EA: New Online Gaming Content Codes Could Expire Before Even Being Used

If you're buying an Electronic Arts game, be prepared for the Online Pass that came with it to have already expired. This was the recent experience of a NeoGAF member who bought a brand new copy of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit from Amazon, only to find that he got an error message saying that the code was either incorrect or no longer valid. Gaming website Joystick picked up on this and asked an EA advisor about this situation. It turns out that it's EA's corporate policy to have some of these codes expire, but that no one should be faced with this, as a rule. However, if they are, then they can get a new one for free, by either downloading it or getting it from EA directly. Checking the EULA shows that at the moment, there is only one game with this restriction. It's only Dragon Age 2 (packaged) which has a time-limited an Online Pass code and that it expires on March 31, 2012:

ONLINE PASS SERIAL CODE EXPIRES MARCH 31, 2012. EA ACCOUNT, REGISTRATION WITH ENCLOSED SINGLE-USE SERIAL CODES, INTERNET CONNECTION AND ACCEPTANCE OF END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT REQUIRED TO PLAY AND TO ACCESS BONUS CONTENT (IF ANY) AND ONLINE FEATURES AND/OR SERVICES. SERIAL CODES ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE ONCE USED. EA ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE CAN BE FOUND AT EA.COM. YOU MUST BE 13+ TO ACTIVATE SOFTWAREAND REGISTER FOR AN EA ACCOUNT. EA MAY RETIRE ONLINE FEATURES AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE POSTED ON EA.COM/2/SERVICE-UPDATES.

Note that it doesn't say anything about a replacement code at all. Only by contacting EA does the customer have any idea what to do about this, which can be very frustrating.

The advisor didn't explain why these codes are designed to expire and it's hard to see exactly why. However, maybe it's to increase security of the product somehow, perhaps in a similar way that passwords at workplaces usually expire after a certain amount of time? Regardless, it's another inconvenient hoop that the honest gamer who's shelled out their hard-earned money has to jump through. In particular, one can see how these games that find themselves in the bargain basement a year later will all have expired codes, which will only be renewed at EAs discretion. Imagine the disappointment and frustration for the customer to see the online features being proudly advertised on the box, only to be denied at the point of installing the game. Then, it will be even more annoying should they contact EA about this only to be told that this feature has been removed. A feature like this could make or break a sale, so allowing such a situation potentially opens up EA to lawsuits for false advertising, since they are selling games that have had features removed by stealth. At the very least, such a customer would be entitled to a refund, which the shop would then be unlikely to give, because the box has been opened...