THE BUZZ: More details about Batman: Arkham City‘s VIP pass have come out—or, should we say, the cat’s out of the bag so to speak.

Arkham City—like many games at this point—includes a special voucher code with all new copies of the game. Unlike many other games, however, not having one of those code vouchers will directly affect the game’s single-player portion—versus simply cutting you off from online multiplayer like many other titles.

The VIP pass has been confirmed by Warner Bros. to be the key to unlocking the four storyline scenes involving new addition Catwoman. If you buy the game used, or borrow it from a friend—and don’t pony up the $10 it’ll cost to get a new VIP pass—those Catwoman sections won’t be playable.

In a statement to Eurogamer, a representative from Warner Bros. confirmed the need for a VIP pass to play as Catwoman, the price for a new pass, and then made this statement: “Playing as Catwoman is not required to complete the game.”

EGM’s TAKE: I’m so conflicted by this world of content passes. On one hand, I can totally understand companies wanting some recourse for all of the money they lose from sales of used games.

At the same time, even if I purchase the game new, I could still run into situations where I can’t enjoy the full content of my game. What if I want to take it to a friend’s house? What if I have multiple consoles in my home and the pass won’t transfer over? What if I’m anti-social and live in a shack in the woods without internet?

The problem is it isn’t just the people buying games used who are punished—the “legit” purchasers of games can be as well.

Source: Eurogamer