EA gets rid of online passes

[Icemage]

EA kills its controversial Online Pass program | GamesBeat

EA is doing away with its Online Pass program from this point forward, a decision the video game 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.”

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“Initially launched as an effort to package a full menu of online content and services, 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.”

“We’re still committed to creating content and services that enhance the game experience well beyond the day you first start playing,” Reseburg said.

Good news! Maybe EA is trying to shed their Darkest of Dark Lords reputation.


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

HALLE-FUCKING-UJAH!!!!!


We may yet see split-screen support in games like Battlefield !

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

"Initially launched as an effort to kill used sales, we found out people traded in games to buy others new, so our methods proved counter-productive,” Reseburg said. “It also didn't kill Gamestop and bring the revenue we wanted, so we'll do away with it moving forward.”

“We’re still committed to always on DRM and microtransactions, though,” Reseburg said.

FTFY.

[Firewind]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

Great. This means we're going to get a form of DRM even worse than Online Passes...

[Malacite]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

Nah, I think they're doing it because they figure they can secure more money via micro-transactions.

[cidbahamut]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

My money's on it not being sufficiently profitable. I sincerely doubt this is a case of EA listening to customer feedback and has everything to do with the scheme not meeting its financial goals.

[Malacite]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

I wouldn't doubt it, but a win's a win I guess. Now if only the other developers will follow suit...

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

My money's on it not being sufficiently profitable. I sincerely doubt this is a case of EA listening to customer feedback and has everything to do with the scheme not meeting its financial goals.

If I'm recalling correctly the revenue from purchased online passes in the first year they existed was under a million. so less than 100k used buyers paid in.

Given the online pass didn't add any value to the package, that's not really all that surprising.

[Icemage]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

I don't think the point of the online pass was to directly increase profitability by generating revenue from used game purchasers. It always seemed more like an experiment to try to prevent the games being sold off in the first place, by devaluing the worth of the disc.

In that sense, it probably was at least partly successful, but probably not to the extent that EA was hoping, particularly as it didn't affect anyone who wasn't interested in playing that specific game online.

I don't think anyone should be naive enough to assume that they've given up hope of killing the used game market, though. They'll find some other method; if nothing else, the increasing acceptance of digital downloading will shrink the retail physical market, solving some of their issues with zero effort on their part.


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

Well, if I can have split-screen in BF now that'll be awesome - sorta. BF's the kind of game where you honestly need as much "Screen-Real Estate" as possible.

Also gives me hope about Dead Space 4 and other games. Seriously, if only the other companies would follow suit (Sony, Ubisoft etc.)

[Icemage]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

Well, if I can have split-screen in BF now that'll be awesome - sorta. BF's the kind of game where you honestly need as much "Screen-Real Estate" as possible.

Also gives me hope about Dead Space 4 and other games. Seriously, if only the other companies would follow suit (Sony, Ubisoft etc.)

What makes you think that just because EA's online passes are going away, that they're suddenly going to support splitscreen play again?

They'll just find some other even more intrusive deal. "Day 1 DLC code - here's the real ending to the game, in every box." Oh, you bought the game used? You can still finish the game, just pay us $15 for that content.


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: EA gets rid of online passes

@___@

ty Cpt. Buzzkill


lol I'm sure you're (unfortunately) right, but it's nice to fantasize.