Another games publisher leaps aboard the exclusive content bandwagon.
Following a new trend in the videogame market, Ubisoft are looking to snatch revenue from sales they previously had no part in – pre-owned games.
EA was the first to leap in last February with their controversial "Project $10" scheme, which made its debut in Mass Effect 2.
The second-hand market is a lucrative business for bricks-and-mortar stores such as JB Hi-Fi, EB and GAME, where they buy used games and sell them on again; in many cases they'll sell the same copy of a game twice!
However it's a business that Ubisoft have no part of – once they sell their game to the store, they're entitled to nothing once the game is traded in.
To get around this hurdle Ubisoft have announced what they're calling the "Uplay Passport", which is explained in the press release emailed to us as being "a one-time use registration code that, when redeemed, provides access to Uplay Passport content and features".
Initially launching in September with the upcoming DRIVER: San Francisco game, the system uses a single code that ties itself irrevocably to a user's Uplay account, enabling "exclusive bonus content plus access to online features."
When the game is sold or traded the new owner cannot use the already-consumed code, and will not be able to play the entire game – unless they purchase the Uplay Passport at a cost of US$9.99.
This also affects users who buy a single copy of a game and share it between friends, who will not be able to get the same experience unless Uplay login details are also shared.
Though only US pricing has been announced, with Australian pricing to follow at an unannounced time, it's a controversial move that adds unnecessary complexity to the videogame business without offering any benefits to the end-users – the customer. Who wants yet another account to sign in to before playing?
Let us know what you think of Ubisoft's Uplay Passport in the comments below.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012