While the implemention of Ubisoft’s Uplay online pass was originally intended to debut with Driver: San Francisco, a printing error has led the publisher to scrap plans to use the system entirely – at least for this particular title.

According to Ubi, some boxes contained access codes that were printed incorrectly, leaving purchasers unable to access the game’s multiplayer component. Now, rather than risk inconveniencing customers, the publisher has opted to let everyone – even those that buy secondhand – to signup for a Uplay passport at no charge.

Here’s the official word:

Due to a printing error on the insert of some copies of Driver: San Francisco in North America, Ubisoft has elected to provide the Driver Uplay Passport content for free. Although this problem does not affect players outside of North America, we have decided to mirror this offer to everyone in the world in order to be fair to all our players.

When you begin DRIVER: San Francisco, you are prompted with the Uplay Passport menu. The menu has 4 options: “Purchase Uplay PASSPORT,” “Activate my Uplay PASSPORT,” “Start my 2-Day Free Trial,” or “Remind Me Later” There are two ways to access these online features:

Select Start My 2-Day Free Trial, which will not expire, OR
Select Purchase Uplay Passport, which will be provided at no charge.

Either option will unlock the 11 multiplayer modes and the Film Director feature on console titles with Uplay Passport.

While an unfortunate snafu for Ubisoft, we can’t imagine gamers will complain.

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