Pasta Padre - Confirmed: UFC 2010 Requires Code for Online Play

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05-19-2010, 11:27 PM
JBHuskers

Pasta Padre - Confirmed: UFC 2010 Requires Code for Online Play

http://www.pastapadre.com/wordpress/...onlinecode.jpg

Find it funny how all of the people bitching at EA Sports for the Online Pass are all of a sudden silent when THQ announces their own form of it not much later after.

Quote:

Earlier this week word started leaking out that THQ would be including a unique one-time use code in new copies of UFC 2010 Undisputed. This code provides access to all online play functionality. If a used copy of the game is bought or if the game is rented, one would have to purchase a code through the marketplace.

THQ still has not commented even on the existence of this code program, which means amongst other details we are still left to wonder if there is any sort of trial period like EA Sports will be offering (looks unlikely) or what the cost will be to purchase a code (probably $10 or $15).

(Update) With the news no longer able to be concealed THQ has released a statement which can be found in full at Destructoid. The statement contains some odd wording including “additional” and “second-time buyers” which raised my antenna that we may not know the true extent of this code program yet. According to the statement the cost will be $5 but no mention of a trial period is made which likely means none will be offered.
05-19-2010, 11:37 PM
cdj

What other titles does THQ make? I'd assume this means it will be in the next WWE SmackDown vs. RAW as well.

This comment at pasta's site by Andy_Kosk was pretty on target:

Knowing they were going to do this all along they really shouldnt have tied in Gamestop to fighters again. Now not only do you have to get it new but you have to get it at Gamestop. Oh yeah and if you want everything you have to get the PS3 version. New-Gamestop-PS3. That is how you get the full game for your $60. Ridiculous.

It may also explain why they offered some deals for $10 gift cards at certain sites - establishing goodwill before lowering the boom. I wonder if they will offer a free trial or something.
05-19-2010, 11:50 PM
JBHuskers

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdj

What other titles does THQ make? I'd assume this means it will be in the next WWE SmackDown vs. RAW as well.

If I was a betting man (oh, wait I am), then I would say this years WWE game will definitely require a code. I just found it funny in a previous topic about EA Sports' Online Pass when I said everyone is raking EA Sports through the coals, when they're not the only one to do this, and many more companies are going to follow suit. And TADA not much more than a week later here comes THQ announcing it ONLY A WEEK before UFC 2010 comes out.
05-19-2010, 11:57 PM
Deuce

EA or THQ isn't doing this to screw the customer over or milk us out of an extra $10. Its simply good business. You have stores like Gamestop making money off games (twice) you created so the only logical thing to do is shift those used game sales from Gamestop back to new game sales to EA/THQ.

...just business.
05-20-2010, 12:19 AM
UGA14

I do wish game companies would stop doing exclusive deals with GameStop that can only be gotten from a pre-order.
05-20-2010, 02:05 AM
JeffHCross

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBHuskers

I just found it funny in a previous topic about EA Sports' Online Pass when I said everyone is raking EA Sports through the coals

I've actually seen worse. It seems like THQ is getting more lambasted, especially because their press release was absolute crap.

EA also probably took the brunt since they were "first". And probably a lot of people are going either "Eh, they're just doing the same thing EA is ... it's EA's fault" OR "I wasn't planning to get that game anyway".

As a marketing guy, the part that sticks with me the most is the timing. A week before release is crap. You knew it wasn't going to play well so you sat on it.
05-20-2010, 05:53 AM
texacotea

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffHCross

I've actually seen worse. It seems like THQ is getting more lambasted, especially because their press release was absolute crap.

EA also probably took the brunt since they were "first". And probably a lot of people are going either "Eh, they're just doing the same thing EA is ... it's EA's fault" OR "I wasn't planning to get that game anyway".

As a marketing guy, the part that sticks with me the most is the timing. A week before release is crap. You knew it wasn't going to play well so you sat on it.

This is what is the biggest thing for me. I dont have a problem with the "online pass" thing at all, I think its a very good idea. But to wait this long to let it out is bad buisness. You wouldnt think that THQ made the decision to do this after EA made the annoucement do you?
05-20-2010, 08:26 AM
JBHuskers

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffHCross

I've actually seen worse. It seems like THQ is getting more lambasted, especially because their press release was absolute crap.

EA also probably took the brunt since they were "first". And probably a lot of people are going either "Eh, they're just doing the same thing EA is ... it's EA's fault" OR "I wasn't planning to get that game anyway".

As a marketing guy, the part that sticks with me the most is the timing. A week before release is crap. You knew it wasn't going to play well so you sat on it.

Yeah I was pointing in one direction that hasn't said a single word about it LOL

Yeah one week before release is VERY shady. None of this made me cancel the pre-order though. I was going to buy new anyways....but once I quit playing 2009, I never put it back in. Hopefully starting tomorrow you will see more of what I'm talking about in terms of EA MMA. Sounds like the press reaction is positive on the gameplay (as Randy Chase is in LA right now showing it off to the press).

On top of that I have so many unopened games (Darksiders, Dante's Inferno, Army of Two: 40th Day, etc) plus just started playing Red Dead Redemption.....so the combination of what I saw last weekend and what I saw in the UFC demo.....plus all these other games I wanna play just led me to cancel the pre-order.
05-20-2010, 10:22 AM
JeffHCross

Quote:

Originally Posted by texacotea

You wouldnt think that THQ made the decision to do this after EA made the annoucement do you?

Impossible. That announcement was only 10 days ago, and the code is already there (as seen by the screenshot). With release date looming, the gold (release) discs were probably already pressed before Online Pass was announced.
05-20-2010, 10:29 AM
JBHuskers

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffHCross

Impossible. That announcement was only 10 days ago, and the code is already there (as seen by the screenshot). With release date looming, the gold (release) discs were probably already pressed before Online Pass was announced.

Yep....the timing maybe was planned....but the decision had to be there a long time ago.