MLB: The Show May Get “Online Pass”

by pastapadre
Posted August 23rd, 2010 at 11:17 am

News today that Sony is investigating putting together its own “online pass” like system for all first party titles, and that would include the MLB: The Show franchise. EA Sports and THQ now provide one-time-use codes in all sports titles that provide access to online functionality. However for those who pick up the game used it costs $10 to access online play. Presumably Sony is considering something similar that would go into affect in the near future.

No word yet on the specifics of how Sony’s version of the “online pass” would be crafted. Other companies are considering doing something similar or even possibly going the subscription route. So this sure appears as though it is going to be the standard in the industry, however one question that remains considers how some of the sports titles affected have had weak online performance and options. MLB: The Show has consistently been one of the worst online sports games so it begs the question of how seriously consumers will believe online play for it to be a value add-on worth paying more to get into.

Tags: latest news

lynn

Only online component of The Show I use are the roster updates. This could change if they expand Web functionality regarding franchise management. But for now I’m not really willing to pay extra for online content.
juancolombia

First make a decent online service and then start thinking about charging for it…
http://twitter.com/amassicott alex massicott

Uh oh look what EA done started…
Even though I find online baseball boring, its not a must need for me like Online Football.
Osten

Sony thinking their online play is good enough for this just makes me laugh.
http://twitter.com/DaveDQ David D.

Exactly. It’s rather annoying that they have the nerve to charge for a broken service.
Anonymous

Im done with online gaming. I’ll just play regular ol exhibition matches.
Anonymous

Your only being charged for it if you buy the game used, so its really a non issue. How many people do you think actually buy MLB: the show used……………….Like none maybe. LOL
Anonymous

Broken service……Agreed. But why do you care if they charge for it. If its broken why do you want to play it. Just common sense here.

I for one would be willing to pay 10$ to play online when purchasing the game new if I could be somewhat guaranteed of an online gameplay that mimicked offline play.
Anonymous

why does Sony Online play suck compared to XBOX? Never get anything free and expect top quality….except pussy..
Anonymous

dont buy my games used, and these fuckin companies need to start charging the likes of gamestop who are profiting off their games being sold used
MikeyP

The Show has a terrible online track record so I highly doubt the game would make good on any kind of guarantee…but yes if online mimicked offline I’d be pumped.
Anonymous

just baseball. Baseball needs super fast, precise reflexes, which is impossible over internet. Oh and top quality pussy is never free. It always costs something.
http://twitter.com/IamTheEddy Eduardo Bautista

What’s the big deal with online pass?
http://twitter.com/IamTheEddy Eduardo Bautista

You’re not going to pay extra…you get all the online features if you buy it new. If you buy it used THEN you need to pay for the online features.
http://www.woodsidemediagroup.com/ Amani

Let’s hope Sony is hard at work in perfecting their online system. Bigger Servers? Or a true peer to peer connection? I am not sure what is needed but that is all that is limiting their game. Besides a still incomplete online franchise mode, but hopefully they build on that and also allow more commissioner controls so leagues don’t fade away. They are close. If reviews come out and franchise is complete and online is smooth, I would pay. I will wait though and not buy the game on release day this time though. Fool me once shame on you … fool me twice …
Skyflame21

Until the SHOW can correct the major lag issues, its a pointless effort online. Also, it’s terrible that the online leagues still don’t mimmick the NCAA Football versions. The online leagues need to have CPU controlled teams and be like the off-line version. I hate that if its just 5 friends playing that we have to just play each other and NO CPU teams. I don’t understand this at all.