EA Origin discount coupon glitch gives away scores of games for free

Recently, Electronics Arts (EA) had held a promotion where users could take part in a survey and receive a discount code they could use on EA’s digital distribution service Origin to buy games. According to CNET, the discount codes weren’t well secured and multiple people used it to get games at cheap prices, and some games for free, as the code had a tag of $20, and could be used to buy games around 44 games that were priced at $19.99 for free. The problem further escalated as the code made its way to Reddit.

Based on reports by Redditors, the code worked for 18 hours. EA cancelled it at 1:28 AM Pacific Time yesterday after noticing the spam of the code on Origin. The games that were downloaded through this include Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, and FIFA 12. While the code was originally only useable for those in the US and Canada, people around the world found a workaround that allowed them to create a fake US address, though this breached the terms of use put forth by EA for use of Origin.

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The discount coupon has, no doubt, caused a headache for EA

Back in September, head of EA Labels Frank Gibeau had revealed that the company is working on three to five new IP (intellectual property) for the next generation of consoles. “The time to launch an IP is at the front-end of the hardware cycle, and if you look historically the majority of new IPs are introduced within the first 24 months of each cycle of hardware platforms,” Gibeau told GamesIndustry. “Right now, we’re working on three to five new IPs for the next gen, and in this cycle we’ve been directing our innovation into existing franchises,” he added. Gibeau also talks about introducing new IP this late into a console generation, “as much as there’s a desire for new IP, the market doesn’t reward new IP this late in the cycle. They end up doing okay, but not really breaking through”.

This is a sentiment very similar to that of the CEO of Ubisoft, Yves Guillemot. Back in July, Guillemot told Gamasutra that a new console generation is long overdue. “What we missed was a new console every five years”, said Guillemot. “We have been penalized by the lack of new consoles on the market. I understand the manufacturers don’t want them too often because it’s expensive, but it’s important for the entire industry to have new consoles because it helps creativity.”

“It’s a lot less risky for us to create new IPs and new products when we’re in the beginning of a new generation,” he said. “Our customers are very open to new things. Our customers are reopening their minds – and they are really going after what’s best. … At the end of a console generation, they want new stuff, but they don’t buy new stuff as much. They know their friends will play Call of Duty or Assassin’s Creed so they go for that. So the end of a cycle is very difficult”, added Guillemot.