Sony Erects Online Pass Barrier Around Uncharted 3 Multiplayer

[Logan Westbrook]

Sony Erects Online Pass Barrier Around Uncharted 3 Multiplayer

The Uncharted 3 paywall is designed to tackle pirates, Sony says.

Uncharted 3 [http://www.amazon.com/Uncharted-3-Drakes-Deception-Playstation/dp/B004EQCCI4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317637688&sr=8-2 ] is the latest in a long line of games that requires players to input a special one-use code in order to get access to the game's multiplayer. Sony first rolled out its version of the online pass system - PSN Pass - earlier this year for Resistance 3.

Juan Jiménez, Sony España's software manager, confirmed that Sony was using the PSN Pass system for Uncharted 3, and that anyone who bought a pre-owned copy of the game would to pay the now-standard $10 fee in order to get a pass of their own. According to Jiménez, the pass is supposedly a buffer against piracy, with no mention of it being an attempt to claw back a few bucks on pre-order sales. Of course, considering Sony's ham-fisted efforts to tackle piracy in the past, it's almost believable that that's the case.

Jiménez also implied that Sony would include the PSN Pass in all its future mainstream releases, and if that's correct, it's sad to see Online Passes claim another publisher, because it means yet another raw deal for us gamers. I understand that making games is expensive and publishers and developers don't see a cent from pre-owned sales, but punishing consumers with fees and restricted feature lists because they can't afford to drop sixty bucks on every high-profile title that comes out does not seem the best way to handle the situation.

Uncharted 3 comes out for PS3 on November 1st.

Source: The Vault [http://www.thevault.es/entrevista-a-juan-jimenez-software-manager-de-sony-espana] via Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/01/uncharted-3-will-use-psn-pass-to-combat-piracy-make-money-on-us/]




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[SL33TBL1ND]

Uncharted has multiplayer? Seriously, I own 1 and 2 and I've never noticed it ever.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Another one? Jesus...

How many people actually pirate games nowadays? first thought is that was a save face for fighting used sales customers.

Glad I don't have a PS3 then.

 

[razer17]

Well, I can see it from Sony's point of view: They need to make money. This helps them do that. They do deserve to get some cash from second hand sales. Personally I think this is the wrong way to go about it though.

Publishers should get actively involved in the trade-in system somehow. That could mean they make a deal with the brick and mortar stores where they receive a percentage, or, and I think this is the best solution for them and the customer, they do trade-ins themselves.

For instance, you buy Battlefield 3, and decide that you are bored with it, and you want Mass Effect 3 that's now coming out. EA sends you a voucher for X trade-in value, which you can use with their online store. Then they know your going to buy another EA game, plus they can either take your old game out of circulation, so people can't just keep selling and buying it second hand, or sell it on to someone else.

I think a system like that would make consumers more grateful to the publisher, and it would make the publisher, and possibly therefore the developers, more money. Win - win, I'm thinking.

 

[KafkaOffTheBeach]

Heh...it says 'erects' in the article title.

 

[ASnogarD]

I thought you couldnt pirate on a console, and that only the PC was a pirate ridden cesspool not fit to release titles onto ( at least not until the consoles got the first pop at the game )?

I find it amusing that the publishers will twist reality around to suit thier current needs, like oh we are protecting sale against piracy by delaying the PC version, now we are preventing PS 3 pirates by charging a fee to get the pass... would this mean later the PC will get first release on a multi platform title, and the consoles later to prevent those pirate ridden consoles from ruining sales ?

Its more sad though that pubilisher actually think they are fooling anyone with thier outlandish claims... nooo we are not trying to suck up even more of your cash, we are merely defending our sales, not trying to get a piece of the pre owned market, thats just a coincidence... really, honest.

..oh, better get the editor out, you are missing a 'have' in this sentence...
and that anyone who bought a pre-owned copy of the game would to pay the now-standard $10 fee

 

[Miles000]

It seems I'm in the minority of agreeing with what they are doing here.
I think the online pass is actually a good idea. Good on them for getting something from pre-owned sales.

I have used it with many EA games, and have no problems with it.

Although I think Homefront did it best.
Even if you bought it pre-owned, you could still play the MP, just not level up beyond rank 5.

 

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

Uncharted has multiplayer? Seriously, I own 1 and 2 and I've never noticed it ever.

The first game didn't have multi. But Uncharted 2 does... I don't know how you could possibly miss it, it's in the main menu, you see it every time you start the game.

 

[TimeLord]

It seems I'm in the minority of agreeing with what they are doing here.
I think the online pass is actually a good idea. Good on them for getting something from pre-owned sales.

I have used it with many EA games, and have no problems with it.

Although I think Homefront did it best.
Even if you bought it pre-owned, you could still play the MP, just not level up beyond rank 5.

That's the Space Marine system too.

OT: I'm indifferent about the online pass stuff as I buy most of my games new anyway.

 

[ASnogarD]

It seems I'm in the minority of agreeing with what they are doing here.
I think the online pass is actually a good idea. Good on them for getting something from pre-owned sales.

I have used it with many EA games, and have no problems with it.

Although I think Homefront did it best.
Even if you bought it pre-owned, you could still play the MP, just not level up beyond rank 5.

The real solution is actually to stop making generic forgetable games, and make good games players wont want to sell on.
The issue here is that the big publishers just spam out lots of generic forgetable, not much reply factor games to max out profits... and so when the buyer finishes or gets bored of a generic title they use it to get a discount on the next generic title.

I dont hand in titles I actually enjoyed, hell no... I go back to old titles I had fun with and play again, and again... only boring generic titles go back to the store.

 

[Miles000]

It seems I'm in the minority of agreeing with what they are doing here.
I think the online pass is actually a good idea. Good on them for getting something from pre-owned sales.

I have used it with many EA games, and have no problems with it.

Although I think Homefront did it best.
Even if you bought it pre-owned, you could still play the MP, just not level up beyond rank 5.

That's the Space Marine system too.

OT: I'm indifferent about the online pass stuff as I buy most of my games new anyway.

Space Marine is THQ, no?
So it seems that THQ has the right idea then.

I always buy new, and I never trade in.

 

[Kunzer]

I have always favored PC gaming over consoles for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are:

-- vastly superior hardware
-- excellent peripherals & superior controls
-- having the ability to use modifications without hassle

I guess these money-grubbing online passes present yet another reason not to care about consoles.

Sad. I used to love consoles as a youngster.

 

[Yan007]

I'm actually quite happy to be living in China right now (work) because multiplayer is a moot point (ping is hell here, when I can connect at all - Great Firewall and all that gibberish) so I don't have to care.

On the other hand, I'm getting depressed almost every time I look at gaming-related news. This news is another bad news for gamers, just like the move to take away games from Steam to start Origin, always-online DRM and so on. I would absolutely be thrilled if I opened my browser and found gaming news that gave me a positive outlook on the future of my most favorite pastime/hobby such as companies coming up with cool things and gimmicks. Imagine instead of companies complaining about 2nd hand and piracy, an alternate reality where producers and publishers try to find more ways to make their product essential to you, something you can't pass or would feel guilty getting 2nd hand. Like instead of having a $10 tax, they put in a slip in the box that says "Oh btw: We added something extra with this game, have fun." so buying a game would be like playing a very fun lottery where you always win something.

 

[Pipotchi]

Well, I can see it from Sony's point of view: They need to make money. This helps them do that. They do deserve to get some cash from second hand sales.

No they don't. And how the hell did they convince you that they do? Used games are just like anything else used. You should be able to sell it. They need to make more money? What, they don't have enough? What the hell is wrong with you to side with the corporations that are constantly finding new ways to fuck you over? Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you? Used games exist because not everyone has the money to buy new games, and because people want to sell shitty games they don't need anymore. Also, when you sell a game, then you have the money to buy another one. Which in a long run makes them more money than this shitty practice. For fuck sake it's not hard to understand how illogical and just plain greedy this practice is.

Siding with the business's interests on this one doesnt make you stupid. If you only by your games new then you have lost nothing. Sony and other publishers have simply split the original product into two sections in order to take a bite of the likes of Gamestop's profits.

I have no real problem with these measures it simply allows them to get a slice of the price of a pre-owned game in order to fund the section of the game that they are still supporting.

 

[Snotnarok]

It's amazing how much they can bullshit people, you can't play multiplayer when you pirate, that's basically the problem with piracy. So not letting pre-owned users play it to avoid piracy makes no sense. They're just making excuses for trying to make a second sale off of their games.

Though maybe it's different on consoles but as I gather it's not easy to get away with pirating games this generation on consoles. Swap tricks and gamesharks+springs don't work.

It's fine to not include bonus items and all that but taking features completely out is just ...you know wrong. The game was bought and paid for, it's not licensing, it's not renting you're buying a game. That's like a Honda dealer pulling up while someone is selling you the car and saying "if you'd like the stereo in this car you'll have to pay me to use it". It's not a game breaking thing but it's stupid.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

What if you dont want to play online? Then you could sell your copy of the pass to someone who bought a pirate version of it.

 

[Zhukov]

Wait... Uncharted is PS3 exclusive. That is to say, only available on a console.

I did not realise that console piracy was high enough to warrant these kinds of measures.

Yeah... somehow I'm finding the piracy angle a bit hard to believe.