There is a ”cost to serve” in bringing all those ”compelling, fresh” digital experiences everyday all-year round and EA ”deserve to get paid” for it.
The point of the Online Pass is so that second-hand sales aren’t ‘burdening’ EA’s online servers for multiplayer, as after all publisher EA sees no money from the second-hand market. Online Pass is the answer to this problem.
”I look at the investment that we make in bringing digital experiences - building solid infrastructure, making sure servers stay up and offering customer support when needed,” Moore told MCV. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 is the first game with an Online Pass.
In fact Online Pass is an extension of EA’s already successful Project Ten Dollar, which helps incentivise first-hand sales with promises of bonus content. The Online Pass is designed purely to reward first-hand buyers with online access.
”Online Pass is a way for us to frankly bring more digital experiences quicker. If it is going to be successful, it is up to us to create compelling, fresh, 365-days a year, digital experiences. And there is a cost to serve that we deserve to get paid for.”
It will cost $10 to ‘activate’ your EA title for multiplayer if bought second-hand.
”We used to do catalogue business, but that has diminished greatly and you can imagine why. $10 feels like a reasonable price for a game that will go on for months and months,” added the EA Sports boss. Is $10 a reasonable fee asked by EA for an otherwise profitless sale at retail for the publisher? You do use their servers after all…
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