Electronic Arts are getting rid of their controversial online pass system due to negative customer feedback, according to Gamesbeat.
“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.”
“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.”
EA can say whatever they like, but everyone knows that online passes were introduced as a way to combat the second-hand games market which many companies perceive to be damaging to their overall sales of new titles. However, this put companies like EA into a conflict with games retailers such as GameStop (US) and Game (UK).
“We’re still committed to creating content and services that enhance the game experience well beyond the day you first start playing,” Reseburg said.
It’s worth noting that EA weren’t the only company to adopt the online pass system, with other big names like Activision and Ubisoft also using similar schemes. However they are the first AAA level publisher to abandon the system publicly.
Could this be a new leaf for EA? Has their winning the less-than-coveted ‘worst company in the world’ award two years on the row finally stirred something up over there? Let us know what you think in the comments below.