PS3 Fear 3 Online Pass goes wrong

UPDATE 2: Warner has clarified that two of the game's online modes - Contractions and Soul King - are still available to play online without the pass.

UPDATE 1: Warner has issued Eurogamer the following statement: "The F.E.A.R. 3 multiplayer modes 'F**king Run!' and 'Soul Survivor' will be available for fans to purchase on PSN from tomorrow."

ORIGINAL STORY: If you buy a pre-owned copy of Fear 3 on PlayStation 3 you can't play it online - even if you're willing to fork out for the game's Online Pass.

Fear 3's multiplayer must be downloaded from the European PlayStation Store, either for free with a code found in new copies of the game, or paid for with real world cash.

However, the First Purchaser Maps and Modes pack is unavailable to buy from the EU PS Store.

So, unlike other Online Pass schemes, users can't pay for the online portion of the game if they've bought a second-hand copy. Fear 3's multiplayer is, effectively, exclusive to first-time buyers.

Warner told Eurogamer this morning that it was working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

"The F.E.A.R. Pass providing access to F.E.A.R. 3 multiplayer modes 'F**king Run!' and 'Soul Survivor' is not currently available for purchase on the SCEE PSN Store," Warner confirmed.

"However, players who have purchased the game new and have the F.E.A.R. Pass code that was included with their retail copy ARE currently able to download these modes as instructed on the DLC card that was delivered with the original packaging.

"We're working as quickly as possible to resolve the issue."

On Xbox 360 there is no such problem. The Fear 3 First Purchaser Maps and Modes pack is available to download with a code found in new copies of the game, or can be bought for 800 Microsoft Points.

Eurogamer's Fear 3 review fired a point blank 8/10.

"F.E.A.R. 3 is like a Siamese twin," wrote reviewer Jeffrey Matulef. "Two great games sharing the same campaign. Coupled with four unique multiplayer modes, there's a lot of lasting value here. Don't let the ridiculous acronym fool you - this is a surprisingly sophisticated symphony of bullets and bloodshed."

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