...

 

[Iacobellis]

Let's hope other major publishers follow suit.

 

[LiK]

Good. fuck online passes.

 

[ElzarTheBam]

Good.

 

[Fraeon]

Why can't we have nice things?

We don't really know whether this is a nice thing, yet.

 

[Gattsu25]

I can't wait for next gen...

I have a feeling that EA will be one of the publishers opting to have their games online-only...

 

[Portugeezer]

Maybe they did a cost-benefit and realized nobody bought the online passes?

It wasn't about buying passes for a used game, main point was to devalue used sales and incentive new purchases.

Guess it didn't work or... we're getting something worse.

 

[beanman25]

shocking.

good though.

Makes EA slightly less terrible.

 

[Kade]

Dude...

 

[dezzy8]

No online pass but they shall nick and dime us with dlc?

 

[Mass Effect]

This sounds like a great thing. I just hope they don't try to find some other garbage practice to force upon us... like online-only.

Not even five minutes and you guys have convinced me that there is a storm a brewin'.

Why can't we have nice things?

Because its EA.

 

[Dunlop]

This is what I'm thinking. People are already cheering without knowing what horrible machination EA is going to supplant the online pass with.

Aren't you doing the same thing, but for team gloom?

It's great news at this particular moment

 

[Barakov]

Not even five minutes and you guys have convinced me that there is a storm a brewin'.

Why can't we have nice things?

The reason we can't have nice things is that where there's smoke there's a fire.

 

[Baconsammy]

Discontinue Online Pass Program, go exclusive NextBox next gen, require Always Online.

My guess is their games will require activation codes. You can sell your used games to Gamestop etc and whoever buys it will need to buy another code in addition to what he was charged for the used game. That's the only reason I can think of for why Gamestop left their meeting with Microsoft happy instead of still whining about used games. Other than simply not limiting used games completely.

 

[alr1ght]

No online pass but they shall nick and dime us with dlc?

Better than both.

 

[mr stroke]

Discontinues online pass


Employs online-only authentication

son of a bitch

 

[Goro Majima]

There's obviously a catch.

Wait for it....wait for it....

 

[Hellsing321]

Discontinues online pass


Employs online-only authentication

This is what I expect to happen.

 

[Thoraxes]

No more online passes, just Origin Activation codes.

 

[TheSeks]

Holy shit. This is a bombshell. Does this mean previous online pass games are no longer required to have online passes?

 

[The Faceless Master]

fuuuuuuck!

 

[Courage]

wait wat

 

[SolarPowered]

We don't really know whether this is a nice thing, yet.

It probably isn't.

Because its EA.

I know... ;_;

 

[IrishNinja]

Twist, used game won't exist anymore and that's why EA is killing the Online Pass program.

literally my first thought here, yeah

 

[FyreWulff]

Hooray! Instead of paying 60$ for a game and playing it online, I'll be able to pay 60$ for a game and play it online.

 

[hgarrett54]

Holy shit. Really? That's incredible!

 

[FStop7]

Twist, used game won't exist anymore and that's why EA is killing the Online Pass program.

Pretty much this.

 

[Megatron]

EA is doing away with its Online Pass program from this point forward, a decision the publisher says is partially based on player response.

“Yes, we’re discontinuing Online Pass,” EA senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg confirmed to GamesBeat in an e-mail. “None of our new EA titles will include that feature.”
http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/

LOL @ 'feature'.

 

[Jake Tower]

All upgrades in their online games will have to purchased through a real money slot machine like ME3.

 

[dragonflys545]

About time EA. Small steps!

 

[Weemanply109]

If the new consoles are apparently supposed to be combating second hand titles, maybe that's why they've ditched this method?

 

[Grinchy]

Maybe they found out that used game sales really do help them in the end. Maybe the online pass was hurting business more than second hand sales.

 

[Courage]

If the new consoles are apparently supposed to be combating second hand titles, maybe that's why they've ditched this method?

Lol, then they shouldn't have even brought up "player response."

 

[twinturbo2]

Discontinues online pass


Employs online-only authentication

I highly doubt it, and I'd wager a 1600 MS Point card/$20 PSN card on this.

 

[bloodydrake]

No more online passes, just Origin Activation codes.

Indeed

 

[scitek]

They won't need it since they'll likely be able to force you to enter a CD key with every new game you buy.

EDIT: ^ yup.