Used game consumers are getting another swift kick in the groin thanks to Ubisoft and its new Uplay Passport program.
Friday Ubisoft revealed a new program called Uplay Passport that's undoubtedly established to regain revenue lost in the used games sector. The program will reportedly launch in the coming months and be included in many of the company's popular core games.
"In each new copy of a Uplay Passport-enhanced game will be a one-time use registration code that, when redeemed, provides access to Uplay Passport content and features," the company said in an emailed statement. "The code can be found on the insert card inside the game box. Gamers can identify Uplay Passport-enhanced games by looking for the logo on the back of the box."
Given that this code can only be redeemed once, consumers who purchase a used game laced with Uplay Passport restrictions will be forced to shell out an extra $9.99 to unlock online content and features. This means that a used game which normally costs $5 less than the new packaged version will essentially cost $5 more than the new unopened copy.
"Starting with the upcoming DRIVER San Francisco release, games featuring the new Uplay Passport will offer gamers exclusive bonus content plus access to online features," the company said.
Ubisoft is the latest publisher to jump on the "online pass" choo-choo in order to regain revenue lost in the used game market. EA introduced the "Project Ten Dollar" concept last year with the release of Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins. As with Ubisoft's Uplay Passport, the new versions come with a one-time use code to unlock specific content and features. Those who purchase the used versions are required to shell out $9.99 for a new code in order to unlock the full game.
If i buy a used lawn mower, Honda isnt going to make me pay just to use it.
the game was bought new at one point. they got their money out of it.
If that is your example then your issue should be with the retailer not the customer. The customer is free to spend his money as he chooses and should not be forced to buy a diminished product because he chooses to buy used. Not everyone can afford to pay full price. Not everyone wants to pay full price for a game that might suck.
Imagine if more companies from other areas started doing this. You can buy that Range Rover used but it will no longer have 4 wheel drive and will only go 60 miles an hour unless you pay Rover an additional $10,000 above what you paid for the vehicle used.
You can buy that Sony TV used but it will no longer display in HD unless you pay Sony an additional $100.
You can buy that used iPhone but it will no longer work until you perform unspeakable act of carnal pleasure on Steve Jobs.
Do I need to go on?
If i buy a used lawn mower, Honda isnt going to make me pay just to use it.
the game was bought new at one point. they got their money out of it.
Weather they're fellow pc gamers or console gamers, their still hurting gamers, so I boycott, unlike, many others who bitch but still buy on release. What the hell do they think the cash for used games goes to most of the time...NEW FREAKING GAMES!!!!WTF??
Hey, wait a minute, that's like legitimizing theft! I guess they want to lose their client base? These idiots should just shut the f*** up, cause that's what I'd do if I didn't want to lose my client base, I'd shut the f*** up. I'm now ashamed they have a studio in Montreal...
If you think about it, when a person buys a used game for $25 and the game costs $50, that is $75 instead of $100 if both people bought a new game. Makes sense to me now lol.
Buying 2nd hand games means that the developers make earn no money what so ever from you purchasing it. Please think about the following example.
Joe Bloggs comes into his local game store to purchase LA Noire on the Xbox 360, its priced at £30 brand new, he has the cash and is all good and ready to pay for it. Now the cashier has a preowned copy of LA Noire that is in mint condition, and is selling it at £27. The cashier directly attempts to sell the 2nd hand version of the game thus diverting profit that would go from the developer completely. Its this exact situation the developer/publishers wish to avoid.
You cannot compare this situation to a lawn mower, think it through before you type. You dont go into a tv store to buy a tv only to come out with a preowned one cos it is a couple quid cheaper.
If that is your example then your issue should be with the retailer not the customer. The customer is free to spend his money as he chooses and should not be forced to buy a diminished product because he chooses to buy used. Not everyone can afford to pay full price. Not everyone wants to pay full price for a game that might suck.
Imagine if more companies from other areas started doing this. You can buy that Range Rover used but it will no longer have 4 wheel drive and will only go 60 miles an hour unless you pay Rover an additional $10,000 above what you paid for the vehicle used.
You can buy that Sony TV used but it will no longer display in HD unless you pay Sony an additional $100.
You can buy that used iPhone but it will no longer work until you perform unspeakable act of carnal pleasure on Steve Jobs.
Do I need to go on?
LOL
Back on topic, crippling a bought game is a crime in itself. This is greed at it's finest. I am so sick of companies trying to milk every dime out of customers, selling sub par products and complaining how the industry is going, Die already!
A Good Parasite (Pubs) keeps the host(customer pockets) alive...
No allow me, these are not comparable at all. A better example of similar business would be movies or concerts where tickets are used once per person.
It is also common business practice to try and maximise your profits, especially when you have extremely tight margins.
We are at a user pay situation for so much of our other things in life so gamers are going to have to accept it too as it inevitably spreads more into their lives. Boycotts are such idle talk, go get a job and you won't worry about little issues like this.
The same goes for cars. You don't get the 100,000 mile warranty on a 2008 Ford Mustang if you buy is used in 2011. This happens in all businesses because they lose money for offering the services when they don't see the revenue.
The game companies just want to get a part of all the sales of their game which they should be entitled to. The real problem is with the used game companies. They are even more profit hungry than the game companies. The do no work to make the game but then buy for way below market value and sell it for profit.
They are comparable and yours are not. Your examples are of consumable products. There is nothing left over when you are done. You don't get to take that movie or concert home with you so you can sell it to someone else.
When you are done with a video game you still have the video game to do with as you want. If you choose to sell it to someone else that is your legal right in the US. It is ethically wrong for a software company to think they deserve to get paid every time their mediocre or crappy game gets resold. If they were really concerned about this they should make games that are so good people want to play them over and over instead of selling them. Then everyone would want to buy it new.
The public will ultimately decide if they are OK with UbiSoft and other software companies doing this by voting with their wallets.