EA online pass. Will the extortion end with EA sports?

[Obsidian Rocker]

Starting with the release of Tiger Woods PGA tour 2011, EA sports will be introducing a one time use code to use ANY online features. Multiplayer, content download. If it involves using online, you can forget about it if you don't have that code. So, if you buy an EA sports game used, you will have to pay a $10 charge to get ANY online. Now, I'm from the UK and I don't even like EA sports games, but this is disgusting. It's extortion. So, to everyone reading this, and I hope plenty of people do, I say to you. Do you NEED next years sports games? It wont end here. Ubisoft is thinking of implementing this too, I've been told (I'll try and find a source). Where will it end? This is extortion, plain and simple. So, I say to every EA sports fan, do not buy any of 2011's sports games. Play Madden 2010. Play Fifa 2010. It astounds me how people are not taking a stand against this because, if EA thinks it's a success, it will carry over to other games. Isn't there a law in the US against a double tax?

 

[Explosm]

This is how is starts. One asshole makes money from it then all the other assholes companies go
"OMFG THEY MADE MONEY BY INTRODUCING A LITTE FEE FOR SHIT"

Blizzard did it with the Clestial mount, then Linage introduced their mount.

 

[MatParker116]

Just buy new you cheapskate

 

[Cowabungaa]

This is how is starts. One asshole makes money from it then all the other assholes companies go
"OMFG THEY MADE MONEY BY INTRODUCING A LITTE FEE FOR SHIT"

Blizzard did it with the Clestial mount, then Linage introduced their mount.

There's a HUGE difference between paying extra for a small, pretty unimportant little thing and a large part of the actual game itself.

 

[Knight of Cydonia]

Make money....

By any way possible.

 

[aPod]

Just buy new you cheapskate

Yes I think this is apart of project 10 dollar to insure that they make some money off the sale of used games potentially.

So it isnt extortion though i would consider it an incentive to buy new.

 

[WingnutPLD]

Does no one understand that if you buy the game used EA makes NO MONEY - what other company would allow that if they could prevent it? I work for EA sports and I don't really agree with it but I understand it its not to gouge the consumer its to stop the Used games resellers from profiting off of our hard work and help alleviate the wholesale piracy in other areas of the game industry.

In the end if you disagree with it you don't have to spend the 10$ and you don't need the online features. Its not going to prevent you from playing the game at all and it's included in the price of the game.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

I've said this before, but I'll repeat it here.

First of all, if you buy a game new, you won't miss anything. If you buy a game used, you're already paying a lot less than the average person, so the extra $10 is a small price to pay.

Second, remember that EA doesn't get a cent from used games sales, but you're still expecting them to provide you with all the services they provide the paying customer. Server bandwidth, regular updates, use of community portals, help desks, etc. These things all cost money. Money they're not getting from you. In stead, they ask a small amount of money ($10 for a code, in stead of $60 for a new game) to help support them, giving you access to all these things.

Finally, no one's forcing you to do anything. You'll still be able to play the games perfectly with an unregistered game, you just won't get the shiny extra online functions. If those functions are really necessary for your enjoyment, it would be a small sacrifice to pay $10 for them, wouldn't it?

I almost never buy used games so I don't care, but even if I did I don't see the problem. In the end, you still up paying less.

 

[Obsidian Rocker]

Just buy new you cheapskate

If I'm strapped for cash and want a fairly priced game, used is the way to go. I shouldn't have to have a company, which makes billion of dollars I usually buy new so perhaps you should think before you type.

Now, last year EA made, for the 2009 fiscal yeah, was 4.212 BILLION dollars, not million, BILLION. Thats up 15% from the 2008 fiscal year. Can you honestly tell me that EA can justify this blatent "Fuck you" to the consumer? I didn't think so

 

[Obsidian Rocker]

I've said this before, but I'll repeat it here.

First of all, if you buy a game new, you won't miss anything. If you buy a game used, you're already paying a lot less than the average person, so the extra $10 is a small price to pay.

Second, remember that EA doesn't get a cent from used games sales, but you're still expecting them to provide you with all the services they provide the paying customer. Server bandwidth, regular updates, use of community portals, help desks, etc. These things all cost money. Money they're not getting from you. In stead, they ask a small amount of money ($10 for a code, in stead of $60 for a new game) to help support them, giving you access to all these things.

Finally, no one's forcing you to do anything. You'll still be able to play the games perfectly with an unregistered game, you just won't get the shiny extra online functions. If those functions are really necessary for your enjoyment, it would be a small sacrifice to pay $10 for them, wouldn't it?

I almost never buy used games so I don't care, but even if I did I don't see the problem. In the end, you still up paying less.

Perhaps you're forgetting who it screws over. The kid who wants to trade in his old games so he can buy a game with his pocket money. The college student strapped for cash. The married couple on a budget.

Like I said, I buy used almost all the time, but it's the principle. I'm sick of these rich, selfish, greedy pigs, taking money they don't need. When he lives on welfare, THEN he he can tell people it's justified

 

[Jazzyjazz2323]

Just buy new you cheapskate

If I'm strapped for cash and want a fairly priced game, used is the way to go. I shouldn't have to have a company, which makes billion of dollars I usually buy new so perhaps you should think before you type.

Now, last year EA made, for the 2009 fiscal yeah, was 4.212 BILLION dollars, not million, BILLION. Thats up 15% from the 2008 fiscal year. Can you honestly tell me that EA can justify this blatent "Fuck you" to the consumer? I didn't think so

yes because the consumer isnt paying them the money they're paying some used game shop the cash.So they can say fuck you for not paying them money for wanting to play there game.

 

[aPod]

Just buy new you cheapskate

If I'm strapped for cash and want a fairly priced game, used is the way to go. I shouldn't have to have a company, which makes billion of dollars I usually buy new so perhaps you should think before you type.

Now, last year EA made, for the 2009 fiscal yeah, was 4.212 BILLION dollars, not million, BILLION. Thats up 15% from the 2008 fiscal year. Can you honestly tell me that EA can justify this blatent "Fuck you" to the consumer? I didn't think so

Sure it can.

EA is a business and it behooves them to be profitable and make efforts to be even more profitable so long as it is in the interest of the shareholders.

It's not a Fuck you by the way. Its business.

 

[MR.Spartacus]

Consider that they make absolutely nothing from the sale of the game itself. And how much less are used games anyways? I know the more recents ones are about five dollars less. So don't cry to me when you so effectively screw yourself over. Why shouldn't they make money from their product? If anything I say screw Gamestop and their laughable markdowns.

 

[Lukeydoodly]

...I usually buy new so perhaps you should think before you type.

...Like I said, I buy used almost all the time...

wat.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

Perhaps you're forgetting who it screws over. The kid who wants to trade in his old games so he can buy a game with his pocket money. The college student strapped for cash. The married couple on a budget.

Like I said, I buy used almost all the time, but it's the principle. I'm sick of these rich, selfish, greedy pigs, taking money they don't need. When he lives on welfare, THEN he he can tell people it's justified

Yeah right, EA doesn't need money. Because they totally haven't been taking a fiscal beating for several years running. They're just greedy, that's why they had to fire so many people! Shame on them. Also shame on them for trying to make money with a product they made, and a service they provide! Curse these capitalist pigs! Communism and free games for everyone!

On the other hand, the average gamer needs to buy a new game every month! It's his constitutional right never to be bored! Shame on EA for exploiting people's physical need for games to make money!

You don't need to buy the newest Madden whenever it comes out, nor are you entitled to. You're taking this sick sense of entitlement way too far. Besides, they're not stopping second-hand trade. You want to buy a game for far less than it's market price? Go right ahead. Just don't be surprised if it contains a few less features than if you'd bought the full-price version. And, as I said before, a used game + $10 is still significantly less than a full-priced new game, so I don't see what you're whining about here.

 

[Obsidian Rocker]

...I usually buy new so perhaps you should think before you type.

...Like I said, I buy used almost all the time...

wat.

Typo. My apologies. It's just mind numbing how naive people are being

 

[Obsidian Rocker]

Perhaps you're forgetting who it screws over. The kid who wants to trade in his old games so he can buy a game with his pocket money. The college student strapped for cash. The married couple on a budget.

Like I said, I buy used almost all the time, but it's the principle. I'm sick of these rich, selfish, greedy pigs, taking money they don't need. When he lives on welfare, THEN he he can tell people it's justified

Yeah right, EA doesn't need money. Because they totally haven't been taking a fiscal beating for several years running. They're just greedy, that's why they had to fire so many people! Shame on them. Also shame on them for trying to make money with a product they made, and a service they provide! Curse these capitalist pigs! Communism and free games for everyone!

On the other hand, the average gamer needs to buy a new game every month! It's his constitutional right never to be bored! Shame on EA for exploiting people's physical need for games to make money!

You don't need to buy the newest Madden whenever it comes out, nor are you entitled to. You're taking this sick sense of entitlement way too far. Besides, they're not stopping second-hand trade. You want to buy a game for far less than it's market price? Go right ahead. Just don't be surprised if it contains a few less features than if you'd bought the full-price version. And, as I said before, a used game + $10 is still significantly less than a full-priced new game, so I don't see what you're whining about here.

Wow. Sarcasm. You're really getting desperate, aren't you? (Before you answer, that was a rhetorical question) Yes, this means pre-owned games will cost less. But it also means that a trade in will GET less. Or did you not think about that? Like I said, it will screw over people who have to live on a budget. Not all of us rely on mummy and daddy to buy us games. Think about the long term. A game like MW2 which, let's face it have a pathetic excuse for a single player campaign. It was just thrown together and, if I might take a quote from Yahtzee, more money was given to the knobbing around (Multiplayer) side of things.

And wether or not EA have taken a fiscal beating several years running, they're now on the up. 4.212 BILLION dollars profit, a 15% increase from 2008 is plenty and doesn't warrent this blatent rip-off of the consumer

 

[Delusibeta]

Ultimately, there is a simple question. Will this be profitable? The answer to that question is the opposite answer to the question in the thread title.

 

[P.Tsunami]

Just buy new you cheapskate

Yes I think this is apart of project 10 dollar to insure that they make some money off the sale of used games potentially.

So it isnt extortion though i would consider it an incentive to buy new.

It's not an incentive. An incentive would be giving those that have said code something shiney for free, for their effort. Use carrot, not stick. The way they're doing it is an infringement on consumer rights. I don't even ever resell my games, but I sure as hell won't accept the companies taking that option away from me. If I own the product, I have finally say about what I'll do with it.

I understand that the used games market is a problem for the big companies; lost revenues and all that. What they seem to be ignoring, though, is that it's ultimately also an opportunity to reach more people with their products, increasing their costumer base. Besides, attacking consumer rights like this serves to alienate parts of their base. Carrot, not stick. EA could learn something from Bioware in this regard.