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EA : Ten Dollar Online Pass
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Written by Slam Da Brakes   
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 00:00

 

To stem the tide of pre-owned games getting a free ride, EA have decided to charge for online features. So if you buy or rent a game, you have to shell out an extra ten dollars to unlock online achievements. This isn't going to go down well at all....

 

Before we get the lynch mob out on EA games, let us digest exactly what EA really want to do with what they are calling the EA Online Pass. Starting with Tiger Woods 11, EA sports titles will require an Online Pass - one per game - so you can access online multiplayer and online features. If you rent or buy pre-owned, you will need to find ten dollars to get the pass. 

 

As YouStayClassy in our forum has neatly pointed out, most of us already pay for an Xbox Live Gold subscription so you will be paying double for playing Live and Microsoft are ok with this? Shouldn't EA offer a game without online for ten dollars less? With the closing of servers and a tax to play online, EA are treading dicey ground. Nonetheless there is a light at the end of the tunnel for non-completionists. There will a huge bargain bin in the corner with unwanted EA Sports titles with a warning "only a maximum of 700 points can be scored from this game unless you pay ten dollars extra. There is however no guarantee there will be a server for this game"

 

Credit goes to XxB3asti3xX for the forum thread and EA link

 

 

 

Comments (14)
  • Idealist  - Yep...
    ... This will be a reason for an increase in modded consoles. Why buy the game used, and then not get a code when you can get it so much cheaper than the used cost? then have plenty of money left over to buy the pass... if you really want it.
  • Everton
    Its simple
    Just boycott EA titles. They are trying to dictate to us when we play games by switching off servers and now this added kick in the nutz of trying to cash in on 2nd hand sales.
    Can you imagine buying a used car and having to pay the original manufacturer a bunch of cash if you wanted to use the radio or be told that you could not have the roof down after a year because only a few people were using that feature so we thought we would stop you. If everyone ceased buying EA titles full stop then this would soon all change. If you are desperate for a play of one of their games then just get any version and cut out a number 10 or 11 and stick it in the box and hey presto you have the latest game. Lets face it this pile of robbing scum have been peddling minor updates as 'new' games for years.
  • HawkTeflon  - Terrible, terrible idea.
    Those games hit the $7.99 mark as soon as the next one comes out anyway. Those achievements were the ONLY reason to play them. They're signing their future over. Sad day for EA.

    I mean, seriously! This isn't a Final Fantasy title that has hundreds upon thousands of hours or anything. This is freaking golf, football and basketball. No thanks! Not going to happen EA. You had a good run.
  • SnackPak1138
    Whatever happened to Microsoft's rule that the first 1000 achievement points have to be attainable out of the box? If EA goes through with this and starts charging extra for online play/achievements, won't that go against MS's rule? Every EA Sports 2010 game had online achievements. So, if that's the case and I buy all my EA Sports titles used, that's at least $60 extra if I want to play online. Regardless if I pay $20 or $40, I'm not paying for this. I'll just stop playing EA Sports games (I only play Madden and NCAA Football), or buy brand new on eBay, that way EA doesn't get one red cent of my money.
  • ZekeeUk
    Great..... so even after we purchase an online pass they will still shut the servers down after a few years anyway. This is a stupid idea and will only restrict the amount of people actually playing these games online or purchasing their games.
  • mestiso7323
    Wow, no one said a thing about this when they did it with Mass Effect 2...

    The "Cerebrus Network" is the exact same thing. I think this all crap, but why all the hub-bub about the sports games and not about Mass Effect?
  • phoenixthreat  - bull crap
    I am pretty sure that if you preorder and pick up your game on release date they will have a special promotion code to get online with. which they did with mass effect 2 cerberus network. I rented ME2 but had a friend send me a code for cerberus network
  • SnackPak1138
    @mestiso7323

    Correct me if I'm wrong as I have not played Mass Effect 2, but isn't the Cerebrus Network only for DLC? Can you still get the original 1000 without signing up for the network?

    I know for Bad Company 2 they have a VIP code, but that's just for downloading the first DLC's for free instead of paying. But you can get the first 1000 without anything. I was wondering if it was the same for Mass Effect 2 since they are both EA. I don't mind that as much as having my achievements limited with the EA Sports Online Pass.

    DLC I expect to pay for if I want it, but I am not going to pay to 100% a game when that should be my right when I buy the game used or new. It's just wrong.
  • KRS  - Flies
    EA - you attract a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar.

    You don't like what is going on with used game sales. Punishing used buyers is a bad move and will result in even more negative feelings from gamers. Especially hardcore achivement seekers who are more liekly to be irritated and say/do something about it than dudes who buy Madden every year no matter what.

    A better solution would be to add more incentive to buy new. Free/early access to DLC, in game items, early access to multiplayer...all these things make sense to me and reward the early adopters.

    /glad I am not a sports game fan on a budget.
  • Roach  - Boycott
    I read about this yesterday through Gamebuzz, and have already committed myself to an EA boycott since this has been announced.

    Anyone with me on starting a mass EA boycott??!


    Nb. Looks like PES 2011 may do quite well this year in the grand scheme of things!
  • YouStayClassy  - Mass Effect 2
    Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield 2 are almost identical to this pass as was pointed out earlier, however like it was also pointed out it was still possible to get the original 1k without them. DLC is a completely different beast, however I noticed you are able to download the Katsumi DLC for ME2 directly, so... yeah.

    The problem with this EA Sports B.S. is it's almost *guaranteed* you won't be able to get the 1k without having the pass. And, knowing EA, they'll make the 2011 sports titles 90% online only achievements because they're one of the few companies that truly grasp the mindstate of Achievement Hunters. Peter Moore himself was said as much.
  • YouStayClassy  - Long rambling rant part 2
    Just to clairy, I didn't mean Peter Moore has confirmed the 2011 EA Sports games will be mostly online achievements, but that he understands the mindstate of Achievement Hunters and how they'll go out of their way for achievements.

    A very dangerous man he is, working for the worst possible company he could have possibly chosen as they bend over backwards for him.
  • Zerorunner  - Football games........

    I was perfectly happy playing a single years edition of Madden until the achievement bug hit me, and I started looking for each years version. I don't think I will have any problem leaving my sports games uncompleted and still buying them used.
  • Anonymous  - greedy
    Just goes to show you that EA doesn't care about the gamer just the gamers money. i bought madden 10 last year and haven't got all the achievements because i really don't like playing football online because people love to cheat/quit when losing/ swear nonstop. I love getting achievements so much a started a second profile and im replaying all my old games. but i think im done with EA now they truly don't care about the gamer just there money
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