Online Access To EA Sports Games To Be Granted Via One-Time Code

I only buy my sports games new. To buy them used would not make sense because by the time there is a good priced for a used copy the title has already lost most of its online following.

" I play NHL online. Someone just lost a sale. Way to lose a fan who's been buying the franchise since 99, EA.  Good job. "

Most people who really want to play these games online probably buy these games new near release day. So who gives a shit? If you want to still buy and play a game that is over a year old you still can, you just can't access the online community for free which in all honestly would be pretty dead by then anyway.

" FUCK THIS. Seriously. Fuck this. I don't give a shit about sport games. . . "  

I'm completely opposed to this type of thing. I rarely buy games brand new. 60 dollars for a 10 hour game? No thanks. The only time I ever buy a game new, for 60 bucks, is when I know it's going to be good, and I know I'm going to spend 100+ hours on it (Modern Warfare 2, Street Fighter 4, Fallout 3, etc.) Companies like EA can continue to try and do away with used game sales, but all that will do is make it to where I just don't buy their game, period.  At the very least, when I buy their game used I usually end up buying DLC. So their getting some money out of me. If they end up doing away with used games sales, they won't be getting anything from me.
 
Consumers should have the right to do whatever they want with their property. If someone buys a game, and then decides to sale it in a yard sale. It's their right. It's also my right to buy games where I see fit, and try and get the best deal possible. Used game sales has practically been around since the inception of console video gaming, and the video game market has done nothing but grow since then. Used game sales hasn't stifled it at all. Trying to get rid of it now just reeks of greediness. Which duh, they are companies. Of course they want to squeeze every cent out of their product. I just hope nobody is fooled into thinking that used game sales is going to somehow destroy the video game business.

" Codes are a pain in the ass to enter on ps3/360. Yeah. That's my thought on the issue. "

" The way I think of it is: 

Right Way: Developer gives you 100% of the game. You can experience all the features, etc. They include a one-time code to give you bonus content that enhances your experience.

Wrong Way: Developer gives you 90% of the game. You have to use the code that comes with a new copy to release the remaining 10%.  

 This seems like the "wrong way" to go about this. Online mode disabled if you buy used? But then again,this seems like it only has the potential to damage used game sales, and does that matter to the developer/publisher? I won't pick up the used copy if I know it's gimped, but that has zero impact on the publisher. I guess I can see why they would go ahead with something like this. "

" I only buy my sports games new. To buy them used would not make sense because by the time there is a good priced for a used copy the title has already lost most of its online following. "

EA is a greedy, and are going to cause problems for people like me who only can afford 4-5 games a month because I trade in used games. I hope this doesn't catch on or gaming might be a thing of the past for me -_-

That really stinks because sometimes I share the game between my brother. Sucks more for him because normally he borrows it from me. 
 
I know a lot of people are saying they don't care because they don't play sports games. But if you think EA will stop at sport games you will be in for a rude awakening soon enough.

This is smart of them.

Entering codes just more hassles.

It doesn't really matter to me either way. While I like the concept of a resale market, I can understand the desire for companies to promote new game sales. But a resale market is not guaranteed even now, for example, it's not like I can sell back XBL or Steam purchases.
 
And really, let's face it, gamestop has stripped the value out of most used games (charging only 3-5$ less than the new game), so it's not like it will make a big difference.  The thing to ALWAYS watch for are the myriad deals that show up on new games, even shortly after release.  

I never play these crap games to begin with so this is only a good thing in my eyes.  Less sports titles in the used section to wade through because the resell shops surely won't be buying back nearly as many.
 
Now if they start doing this for ALL of their games.. that's a different story.  I'm already pretty bitter about Mass Effect 2's shenanigans even though I bought it new.  If they are going to punish the used buyers they should reward the new game buyers just as much.  Make ALL DLC free to the original purchasers.

It is a bit of a conundrum isn't it? A predicament even. The justification makes sense, you can't really argue with it. But obviously I can't be in favor of a practice that seeks to impede what I feel should be my right as a consumer.
 
For now I guess this wouldn't really affect me personally as I haven't bought a game used in like three years, but eventually it might. Rely a lot on Gamestop trade-in deals.

" @Cube said:

" I play NHL online. Someone just lost a sale. Way to lose a fan who's been buying the franchise since 99, EA.  Good job. "

If you've been buying their game used since '99 they don't care about you because you've never paid them a cent. "

Aaand console games begin to take yet another step towards becoming PC games.

I don't have a problem with it, but I worry about all the people who don't know about the code, and will buy it used from Gamestop or on Ebay because the seller leaves out that small detail that you can't play online with a used copy.

Ouch, this is definitely a touchy subject. First off, I don't see this as EA being "greedy" or anything like that. EA wants to get paid for their products and they have every right to that. All the people who are calling EA greedy are probably the same people who think the music industry is greedy because they want you to pay for your songs.
 
On the other hand, I believe it's a consumer's right to choose. And as someone who is an avid GameFly user, this is a little unsettling. I'm well past the stage of buying new installments of sports games so I use GameFly for sports games all the time. So, this is definitely a bummer for me. It's a tough situation and while it sucks for people like me, I'm not going to throw a tantrum about it like some other people in these comments seem intend on doing.

Thank god I don't buy EA games very often.

" @Microshock said:

" FUCK THIS. Seriously. Fuck this. I don't give a shit about sport games. . . "  

 Then this doesn't affect you, so enough with the raving / ranting exposition. "

" I'm completely opposed to this type of thing. I rarely buy games brand new. 60 dollars for a 10 hour game? No thanks. The only time I ever buy a game new, for 60 bucks, is when I know it's going to be good, and I know I'm going to spend 100+ hours on it (Modern Warfare 2, Street Fighter 4, Fallout 3, etc.) Companies like EA can continue to try and do away with used game sales, but all that will do is make it to where I just don't buy their game, period.  At the very least, when I buy their game used I usually end up buying DLC. So their getting some money out of me. If they end up doing away with used games sales, they won't be getting anything from me.  Consumers should have the right to do whatever they want with their property. If someone buys a game, and then decides to sale it in a yard sale. It's their right. It's also my right to buy games where I see fit, and try and get the best deal possible. Used game sales has practically been around since the inception of console video gaming, and the video game market has done nothing but grow since then. Used game sales hasn't stifled it at all. Trying to get rid of it now just reeks of greediness. Which duh, they are companies. Of course they want to squeeze every cent out of their product. I just hope nobody is fooled into thinking that used game sales is going to somehow destroy the video game business. "

" @damnboyadvance:   Not making money =/= losing money. "

Steam sales got yo back.

Just pushing more people to pirate.

Those of you that support the 10$ dollar program -- why would you so willingly let media companies basically torpedo your first sale rights? It's like leaving out the final chapter from a novel.   Courts have routinely denied companies the ability to impose post-sale restrictions on consumers in books and software, so why should they be able to do it here?        

FUCK This!

Pretty gosh darn smart on their part.
 
I hardly ever buy used games anymore for many reasons. I like to buy something the publisher and developer might have a shot at knowing about. Five bucks usually beats a torn up case with yellow stickers on it. Consider the record posted!
 
I don't have a problem with locking out multiplayer, so long as somebody lets the buyer know. Be it Gamestop on a label or EA on the back of the game saying it requires the serial number. A 55 dollar game suddenly becoming 70 after taxes, we're back to the N64 days now! ;)

Not that I don't understand why they are probably doing this, but the whole thing seems a little crappy to me.

I understand them, but that means that I'm no longer renting any of their sport titles. I like Fifa, but I'm not buying a 50-60 dollar game that will be obsolete in months. If they sold updates as DLC every six months (as team rosters change) for say, 20 bucks, then I'd be game. I mean, they could still sell their annual sequels but still support the older versions for a couple of years.

Incredibly restrictive DRM PoS? Sign me up!!!

Tired of this bullshit. If I buy a game, I should be able to use it fully as should anyone in my house. My roommates should not each have to pay another $10 to play it themselves (and sharing XBOX Live accounts is bullshit). I can roll out a board game on my table at home without each of the other players having to buy another copy or chip in a few bucks for the right to play the full game. I'm not duplicating the disc. There isn't more than one person playing one copy of the one game at any one moment in time. There is no reason for this other than a bullshit cash grab. This kind of shit really turns me off of games and makes me dread Mass Effect 3 and other worthy tiles that are getting caught up in the DLC-cash-grab-fuck-retailers-in-the-ass politics.

  Sucks for those who buys sports games used. All two of them. Honestly, there's a market of people really into sports games out there. And that's fine. But those people are generally day one purchases anyway. Go into Gamestop or any retailer selling you used games and the majority of ones on the shelf are sports games because nobody buys them. In fact, I'm sure they fill they're quota on sport games they can take in a couple months after the game is released and still has an ample supply for the next decade.

Digital distribution will probably get rid of used sales altogether in a few years anyways. In the meantime, why not help the Gamestop crowd get used to interacting with their console's online functions and make stop used game stores from making all of the money off of  products they didn't make? Seems fair to me.

 Yeah well, my Dragon Age online DLC code never worked, even after signing up and logging in to the seventeen accounts they wanted me to, so......

Everyone seems to only care about the fact that they don't play sports games. I don't play many sports games, and I think this is fucking horrible news. Just like Jeff said:

 Of course, if we continue down this path, I wouldn't be too shocked to see a future where every game comes with some sort of serial number that fully limits your ability to play a used copy of a game. Slippery slope and all. 

Indeed. EA needs to collapse, already. These money-hungry whores don't care how far they drag down the industry, as long as they're making a good couple bucks, saving their asses, in the mean time. Somewhere at the top of their PR and advertising firms is a man that really hates video games.

No mention of the Wii in this. I guess Tiger Woods for the Wii is too underdeveloped for the use of this technology.
 
  http://www.ea.com/news/online-pass-for-ea-sports-simulation-games

So now GameFly will be obsolete?? Wow.... 

I'm okay with packaging codes for content to curb the sale of used games. I'm not okay with EA games requiring EA servers between the user and Xbox Live. When that happens you run into situations like with LOTR: Conquest where after a year, they shut down the servers and you can no longer play online.

EA's policy is pretty bullshit in comparison to BioWare's.
 
See, because Mass Effect 2 allows players who purchased used to play the entire game, but if they wanted any of the awesome free bonus content, they'd have to pony up ten bucks for a Cerberus Network card. Dragon Age: Origins mostly had paid DLC and not free stuff, if I recall correctly. Maybe achievements would be locked if you didn't buy new, but who cares about them?
 
EA's policy is actively restricting all online content and it sounds like some actual content that is on the disc will also be locked.
 
Of course none of this really matters to me because I don't purchase used games much but still. Let's be clear about the levels of bullshit present here.

Awesome business decision.  Fuck used game sales.

    People who buy used games are not customers of the publishers, and as such do not deserve any content frankly. After all, why should EA provide the game if none of the money from the sale goes to EA? 
 
As someone who buys games new, I appreciate an attempt to fuck over people who buy used. Honestly, it's tantamount to piracy. Doesn't matter that money changes hands, they're still the wrong hands.

I guess from a business standpoint it makes sense. From a consumer standpoint it feels like EA taking advantage of what is pretty much considered a mainstay (online gaming) and making a quick buck off of it. But hey, it's their game, they can charge for whatever component they want for it. Don't like it? Don't buy it.  

"Used games wouldn't be such a problem if the real greedy corporation, Gamestop, didn't make a business by being so aggresively sleazy with used game sales. The fact that people don't see that EA is fighting to make money off of their OWN product is freaking idiocy"

Yet another step towards the all-digital future, which I'm totally psyched for by the way.  Discs have served their purpose...

Well not buying any more ea sports game, oh wait i forgot nba live sucks, nfl 2k5 is still better than madden 2010 and i don't care about other sports.

does this mean i can play EA games online with xbl silver account?