Co-op mode means no Online Pass for Syndicate

Every Electronic Arts game over the past two years has included an Online Pass, but the upcoming Syndicate reboot will buck this trend.

This is because the publisher wants more players to enjoy the online multiplayer modes – the sort of feature EA usually locks with a one-time code included in new copies of its games. Second-hand users would have to purchase an Online Pass.

"We want as little resistance or barriers to entry as possible," EA Partners executive producer Jeff Gamon told Eurogamer.

"The co-op is equal billing in this. We wanted everyone who owns a copy of the game to have access to the entire product."

In fact, the online mode is being positioned as a major selling point for the game, hence why EA is keen to ensure all buyers can play online straight out of the box.

Gamon said: "Under normal circumstances it would have had an Online Pass, but because it didn’t have competitive multiplayer and because we wanted as many people as possible to be playing co-op, we got away with it.

"Maybe another reason for not having the Online Pass is we were confident in the scope of the online game… To progress your character and upgrade a few weapons is a heap of content. That and the single-player campaign means hopefully we won’t see much in the way of early second-hand sales and rentals."

Syndicate is due for release on February 24th for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.