Syndicate will not use an online pass

It is now common practice for Electronic Arts (EA) to include an online pass in new copies of its games that must be activated in order to access online features. However, Syndicate, which EA will publish later this month, will arrive free of any online pass. A producer at EA tells Eurogamer that the online co-op in Syndicate is equal in substance to the single-player campaign and everyone should have access to the entire game.

"Under normal circumstances it would have had an online pass, but because it didn't have competitive multiplayer and because we wanted as many people as possible to be playing co-op, we got away with it," executive producer Jeff Gamon says.

Gamon also points out that the cooperative mode is pretty extensive, and should keep players busy (and not trading it into GameStop) for a good while.

"There are nine maps. It's hard to say, but just to play through the maps once on normal is a good six, seven hours. To progress your character and upgrade a few weapons is a heap of content. That and the single-player campaign means hopefully we won't see much in the way of early second hand sales and rentals."

Syndicate is out February 21.