EA's Online Passes Have a Limited Shelf Life

[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.

 

[duchaked]

LOL oh my gosh that killed me

talk about a deterrent from playing/getting EA games. I remember seeing that Battlefield 3 required an online code and was like "nope"

 

[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.

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.

Hardly ignorant. I've been gaming since pac man on the PC ( used to play on my dad's old Digital brand pc remember them?) was amazing and the atari 2600 was state of the art. I've seen 25+ years of the gaming community and industry change. It really wasn't until the past 5-7 years that gaming moved out of niche and into a commonly accepted past time that wasn't looked down upon as a "geek" or "nerd" hobby. It can't be coincidence that this current downward trend has coincided with the rise and popularity of mainstream gaming.

Perhaps it can be be blamed more on the connectivity features (ie networking, downloadable patches, social networking) that has come with this generation, but hardly can it be denied that kids/young adults, aren't to blame for the current trends for continuing to believe hype and slapping down the money without a second thought. I lot could change if people chose to vote with their wallets.

 

[Jamous]

Batten down the hatches my friends. A shitstorm approaches. Seriously though. Did they not think it through when they put things like this through? I know people who are just avoiding some games entirely because of silly things like this and DRM. It's just effort that people shouldn't really have to go through; people shouldn't have to contact the company before being -allowed- to play their games (even if that is just the online functions).

 

[tehweave]

In summary:

There is no point to playing EA games online ever.

 

[Metalrocks]

the EAmpire strikes back.
either they really want to test or find out how retarded people are these days (and many of them are) or the CEO lost his mind and became so greedy that he doesnt care about a thing anymore and tries every possible way to get money.
i hope something will happen that EA has to close down.....forever. so that every normal company like bioware is free from the evil EAmpire who already closed down many good companies.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

Really, EA?

I'm not sure whose worse between you and Ubisoft for most asinine online support and DRM and whatever other bullshit you pull out to 'counter piracy'.