Electronic Arts sent waves throughout the gaming industry with its announcement of EA Online Pass. Essentially a deterrent to used-game sales, Online Pass charges $10 to gamers that buy used titles and want to access all their purchase’s online features. Ubi Soft has stated that it will likely use a similar solution and it’s looking like this will become the norm. I’ve gotten into several Twitter arguments about the matter, since it’s unclear how “the $10 solution” directly benefits developers. I see publishers getting richer, while decreasing gamers’ choices and screwing retailers.
With all of that in mind, I loved this video by Chett Muzzalupo, owner of Level One Games, an independent game store in Dublin, Ohio. Muzzalupo shares his (justifiably angry) perspective on EA Online Pass. Just in case you’re checking this on a mobile browser or can’t watch the video at work, here are some select quotes:
I’m appalled. I’m completely appalled.
This is about destroying the buy-sell-trade business. This is about stopping the sale of used games.
This doesn’t help you. This doesn’t help me. This helps EA and no one else.
If this becomes the standard of all games, potentially it can kill every store like mine.
Again, it’s a fantastic rant and I encourage you to watch it. Naturally, I want to hear your thoughts on the matter. Do you think EA Online Pass if bad for the business? Do you think it will indirectly benefit developers by forcing gamers to buy new games? Or do you think it’s mostly a way for publishers to make more money?
I’m going to interview Muzzalupo tomorrow morning. If you have any questions you’d like me to ask, please leave them in the comments section.
what a great rant. I was already thinking about boycotting EA and possibly Ubisoft as well. I will go out and buy the 2k franchise for football and hockey for the upcoming seasons. I will tell everyone else i know who likes to buy used games about this as well..
HOW MUCH FUCKING MONEY DO YOU NEED????? That is how I feel about it. On the flip side that is what a corporation does, maximize profit. Once again we get the shit flavored lollipop. I hope this will cause a surge in used game purchases, then what?
Sorry for the profanity but this upsets me.
@Big Blak
You can't even buy used games because if you want to play online you have to pay $10.00. I think he's calling for a boycott of both, new and used games.
@ Tokz
Right, so what I am saying is fuck online play, save yourself some money. If I buy a game its never for the online multiplayer (Even the L4Ds, I got it for the split screen). I am very happy playing games by myself and I love saving money so fuck EA (I love Ubisoft games so I can justify buying a new game from them) and their $10 fee that can be used for more fun, greener things ya know?
@Big Blak
Oh ok, i gotcha. Yes that money can be used for much more interesting and visually enhancing things.
I buy new and never trade as trading only benefits the store you are trading with. That said, I'm more worried about the rental industry in terms of games. Rental stores don't buy $60 games. They have to pay a premium price in order to legally rent games. What EA is doing, is screwing them over buy not only charging them a high price, but also giving them none fully featured versions of the games. This also hurts us as gamers when we want to loan games to friends as those friends won't be able to play the full game, even though the game was paid in full. It is a very crude form of DRM, and a very non user friendly one at that. (I can understand free DLC as they have done with Bad Co2 and Mass Effect2, but cutting online entirely is not understandable.)
Going to watch this soon, homework first though (hooray);
I think that it is awesome that someone like this stood up and spoke out. I agree it seems like it only helps EA and no one else.
But I also think this is cool because I (kind of) know where this store is, my aunt lives in Dublin, Ohio and I have been in the area many times. When I am there I usually pay more attention to the Porsche dealerships close to her condo instead of anything else though.