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EA Sports Online Pass -- Online Only Available in New Copies
Bamelin
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REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today introduced Online Pass content from EA SPORTS™. Online Pass rewards game owners with a game-specific, one-time-use registration code for online services, features and bonus content. Each title-specific Online Pass may be used with upcoming releases of EA SPORTS simulation games on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, beginning next month with Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® 11. The one-time Online Pass registration code comes included with each unit sold new at retail. Once redeemed, additional Online Passes will be available for $10. Fans also may sign up for a free 7-day trial to experience Online Pass. International pricing will be announced within territories in the near future.
“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.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100510006898&newsLang=en
I noticed this at GAF ... if I'm reading it right, basically it's saying no online access unless you buy new (via packed in DLC code) ... used copies will have to pay an extra 10 dollars for code to access online content.
Starting to get concerned about this trend, this is really going to degrade the value of my used games. While I always buy new, I also sell a ton of stuff when finished with it. Can't say I'm happy with the way things are heading.
This to me is akin to cutting out half the game in used copies.
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For $used+$10 people will be more inclined to pick up the latest EA Sports game.
That's how I see it anyway.
What's more worrisome if they do this on regular games. Imagine a game like BFMC 2 ... Sorry no online play for used copies without an extra 10 bucks.
This said I don't buy used games unless it's impossible to get the game new, and even then have likely only purchased 10 or so used games in my life. The only real way this could effect me is if I choose to trade in a game before it is devalued to peanuts since I am sure gamestop is going to slash trade in values because of this while maintaining the same used price for the titles.
My only question is the code tied into your PSN / XBL gamertag or does it know the system it's installed on?
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
I don't really care all that much though since EA Sports titles are constantly rife with glitchers and griefers online anyway. I don't remember the last time I had fun with NHL online.
Until they start charging me $10 for the "Local Co-op Pass," I don't care all that much. I'm still going to buy their games used, if at all. Not from Gamestop mind you, but through less idiotic channels (Goozex, etc.)
Good thing I don't play sports games, I guess.
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Legitimate business trying to stop a huge drip on their sales. No other media form has such a blatant used product market.
They've got full right, and it's fucking admirable.
How dare people sell their own possessions...?
Old PA forum lookalike style for the new forums | My ko-fi donation thing.
There are ways to adapt to changing market environments without fucking over your customers by giving them a product that looses it's value quicker, for no reason other than so they can charge for the same content multiple times.
Except when they start getting $10 less trade in per game. And new prices of games get discounted slower.
Get with the times. When you buy software, you're buying a license to use it. That's just how things are going to work from here on out.
If you buy a used car should the brakes not work until you pay the original manufacturer a fee?
Second hand films with the audio removed?
And thats ignoring that its assumedly a one use code.
Well then we see the ebb and flow of supply and demand at work. That'll be interesting to watch.
And hey, Gamestop is going to sell point cards right next to the used games now. That's thinking with a keen eye for business, right there!
You are technically purchasing a license to play these things. Gives them a better justification when it isn't really your property.
So I guess you support measures like this on DVDs and Blu-ray discs to prevent resale of movies?
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http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100624-Best-Buy-Toys-R-Us-Retrying-Used-Game-Sales
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100580-Walmart-Takes-a-Second-Look-At-Used-Games
The measures companies take make me want to actively see them fail. Nothing would make me happier than an industry wide knock-out of, say, the top 3 or 5 companies. Basically, Activision and EA. Sure, everyone gets fired and tons of games won't get produced, but I'm an angry consumer and screw you guys, because NEH!
I'm some type of out of date gamer, though. I don't even like DLC (that never makes it to retail) and I don't use any digital distribution, so I consider any method that coerces me to use an unwanted service to be an annoyance, sometimes insulting. Generally this renders my opinion moot.
Except right now, because this plan is awful.
Edit: For the record I don't even buy used or sell my games, and this still comes across as an awful plan. I also don't care about sports titles, but I don't want this seeping into games I like. Its not like companies aren't trying to make games as online as possible already, and at the same time reprimand second hand users.
It's a case by case basis. As it stands, this is EA attempting to stop a significant loss in their sales. Is it the best method? Certainly not, but they're trying and eventually they'll get it right.
Comparing this to the movie business is bad. I wouldn't suggest comparing two, very different types of media with the method EA is trying to use to prevent used game sales.
And basing ethics on a company's profit margin is a bit weird.
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However if a game has a feature to play a match with a friend through Live/PSN with the game hosted locally and that feature were removed, I'd definitely call bullshit.
First of all, they're shutting down online functionality of their older titles. Will this $10 online pass restore that functionality? No. They are already cutting costs drastically by no longer maintaining these games.
Second of all, they are not providing a service to someone who bought the copy, they're providing the service to the copy itself. If someone sells their copy of NHL 10 to their buddy, that's not an extra person on their server. That's still one person using the online functionality.
I don't see this as EA expecting many people to pay $10 for the online component. I see this as EA trying to keep people buying new, but I don't know how well that will work for sports games. Every single person I know who is into the EA Sports titles enough to play online buys the game on release, without fail. That, or they buy ever other year on release. Online gamers playing EA Sports aren't of the variety that see it for a great price used and decide to "give it a go."
That's the point, that's EXACTLY who they're aiming this for - people who buy copies fairly soon after release, but currently are paying $5 off at Gamestop, which is a sale that EA sees zero money from. They don't care at all about having people actually pay this $10; if all it does is help to destroy Gamestop's used game market, it's a success.
Honestly, I really don't have a big problem with this (but that's admittedly because I don't buy used games or trade in purchased games); unlike a lot of the other stuff going on in terms of anti-piracy efforts, this at least doesn't massively inconvenience people who purchase the game new
Course, the average person interested in the titles probably won't be as well educated as us, which Gamestop might bet on... which might end up looking like false advertising.
I don't know, I'm almost willing to bet the EA is thinking the exact same thing as above, and knowing that they've just put Gamestop in check.
EA: You're move, Gamestop.
edit:
Also, the five dollar savings? It doesn't sound like too much, especially with 60 dollar titles, but they've got the occasional buy two get one free sale.
where is the sales drip/drop?
EA is making money off of these games already hand over fist
this is an attempt to squeeze EVEN MORE money out of an already profitable line, not a fight against losses.
Used games are piracy, now?
Its worse. Like, it totally rapes people's wives and steals their cattle.
sure, it'll sell less, but that's because consumers WANT to be able to resell their games
I don't know, I don't think the profit margin for these big title video games are as high as people may imagine.
As graphics get more and more realistic, it becomes far more expensive to produce graphic resources for video games, hence the multi-million dollar budgets. The amount of labour that goes into these graphics is far far above what is happening on the programming side. Combine that with the stupid amount of marketing, and blegh.
You used to be able to have a few artists put together some sprites and tiles and you were all set! Now there's motion capture, texturing, physics based animation, etc. etc. etc.
Now, as far as the EA Sports titles go, I'm not so sure it's as high as other games. I mean, how much actual graphical improvement goes into each year's title of the same sport? What's the major graphical overhaul like between NHL 09 and NHL 10? Not a helluva lot.
Sales drip is in the used market. The market of people buying the game that EA made, where EA sees no profit.
Sales drop? Any further sales drop is something EA could not afford. The profit margin on games is already incredibly low, and if EA made anything less than their 4.5 million in sales on any given sports title (FIFA, Madden, etc) the licensing fees would catch up, and they'd be hard pressed to recover.
It's their one, safe, golden egg, that makes continuous returns, with little risk involved. Protecting said golden egg makes perfect sense.
And who are they losing? Some kid who saved the 5$ off of Madden by getting it used, and is now disenchanted with his football game because he can't play online? I can see the kid getting far more pissed off at Gamestop, or [strike] that other store that sells used games in abundance [/strike] Gamestop.
I don't know anyone who even considered mass re-selling until Gamestop made it so easy.
What I mean by that is, occasionally friend A will re-sell to friend B. Or let friend B borrow it. They did this for the occasional title, not for a huge amount.
What Gamestop has done is to turn it into a massive business that hurts the game developers. That's what this change is aimed at.
The hilarious part is all the gnashing of teeth and angst is really more about people not getting cheap games over losing benefits. Buy it directly from EA or "direct" as in new and you lose nothing.
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
This is how PR works. No matter what corporation/political structure it is, the PR statement will be cold, calculated, and utterly ridiculous.
And then we can reply with, "Hey, your online service must be premium, because you force us to use them! And then you shut them down 2 years later! Holy shit that sounds really committed, and platinum premium!"
hurpadrup
I think you can still play online without the code, but you can't share any photos, videos, created parks, etc without having bought a new copy. Keep in mind these were standard in both previous games (aside from the parks).
That's a big part of the game, for me anyway. I had no idea that the code existed, but I guess I'm glad I bought it new.
Dragon Age came with a DLC code for an "extra" party member and quest line.
Forza 3 came with a DLC code for "extra" tracks and cars.
I wouldn't exactly say they were extra though, just that they were very clever about the way they were "included" in the game. I suppose EA could use something other than the online functionality as their "buy new carrot," but it wouldn't be nearly as effective.
I understand both the developers, publishers and retailers are all businesses trying to maximize profits, and I know that I have an unfair bias towards the creative side of that partnership, but the way Gamestop & Co. carry on just seems so cheeky to me. Their business is co-dependent with the developers and yet it has become an atagonistic relationship caused by their manuevers to get a bigger slice of the pie, and this is only going to hasten the move to digital delivery and leave them well and truly fucked.
On the other hand I don't feel like people shouldn't be able to sell their software, though I personally choose not to. Am I annoyed at Gamestop for being too efficient at facilitating that? Somehow I've never really noticed the second hand market for DVD's and CD's to be as prevalent - and indeed the metaphor many people choose to use for their right to re-selling is their car. Do the other forms of digital media just fall under the monetary threshold for being worth the effort? Or do film and music retain their value while video-games are more disposable? I know I'd watch a movie made in the 80's more often than I would fire up a game from that decade.