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Saints Row: The Third online co-op campaign and 'Whored Mode' gated with online pass

by Ben Gilbert on Nov 11th 2011 5:15PM

If you're considering postponing your purchase of Saints Row: The Third until sometime after next Tuesday in hopes of snagging a less expensive used copy, but also yearn for online cooperative mayhem, beware: an online pass is required before taking to the Information Superhighway.

Included in new copies of both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Saints Row: The Third are one-time use codes for redemption upon initial launch of any online multiplayer, prompting users to otherwise purchase a pass for an undisclosed amount (we've asked THQ for clarification). Unfortunately, despite having both 360 and PS3 copies available for review at Joystiq, the 360 pass won't activate until launch and very few reviewers have PS3 code. Rest assured, we'll have our own review of Saints Row: The Third -- co-op or not -- by early next week.

Tags: co-op, microsoft, multiplayer, online, online-multiplayer, online-pass, playstation, ps3, saints-row-the-third, thq, volition, volition-inc, xbox

Reader Comments (38)

If I can run around like a furry that looks lke Tony the Tiger would be grrrreat!

@Slight of Ham I thought I was looking at a shot of the game and was like WTF you can be Tony the tiger in SRTT gotta get that game now then I saw it was a toy on a desk and got sad..HMMM wonder if Ms knew that redeemed codes were mostly gonna be used to unlock game features when it was implemented?

Saints Row The Third is gonna be GRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT !

It's great! Awful, I know.

another online pass. Ill stick with my pass-less MW3

@xmast3r

Talk to me when you can outfit your Ak with a dildo scoop and truck nuts.

DIDN'T THINK SO!!!

No but seriously, online passes are stinko. Very glad MW3 didn't go that way and the scary thing is they totally could have done so, with little resistance, considering the following the series has.

@xmast3r $60 a year for an upgrade, $60 of map packs? So much better than a free, included code.

@xmast3r

Same here. With so many great games releasing, I can wait til this hits $20 new.

Skip.

I hadn't even heard about the co-op modes until now. This game will be a riot even alone, so no problems here!

@Once known as Shadsy - The co-op was the best part of Saints Row 2. It's the biggest reason I finished the game.

I personally don't have much of a problem with online passes. Now that that's out of the way, I love the fact that they still put "STRAP IT ON" on these pass cards as well.

what's the Deus X dude doing in SR3?

what'sthe DeusX dude doing in SR3?

*comment fail...sorry stupid beer got in the way

So if I own an Xbox and I want this game. I have to pay to both play online and be sure I don't buy a second hand copy of this game?

Yeah. You don't screw me THQ, so screw you.

@Undulation

Why should THQ give you perks for buying a second hand copy of their game in which they (and Volition, the developer you should want to support if you enjoy the game) don't see one red cent?

It not like they aren't giving you the opportunity to play online at all. You just have to give them some money instead of no money at all. Last I check the video game industry was for-profit and not a charity. You don't like the game, speak with you wallet and don't buy it.

Don't understand the sense of entitlement that some people have when it comes to used games.

Boo online passes!

That being said I will buy this new so it only affects my possible resale on Amazon.

Why are online passes even news worthy at this point? It's getting close to where it'll be easier to report when a game doesn't have one.

THQ is a joke. No originality at all. Their biggest franchise is a Grand Theft Auto rip off, now they've ripped off the season pass and the project ten dollar plans.

@Hoops

Well, someones a hater. I fail to find how THQ is a joke anymore, they've got those divisions making games not based off a tv series now, such as the ones making Metro: Last Light and Darksiders 2.

@Hoops Just because it's a sandbox with shooting a driving doesn't mean it's a GTA rip-off.

Seems like online pass will just hurt the online community. (less players)

Go purple bat yourselves THQ.

360 games have online passes too?

@heroftime Uh yeah. I guess it sucks to pay $~$50 for Xbox Live and then on top of that, ~$10 for an online pass for a "used" game. : (

@nerdydesi1

ohh that's nasty

at least this game only has 2 player co-op as online mode so this is skipable feature

How does this apply to the PC version?

@nerdydesi1

Don't need it on PC. PC don't have "Used Game Sales"

You cant even do local system link without the pass... I call shenanigans!

Whored mode is a brilliant name, I love it!

How much cheaper are used games anyway?
Last time I considered buying some game used a few years ago, it was $3 off the nominal its price. Three dollars! That's it. And the packaging was all scratched up. I haven't even glanced at the used game section since.

I guess this is the new norm... even though I usually like to buy my games new.... the whole "online pass" thing really leaves a sour taste in my mouth and makes me feel less inclined to purchase such games...

@BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam Yup. Glad I have two friends that bought UC3 that don't really play online, as I passed on a new copy thanks to PSN Pass.

4. Strap it on
5. ???
6. Profit

Ugh, I am done with pre-orders. This is the third time in a short while I pre-ordered a game which announced an online pass after I've pre-ordered it.

I'm sick of it.

did they just make a crack at Gears of War

Why's everyone getting all upset about these online passes? Yes they suck if you want to buy the game used, but you can't have it both ways. I've seen people complain about the used game market being unfair to publishers. Well that's why they came up with DLC and now it's why they have online passes. But now it's unfair to consumers? Really the only person this affects is someone who was gonna buy the game used from the get go. If you're gonna buy it new you should have no issues with it.

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