Online Pass Pulls in "$10-15 Million" Since Launch
EA still not happy, demands platinum-plated swans for dinner.
A couple of years and EA could buy City.
It may have caused controversy when announced, but EA's Online Pass has turned into a nice little earner for the company. Since Tiger Woods 11's release last July, the Online Pass has netted EA somewhere "in the $10-$15 million range" according to Chief Financial Officer Eric Brown.
The system forces gamers who wish to take their second-hand games online to buy a one off pass at a cost of US$10 and now covers not only EA's wide range of sports games but titles like Need for Speed and Medal of Honour. Basically, any EA game you pick up used that has an online component will require you to purchase the pass.
We may think over $10 million to be quite the chunk of change, but according to Brown the funds they've pulled in "haven't been dramatic". Considering that it's money for bugger all, we reckon that he should have another look at his balance sheet. The Online Pass is here to stay and will continue to collect what he refers to as "found revenue" for some time to come.
Gamers who picked up used titles and "consumed bandwidth for free" seem to be a bugbear for Eric, but surely EA should be providing the capacity for online play for every copy of every game sold? Just because it passes on to another person doesn't mean that EA needs to double the amount of bandwidth dedicated to that copy – it would surely remain the same. We don't begrudge a company making money, but saying that players are basically freeloading is a bit rich.
Source: Gamasutra
The system forces gamers who wish to take their second-hand games online to buy a one off pass at a cost of US$10 and now covers not only EA's wide range of sports games but titles like Need for Speed and Medal of Honour. Basically, any EA game you pick up used that has an online component will require you to purchase the pass.
We may think over $10 million to be quite the chunk of change, but according to Brown the funds they've pulled in "haven't been dramatic". Considering that it's money for bugger all, we reckon that he should have another look at his balance sheet. The Online Pass is here to stay and will continue to collect what he refers to as "found revenue" for some time to come.
Gamers who picked up used titles and "consumed bandwidth for free" seem to be a bugbear for Eric, but surely EA should be providing the capacity for online play for every copy of every game sold? Just because it passes on to another person doesn't mean that EA needs to double the amount of bandwidth dedicated to that copy – it would surely remain the same. We don't begrudge a company making money, but saying that players are basically freeloading is a bit rich.
Source: Gamasutra
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Comments
PaulRayment 8 Sep 2011 12:10
1/5
What I never understood was the argument that 2nd hand buyers should pay for the pass because they're being supported by EA (or others) online.
I'd assume that a publisher would look expect a player to love their game enough to always be on it online, until they turned the servers off and the game 'died'.
If I buy FIFA and sell it after six months and then person-B buys my copy and goes online, we're not consuming more bandwidth because only one of us is playing it at once.
God I made that sound awkward. Online Pass sucks.
I'd assume that a publisher would look expect a player to love their game enough to always be on it online, until they turned the servers off and the game 'died'.
If I buy FIFA and sell it after six months and then person-B buys my copy and goes online, we're not consuming more bandwidth because only one of us is playing it at once.
God I made that sound awkward. Online Pass sucks.
gingineer 8 Sep 2011 12:30
2/5
i think the defense is the online activity of 1 individual tails off as they own the game longer. by selling the game the online aspect spikes again as the new user plays it online more than a user that has had the game 6 months...
the problem i worry about is that games with weak online content will be ignored by the 2nd hand user. say Dead space 2 for example. people who buy the game 2nd hand just wont buy the pass!
the problem i worry about is that games with weak online content will be ignored by the 2nd hand user. say Dead space 2 for example. people who buy the game 2nd hand just wont buy the pass!
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SPInGSPOnG 8 Sep 2011 13:50
3/5
@PaulRayment Buying a game from someone who has grown bored with it just to save £3, rather than from the developer/publisher sucks.
alexh2o 8 Sep 2011 14:24
4/5
@Rod_Todd - So under your logic we shouldn't buy second hand cars, or houses, or clothes from charity shops, etc. Everything must be bought new, and all second hand items should instantly be landfilled as anyone else owning it "sucks". Think about what you are saying...
J to the D 9 Sep 2011 21:23
5/5
Rod Todd is a c**t
nice words Mike
nice words Mike