MK9 to have online pass?

War Eagle

War Eagle

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Warner Bros. may be following in the (very large) footsteps of Electronic Arts and THQ when it comes to discouraging -- or at least profiting from -- the sale of used games. Joystiq has learned from a tipster that when Mortal Kombat hits shelves on April 19, its box will include an "online pass" token that must be redeemed before playing online. At present, WBIE evidently intends to do the same for its high-profile releases F.E.A.R. 3 and Batman: Arkham City. Since the latter won't feature multiplayer, though, the token would have to unlock some other (equally attractive) content.

According to an email obtained from our source, which appears intended for retailers, WBIE won't be promoting the pass -- in fact, no reference to it will appear on the game's packaging. Instead, it is apparently providing retailers with details on the pass, including how to purchase a new one if you're buying a used copy of the game. Unsurprisingly, a new pass will run 800 Microsoft Points / $10 for Xbox 360 and PS3, respectively. We've contacted WBIE for comment on this information. You can find an excerpt from the retailer email past the break.


Mortal Kombat, available on April 19 for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, includes a one-time-use registration code that gives players access to all online modes in the game. Players who do not have a code will get a free two-day trial of the online play and then be able to purchase the online modes for 800 Microsoft Points on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and $9.99 on the PlayStation Network.
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Via Joystiq

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/29/rumor-warner-bros-joining-online-pass-camp-with-mortal-komba/
 
As a 360 owner and a consumer im starting to dislike WB games more and more, but yea I heard about this a lil while ago. This is pretty lame imo but i guess bussiness is bussiness.
 
Wow. All I have to say.

Then again, the only downside to this is that if someone wants to borrow the game, he or she wont be able to play online unless they use the loaner's gamertag/PSN ID or buy an online pass themselves.
 
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Doesn't bother me, this game deserves it's asking/retailing price. If WB wants a chunk of what Gamestop is getting this is the only way to do it...
 
If it means better internet quality matchs then I guess I dont have a problem with this otherwise this is kinda sucky
 
Most of us if not all are buying it new, so it won't really affect us too much. It does suck for people renting or if we just want to take it over to a friend's house to play.
 
MK_MortalKombat just had a new tweet:

"Each copy of the game comes with a code to play online via Xbox Live or PSN. The code does not expire."

Anybody else catch this?
 
The 7th Number said:
Who cares as long as you buy it new.
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Not everybody is going to buy it new, I have friends and family who may want to try it out down the road but they wont even be able to go online, and since they're not huge gamers like that they wont be motivated to by this pass.

ninjustyn said:
I don't understand. Is this pass supposed to prevent bootleggers and people who get the game illegally?
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Nope its just to get more money out of the peoples pockets.
 
Only thing I want to know is how the code will be linked? To username or system, in either case there is a downside. Either you can't bring the game to someone's house without your system or you're limited to a specific PSN account/Live account.
 
Misfortune said:
Not everybody is going to buy it new, I have friends and family who may want to try it out down the road but they wont even be able to go online, and since they're not huge gamers like that they wont be motivated to by this pass.
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This isnt a pre order bonus, even down the road when the game is 30-40 new, it will come with a free pass.
 
The 7th Number said:
This isnt a pre order bonus, even down the road when the game is 30-40 new, it will come with a free pass.
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Yea but people are always gonna go for the cheapest option which would be to get it used. Not to mention GameStop will always try to sell used copies of everything.

Guess ill just have to play it with them offline.
 
ninjustyn said:
I don't understand. Is this pass supposed to prevent bootleggers and people who get the game illegally?
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It's put into place to prevent people from buying the game preowned (from store's like Gamestop). Reselling games make a company a killing (buy cheap, sell for more) and since Gamestop doesn't have to give a company any more money after they buy the game, WB is using this to prevent those transactions from happening.

Not to mention, I'm starting to believe that WB is a greedy little money hungry... well, you know.
 
David Jaffe talks about this a lot. Game makers aren't big fans of stores sell their game for five bucks cheaper right next to the new one. They don't get any money from those sells and the store get paid for it twice. Game makers have started doing stuff like this to combat this. If the used game is only five dollars cheaper but you have to pay another ten to play online then you are going to just buy the new one and get the online for free. Most of the time the used games aren't much of a bargain any way. I know there is a lot of people that don't like this but if you think about it in the long run it will make used games cheaper so the store can sell them and make there money twice even if it isn't as much. Plus the more money a game makes the bigger the budget for their next game will be so it is better if you are a fan of the game to shell out the extra five dollars for the new game any way.
 
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