Home Gaming Yes, Kingdoms of Amalur has an Online Pass

Yes, Kingdoms of Amalur has an Online Pass

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KOAR

Of course it does. It’s published by EA – the people who’ll put online passes on everything, even single player games. EA, the progenitors of the maligned Project 10 Dollar – a way of incentivising new purchases over second hand – usually uses the code included with every new copy of a game to open the gates to multiplayer gaming. Makes little sense for single player games, but it’s never deterred EA before. Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age II both shipped with bits of cardboard containing codes to unlock single player content – and Kingdoms of Amalur will be no different.

People who purchase Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning new won’t be able to play the game’s Day one DLC – one of the faction quests, called “House of Valor” – until they input the code included with the title. Those who purchase the game second hand (months from now – it’s a big game!) will have to fork out 10 dollars for the privilege. It’s hardly unexpected. What is a little more interesting is the game’s director Cut Schilling’s response to the inclusion of the pass. Unlike Eat.Sleep.Play’s David Jaffe who’s vociferously against the things, he seems to be a little more welcoming.

Here’s what he had to say on the game’s forums.

"This next part is likely to piss people off, but it’s a truth and it’s how I feel," Schilling wrote. "You can argue the merits and effectiveness of it, but right now it’s how it’s done and as someone that’s as invested as I am in this company, I stand by what has happened.

DAY 1 DLC, to be extremely and VIVIDLY clear, is FREE, 100% totally FREE, to anyone that buys a new copy of Reckoning, ANYONE.

It’s clear the intent right? To promote early adopters and MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO ME, REWARD fans and gamers who commit to us with their time and money when it benefits the company.

Every single person on the planet could wait and not buy Reckoning, the game would hit the bargain bin at some point and you could get it cheaper. 38 Studios would likely go away."

I really don’t have any issues with “day one DLC” or online passes – it just sucks for those without constant, fast internet to end up with less of a game for the same amount of money. It’s less of an issues with multiplayer games because they’d be unaffected anyway. Don;t feel put out – unlike many company’s Day 1 DLC, House of Valour isn’t included on the disc and “unlocked” with a code.

"The House of Valor content was not in the finished game/disc at one point, then removed. It isn’t there and we’re locking you out of it. The House of Valor was created as stand-alone content, and was always intended to be the first DLC. Instead of holding onto it and charging for it later, we opted to give it to everyone who purchases the game new, for free, on launch day," said community manager “Muse.” If there’s one thing that raises gamer ire, it’s on-disc DLC.

The game’s out on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 next week.

Last Updated: January 30, 2012

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