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Ubisoft Will "Probably" Require Online Pass
Publisher/developer Ubisoft is contemplating requiring gamers to use an online pass with its games or charge a fee. Executives from the company say that they are monitoring EA Sports' upcoming Online Pass program to gauge consumers reaction.
Last week, Electronic Arts unveiled its Online Pass program which requires gamers to input a code that comes with each EA Sports title (starting with this year's Tiger Woods game) which enables that title (and that title only) to be played online. If the game is used then the new owner would have to pay $10 to play it online – assuming the code was already redeemed by the original owner.
"We are looking very carefully at what EA is doing regarding what we call 'the $10 solution,' said Alain Martinez, Ubisoft CFO, "and we will probably follow that line sometime in the future."
Publishers like Electronic Arts are looking to make money off of the used game market at retailers such as GameStop (Game Informer's owners), but its initiative would also cover rentals or even instances where you borrow a game from a friend.
EA's program (for now) only covers its sports games, but this would presumably involve all Ubisoft products. Will Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood be the first to use it? Given how many people buy used copies of games this should go over as well as Ubisoft's DRM.
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