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[Kaiser Shepard]

I've been wondering this for a while now, and would like to see this question answered.

1.) Let's say someone bought a used copy of Mass Effect 2, without the Cerberus Network activation code, and doesn't happen to have an EA account. Now, if that person were to purchase Kasumi, Overlord or one of the olther DLCs, would those work without an EA account being linked to the person's account?

2.) Now, what I'm also curious about is the following: It's obvious that having an EA account is the only way to activate the Cerberus Network code that comes with each new retail copy of ME2, but what if one downloads the Cerberus Network key from Xbox Live Marketplace for 1200MSP (15 bucks)? Would the latter scenario still allow one to download Zaeed, Firewalker and the Cerberus equipment without having to create an EA account?

Just a theoretical I've had itching my mind for some time now.

Thanks in advance.

[OBakaSama]

Interesting question, Kaiser. Without delving more into it my gut reaction would be 'no'. The box and manual states that an EA account is needed to access online features (of ME2 but I'm generalising) and that includes weapon packs, maps, etc. EA worded what can be considered online features quite broadly. Without it it doesn't seem to work.

Presumably though, all digital content is registered to a Gamertag and it isn't possible to log onto XBox Live without one as far as I can tell (on the PC one can always browse the web version but that's not the same). So purchases can be made (buying dlc for a game one doesn't have is feasible), and I would expect that they can be used. Why? Due to offline gaming. I don't connect to the EA servers to play my games and yet have full access to the dlcs.

If one can only ever obtain a code to purchase, like the Cerberus Network, then that has to go through the system. I believe that such a system for ME2 is merely an activation one, do it once and it's unlocked for your console. I don't know if buying the Cerberus Network means the content is downloaded or you just get given a key; perhaps someone around here knows.

All speculation on my part, though I do that a lot round here.

I take it you've posted in the other tech boards for curiosity? I think it might be an interesting one for the general board myself (but I'm like that). I would anticipate the PC version to be a strict negative, and the PS3 version to be similar to the 360 one myself.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Tried playing the game with a secondary Gamertag that's mostly just there for multiplayer purposes when somebody comes over. The result: Jacob used the Geth Plasma Shotgun I purchased with the Firepower Pack on Freedom's Progress, all the regular DLC messages trigger once I had access to the Normandy, and everything from Zaeed and Kasumi to Firewalker, Normandy Crash Site and even Overlord is indeed accessible. As would be the case with any other DLC, the content was usable because my primary Gamertag (and thus all related content) is linked to the Xbox 360 I was using.

So I guess that means the DLC just needs to be downloaded, and as long as everything checks out on the Xbox side of the fence (download licenses and all that), the content will work. Everything seems to work offline as well, on both profiles.

As for seperately purchasing Cerberus Network on XBL Marketplace, I still have no idea. The download itself is just a key, though: its size being only 157KB proves as much. But it is interesting to note that the download's description mentions nothing about the necessity of having registered with EA and that account being linked to your Gamertag, unlike what I remembered to be the case with Battlefield 1943. Because of this, I'm now leaning to it being possible, but I can't say with any certainty. 

Haven't asked anything on the other boards, although I too expect that to be the case with the PC version. No idea how it would work on the PS3, but it seems the 'normal' DLC up to LotSB is included on the disc there, whereas you still get a Cerberus Network activation code for Zaeed and everything else. I'm mostly just interested in how it works when it comes to the 360 version, though.

Modifié par Kaiser Shepard, 21 novembre 2011 - 01:04 .

[OBakaSama]

I would say that it's a bit of a false answer using another Gamertag; because any other Gamertag should be able to use any other dlcs purchased on that 360. (If Gamertag 1 bought X, Gamertag 2 can also access X; assuming the same console of course.) I don't think that really clarifies the situation which you're thinking about.

The further thought, after my initial post, is that I often explain that EA dlcs are connected to the EA account as well as the standard Gamertag and 360 for them to work. It would seem that at the very least the Cerberus Network won't work without an EA account because of the need to redeem the code. I think the game itself states an EA account is needed; though it's been quite a while so my memory could be wrong on that.

That's true on the PS3 version actually; I'd forgotten about that. I think the only exception is Arrival for PS3. On PC...well...we can't get away from it.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Hmm, I guess the only way to properly test this is by having a new Xbox with a brand new Gamertag, one that isn't linked to an EA account, and enough MSP to buy both normal DLC and Cerberus Network.

[OBakaSama]

I also vaguely recall when playing DAO at some point the screen flashed up about making an EA account, which I did. I think the game itself checks to see if you have an account as it were before you can proceed; and if you don't you get...encouraged to create an account.