An EA executive has confirmed in an email yesterday their very own Online Passes will no longer be used for future titles.
EA’s senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg explained to GamesBeat the passes—which grant players access to online content—received negative feedback.
“Yes we are discontinuing Online Pass,” Reseburg says. “None of our titles will include that feature.”
The Online Pass program has accounted for much controversy amongst second-hand purchasers. They cannot access online content after the passes have been used, forcing them to purchase another pass in order to obtain related content. Most of the time, this related content is usually titles’ multiplayer features.
Reseburg added EA’s Online Pass program was designed “as an effort to package a full menu of online content and services,” but a majority of players didn’t fully respond to the format.
“We’re still committed to creating content and services that enhance the game experience well beyond the day you start playing,” Reseburg says.
EA titles such as Battlefield 3 and Madden NFL have implemented the use of Online Pass. Other publishers, such as Sony, Activisition and Ubisoft, have also utilized an online pass feature for their titles.
