Whether you call them ‘online passes’ or ‘services’ initiatives like Electronic Art’s Project ten dollar and Ubisoft’s U-Play platform have been despised by some in the gaming community for gating off content from those who buy their games used. It looks like Ubisoft is following in the footsteps of EA and cancelling their U-Play passport service as well as refunding all those who purchased the pass for use with a used copy of the recently released Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. If you’ve purchased a used copy of Black Flag keep reading!

All of this seems to stem from the small controversy surrounding the use of the U-Play Passport in the latest animus adventure. Entering the pack-in code granted players access to a resource collecting mechanic called ‘Edward’s Fleet’. Similar to other resource collection methods in previous entries, Fleet allows Players to send their hired hands off on the far seas to collect in-game currency. The big difference is that in prior games these mini games were never locked, as they provide invaluable cash used to upgrade your fellow assassins as well as the main protagonist.

Ubisoft cited the continuing connectivity seen in modern games, even during their single player content as the reason for the discontinuation of U-Play. They’ve also stated that in the future purchasing an Ubisoft title will grant players access to all features.

Click after the jump for a quote from Ubisoft.

“We listen to our community and understand that there are concerns over some players’ ability to access this feature, so we have decided to eliminate the cost of the Uplay Passport for Black Flag. This ensures that everyone will be able to use the companion app, Edward’s Fleet, online multiplayer and available bonus content at no additional cost.”

Source: Eurogamer