Ubi ends Uplay Passport program, makes Assassin's Creed 4's online features free

Some folks were none too happy about Ubisoft walling off single-player elements behind an online pass, and the company is responding today by granting all players the Uplay Passport for free and canceling the program entirely for all future titles, Ubiblog says.

Here's the statement from Ubisoft explaining the situation.

In Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, "Edward's Fleet" is an innovative online single player feature that allows players to interact with multiple players on consoles or via the game's companion app. Every new copy of Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag includes the Uplay Passport code needed to unlock this online feature. However, 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.

Gamers currently without a Uplay Passport for Black Flag will be able to download one for free from Xbox Live or PlayStation Network. For those who have already purchased Uplay Passport for Black Flag, please contact your regional Ubisoft support.

What’s more, Uplay Passport will not be a part of any future Ubisoft games.

This is a good thing.