James Delahunty
15 May 2013 23:52
Electronic Arts is dropping its controversial Online Pass program after three years, due to disapproval from customers.
EA's Online Pass consists of a one-time code that a buyer of a new game can use to unlock Online services and content. If the game is then sold on second hand to another player, then that player needed to pay a $10 fee to unlock the same services.
Frankly, if it took EA this long to realize that gamers don't like these measures, they need to clean their ears out.
"Yes, we're discontinuing Online Pass," John Roseburg, Senior Director, Corporate Communications at EA, told VentureBeat.
"None of our new EA titles will include that feature. Initially launched as an effort to package a full menu of online content and services, many players didn't respond to the format. We've listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward."
Of course, since EA adopted the measure, Sony, Activision and Ubisoft followed suit.