With the news that Microsoft was killing off its DRM requirements for the Xbox One, everyone has to wonder what the impact will be at the publisher level. Publishers in general, despite being rather quiet publically, were excited to see if Microsoft could make a go of the DRM that it was trying to enforce with the Xbox One; and whether or not it would lead to a bigger slice of the pie for the publishers. This was especially true for the used games on the Xbox One.

Now, with the changes and everything returning to the way of the Xbox 360 with the Xbox One, does this mean that the Online Pass will be back? Well, according to EA, the answer is that it is dead and it will not be making a return, despite the changes with the Xbox One.

EA isn’t changing their plans, as the decision was based on feedback from the players. The bigger question might be whether other publishers will likewise avoid the use of the Online Pass. Well, that seems to be up in the air, with some publishers wishing to let things settle down before making a decision. Taking a wait and see attitude might be the next best thing, but it seems that it was never popular with consumers. Use of it after everything that has recently happened with Xbox One might not be a good thing from the perspective of consumers.