If we propose that an ever-online console is primarily a means for Microsoft to keep tabs on players and ensure that they're not pirating games, one has to wonder why they don't implement the method that combats both piracy and the used games market pretty effectively, and that's the notion of the online pass. EA has been a particularly strong proponent of this idea, which requires players to enter a pass to unlock the entirety of the game's content, usually to play online. Even though I was quick to decry the system when it came out, it's seemingly the lesser of two evils when faced with a permanently connected console; after all, it requires the user to simply input a code for 30 seconds, and after that is completely non-invasive (unless, of course, you've bought the game second hand, in which case you'll need to buy a new pass).