Future Sony Games To Use PSN Pass

nofi 84 Comments

I don’t like the concept of online passes.  In fact, I’d probably go as far as to say I hate the very idea of them.

[drop2]Maybe it’s because I’m older than a lot of gamers and am used to just throwing down some money and expecting – you know – a complete game, but that no longer appears to be the option and it’s becoming increasingly rare to find a game that doesn’t have some kind of online pass.

It doesn’t even need to be a multiplayer thing – DiRT 3 had extra vehicles that unlocked once you entered a one time code – available with the game but won’t work with second hand or rented copies of it, requiring a further purchase from the PlayStation Store.  I understand why the publishers are doing it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have to like it.

Enter Sony, who kicked off their PSN Pass program with Resistance 3 and will follow shortly with Uncharted 3.  And then, according to SCEA (via Destructoid), Sony games afterwards.

“Online Pass will be incorporated into Uncharted 3 and future Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) games with online functionality,” said a spokesperson for the company. “We will provide further information in the future.”

The statement doesn’t specifically say ‘all’ as some are reporting, but it’s not difficult to infer that that’s the intention.  And besides, if it makes money and there’s only me whinging, then surely it’s a winner.

Right?

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84 Comments

  1. Was chatting about this last night. The last thing I want is some online pass “fee” added into the RRP so come launch day, I’m paying a premium for something I’m simply not going to use. I want to enjoy the single player component of Uncharted 3 and nothing else.

    • Similarly I’ll probably pick up Uncharted 3 2nd hand and only play the single player campaign as I just didn’t find anything compelling about the multiplayer in Uncharted 2. I’ll also be taking this line with this year’s Assassin’s Creed. I’ll go looking in the bargain bins around March/April for both of these games.

      • I have no problem with the psn pass, as long as the games that utilise it are using dedicated servers and we have some sort of guarantee that the servers will remain open for a considerable amount of time.

      • Agreed, Jaffa. Works a treat for someone such as yourself. What I don’t want is to foot the bill for the online pass when I simple don’t want it. If it’s integrated into the price with no extra cost to me, that’s fine. However, they seem to be pushing it hard (fnurk!) and it appears that it revolves around the “oooo, look at the service you get with the online pass” vibe or at least it should be like that.

        Make it worthwhile to people who want to enjoy the online multiplayer but don’t penalise the single player fanbase.

      • Especially with RRPs up at £55 now. That Pass is definitely being paid for.

      • Play has it down at £49.99 RRP with their actual price being £38.99. Tempted but really might wait. Bugger.

      • As far as I am aware AC: Revelations does not have an MP pass, same as Brotherhood didn’t so you will be putting down money for a complete game anyway. I could be wrong :)

    • I agree. I think that if possible the online section should be left off the disk altogether in the first place and let those who want it pay for and download it afterwards.

  2. This was always going to happen, ever since they introduced it with resistance 3, it was never going to be a one off. I also don’t like the idea of it, but since I nearly always buy new it doesn’t really bother me. To be honest, so many developers are going under if this helps them stay afloat I’m all for it.

  3. I’m of the opinion that I should be able to sell the online pass back to the publisher for games that I only want to play single player. Seen as though they claim it is costing them money for allowing people on the server for free and it is then costing me for paying for MP when i’m not going to be on the server.

    • While you’ll never be able to sell it back to the publisher, there is nothing to stop you sell it on to some who wants it.

      • Indeed, lots of games on eBay make a big deal of the fact they have the code intact and there are others selling JUST the code.

      • thats what i’ll do i think. i dont see the point in many of the online things now days, just give me a good single player game please!

  4. I think it’s too early to see how the Passes have impacted on second hand sales. I’ve seen lots of boxes stickered with ‘see Staff for online’ and ‘no online code’ on them, it’ll be very confusing for the casual gamer/families.

    Long term: bad, bad idea.

    • Perversely, it might devalue the games meaning the second-hand market bolsters from people like me waiting a little while (ie. weeks) then picking up the devalued title from a seller on eBay… for example.

      Weird how that works. It might prevent my money getting to the devs more than ever.

    • Well HMV are selling Preowned Resistance 3 at 38.99. compared to 39.99 for new. Some people are going to be veh annoyed.

      • It seems that BIG retailers like HMV and Argos (That do not specialize in games sales) do not know the value of a preownwed product and therefore sell it too high compared to more specialized retailers. Conversely they could be doing it either because: The mark up is huge or mark up is weak and trying to bolster New sales for their all so important sales figures.

  5. It was inevitable really, I’m used to this approach being from PC background, but must say it will feel odd when no console game multiplayer can be had if I buy pre-owned.

    Lower the RRP prices to reflect this and there’d be much less hullabaloo surrounding the move.

  6. Eh. If you buy new it’s not an issue (like me), especially as games tend to drastically reduce in price a couple of months in anyway – for example, last year FIFA 11 was down to £17 by mid-November.

  7. Not that bothered about an online pass. DRM (Capcom!) is/was much worse.

  8. Makes no difference to me. Why I really find funny is people saying they won’t buy a game because of an online pass, when they were gonna get it new anyway. I’m gonna get me a soapbox one day.

    • Why? What happens if you want to lend it to a friend for them to play online, for example?

      • It seems the the companies are forgetting us “older” players used to borrow and lend games to and from friends, it’s more communal than retail avoiding but lending to friend these days means friend can’t have everything you have and thus not enjoy maybe, and thus decide not to buy, which then does impact retail sales MWA HAHAHAHA

    • What a strangely egocentric comment to make. This affects all of us in some way or another. I was thinking about picking it up new but if the price is too high then I might not. The real kicker will be if the new RRP incorporates the online pass cost which is something I simply don’t want.

      • I had a bit of a gander about and we may be due a price rise overall some point soon; I remember PS1 games being £39.99 RRP. With UK inflation rates, that 39.99 was the equivalent of £50.30 in 2006, in line with when games generally became £49.99 RRP. That £49.99 then is already worth £56 for 2010 and is likely to rise.

        I reckon an RRP rise will be due in the next couple of years anyway, but it won’t be down to any online passes. It’s just inflation.

      • Not that I think they should rise, just that it’s probably going to happen.

      • Inflation?
        Aren’t we in a recession?
        But I take your point, although I’d say a more relevant factor is that development costs have risen substantially without an increase in RRP.
        Something’s got to give, there’s no two ways about it.

    • For me personally its a protest. Companies only listen to money. If every PS3 owner refused to buy U3 because of the pass Sony would seriously rethink their pass system and create a better system. But because they’re lazy, they just go with lets charge more. Plus how did they arrive at the 10$ price, (probably because its an easy number to add). Its kinda like refusing to buy shoes made by 8 year old kids. Or cosmetics that were tested on animals. Stupid business practices deserve to be boycotted, no matter what the product.

  9. The way i see it this only impacts the people who buy second hand games. If you want the game new when it first comes then get it, and you will have the pass for free included. If you cant afford new then have to go the second hand route for games, then does it not make sense to wait awhile until new games drop in price to within second hand prices,as most new games do within a short space of time. Thinking about it i wonder if sony ever thought about having a system wide pass for all sony games and included it into plus.

    • Adding into plus would be a bad idea (for them) as it would just encourage plus members to buy second hand.

  10. Whilst I don’t think the concept is amazing, doesn’t this simply raise the ‘true’ price of 2nd hand games?

    For a few months after release, it’s going to be more cost effective to by new, rather than 2nd, otherwise you’ll lose a few quid, and after that the margins simply smaller.

    Monetarily speaking, it makes buying ‘new’ releases new, rather than at 3-5 quid off more attractive, and that’s possibly all they wanted in the first place? I’d hate to think how many ‘day one’ sales devs lose through 2nd hand shops undercutting them by only 2 or 3 quid.

    Once the 2nd hand prices drop substantially, it’ll still be a tax, but it’ll struggle to cost as much as a new copy.

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