14 DAY TRIAL // Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the upcoming role playing action game from 38 Studios and Big Huge Games, will have an online pass system, despite not actually having an online mode, that allows players access to a new quest line for the House of Valor faction.
Online passes are becoming more and more popular with video games these days, as developers and publishers are trying to protect their games against the second hand business.
Customers who buy the titles new will get a special voucher with a one-time use code that unlocks new features, like an online mode, while used gamers need to pay for such code.
While this mechanic is used in games with multiplayer features, it seems that even titles without such things, like the upcoming Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, have an online pass.
According to Destructoid, the code allows players access to the House of Valor faction quest line, which brings seven new missions to the game.
In order to clear things up, 38 Studios boss Curt Schilling went on the forums of the game and talked to players about the online pass, which is more of a day-one downloadable content.
"Day-one DLC, to be clear, is free, 100 per cent totally free, to anyone that buys a new copy of Reckoning," he wrote. "We must make a profit to become what we want to become. The only way we do that is to make games you cannot wait to buy. If we do that, and you do that, we want to reward you with some cool free stuff as a thank-you.”
Schilling goes on to say that the online pass helps both the studio and gamers who take a chance with a new copy of Reckoning.
“[The pass] promotes early adopters and much more important to me, rewards 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."
Did you plan to get a new copy of Reckoning or were you already saving up money for a used copy? Does this online pass make you change your mind?