EA's Online Passes Have a Limited Shelf Life

[Epona]

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It's just to prevent there from being a secondhand market for the codes. Maybe you don't care about the online pass, so you sell it to a friend later on... It's also a way to combat the inevitable keygen codes: You'll have to continually generate a new one, so maybe you'll slip up/forget/say "screw it."

If a new code can be obtained for free, how does this stop a secondhand market for codes? I could sell you a code and if it doesn't work, you just get the new one for free. I also don't see how this stops key generators.

1. If you can't just save it until you go to trade/sell the game to someone else, you're more likely to just use it.

2. It puts another step in the process for keygen users. Sure, you found a working code... and in a few months, it won't be. The new codes might be generated in a new way, so it could slow you down enough to just give up on that.

I'm not saying it's a great idea or anything. I'm just saying these are probably the reasons they're doing it.

1) Don't follow, you just trade the first gen code for a new code, it's free.

2) Same thing here, if your keygen generates a valid first gen code, it can be traded for a new code for free and that's if EA uses a new code generator for a game that's a few years old. They probably wouldn't bother with that.

EA probably put that expiration thing in there to maintain control even when it isn't needed. A sort of conditioning the consumer type thing. It seems the game industry likes to take freedoms away from you these days rather than give you freedoms. For example, I was reading something this morning about how the Vita will only allow you to have one account on it at a time and to log into a separate account you have to format the system. The PSP, on the other hand, isn't that restrictive at all.

 

[sapphireofthesea]

Wait... What?

Why would they make them expire, if you can just get a new one for free? Isn't that just more work for their support hotline? And more money used that way?

EA, I don't understand this.

My guess is it is a way to shaft the people who wait for the price drop. It is free right now, but if alot of people call in they will use it as data to justify another call to sales loss and start charging a minor fee to compensate.

 

[Jesus Phish]

I don't see the big deal. The new pass is free according to EA?

Yea but that's kind of the point, if you can just go ask customer support for another one, why did the one in the box have to expire in the first place?

My guess is they hope people wont bother going to customer support and instead will shell out the money for a pass.

For people with the money, it sounds easier to buy the code than say, email or call a support line and wait for a response, especially calling, which has to be done at your time and most likely, your expense.

 

[viranimus]

Well of course they do. I mean thats silly to think otherwise. Why wouldnt a digital product with no actual means of deterioration not have a specified use date?

I mean how on earth is EA supposed to survive the onslaught of vicious Used market, Ruthless rentals pervasive pirates and calloused consumers who have no concern about how their self interest and is going to destroy the industry tomorrow if something isnt done today.

I think I need to start doing more drugs to be able to get a grip on this "reality"

 

[fix-the-spade]

So EA are basicly saying, 'ok, we know you bought the game, that you paid to go through this crap means you're already as dumb as we thought, let's see if you're dumber,'

It's like they are actively goading people into pirating the game. Like kids yelling I'M NOT TOUCHING YOU they aren't preventing you from playing... but hell I'f I'm going to spend money on their services. Ah well, so much for BF3, back to ARMA2!

In what way does this have to do with money? If anything this idiotic nonsense is costing themselves money, not the consumer.

It's shameless money grab because when it comes up on the screen that your online pass is expired, the message includes two click buttons.

The first is along the lines of 'back to menu' while the second is 'buy online pass,'

I bet a number of people, probably not that many but enough to spin money, will simply fork out the ten bucks for a 'valid' online pass without ever trying the tech support. People are dumb that way.

 

[Leonick]

I don't see the big deal. The new pass is free according to EA?

Yea but that's kind of the point, if you can just go ask customer support for another one, why did the one in the box have to expire in the first place?

My guess is they hope people wont bother going to customer support and instead will shell out the money for a pass.

For people with the money, it sounds easier to buy the code than say, email or call a support line and wait for a response, especially calling, which has to be done at your time and most likely, your expense.

It's a decent theory I suppose, the problem I have with it is that I have a hard time imagining the bosses of EA would bother with this as the income from it would be tiny compared to what they make by just selling games...
Just doesn't make sense, they could up the price of the online pass by one dollar and they'd make more money of second-hand buyers buying the code with that increase than they'll do from people buying a new online pass because the one in the box was expired...

It's shameless money grab because when it comes up on the screen that your online pass is expired, the message includes two click buttons.

Don't think it says on the screen though, not sure as I've never had the problem but it most likely just says invalid, most people probably contact support...

 

[koroem]

Is EA's design philosophy "How far can we go to annoy our customers before they actually do something about it"?

Between origin, this, forum to game library bans, and years of just dick moves that have helped sully gaming, project 10 dollar, activation codes, selling cheat codes and unlocks.

How did we as consumers allow this to happen?

Because the majority of gamers now are new generation kids who only got into gaming with the advent of the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. They weren't a part of the "golden age" of gaming when games released without launch day DLC, zero day patches for game breaking bugs, beta releases with patch later mentality, and longer than 6 hours of game play.

The kids now just have money to burn ( or burn their parent's money) and expect mediocrity. Publishers have caught on to this and exploit it and now turn a deaf ear to legitimate complaints. They know they can develop trash and shovelware and turn profit on it thanks to launch day hype. They do it constantly and win.

We've lost what was once great and now have to wallow through the muck and trash thanks to over popularization of a once niche and directed hobby.

 

[UnderCoverGuest]

For all the dick moves EA pulls off, and all the times gamer folks respond with, "another suicidal act by EA", you'd the Electronic Arts would be nothing more than a couple of sharply dressed businessmen sitting in the back of a van plotting evil video games amongst themselves but with no actual resources with which to create their dastardly products--only to have the doors thrown open by a group of young teenager detectives and their crime-solving talking dog, revealing sunlight upon their mortal forms, and melting them into dust and ash as...I think I'm fantasizing here, I'm going to get some lunch.

 

[Callate]

At this point, it isn't even rage so much as bafflement. It's like EA's official PR line has become: "I don't understand why you would-" ****** slap* "-think that we don't care deeply about your-" *knee to the genitals* "-continued custom and input..."

This isn't cheese. It's not even something with as nebulous a claim to an expiration date as soda or beer. It's a line of code on a server.

 

[Treblaine]

OF all the companies that have gone bankrupt... why is EA still allowed to continue pulling this shit?

It's not like they're been making mega-profits (or any at all) why can't they just go away and release the studios they have from their evil grip?

 

[Treblaine]

My beef is also with Microsoft and SOny for ALLOWING such terrible practices on THEIR console!

The whole point of console gaming is a certain reliability, sureness, consistency and it's not like there isn't reams upon reams of regulations and rules set down by each console manufacturers on what publishers cannot do and what they must do. Yet they let this shit slide?

They are just as guilty.

You want to petition anyone, petition Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo to not grant licences to titles/publishers that continue such practices!

 

[The Great JT]

Dick move, EA. Dick move.

 

[pillinjer]

***SNIP***

1) Don't follow, you just trade the first gen code for a new code, it's free.

2) Same thing here, if your keygen generates a valid first gen code, it can be traded for a new code for free and that's if EA uses a new code generator for a game that's a few years old. They probably wouldn't bother with that.

EA probably put that expiration thing in there to maintain control even when it isn't needed. A sort of conditioning the consumer type thing. It seems the game industry likes to take freedoms away from you these days rather than give you freedoms. For example, I was reading something this morning about how the Vita will only allow you to have one account on it at a time and to log into a separate account you have to format the system. The PSP, on the other hand, isn't that restrictive at all.

What? Point 2 makes no sense. If you make an old code, you wouldnt know you made a valid code as it would come up as invalid. So you cant trade it in. Also EA could have 2 types of code, 1 that is from retail purchases and another for the EA created ones. In fact the second type could easily not be made until you ask them for a new code.

"Hi I need a code this one doesnt work"
"OK just checked that code no one has used it *EA support creates brand new code there and then" Here you go"
"Cheers *Player puts code in* Yep it works". Amount of time keylogger has to create the code...5 seconds. Not going to happen.

And before you say anything, EA did give me a code last month for the free Mass Effect 1 DLC, which needed a brand new key to unlock it.

Now can we rage about more sensible things.

 

[random_bars]

And there I was, coming into this article thinking that it might actually mean that after a certain date, a game's 'online pass' system will be removed and the customer will be allowed to play online straight away for free. Which would make sense as after a certain point a game's used sales are no longer competing with new sales, as every sale of the game will be used, meaning restricting peoples' online access would only serve to limit the game's popularity and cause people to not buy it.

Guess I was too optimistic. EA being EA, as usual.

 

[KirbyKrackle]

Is EA's design philosophy "How far can we go to annoy our customers before they actually do something about it"?

Between origin, this, forum to game library bans, and years of just dick moves that have helped sully gaming, project 10 dollar, activation codes, selling cheat codes and unlocks.

How did we as consumers allow this to happen?

Because the majority of gamers now are new generation kids who only got into gaming with the advent of the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. They weren't a part of the "golden age" of gaming when games released without launch day DLC, zero day patches for game breaking bugs, beta releases with patch later mentality, and longer than 6 hours of game play.

The kids now just have money to burn ( or burn their parent's money) and expect mediocrity. Publishers have caught on to this and exploit it and now turn a deaf ear to legitimate complaints. They know they can develop trash and shovelware and turn profit on it thanks to launch day hype. They do it constantly and win.

We've lost what was once great and now have to wallow through the muck and trash thanks to over popularization of a once niche and directed hobby.

You damned kids and your virtual hula hoops!

Seriously though, your post demonstrates an incredible ignorance of the history and culture of video games as well as basic player demographics.

 

[Mictarmite]

I love the 'Nope', sounds like what EA would do if they could get away with it (though they are a business, and this stuff is expensive...)

EA are really shifty with their servers, and while i agree with an 'on-line pass' in general to ward off used games sales, it sets us off on a dangerous course, specially since the 'hardcore' gamer community is easily surpassed in economic weight by the more 'casual' type now.

 

[Formica Archonis]

If anyone needs me I'll be over here playing a good EA game whose copy protection isn't obnoxious and never stopped me from playing the game.

(Fires up Caveman Ugh-lympics.)

 

[CaptainKoala]

This has been the case since Bad Company 2. Probably before that too, but that's the earliest I can remember it.

 

[Aidinthel]

This isn't so much evil as it is just dumb. I really don't understand EA's reasoning here.

 

[nothingspringstomind]

EA, seriously? You violate our rights to privacy with what amounts to spyware. You insult our intelligence with advertising campaigns for idiots, and now you cost us and yourself more money to claim content that we've paid for already but expires?

Just... just... oh, forget it.