EA Scraps Online Passes

The publisher drops its online pass.

If you hate having to enter codes to play games online, then here’s some news to cheer you up.  Electronic Arts have announced that they will stop using their Online Pass system in future games, which means players will no longer have to enter codes to unlock online modes and other additional features.

The Online Pass system was introduced by some game publishers to get some money out of the used game market, with new games coming with a one time use code to access online features.  If you bought used, you had to pay for a new code to access the features.

“Yes, we’re discontinuing Online Pass,” EA senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg said to GamesBeat. “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,” Reseburg said. “We’ve listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward.”

However, EA will still be producing a lot of DLC for games in future, with Reseburg saying  “We’re still committed to creating content and services that enhance the game experience well beyond the day you first start playing.”

Source: GamesBeat