EA not bringing Online Pass back, despite DRM-free Xbox One and PS4

Electronic Arts has responded to Microsoft's reversal on previous Xbox One policies, assuring consumers that the publisher has no intention of bringing back its Online Pass. There was some worry that with both the PS4 and Xbox One now having no limitations on using and sharing games, that EA would bring back its online pass, a policy instituted in 2009 as a way to curb and generate revenue from secondhand game sales. Turns out, that scheme is "dead," and will remain so.

"[There is] no change to our decision to discontinue Online Pass," EA senior director of corporate communications John Reseburg told Polygon. "It is dead."

"As we said a few weeks ago, none of our new EA titles will include online pass, and we are removing it from existing games as well," he added. "Nothing else on today's news, but did want to be clear that our online pass decision was based on player feedback, and there's no change."

While Sony has already stated the PS4 will freely support used games (third-party publishers are able to add their own restrictions), Microsoft just yesterday announced the changes to its used games policy, saying "there will be no limitations to using and sharing games" on the Xbox One.

[Polygon]