One of the biggest risks inherent to the inclusion of an Online Pass for any game is whether or not players will be able to redeem those Online Pass codes at launch. It has happened time and time again, gamers being locked out of the multiplayer content they purchased top dollar for, and now Ninja Gaiden 3 has added its name to the list of Online Pass failures.

Since the game's release at midnight, hopeful multiplayer participants found that on both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 that they were unable to redeem their code. Obviously, Ninja Gaiden 3 is a primarily single player experience, so this isn't a complete loss, but being unable to access content that was rightfully paid for is still a big problem.

After a tremendous amount of fan backlash flooded Twitter, Team Ninja released an official statement saying that PS3 players should have their online issues resolved by 4 PM (meaning you should be able to redeem your code right now), while Xbox 360 owners' issues are still being worked out with Microsoft.

Here's Team Ninja's official statement:

We are aware of the issue with the Online Pass for Ninja Gaiden 3 and are working to resolve the issue. For those of you with the PlayStation 3 version of the game, the online pass will be redeemable by 4pm Pacific time. For those of you with the Xbox 360 version, we are currently working with Microsoft to resolve the issue and we will keep you updated.

Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this matter.

Ninja Gaiden 3's multiplayer offers two modes that should cater to either cooperative or competitive gamers. The Ninja Trials mode asks the player(s) to complete certain tasks within a given level, while Clan Battle is a more straightforward team deathmatch style mode. Both seem pretty intriguing and add a new dynamic to Ninja Gaiden, but unfortunately not that many gamers are able to experience it.

It's been a fairly bumpy road to release for Ninja Gaiden 3, especially after it was revealed that Itagaki would no longer be associated with the property. Faced with a different take on the character of Ryu, but a firm dedication to the blood and guts that the franchise has been known for, fans didn't really know what to make of Ninja Gaiden 3.

And now with this Online Pass problem, it leaves even more die-hard fans feeling scorned. Hopefully this issue can be resolved for Xbox 360 owners shortly.

Have you been experiencing problems redeeming your online pass for Ninja Gaiden 3? Does the game's two multiplayer modes warrant an Online Pass?

Ninja Gaiden 3 is out now for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Source: Game Informer