We've seen EA's Online Pass system lock out online multiplayer modes, and we've seen it used as a way to deliver day-one single player DLC, but SSX seems to be doing things differently.
In-game content is unlocked by earning points in different modes and spending them at an in-game store. Without the Online Pass (or paying the $10 extra), points earned in the "Global Events" mode are locked away until the pass is redeemed or bought separately.
As bad as that sounds, points can also be earned in "Explore" mode. In fact, Explore mode can potentially earn you enough points to unlock everything without ever using the points from Global Events, meaning the Online Pass might end up not locking out anything at all, depending on how you play.
A statement from EA: "Economy balance makes it possible to unlock all available content and allows you to participate in all event drops across both Explore and Global Events, with credits earned solely in Explore."
SSX hits the slopes on PS3 and Xbox 360 on February 28th.
