Ubisoft drops online pass for all games

Ubisoft will no longer be using online passes going forward, the company announced earlier today.  Beginning with Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, which caught flak recently because of gated content in the single player portion of the game, Ubisoft will be discontinuing their UPlay initiative.

Announced on the UbiBlog, the company explains the reasoning behind the change in policy.

“The Uplay Passport program was initiated as a means of giving customers full access and support for online multiplayer and features, along with exclusive content, bonuses and rewards.  However, games today are blurring the line between offline and online, between what is ‘single player’ and what is ‘multiplayer.’ Based on that and on the feedback we received from you, we recognized that Passport is no longer the best approach for ensuring that all our customers have the best possible experience with all facets of our games.”

The policy changes will be retroactive for Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag.