EA Blocks Multiplayer Mode on Used Games

[SonsOfLiberty]

http://i41.tinypic.com/2uoi1c0.gifEA Blocks Multiplayer Mode on Used Games

Starting with the release of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the publisher will introduce a new Online Pass, a one-time registration code included with each brand new copy of the game. The code allows players to access "online services, features and bonus content."

Those who purchase the game used can buy an Online Pass for $10 or sign up for a free 7-day trial. The pass will be implemented for NCAA Football 11, NHL 11, Madden NFL 11, NBA 11, FIFA 11, and EA Sports MMA as well. The pass offers different features for each title, however, players will not have access to basic multiplayer features if purchased used.

"You will be unable to play multiplayer online game modes or use your downloaded content in online game modes," EA says. Online leagues, dynasty and franchise modes are also only available with the Online Pass. The break down for each title can be seen on the publisher's official website.

"This is an important inflection point in our business because it allows us to accelerate our commitment to enhance premium online services to the entire robust EA SPORTS online community," said Peter Moore, President of EA SPORTS.

Despite being the leader in used game sales, retailer GameStop, which acknowledged it plans to focus on digital content in the future, supports Electronic Arts' new direction.

"GameStop is excited to partner with such a forward-thinking publisher as Electronic Arts," said Dan DeMatteo, Chief Executive Officer of GameStop Corp. "This relationship allows us to capitalize on our investments to market and sell downloadable content online, as well as through our network of stores worldwide."

:source: Source: IGN (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/108/1088621p1.html)

[eyekey]

unfortunately they are the only NFL game in town... :cry:

[SonsOfLiberty]

unfortunately they are the only NFL game in town... :cry:

Well if you buy it, no worries...I hate EA for buying the NFL rights and putting 2K out, Madden was afraid of 2K since they had the better football game, I own 2K3, with Ulacher on the front, and still say 2K (2K1) for Dreamcast were the best football games ever...also....

My take on the story is this, there "halting" piracy, for starters, a lot of people are not banned on Xbox Live yet, so there essentially playing for free, same with DLC's that come on disc, eg...Borderlands/Fallout 3 etc...this way, they now only play the single player unless they "pay" now for basically some of it. Also, my other take is, that Sony and many game companies for years and years have tried getting laws instated where buying/seller of "used games" to be made illegal, so there trying to put these stores out of business (why pay full price when you can just wait a few months then buy it), even though Gamestop has endorsed this. What I think is really funny though, pick up a game disc you have laying around and it says clearly this game is NOT intended for rental or public appreances, even though here in the US you can rent games form everywhere and anywhere, seriously it really says on the disc itself/manual/box this "game is not for rental" :lol:

[Funkin']

That's pretty pathetic even of them.

[eyekey]

unfortunately they are the only NFL game in town... :cry:

Well if you buy it, no worries...I hate EA for buying the NFL rights and putting 2K out, Madden was afraid of 2K since they had the better football game, I own 2K3, with Ulacher on the front, and still say 2K (2K1) for Dreamcast were the best football games ever...also....

:lol:

I more so blame the No Fun League! They love to sell exclusive rights! Look at their deal with Direct TV for the league pass. I understand that the league is a private entity, however, they are a natural American monopoly. With great power comes great responsibility. Oh well, greed is the downfall of all empires. :frusty:

[SonsOfLiberty]

Well if you buy it, no worries...I hate EA for buying the NFL rights and putting 2K out, Madden was afraid of 2K since they had the better football game, I own 2K3, with Ulacher on the front, and still say 2K (2K1) for Dreamcast were the best football games ever...also....

:lol:

I more so blame the No Fun League! They love to sell exclusive rights! Look at their deal with Direct TV for the league pass. I understand that the league is a private entity, however, they are a natural American monopoly. With great power comes great responsibility. Oh well, greed is the downfall of all empires. :frusty:

Well at least 2K did that back to them with Baseball :lol: (karma is a bitch, and Madden only has that "exclusive right" for a few more years) I love baseball, even though I skipped the 360 2K baseball this year (I threw 2 no hitters last year bitches, where is my million dollars at???? :lol: :lol:) and went with MLB 10' The Show on PS3 instead :lol: and "The Show" is awesome !

[Kaje]

EA Games - the evil corporation of the gaming world.

The majority of their titles are overpriced and overhyped with very little creativity or originality, with EA ensured that they'll always have buyers.

Seriously, I hope people boycott their titles for this action, but they won't. So there's no real point us moaning about it, there's always a sucker.

[Appzalien]

I don't play sports games, I don't own a PS3 or XBOX 360, I don't play online (mostly single player FPS), but I still do not buy EA games (unless there price is so low their giving it away and I still check online to see if it has Securom and if it does no go for me).

What people have to do to hurt them is organize and stand in your local Best Buy for a few hours until your relieved by the next person, and just stop people from buying certain game maker titles. Now that would hurt them more than anything else, because it would end up on the news when the store tries to kick you out and it wouldn't be the protesters getting the bad press. As a matter of fact they would probably interview you and you could bad mouth DRM and EA and anyone else you dislike.

[keltz]

Yeah Gamestop would support this kind of crap lol. 55 dollars for a used game that's 60 dollars new and that they only paid like 20 bucks for. WEAK.

[Skiz]

"This is an important inflection point in our business because it allows us to accelerate our commitment to enhance premium online services to the entire robust EA SPORTS online community," said Peter Moore, President of EA SPORTS.

That's a gem there. :glag:


"GameStop is excited to partner with such a forward-thinking publisher as Electronic Arts," said Dan DeMatteo, Chief Executive Officer of GameStop Corp. "This relationship allows us to capitalize on our investments to market and sell downloadable content online, as well as through our network of stores worldwide."

So I can stop going to GameStop for game reviews altogether now as I know they are biased as fuck. Thanks for that.

[SonsOfLiberty]

That's a gem there. :glag:


"GameStop is excited to partner with such a forward-thinking publisher as Electronic Arts," said Dan DeMatteo, Chief Executive Officer of GameStop Corp. "This relationship allows us to capitalize on our investments to market and sell downloadable content online, as well as through our network of stores worldwide."

So I can stop going to GameStop for game reviews altogether now as I know they are biased as fuck. Thanks for that.

Skiz, you probably "mean" Gamespot? "Gamestop is a used/new game seller"

[Funkin']

The majority of their titles are overpriced and overhyped with very little creativity or originality, with EA ensured that they'll always have buyers.


You are spot on.


So I can stop going to GameStop for game reviews altogether now as I know they are biased as fuck. Thanks for that.

Does Gamestop offer their own reviews? I know there are customer reviews on the site, but I didn't know the site itself gives their own reviews. Or are you thinking of Gamespot? If so, even take their reviews with a grain of salt(or anyone's for that matter, a review is nothing but some strangers opinion). It's been widely rumored that their reviewers may receive payoffs from publishers/developers for a good score.

[Tv Controls you]

This is getting increasingly annoying that all these companies are going out of their way to cut out the middle men/pirators.

The last two to piss me off was assassins creed 2 (thank god its cracked now) and mass effect 2 with the Cerberus network.

Its a good think I'm not a sports fan as it seems EA is going overboard.

[WHiKWiRE]

I've actually made it a habit to purchase used ps3 games lately though thankfully not a fan of sports games. With that being said go HABS! :D

[tesco]

What I think is really funny though, pick up a game disc you have laying around and it says clearly this game is NOT intended for rental or public appreances, even though here in the US you can rent games form everywhere and anywhere, seriously it really says on the disc itself/manual/box this "game is not for rental" :lol:It means that disc is not for rental, not the game.
I've always assumed that rental stores have to buy straight from the manufacturer (and at a higher cost I'm assuming).

[SonsOfLiberty]

What I think is really funny though, pick up a game disc you have laying around and it says clearly this game is NOT intended for rental or public appreances, even though here in the US you can rent games form everywhere and anywhere, seriously it really says on the disc itself/manual/box this "game is not for rental" :lol:It means that disc is not for rental, not the game.
I've always assumed that rental stores have to buy straight from the manufacturer (and at a higher cost I'm assuming).

They buy in bulk from some where, if there were smart they would just use Amazon :D

THQ Locks UFC 2010's Online For Second Hand Purchases

THQ today announced that they would follow in the footsteps of EA and EA Sports with its Online Pass, by locking the online features of UFC 2010 for those who don't purchase the game brand new.

After a leaked copy of UFC 2010 hit the net and the discovery was made, THQ stated that all new copies of the game would come with an unlock code for the online modes while those who get their hands on a non-new copy will have to pay $5 to unlock them.

This is likely to annoy those second hand purchasers out there, but I'm fairly sure THQ and co won't lose any sleep over customers whose money they don't see.

Welcome to the new industry trend, with EA heavily backing it, Ubisoft considering it and now THQ on board, I have a feeling this may spread like wildfire.

Ubisoft May Follow Electronic Arts' Ten Dollar Programme For DLC

Ubisoft has responded to questions regarding future DLC during its fiscal earnings call, stating that the company might resort to following EA's example and adopting the Project Ten Dollar DLC scheme.

The potential move will follow an 18% loss of earnings for Ubisoft for the year, boosted in the final quarter of 2009-2010, riding on sales of Just Dance on the Wii and Assassin's Creed II.

Future Ubisoft releases will presumably adhere to the EA template of packaging exclusive access to DLC with new copies of the game and charging approximately £10/$15 for the same access for those buying the game pre-owned. As such, Ubi DLC will therefore be issued from day one in some cases.

"Most of the games we are releasing next year will have from the start downloadable content available, and we are looking very carefully at what is happening with EA regarding what we are calling the $10 solution, and will probably be following that line sometime in the future," said Ubisoft CFO, Alain Martinez.

Ubi CEO Yves Guillemot threw in his own two cents, stating, "We have been using keys starting last year on our products. Those keys were allowing some customers to have content if they were buying the product in specific stores, so we have the system in place to actually generate more revenue on the second-hand market.

"We are building the content to make sure it can be beneficial for both groups to actually pay enough on one side and on the other side when you don't buy the game as a full game that you're interested to buy the new offering and are interested to pay to get that."

EA introduced the Project Ten Dollar initiative to recoup lost revenue from the sale of used games. Mass Effect 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 both include unique access codes with new copies.

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-5204-THQ-Locks-UFC-2010-s-Online-For-Second-Hand-Purchases.html

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-5199-Ubisoft-May-Follow-Electronic-Arts--Ten-Dollar-Programme-For-DLC.html

[dag128]

It sucks, but that's the way they think. Every pirated or used game they count as a loss in profit. The fact that many of those who get their games that way would never buy them in the first place doesen't seem to cross their mind.

[Solstice]

It sucks, but that's the way they think. Every pirated or used game they count as a loss in profit. The fact that many of those who get their games that way would never buy them in the first place doesn't seem to cross their mind.

Think like a marketer:

Development Cost / Price = Units sold to break even

If people don't want to spend anything on the game, then it's division by zero which cannot exist.

Therefore, to a marketer, people who don't want to buy their shitty game don't exist. They're just pirates. Yarr! :whistling