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[Teggy]

Goodbye Project $10

Hello Project $60

Spoiler

or $70

 

[Into]

They are likely replacing it with something else, like always online, which is even more strict and anti consumer.

 

[Dremark]

Now Kill Origin too.

They killed Origin a long time ago.

Oh wait, you're talking about a different Origin.

 

[Maximilian Kolbe]

EA kills online pass
MS rumoured to block used games
EA to appear at Xbox reveal

Ruh roh

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.

They are likely replacing it with something else, like always online, which is even more strict and anti consumer.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=554314

The Sims 4 announced (PC/Mac, 2014), series 150 million, has offline [Up: Call Info]

 

[TOM f'N CRUISE]

so when will this take effect??

 

[Replicant]

My thoughts exactly. I wonder what other nefarious new scheme they've cooked up to replace this?

 

[Liamario]

I don't see this as good news at all. There's a reason they are stopping it and it's not consumer feedback.

 

[Killing_Joke]

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.

 

[Bedlam]

Next up: season passes (and one year+ DLC plans based on nothing but good faith).

Also, I love how they spin what is essentially them locking away features as a "full menu of online content and services." Great service, EA!

 

[The_Inquisitor]

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]

Am I the only one who didn't mind online passes? I always bought my games new. Didn't ever feel like the $5 you saved buying the used copy was worth it. The only problem that I had with it was rentals.

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.

 

[Satchel]

Remove online pass

receive profits from MS for used game pass

 

[funkystudent]

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.

 

[Acorn]

So, online activations for next gen confirmed?

Call me a pessimist, but they wouldn't do away with online passes unless they had something else up their sleeves.

 

[KiteGr]

Realy?!
WoW!

What's next?
Stop DLCs and season passes and start releasing complete games?
Abolish Origin?

 

[Bittercup]

Sounds good, but I worry that there will be some kind of downside and online passes were the lesser evil.
I suspect online activation for console games will happen.

 

[Odrion]

Now Kill Origin too.

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.

 

[JAYSIMPLE]

so they thought people were buying games used, so made the online pass. then realised people weren't buying games at all.

hmmmmmm

 

[Night_Trekker]

So all the oodles of money they made by cutting down on used game sales didn't make it worthwhile, huh?

EDIT: ^ Thank you!

 

[Odrion]

What EA really fucking needs to do is get rid of their horrible "we run all our servers" policy. What do they gain from it other than the ability to be huge fucking pricks by shutting them down? Is that really worth the money it takes to maintain the servers?

 

[Kill Your Masters]

Whats the catch? Freemium? More grinding? Or just EA playing nice? (lol)

 

[JWong]

What EA really fucking needs to do is get rid of their horrible "we run all our servers" policy. What do they gain from it other than the ability to be huge fucking pricks by shutting them down? Is that really worth the money it takes to maintain the servers?

Isn't that the same for... everyone?

 

[Odrion]

Whats the catch? Freemium? More grinding? Or just EA playing nice? (lol)

probably that it's not needed due to what the new consoles will do.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Whats the catch? Freemium? More grinding? Or just EA playing nice? (lol)

Limited Editions all around.

 

[Odrion]

Isn't that the same for... everyone?

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.

 

[FyreWulff]

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.

 

[Joni]

What EA really fucking needs to do is get rid of their horrible "we run all our servers" policy. What do they gain from it other than the ability to be huge fucking pricks by shutting them down? Is that really worth the money it takes to maintain the servers?

What are the other options aside from p2p connections?

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.

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.

 

[Jamie OD]

Say hello to more Ultimate Team style online card game modes.

 

[Recall]

Discontinues online pass


Employs online-only authentication

I was happy, then I was sad

 

[Breakfast at Noon]

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]

Makes sense. After all, you can't have activation keys and online passes.

 

[Infernal Monkey]

Realy?!
WoW! What's next?
Stop DLCs and season passes and start releasing complete games?

Haha, don't be silly!

 

[Fezzan]

If EA were getting rid of online passes for something worse why would they do it now and not when next-gen launches?

 

[B1gg_Randall]

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.

License transfer his account to your 360.

 

[Fox Mulder]

So, online activations for next gen confirmed?

Call me a pessimist, but they wouldn't do away with online passes unless they had something else up their sleeves.

That's how I feel. An odd move, unless this really hurt their bottom line somehow.

 

[hirokazu]

Discontinuing because it'll be enforced by always-online and checks against secondhand sales next gen

 

[Miles Quaritch]

So, online activations for next gen confirmed?

Call me a pessimist, but they wouldn't do away with online passes unless they had something else up their sleeves.

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.

 

[Razgreez]

The real translation is "we're making so much money from in-game purchases and the online pass was acting as a barrier to entry"

 

[Acidote]

Maybe they've though about offering additional content (after BF3 Premium results) instead of scamming consumers.

 

[mrklaw]

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.

 

[Fraeon]

What are the other options aside from p2p connections?

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]

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.

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.

 

[Joni]

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.

But there is not really a precedent for that on consoles, no?

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

"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?

 

[Valnen]

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?

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.

 

[Blearth]

People going crazy with speculation up in herr.

I'm sure that there just weren't enough people forking over the $10 to continue the program.

 

[Varth]

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.

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]

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.

Yes because my question, "Isn't this wrong?" is asking that Activision has never used Online Passes on any games.

 

[Fraeon]

"EA wasn’t the only publisher using an online pass system. Activision and Ubisoft are among a handful that make use of it."

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]

“Initially launched as an effort to package a full menu of online content and services, many players didn’t respond to the format,”

Get the fuck out of here with that shit! It was a way to further nickel and dime the consumer. Scumbags.

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!