Electronic Arts Kills the Online Pass

[Absolutionis]

Why is everyone so happy?

It's not like EA did anything 'good'. They just stopped doing something 'bad'. It's not the same thing. They're still doing plenty of other 'bad' things.

If a serial killer announced "I'm going to stop killing people on Friday mornings" would people celebrate? Extreme examples.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I don't understand. In the article I could swear it said EA, but that can't be right, can it?

Next they'll announce an end to the bland, homogenised games, microtransacting in full priced, SP games, cramming multiplayer into everything and *gasp* allowing Steam customers to buy their games! I might even start buying them again.

I thought they'd have come up with another way of shafting gamers and ruining games, but instead they take a bold step in the right direction.

 

[Upbeat Zombie]

Well good on EA. This is the first good news I have heard from them in a long time.

 

[Roxas1359]

First Microsoft is dropping the points thing and now this.

The hell is going on?

I'm not complaining mind you because this is pretty damn awesome, but I'm scared to turn on the facet because there might be blood!

I think we might have gone through one of Elizabeth's rifts and we are in a universe in which publishers are getting smarter about the decisions they make and will start listening to people. If this is true then my hope of Megaman Legends 3 will be renewed...I can be optimistic can't I? D:

OT: Good to see this gone, but just as Andy said I'm gonna wait until something else replaces them...

 

[Ambitiousmould]

Initial reaction: YAAAY! They're actually thinking about their intended customer's interests for once.

Second reaction: Well, "Hope is the first step on the road to dissappointment" so I can't honestly believe that they're doing away with it and that's that. Something will come up. Unless they are genuinely trying to change for the better, but then I refer you to the previous quote.

Captcha: million dollars. There is something relevent in there somewhere...

 

[Mirrorknight]

Why do I feel like EA is like some bad ex boyfriend. "No seriously, honey. I've changed!"

You've hurt me too many times, EA. I don't believe you anymore.

 

[Carrots_macduff]

how is this listening to feedback when basically all discussion concerning online passes has long since fell silent. seriously it has been like a year and a half as well as numerous other ea bumbles since this was a huge thing.

if anything they did this because it wasn't making money, or because it was going to interfere with dlc/microtransaction sales, and of course to get some good PR in the process which we all know they sorely need right now.

but don't let that stop the hate train! CHOO CHOO

 

[JenSeven]

They simply realised they didn't want a 3rd golden poo so they are dropping the less profitable user unfriendly business practices.
This is just trimming the things that gave them a bad reputation and no noticeable profit. It's simply business.

 

[Stampede]

Already, you exalt me for my triumphs,
When I ask only that you remember me for my treacheries

Victory is nothing more than survival.
It carries no weight of honour or worth beyond what we ascribe to it.
If you wish to grow wise, learn why brothers betray brothers.

Yes Grand Master. (From "The Emperor's Gift" I see... you have good taste brother.)

Thought for the Day: Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.

OT: Yeah, I'm agreeing with others, this is just far too good to be true. Time will show us what these bastards have in store for us since they dropped this stuff now. Let's not give them a hero's welcome when they have so many more failings to make up for.

A great (and flawed) man once shouted this while being confronted by the mistakes of his past: Such are the ways of Daemons, to lie and mislead us!

Regardless of whether this is EA looking at pie charts, listening to vocal or financial feedback, trying to undo some of the "business oriented" decisions they have made, hatching some scheme to gain popularity and stick it to the competition, preparing for a different kind of product control or just following some grander plan aimed at future generation consoles/Origin, it hardly matters. Either this is the first step in a long redeeming process, in which case I will watch them from the shadows of Steam very carefully, or a trap, in which case I'd apply the same strategy.

Also, I feel very comfortable using Warhammer 40K quotes in regard to this subject... huh...

An open mind is like a fortress with it's gate unbarred and unguarded.
There is no innocence, only varying degrees of guilt.
Blessed is the mind too small for doubt.
The difference between heresy and treachery is ignorance.
Beginning reform is beginning revolution.
A suspicious mind is a healthy mind.
A small mind is easily filled with faith.
Examine your thoughts...

 

[Tradjus]

Yes, we listened too you, the gamer, and gave you what you wanted!
Now, we're giving you something else alongside it, I -KNOW- you'll love it, market research told us so!
ALWAYS ONLINE FOR EVERY GAME EVER AHHHHH HAAA HAAA HAAAA!

 

[Agow95]

This is amazing but I can't help but feel they're luring us into another sort of money trap, although it could just be that with always-on and anti-used game technology they won't actually need online passes.

 

[Shuu]

Wait... What? I can't even be snarky about it, that's just.... good?
I still don't like or trust you EA, but this is a good step toward changing that.

 

[Vigormortis]

Why is everyone so happy?

It's not like EA did anything 'good'. They just stopped doing something 'bad'. It's not the same thing. They're still doing plenty of other 'bad' things.

Pretty much my thoughts on the matter. But I guess a lot of people around here are so desperate to find reasons to like EA again they'll take what they can get. After all, if you dislike EA then you automatically dislike Bioware, DICE, Mass Effect, Battlefield, or anything else even remotely associated with EA, right? I mean, is it not impossible to like the content but dislike the producers/funders of the content? That's what the internet tells me, anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for seeing EA turn around and join the ranks of the (very) few decent, community friendly publishers. I really am.

However, this "removal" of the Online Pass isn't technically a good thing. It's a move in the right direction, granted, but it's still simply a reversal of a very bad thing. A reversal that could just be the lead up to something similar, or worse. Time will tell.

As such, I'm not ready to celebrate just yet. When EA removes, in the very least, most of it's bad "features*", and starts committing to more consumer friendly practices, then I'll crack out the bubbly.

Till then, I remain skeptical.

[sub]* Features... Ha! That's a good one John Reseburg.[/sub]

 

[Jman1236]

I need to wait and see how this plays out. It sounds too good to be true that EA would cave in so easily.

 

[ResonanceSD]

Great, and now we know why. The Xbox One doesn't play nice with used games.

 

[Olrod]

They're not removing Online Passes out of the goodness of their hearts, they're doing it because PROFIT.

Either having the Online Pass was costing them profit, or they've found another way of squeezing players for money making the Online Pass unnecessary.

 

[Xarathox]

Got to hand it to them, that's some actual good news. But microtransactions will replace it, so that cancels out the karma.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Well, now we know why they've done it.

Because Microsoft are introducing it at a hardware level, so it's not 'their' fault anymore when that used game doesn't work.

 

[Daveman]

Well considering the Xbox one now makes pre-owned games virtually impossible this is now completely void right?

 

[Thoric485]

They must've laughed their ass of at all this free good press for nothing. And they had to go the extra mile pretending they've "listened to feedback".

Or maybe there was a point where they were actually considering having online passes on top of Xbox's pre-owned fee. I wouldn't be surprised.