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Electronic Arts' system Online Pass, requiring users to either buy new copies of their games or purchase an online code for used copies, will no longer be employed, according to EA's senior director of corporate communications mail to GamesBeat.

The same EA representative stated that the program was launched to bring a digital store containing online content and media easier to the player. However, players did not respond to the program as positively as EA had intended.

In order to avoid the huge cash loss due to used games, many retailers have tried to circumvent the problem by requiring users to purchase a code to allow multiplayer access. Players who bought a new version of the game had a code coupled with it, while players purchasing a used copy would have to pay more to buy a code of their own.

So good news for sports games fans (this applies to Madden too) and Battlefield 3 users, games under the Online Pass system now and in the future will not require the Online Pass system or online codes.

The largest publishers in the industry have also employed this method. Ubisoft, Activision, Sony all have programs competing with EA. With EA's move to shut down their system, this move is potentially the first knock of a domino falling that could change how used games will affect the market in the future. The decision also comes after the rumors of an 'always online' and having some sort of in-console verification system of games.

Comments

  • Ikusa GT Avatar
    Ikusa GT
    11 years, 7 months ago

    It's about freaking time. And certainly makes purchasing a used game much more feasible.

  • Zarles Avatar
    Zarles
    11 years, 7 months ago

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjjZGyYcH9E

  • Avatar
    PooPooMan
    11 years, 7 months ago

    Its Not like This makes EA less of a Shitty-Company.

  • Zladko Avatar
    Zladko
    11 years, 7 months ago

    probably have something worse in mind

  • Sarlacc Avatar
    Sarlacc
    11 years, 7 months ago

    Took them long enough to realize how stupid of idea it actually was.

  • Edwin P. Avatar
    Edwin P.
    11 years, 7 months ago

    Hopefully EA continues with changing things up like this. If it doesn't change everyone else I at least hope it creates a domino effect of revisions inside of EA. The whole hate thing is getting kind of old, it'd be pretty awesome to see them and other company's that have taken shit these last years actually become what everyone wants (honest and badass companies). Just some wishful thinking though~

  • Avatar
    Sickbrain
    11 years, 7 months ago

    We went 2 posts without "lol EA is bad" comment, that's a progress. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

  • Chrissaviour Avatar
    Chrissaviour
    11 years, 7 months ago

    A step in the right direction. Hopefully they can continue that trend.

  • Avatar
    WubWub
    11 years, 7 months ago

    This is either costing EA too much money/hassle to maintain or they have something else in mind such as micro transactions galore or the next gen systems have some other activation system.

    They had already implemented this system and took all the bad press and no matter what they do they will never please all the people they pissed off because of this so it seems kinda dodgy how they would try and make a u-turn after so long. I am holding off until we hear more in the near future before i give EA some positive cred,