http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ea-sports-online-pass-was-impeding-our-games/0117434?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mcvuk%2Fstream+%28MCV%3A+Home+Stream%29

EA Sports boss Andrew Wilson says that the firm ditched online pass because it damaged the games.

Speaking to MCV at E3 last week, the label VP said that forcing gamers to put codes in to access content had become too big an impact for fans. And he denied that EA was planning any further measures to combat pre-owned sales."

When we launched it, we did so because we are investing an exorbitant amount of money in online services and the provision of online services, and to be frank we still do," he said.

"And we thought it made sense to get some compensation for the use of those services. However, what became apparent to us after running it for a while, was that the impact that was having to users having to enter codes before they could get into the game, was too great.

"We have a gamer-first mentality – we don’t always get credit for it but we do. We looked at it, and said ‘we don’t want to put that barrier there for gamers to have to go through that process. We are going to take it away. We are going to get rid of it. We will go back to making great games and it will all work out.’"

He added: "It’s about how do we make sure we deliver the best possible seamless experience for gamers, how do we get rid of those pieces in the middle that would otherwise impede their gaming. How do we get back to focusing on building great games?When asked if EA was looking to charge fans for online content he added:

"That's not our aim. We've done away with it."

Of course... no publishers will try to do anything or say anything against that now... it will be suicide lol

Plus I'm sure publishers are now getting some kickback from Live and PSN+ subscriptions... that or MSony are using their own servers thus reducing publisher costs.

Congrats to everyone who fought this bull.

We saved the industry. As an article stated an industry that requires DRM is a completly flawed industry.

They just want to be ahead of the curve.

In 2-3 years, retail based sales should be dwarfed by digital. And since there will be no selling, trading or sharing of games on digital any time soon, EA can relax and play the good guy now to reap the benefits later.

well, they know that the future is digital and living a few years now without drm until digital downloads will rape physical sales is probably better for them as trying once more lol. 

every game will be available digital day one and if sony and microsoft will have sold enough consoles so that retailers can't put so much pressure on them anymore, both will try to force digital sales massively.

Not happening.

Maybe in 6-7 years.

I think it will be like CD's. Very fast

You are falsely confusing the "always on" DRM Xbox One had with what EA is talking about here. They are talking about game passes, which is what they said they will remove before e3.

And no one saved anything. This change in the industry just got postponed until the majority is comfortable with digital. Gamestop will thrive for another decade so thats a plus for you right...

Sometimes i think the big game companys think we are Little stupid Kids ( well some are).

Whats the Problem in saying we would have liked all the DRM stuff but the Gamers were against it.