EA Sports have confirmed that all its future PS3 and 360 games will require gamers to enter an “Online Pass” in order to gain entry to “online services, features and bonus content”, which includes online multiplayer. The pass code will be included in all new copies of the game, but obviously won’t be in pre-owned copies. Gamers can still purchase the games second hand, but to access the online component they will have to purchase an Online Pass on the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live for $10.
“We want to reserve EA Sports online services for people who pay EA to access them,” said EA Sports senior VP Andrew Wilson.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 will be first title to use the Online Pass. It will be out on 2nd July here in Europe, and joins a company-wide initiative for EA to clamp down on the pre-owned market. Dragon Age was the first title the company experimented with their “Project Ten Dollar” scheme, which aims to treat players who buy their games brand new with free and exclusive content.
