Resistance 3 starts Sony's version of the online pass

[Queasy]

Sony is bringing one-time use codes that allow access to online play to its first-party PS3 titles. The first title up will be Resistance 3 with the rest of its line-up getting them as well.

"We are always evaluating new programs for our online offering, and starting with Resistance 3 this September, we will be instituting a network pass program for PS3 games with online capabilities," the spokesperson said. "This program will be game-specific. Games that are a part of this program will include a single-use registration code that grants the account holder redeeming the code full online access for that title.

Sony originally tested this with the PSP.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/118/1180810p1.html

 

[Beev]

I pretty much only buy new, so this won't ever affect me, but that doesn't stop me from hating the process altogether. I certainly like the way it hurts Gamestop, though

 

[purbeast0]

smart move, hopefully all other companies start doing it soon too.

 

[Beev]

smart move, hopefully all other companies start doing it soon too.

Games should just have CD keys imo. With the way consoles are tied to a specific account which is tied to the internet it should be better at curbing piracy and used sales than it was/is on the PC at least. Though I'm in favor of everything being purely digital, too.

Again, anything to ruin Gamestop

 

[RedRooster]

I dunno. When I buy a game, I expect to get everything it originally came with, whether that's instructions or extra help guides or online access or whatever. I also like that its MINE to do whatever is it I please with, including selling it when I'm done with it.
I'm old school I guess, this new digital crap feels too nickel and dimey to me.

 

[Beev]

I'm old school I guess, this new digital crap feels too nickel and dimey to me.

I definitely agree there. DLC ruined certain aspects of gaming. Like absolutely obliterated it.

 

[purbeast0]

Games should just have CD keys imo. With the way consoles are tied to a specific account which is tied to the internet it should be better at curbing piracy and used sales than it was/is on the PC at least. Though I'm in favor of everything being purely digital, too.

Again, anything to ruin Gamestop

with PC cd keys you could sell used games with the cd key as well and you could play it just fine.

you can't do that with these online passes because they are not reusable.

 

[purbeast0]

I dunno. When I buy a game, I expect to get everything it originally came with, whether that's instructions or extra help guides or online access or whatever. I also like that its MINE to do whatever is it I please with, including selling it when I'm done with it.
I'm old school I guess, this new digital crap feels too nickel and dimey to me.

you will still get all of that when you purchase a game, and you can still sell it when you are done with it. this doesn't change that fact at all. it may however drop the price that you would have gotten by $5 or $10 though.

but if you are worrying about the resale value of a video game being shaved by $5 or $10, you probably realistically can't afford a gaming hobby anyways.

 

[RedRooster]

you will still get all of that when you purchase a game, and you can still sell it when you are done with it. this doesn't change that fact at all. it may however drop the price that you would have gotten by $5 or $10 though.

but if you are worrying about the resale value of a video game being shaved by $5 or $10, you probably realistically can't afford a gaming hobby anyways.

It's mainly more when I go to BUY the used games. I hear what you're saying though. I'm still against this, until I die. Or it becomes the standard.

 

[mmntech]

smart move, hopefully all other companies start doing it soon too.

Incredibly dumb move. It's the retailers robbing them blind with used game sales. Charge them, not some poor gamer looking to save a buck. I think a lot of gamers' wallets must have the Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[badb0y]

So Gamefly is dead now.

 

[JackBurton]

I pretty much only buy new, so this won't ever affect me, but that doesn't stop me from hating the process altogether. I certainly like the way it hurts Gamestop, though

My sentiments exactly.

 

[Thraxen]

This and all online passes are crap. Why game devs and pubs think they deserve special treatment is beyond me. Virtually every other non-perishable product on the market deals with a used market. Games aren't special.

 

[HeXen]

What games i can't buy used or rent without full functionality are games i just flat out don't buy period. I know what games are worth full price and what ones are not and lets face it, MOST games on average across all the platforms are not worth $60.

 

[blurredvision]

Why do you people rag on Gamestop so much? Because they want you to pre-order games? Because they try to make money on used games? Whoopdie-do. I don't shop there because there are cheaper avenues, but I respect their huge place in the industry and what they do for it. I don't go for this childish hate just because they make a lot of money.

 

[purbeast0]

What games i can't buy used or rent without full functionality are games i just flat out don't buy period. I know what games are worth full price and what ones are not and lets face it, MOST games on average across all the platforms are not worth $60.

well then that is stupid of you, because this is going to drive the used game price market even lower, so you as a buyer will win.

let's not forget that this also stops pirates from getting online for free, and those are mainly the types of people who figure out hacks for online games as well.

 

[Fingolfin269]

This is awful. I don't understand how anyone can be okay with this implementation. What am I missing?

 

[Beev]

Why do you people rag on Gamestop so much? Because they want you to pre-order games? Because they try to make money on used games? Whoopdie-do. I don't shop there because there are cheaper avenues, but I respect their huge place in the industry and what they do for it. I don't go for this childish hate just because they make a lot of money.

Worked there for four years.

The employees only do what they have to, and I don't think I would ever get angry at one for it. Corporate, though, is worse than any other corporation I've ever worked for. They treat their employees like total shit and use nothing but fear tactics to motivate them. It's a shitty, shit place to work and they deserve to fail as a whole. One of their pushes recently-ish was for DLC, since that was money they never saw. Any time someone brought up a DLC card I let them know how they could alternatively buy it so that Gamestop didn't get any money from it

Fuck you, Gamestop.

 

[Queasy]

This is awful. I don't understand how anyone can be okay with this implementation. What am I missing?

An unabated hate for GameStop...

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

This is awful. I don't understand how anyone can be okay with this implementation. What am I missing?

This is primarily a salvo at the used/resale market. If you're buying your games new (not all games have to be purchased at a $60 MSRP -- if you don't have to have it on release date, the trend has been for price drops to $40 or below generally within a couple months of release save for some A-list titles), and not selling your games after you're done with them, this really doesn't affect you.

It also doesn't affect people whose primary mode of play is single-player offline (or local play where the software supports it).

The simple economics is that supporting online play is an ongoing infrastructure and support cost. Insuring that the people who use the resources at least contribute to the revenue stream which sustains it doesn't seem like a radical idea to me.

 

[DirthNader]

What games i can't buy used or rent without full functionality are games i just flat out don't buy period. I know what games are worth full price and what ones are not and lets face it, MOST games on average across all the platforms are not worth $60.

I certainly won't buy them at full price. I've got somewhere between 25 and 30 retail 360 games, and I've paid $60 for exactly one of them. Even that was with a gift card that I couldn't think of any other use for.

If we're talking about something like ME2 w/ Cerberus Network access, I'll just wait for the inevitable price drop / sale.

I honestly don't see this having much of an impact other than pissing people off. People that want to play online want to play when the game is brand new and popular. At that point the used price isn't much cheaper than the new, and the used stock itself is pretty slim.

 

[Beev]

I certainly won't buy them at full price. I've got somewhere between 25 and 30 retail 360 games, and I've paid $60 for exactly one of them. Even that was with a gift card that I couldn't think of any other use for.

If we're talking about something like ME2 w/ Cerberus Network access, I'll just wait for the inevitable price drop / sale.

I honestly don't see this having much of an impact other than pissing people off. People that want to play online want to play when the game is brand new and popular. At that point the used price isn't much cheaper than the new, and the used stock itself is pretty slim.

It forces Gamestop to make less on a used sale, but because of the shitty Gamestop pricing it costs the consumer very close to full price if they end up buying the online pass. Gamestop prices all online pass games as $47.99 used, and that's ridiculous, but people buy it so I don't really fault them for leaving the prices so high. Another problem is that consumers rarely know about the passes and get pissed off at the company for requiring it when its Gamestop's fault for not telling them and for making the game still cost $48.

 

[pontifex]

It forces Gamestop to make less on a used sale, but because of the shitty Gamestop pricing it costs the consumer very close to full price if they end up buying the online pass. Gamestop prices all online pass games as $47.99 used, and that's ridiculous, but people buy it so I don't really fault them for leaving the prices so high. Another problem is that consumers rarely know about the passes and get pissed off at the company for requiring it when its Gamestop's fault for not telling them and for making the game still cost $48.

not agreeing with the implementation but how are people not aware of it? Is it not printed on the game box itself? Seems like that should be on there. Also, do these people not have internet and not read any gaming forums/sites/reviews/etc? If not, how are they playing online anyway?

I really don't see the point other than to stop used game sales. someone mentioned infrastructure. ok...so whats the difference in me playing the game online vs. me selling the game and someone else playing it online? It's not adding another person to support. you lose 1 person but gain 1, so it evens out.

 

[Beev]

not agreeing with the implementation but how are people not aware of it? Is it not printed on the game box itself? Seems like that should be on there. Also, do these people not have internet and not read any gaming forums/sites/reviews/etc? If not, how are they playing online anyway?

I really don't see the point other than to stop used game sales. someone mentioned infrastructure. ok...so whats the difference in me playing the game online vs. me selling the game and someone else playing it online? It's not adding another person to support. you lose 1 person but gain 1, so it evens out.

As far as I've seen they don't say anything about it on the front of the case, but someone else will have to confirm that. Also, most Gamestop shoppers are moms (who only read Fox news ) or white trash (who don't read anything), so they won't know about the online pass.

 

[DirthNader]

It forces Gamestop to make less on a used sale, but because of the shitty Gamestop pricing it costs the consumer very close to full price if they end up buying the online pass. Gamestop prices all online pass games as $47.99 used, and that's ridiculous, but people buy it so I don't really fault them for leaving the prices so high. Another problem is that consumers rarely know about the passes and get pissed off at the company for requiring it when its Gamestop's fault for not telling them and for making the game still cost $48.

I doubt GameStop will make less on a used sale - I can't imagine they wouldn't pay less for an online pass crippled trade-in.

I can see your point about people getting pissed off at the publishers, but frankly I don't see that anger as misplaced. The publisher is crippling the game (compared the the norm for 5+ years of this generation) in an attempt to limit used game sales. That's about as anti-consumer as it gets.