GT: EA discontinues older online passes too.

Is that online passes only on 360 or on PS3 too?RR360DD

http://www.gametrailers.com/side-mission/53283/eas-current-online-passes-are-going-free So not only are they getting rid of the online pass from future games, they are phasing it out of older games by making the pass free to download. Not that I'm one to take EA's claim they are listening to the customers at face value...but I'm not sure what they would achieve through this. Were they not as big of a money maker as they hoped, meaning an insignificant amount were buying used, or were people buying used just not interested in tacked on online. They want to bitch about lack of continuing revenue streams, yet discontinue ones they already have in place? What do you think, System Wars?darkspineslayer

I heard about this weeks ago, I think.

They dimished their online community, which in turn hurt the Madden and other sports brands. They didn't like used games, but realize they were hurting their sales and brand ultimately.

Definitely good news in light of recent anti consumer policies being attempted by other companies.

This may be the best E3 we have had in five years.

Does anybody even play the older EA games online?PurpleMan5000

Does anybody even play the older EA games online?PurpleMan5000

EA has found out offline passes are the future.

They don't need it anymore.zeroyaoi

EA has now moved to offline passes. You can play online for free but the campaign and single player modes will now require a pass code, or $15 to unlock those modes. :D

[QUOTE="PurpleMan5000"]Does anybody even play the older EA games online?Jack-Burton

[QUOTE="darkspineslayer"]http://www.gametrailers.com/side-mission/53283/eas-current-online-passes-are-going-free So not only are they getting rid of the online pass from future games, they are phasing it out of older games by making the pass free to download. Not that I'm one to take EA's claim they are listening to the customers at face value...but I'm not sure what they would achieve through this. Were they not as big of a money maker as they hoped, meaning an insignificant amount were buying used, or were people buying used just not interested in tacked on online. They want to bitch about lack of continuing revenue streams, yet discontinue ones they already have in place? What do you think, System Wars?SolidTy

I heard about this weeks ago, I think.

They dimished their online community, which in turn hurt the Madden and other sports brands. They didn't like used games, but realize they were hurting their sales and brand ultimately.

Definitely good news in light of recent anti consumer policies being attempted by other companies.

This may be the best E3 we have had in five years.

That's a pretty good analysis. 

I would also add - for the foreseeable future, how many online passes were they ever going to sell for these older games? My guess would be very few. So this isn't really a generous move so much as a calculated damage control move. 

Eliminating the need for passes for these older games might be perceived as generosity. Like Liquid is saying, this is probably to patch up any damage done to the brand. 

[QUOTE="SolidTy"]

[QUOTE="darkspineslayer"]http://www.gametrailers.com/side-mission/53283/eas-current-online-passes-are-going-free So not only are they getting rid of the online pass from future games, they are phasing it out of older games by making the pass free to download. Not that I'm one to take EA's claim they are listening to the customers at face value...but I'm not sure what they would achieve through this. Were they not as big of a money maker as they hoped, meaning an insignificant amount were buying used, or were people buying used just not interested in tacked on online. They want to bitch about lack of continuing revenue streams, yet discontinue ones they already have in place? What do you think, System Wars?psymon100

I heard about this weeks ago, I think.

They dimished their online community, which in turn hurt the Madden and other sports brands. They didn't like used games, but realize they were hurting their sales and brand ultimately.

Definitely good news in light of recent anti consumer policies being attempted by other companies.

This may be the best E3 we have had in five years.

That's a pretty good analysis. 

I would also add - for the foreseeable future, how many online passes were they ever going to sell for these older games? My guess would be very few. So this isn't really a generous move so much as a calculated damage control move. 

Eliminating the need for passes for these older games might be perceived as generosity. Like Liquid is saying, this is probably to patch up any damage done to the brand. 

^ :P *Thumbs Up*