The inclusion of the Live Access Code was a strategy known as the "Online Pass." Publishers implemented this to incentivize buying new games rather than purchasing used copies from retailers like GameStop or renting them.

: A modern version titled Street Fighter IV: Champion Edition is available for mobile devices and included with Netflix subscriptions.

He scrambles through the packaging. It’s not on the manual. It’s not on the back of the box. Panic sets in; he’s already promised his rival in New York a first-day set. Finally, he finds it—a small, unassuming slip of paper tucked deep behind the warranty leaf. 25 digits. The gatekeeper to the world.

: Legacy GFWL clients often cannot handle 2FA. You may need to temporarily disable it or use an app password to log into the in-game client.