(Sorry for lack of pictures, I honestly don't feel like doing that right now)

According to GameInformer (which cites Eurogamer as their source), Rage is using an online pass. No HUGE surprise, right? How about it locks out single player action? The article says that you lose out on "hatches" (I can't find out what they exactly do, house goodies or quests or something). Now a game that has a multi-player DISK (on 360) will lock out portions of single player?

A little Backstory:

I HATED the online passes when they came. I said I was going to boycott and hate and this and that, but I put up with it. I buy the games I want new, unless I wait for a used copy to try and return, in that case multiplayer isn't the reason I want the game. In fact, with the exception of NCAA (online dynasty with some buddies), I never buy a game for the multiplayer. In my favorite game this year, Mortal Kombat, I'm currently retired at 1-0. But I will tell you 'm worried about the Online Pass movement, and for a couple reasons.

Now I work at a Gamestop. And no, I don't eat babies, I'm just trying to make some money and I like games so why not. But there's some things that bother me about this online pass movement: It doesn't affect Gamestop. 1. Games with passes trade in for less and sell for less. No biggie there. 2. Game companies don't care. Once I found out this little tidbit, I was SUPRISED no one reported on it: WB games GAVE Gamestop online codes to give to customers when they bought used. For Mortal Kombat and Fear 3, a new online pass code would print out on the receipt. Now I am ignorant to the terms of the agreement, so I guess I shouldn't say WB gave them the codes, but I can't see gamestop needing the codes. Anyway, companies are making agreements with Gamestop, but they're continuing the codes, so this begs me to ask: Who are the codes really fighting? People who sell used games, or people who buy them?

NOW, Back to RAGE:

I can't wait for this game. This is the one game I no almost nothing about the plot, the gameplay looks a little bit like a faster paced Fallout, so I like that too, and I love Id. I don't understand why a game with some type of multiplayer component is choosing to lock out single player functionality. It looks like Rage isn't going to cripple single player functionality, which is good. But this is just the beginning. What happens if this works, and Call of Duty has the last level locked out? Madden has teams locked out?

My solution:

Honestly, I don't know. Cut the Bullshit, Videagames?


EDIT 1: I see Jim and others are saying it's a good thing. My official opinion is while I have games that use it, I don't like ANY pass. Any.


Please note that even though I am an employee of Gamestop, I am not their voice. Don't take my blog as me representation of any way to the company, just facts I see while on the job.