Crytek has confirmed that Crysis 2 won’t make use of Electronic Arts’ controversial Online Pass program.
Gamertag Radio reported last week that Crysis 2, the forthcoming shooter from Crytek, won’t use Online Pass, EA’s prepaid DLC system that encourages gamers to buy new copies of videogames rather than used. The dev told the site that because Crytek is part of the EA Partners program rather than an internal EA studio, it has the option to pass on the Pass.
He said the studio did so for two reasons: because Online Pass was still a new system when it was offered and Crytek didn’t want its game to be a “testbed,” and because it expects that Crysis 2 will be the first dance with a Crytek game for most console gamers and doesn’t want anything to keep them from any part of the experience.
Crytek made it official today with a short statement saying, “All we can say/confirm is that we aren’t using Online Pass for Crysis 2.”
Online Pass and similar programs aim to keep gamers away from the pre-owned market by offering extra content or access to features like online play free with new copies of games but at an extra cost for used. THQ used the system for multiplayer access in UFC Undisputed 2010 with less-than-optimal results, while EA has had somewhat more success with it in games like Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins.
Crysis 2 hits store shelves on March 22 for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Source: CVG
