Mortal Kombat publisher Warner Bros. wants to encourage fighting game fans to buy new (or pay to play online) by implementing an "online pass" scheme for the upcoming PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game.
That's according to a report from Joystiq, which says that Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will borrow a page from EA and THQ's moneymaking playbook, requiring players to redeem a "one-time-use registration code that gives players access to all online modes in the game." That online pass token will be included with new copies of the game, reportedly, and will cost 800 Microsoft Points / $9.99 USD for those who purchase the game second hand.
Joystiq cites an e-mail to retailers as the source of that policy shift at WB, which reportedly plans to implement the same system for F.E.A.R. 3 and Batman: Arkham City.
Rumor: Warner Bros. joining 'online pass' camp with Mortal Kombat [Joystiq]