Online Pass System — Good or Bad?

With the recent growth in the use of the very controversial “Online Pass” system, the internet is starting to come alive with the praise of some gamers…and hatred of others. At first the Online Pass system was mainly used by EA and THQ but has more recently been found as a very effect business move, financially. It’s now being said that the new Mortal Kombat game will be using the system as well as Batman: Arkham City and F.E.A.R. 3.

Basically the Online Pass is something that comes with a game when you buy it brand new. It allows you full access to everything the game’s online features have to offer. The catch is that if you buy a game second hand, there will only be a small demo pass that will give you either small parts of online content or everything for a few days, at which point you will have to spend another $10 to buy the real pass. The move is obviously a move to lower the amount of second hand sales, which must be split among companies, and increase the sales of new games which means more money for the company making the games.
Some have seen the strong change as a smart move, while others see it as unfair and just another way to make a quick buck for the suits upstairs. It’s definitely a highly controversial move and it’s increasing popularity means that it is, in fact, working well and may very well be something we will see happening in most games in the near future.
Share your opinion…do you think the Online Pass System is a good idea to be embraced, or should it be taken off the table and forgotten?