It turns out you don’t need the online code included with new copies ofNeed for Speed: Most Wanted, to race online. You just need it if you want to earn rewards for all of your hard work.

Similar to what EA did with SSX, it turns out players will be able to access the full complement of online races in the newest installment of the company’s racing franchise. This even includes use of the Autolog fuctionality.

What you don’t get, however, are the Speed Points earned as you race. Speed Points are used in the game to unlock new cars and also go toward raising the player’s Most Wanted rating.

If you don’t care about those progress points, or if you just want to try the game’s online offerings before you commit to buy, this is beyond beneficial. Now you can rent the game or borrow a buddy’s copy and experience most of its features.

We applaud the direction EA is going with these online passes. A lot of people can’t afford new games and by doing this buyers of used software at least get the chance to try everything the game has to offer before dropping even more on an online unlock code. Good job EA!