French global video game developer and publisher Ubisoft has canceled its online pass system, which will be effective right away. The studio’s recently-released game Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was supposed to have the Uplay Passport code in order to unlock its online features and the code will now be offered free of charge, while Uplay Passports will not be part of any upcoming games released by Ubisoft.
The studio’s Uplay Passport program – similarly to other Online Pass systems – asked users to activate a special code, which was available only along with new copies of the game. Those players who had borrowed the game from someone or secondhand buyers would need to purchase their very own Uplay Passport and pay an extra fee.
However, the company decided to nix the scheme after receiving feedback from its players. Gary Steinman, Ubisoft’s communications manager wrote on the studio’s blog, “In Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, Edward’s Fleet is an innovative online feature that allows a single player to interact with multiple players on consoles or via the game’s companion app. However, we listen to our community and understand that there are concerns over some players’ ability to access this feature, so we have decided to eliminate the cost of the Uplay Passport for Black Flag.”
Ubisoft also acknowledged that Passport is not the best approach for enabling that all its users have the best experience playing their games. Those players who do not have a Uplay Passport for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will be able to download it from Xbox Live or PlayStation Network for free.
Photo Credits: DualShockers
