Launched this week, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag courted some controversy by locking a chunk of single player gameplay away behind a pay wall for gamers who picked up the game second hand. The feature in question, Edward's Fleet, allows players to acquire more ships and send them out to undertake missions while you continue to explore the story.
Similar features have been present in Assassin's Creed games dating back to Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, but this was the first time it had been restricted to those who bought the game new.
Well, that didn't last long. Following fan outcry, Ubisoft has confirmed that it has not only removed the restriction from Black Flag, but that it won't use the Uplay Passport system to block content in used games ever again.
"Assassin's Creed fans, we heard you loud and clear," reads the update on the Ubisoft blog. "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."
The post continues: "Games today are blurring the line between offline and online, between what is single-player and what is multiplayer. Based on that and on the feedback we received from you, we recognised that Passport is no longer the best approach for ensuring that all our customers have the best possible experience with all facets of our games."
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is out now for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. PC, Wii U, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions follow in November.