EA Pulls Prick Move, Sets Expiration Dates For Online Passes

Gaming Blend "You know how you bought a game brand new because of the Online Passes and you didn't want to get gimped with a used copy? Well, it doesn't matter if you get it new or used, EA has set expiration dates for their Online Passes so after a period of time you can no longer access certain online features."

[Marcus Fenix]

well, that blows and EA got no excuse 4 doing that.

[Washington-Capitals]

Dont worry, here on N4G its ok to bash EA, but as soon as sony introduces this 'business tactic' for Uncharted 4 or some other exlcusive, you'll see

"Sony needs to do this to support thier first party devs"

or

"if you are a business person, this is the best thing you can do"

or

"only way to stop used game sales"
etc etc.

It will be normalized and everyone will accept this practice as something right. Of-course im speaking strictly about N4G, the rest of the gaming world will absolutely be in uproar.

Now goahead and disagree fanboys, i know the truth hurts. Actually, mark this comment as 'trolling', cause i know that is going to happen, but funny thing is more people are likely to read the comment once its marked.

[Pintheshadows]

I don't think it matters how many people read your comment, fanboys or not, but it is certainly the most pointless i've read today. So well done you.

Oh, and I consider it off topic rather than trolling, just so you know.

[da_2pacalypse]

you're completely right... Uncharted3 did this and nobody seems to give a crap about that... Online passes are stupid, I don't care what game does it. There has only been one time that online passes have been done right, and that was BF BC2, where they released tons of map packs for people with the pass.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

Look, I hate this Online Pass shit as much as the next guy, but pinning it on Sony or N4G is not fair. EA sells way more games than Sony ever does and I don't see "the rest of the gaming world in uproar" for this news. So please, put your pants back on. The truth is gamers complain about a lot of stuff, but they aren't that responsible with their money and as far as we keep supporting those games, companies will get away with it. And don't pretend you never bought a game you don't agree with the publisher's politics on. We all get over it with want the game bad enough.

Also, you have to consider that EA and Sony are not the only companies to use Online Passes. THQ, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Warner Bros, Capcom... If the trend follows, Sony will be just another drop in the ocean of crap we'll be swimming in.

Based on your past comments you seen like a nice level headed guy. You're always pointing the the lack of common sense in people talking crap on sales numbers or about flamesuits here... Why don't you take the same common sense and take the N4G hate somewhere else?

EDIT @da_2pacalypse

SOCOM 4 did practically the same stuff. It don't have an Online Pass, but a Pro pack for those buying a new copy, which included maps and guns.

But just like with Bad Company 2 Online Pass, the problem is that they sell the Pro pack online.

If you want to combat used sales, why sell it to people buying used? The answer is simple, you don't. Selling this online means you actually expect people to buy it used anyway, so you may as well maximize profits.

[RBLAZE1988]

Ovechkin sucks ass.

On topic yea this is a major A-hole move by EA. They have had so many opportunities to become such a good dev and they've blown each of them. I guess they see that Activision shits on the consumer and gets a profit so they are tired of trying and are just gonna shit on us too...

[killerhog]

Blu-ray digital copy vouchers have an expiration date, usually a year long. Not surprising game devs will pull the same move.

[Me-Time]

lol what a prick

[farhad2k8]

Ughh.. I still love BF3! Happy face!

Happy now?

[P1NKY]

Well that does suck, big hairy balls. Why go and do such a thing EA? oh wait...

However I do like some of their games, such as BF3.

[Theo1130]

EA = Activison, actually EA is worse now, COD didn't ship with an online pass.

[NatureOfLogic]

^^ My only reason for owning MW3 and not BF3.

[BISHOP-BRASIL]

Activision sucks because their games sucks... Well, not really, a lot of people love COD, but the fact remains that COD is the same crap from 2007. That's how Activision deals with it's IPs. Just make lot's of money of the same rehashed crap, barelly give your developers any freedom to do anything else and the moment you feel like it's no longer selling just let it go instead of trying to step up with it (Guitar Hero anyone?).

EA is indeed not better. Although they come up with something new every once in a while (and I believe that's exactly why people no longer see EA as the top evil gaming company), they do rehash a lot too. Also they were always know for how greed they can be, expiration on Online Passes is just on more chapter in the book.

Quite frankly, every major publisher has gamers on the clinge every once in a while. Square Enix crapped all over it's former IPs, Capcom westernize everything we liked because it was so Japanese-ish, Namco Bandai won't launch a game they can't abuse DLC, Ubisoft will never get DRM right...

The way I see it, they all suck in their own way, there isn't really a "worst" one... Personally I care more about the "best" ones, and for that I really only look at games. In this prospect EA is still not worse than Activision for me, as I would gladly take BF with 3 months of online over a COD anyday (not really, I would just pass on both)... But hey, it's just me.

[MaverickStar7]

Well this is kind of misleading. There is no mention of an hard expiration dates being set. Just that they can post of notice prior to things being removed. Im sure if people to a hard look at tall the user agreements we enter into online I'm sure will see the same type of thing with every company. But usually we just hit accept and move on. Companies have been doing this as long as online gaming has been done. If the amount of active online users falls to a point where it costs too much to support the game features or the game as a whole will be shut down. Nothing exactly new here, and EA is not the lone villain.

[christheredhead]

True EA is not alone, but the expiration date is set to the physical code before entering and before going online. Happened to me when I bought dragon age for ps3. I bought brand new, but the actual code for the single player content was locked because it had already expired. Did I get a brand new code for buying new? Nope, they could care less. I should have just bought used to save myself five dollars.

It kind of makes me hesitant. I dont get to buy every game new around launch time. It might be years later. Makes me think twice about buying new at a later date, as it could be a toss up on the code ordeal.

[Blaine]

@Mav:

There's a difference between shutting down servers and expiring codes people are entitled to when they buy the game new.

Shutting down servers has always happened (although EA do it quite, quite soon with their sports games). On the other hand, not allowing you to play a game online, when you bought it (new, too), while the servers are still up? Inexcusable.

I used to defend the online pass. I buy my games new (buying on sale and buying when the price drops qualifies) so I feel I support devs as much as I can, so I don't object when they feel they need to fight the used market. But when they turn around and fuck over the CONSUMER, then I have a problem. Online passes were a way to counteract retailers making profit off their games without giving devs their fair share. But expiring online passes? That's meant to fuck over people who buy games when the price drops--in other words: the consumer, period.

[vortis]

Uh, Maverick, if you buy a game brand new because you want to access the multiplayer and the code doesn't work it means you have to fork over another $10 just to play online. I don't remember any other company ever doing anything like that.

[christheredhead]

Well its good to see that the online pass is now combating the used market AND the new market. Maybe now gamestop will think twice before selling a new copy for five dollars cheaper.

[n4gisatroll]

Maybe people should buy EA games used. Maybe EA will be forced to stop with their stupidity.

[Eromu]

I have no problem with Online Passes but this is just plain stupid.

[Grimhammer00]

Ironically they'll close their servers long before the expiry of the online pass.

(I kid.....I hope)

[iNFAMOUZ1]

i think its retarded we pay 60 dollars a year for online and yet we have to stumble upon yet more 3rd party fees? thats just dumb. I will never use their online pass, i rather just play offline.

[Focus]

Worst publisher of the gen award is a toss up between EA and Capcom.

[cyclonus007]

Joystiq did a story on this and actually talked to EA.

http://i.joystiq.com/2011/1...

Everyone calm down.

[vortis]

Calm down? Uh, that article basically says that EA admits some of their games have expiration dates for Online Passes and that others aren't supposed to expire but if they do you still have to buy another or get another one. The tech is basically saying the same thing the people in the Shacknews article said except they make it seem like it's convenient.

Ugh, gamers becoming complacent with corporate butt raping is actually more sad than the corporate butt raping.

EDIT: Also, conveniently enough there was already a clause in the EULA in case something like this happened...wow, how consumer friendly of them to be so forward thinking >_>

[cyclonus007]

The article says that some codes will have an expiration date but getting a new one is free. I don't see how that's rape.

[MasterCornholio]

Wow now that's a tricky dick. EA ARE REAL PRICKS.

XperiaRay

[ZippyZapper]

FU EA