Ubisoft announced today that they’re ending their UPlay online pass system. This will happen immediately and anyone who purchased Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag will be able to access online content for free. In the future, no Ubisoft games will contain UPlay passports as the entire system is being abandoned.
Though certainly not the first type of online pass system, UPlay required players to unlock online content using unique codes (similar to Xbox 360’s redeemable Microsoft Points codes). The idea behind the system was to make people purchase brand new copies of the game and cut down on the used sales market (Ubisoft may not say that outloud, but that was the point).
Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag has a unique game mode called Edward’s Fleet, that allowed one player to interact with others on consoles or on the companion app. UPlay is offered in every copy of AC:BF, however many players felt it hindered their access to playing the game. After hearing enough negative feedback, Ubisoft decided to give AC:BF gamers free access to all online content associated with the game.
***If one more person calls me Jack Sparrow I swear to god…***
This isn’t the first online pass system to be discontinued. EA eliminated their online pass system earlier this year, while Sony has announced upcoming titles released on the PS4 will most likely not include any sort of online pass system.
I hated UPlay. Every Ubisoft game required me to download special access to a part of a game I thought I could easily jump into when I purchased it. Having to pay extra to access online features (when I bought games used or borrowed them) made me so angry I could have punched a kitten in the face. I never did, but I was pretty upset.
Are you guys excited UPlay is history?
