Videos
(35)Screenshots
(11)Cheats and Walkthroughs
Videos
(35)Screenshots
(11)Cheats and Walkthroughs
Videos
(27)Screenshots
(11)Cheats and Walkthroughs
Electronic Arts will release SSX next month on February 28, and like most of the publisher's other recent titles, new, factory-sealed copies of the game will come bearing a packed-in Online Pass code that used purchasers of the game will have to buy separately in order to unlock content. The typical formula of barring access to multiplayer content behind these codes is being tweaked, however. In SSX, both new and used copies of the game will have unrestricted access to the online play.
"Play" is the key word there. While you'll be able to shred the slopes online without having to input a code, those without the Online Pass access won't be able to earn credits in the game's Global Events mode for unlocking additional content, EA confirms in a statement (via Game Informer). More precisely: you'll EARN those credits, but won't be able to access them until you've unlocked your Online Pass. It sounds like you can still earn credits in the separate Explore mode, and spend them on unlocking the same content.
Here's the full text of EA's statement:
As you know, all EA Sports games for the Xbox 360 and PS3 have included a game-specific EA Sports Online Pass since June 2010. This is a one-time use registration code with each unit sold new at retail that allows access to online services and features, as well as bonus game content. Once activated, additional passes will be available for $10. Thus, all new copies of SSX will include a code for Online Pass. EA Sports has made a significant investment to offer immersive online services and features. We want to reserve these online services for people who pay EA to access them.
In SSX, players without an Online Pass are able to compete and play in both of SSX's online game modes, Explore and Global Events with no restrictions. In Global Events, the top finishers from each event are awarded with in-game credits. These in-game credits earned during play will not be awarded to the player if they do not have an Online Pass; these credits will be stored so that at any time, if a player redeems an Online Pass code, all the credits that they had previously earned in Global Events will be immediately awarded to them.
Economy balance makes it possible to unlock all available content and allows you to participate in all event drops across both Explore and Global Events, with credits earned solely in Explore.
It's not really clear if content you unlock using credits earned in Explore applies to Global Events as well. I would guess that it's simply more of a grind (no pun intended) to unlock the game's content with credits earned in Explore mode versus credits earned in an Online Pass-enabled Global Events mode.
Source: Game Informer
Comments are Closed
Comments
Displaying 1–12 of 12
DJTN
They're not blocking multiplayer because there is no multiplayer. Well not what most gamers consider multiplayer. It's asynchronous ghost data from ridernet (live leader board data). No lobbies, no split screen, no free roam, no loading up a party of friends and racing down the peek. :( <--- very disappointing
DJTN
They're not blocking multiplayer because there is no multiplayer. Well not what most gamers consider multiplayer. It's asynchronous ghost data from ridernet (live leader board data). No lobbies, no split screen, no free roam, no loading up a party of friends and racing down the peek. :( <--- very disappointing
Zengatsu
Don't you all understand that used games hurt the industry? Ya I am sure EA won't get hurt over it but alot of smaller company's do. To be honest I think that it is smart way to protect them from losing sales to the used game industry. It would not suprize me to see more company's doing this more in the future.
TheLastNomad
It's a bit vague about what it means but I think this is a good implementation of an awful system (online passes). The only content that gets locked is stuff that you would need to go online for anyway, it seems anyway. For people who can't get online for whatever reason it would seem it doesn't affect them.
JOE NATION 2.0
Me personally, I hate the online passes. Because what if I was to rent the game and there was no pass inside the box. I kind of wish that the game would allow you to unlock characters and tracks the old-school way by beating certain levels and racking up points. I seriously hate buying D.L.C. because I've already bought the game for $60 now it takes an additional $10-$15 just for extra crap to burn your pockets. THANK YOU D.L.C., THANKS A LOT!!
permanent_nirvana
Seriously? You guys are acting like this is something new. Did any of you play Battlefield 3?
Slivah
@SoloReverb
You cant really sit there and make it sound like EA is an awful company because there doing this I mean almost all game companys are getting greedy at this point and this is an example of something thats not such a big deal. Companys that wont let you play any online without a code? Thats greedy. Companys that sell overpriced DLC to get people to buy a service thats "Cheaper" thats greedy. Im buying a brand new copy of this game because I support SSX and all its previous titles and thats kind of the way you have to look at it. Its not fair to the team who worked insanely hard to make this game just to have people not buy it because of corperate decisions.
vaajtswv
The reason some consumers don't pay full retail for a game is that's how much they feel the game is worth. The proof is in the sales of used games. If games are worth the $59.99 price tag, it'll sell well regardless.
Blade1844
Just to be clear on the details for all present and future posters on this topic, this is not an "EXTRA" charge on top of the game price. The game will still be 59.99 new. This is just EA's way, and more will follow, in trying to maintain the profits of selling their content. The problem is that used game sales DO NOT touch the publisher. 100% of that revenue goes to the re-seller. Sure a high selling game might sell 1 million copies, but those 1 million are then bought and sold again 5 million times with no revenue going back to the publisher. It's easy to see why this trend will continue to grow.
ALSO, get over it if you have to spend "2 minutes" putting in a 15 digit code. Don't expect great games if your going to be that lazy.
luckey7
Last time I played a snowbord/skiing game was with my gamecube. lol
I want to play this one
SoloReverb
Sorry EA, but I definitely won't support this game or any of your games if this is the way things are headed... I'm not hating on the fact that you ARE a business, I get that, you need to make $$$.... but if you want to charge more for your game, then do so up front, and don't try to hit me on the back end as well, being shady and stingy with options in a game is awful... IMO...
qec
This stuff is getting ridiculous. I always buy games new myself but have nothing against anyone who wants to save a few dollars buying a used game. But I don't want to be punished as a gamer for other the developers loosing money. When I buy a game, i want to be able to take it out of the box and play right away. I don't want to have to put in some stupid online code just to unlock key features of the game. That takes an extra several minutes that I could be gaming and its also annoying because they are usually like 15 character codes and if you put one wrong character in you have to start all over.
I definitely won't pick this game up after reading this, I may pick it up if it ever hits games on demand. This is kind of a bummer because I beat SSX Tricky several times when I was a kid and enjoyed the Uber Tricks and such, and have actually been slightly following the news on this one.
The easy solution I see is if they were to release the game to On demand, or the PS3 online distribution system, the day that it is released in store. You aren't going to be able to sell a used copy of a game you downloaded to your hard drive. And if you need Internet access to unlock features of the game anyway, then what's the difference? I definitely won't be picking up a retail copy ever, that's for sure.
Displaying 1–12 of 12