THQ’s attempt to incorporate a Project Ten Dollar-style multiplayer code in UFC Undisputed 2010 doesn’t seem to be going too smoothly, as a “technical issue” with redemptions has resulted in some gamers unintentionally purchasing unneeded extra codes.
New copies of THQ’s UFC Undisputed 2010 come with a single-use code that will allow access to multiplayer action, while gamers who buy the game used will have to fork over $5 to get one. This is all fine and dandy, if somewhat harsher than the approach pioneered by EA, but there’s been a bump in the road: Many gamers have reported difficulty in figuring out what to do with the code and some have even ended up purchasing new codes despite already having the one included with the game.
The biggest issue appears to be the fact that the code cannot be redeemed from within the game, but must instead be entered through the Xbox Live Marketplace or the PlayStation Store menu. According to Kotaku, gamers who install the launch-day patch on the Xbox 360 are then informed that new DLC is available and, if they choose to update, are taken to the Marketplace, where it is listed at 400 Microsoft points. No warning that the game includes a code for a free update is given.
It’s enough of a mess that THQ has posted detailed instructions on how to get multiplayer working on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and issued a statement acknowledging the missteps. “At midnight on May 24, the UFC Undisputed 2010 Microsoft servers went live and we experienced a technical issue with the code redemption,” it said. “We are working on a permanent fix and will update our community site as soon as it’s live.”
The company also claimed that the game’s online manual contains a “step-by-step explanation of the redemption process,” but I didn’t have any luck finding it.
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I like EA’s Project Ten Dollar initiative, but THQ’s offering, while similar on the surface, has it entirely backwards. The object is to reward people, not punish them. The difference may be subtle, but this is exactly the kind of thing that happens when you get it mixed up.
