EA’s problems extend far beyond DLC packs however. They were Zynga before Zynga existed, buying up promising companies and gutting them so they were no longer competition, harvesting the best ideas for themselves. The complete list of EA’s acquisitions over the years is massive, and they’ve killed many beloved brands in the process. Recently, Bioware seems to be their latest casualty, as the company now seems more dominated by EA’s influence than ever.
This is the part that stuck out to me. EA makes money by consuming other peoples IP and creative energy, not by actually making anything themselves.
They consume the companies talent and idea's, make a few dollar's on them and then let's the original creative talent or inspiration die a slow death.
It's exactly what corporate vultures do but with creative IP's instead.
I was happily opening the Secret World trailer, thinking it was just another Funcom game. Granted, I dislike FC to some extent because of my experiences dealing with them through my purchase and subscription to AoC. But It was not anywhere near the loathing I feel for EA.
When I saw the EA logo at the beginning of the trailer, I decided right there not to give them my money. As the last line of the article says:
If you want to topple EA, don’t vote in a poll. Vote with your wallet.
I wrote off EA with DA:O and their DLC. Sad part is, when you look at the sales for ME 3, EA is laughing all the way to the bank...I am proud to say however, they arent doing so with any of my money.
Odd results. I can wholeheartedly agree that EA, along with Activision are some of the worst video game companies around, considering how they seem to do such anti-consumer things, but worst company period? I have had many more bad experiences with BoA and Comcast than EA. I suppose in the past year though maybe not, it's been a bad year for EA imo. Hell I had Comcast back in 2007 when they were throttling my connection for using P2P and online gaming. I remember having a BoA account as a starving college student and getting charged ridiculous fees for doing anything with the account. I also got screwed by Sallie Mae which held my student loans. Used to love those $10 ticket fees from ticketmaster too.
Personally I think Activision is about as bad, but I can't say anything more than that they deserves the title.
20 years ago they made fun games and consisted of some dedicated gamers, now they chew up good companies and creates crap. Together with Activiision have they turned computer games a lot worse.
Must be the majority who voted for EA have no idea what corps like Monsanto are actually doing to people with there bullshit patents and genetic manipulation of foods. Oh ...and the hell with all the bailed-out financial institutions that fucked over millions only to give themselves great cash prizes at the end of the year. Year after year while they cut the benefits and wages of all their other employees. Who cares about that........ when EA charges me for DLC or keeps me waiting on line when I call customer service. They ruined my game...*sniff..fucking *sniff.
That they're even included among all those other consumer imperialists is a fucking joke.
Yeah pretty much this
It's sad... but EA are a video game publishing company... they don't actually do anything I would call 'EVIL'. They do some things I'd call stupid, cruel to their employees, and some stuff that just pisses me off as a game writer/designer... but no, they're not EVIL, they're simply a business.
There were companies in the running (mentioned previously) that... well, DO some pretty 'evil' stuff...
But, GAMERS are connected and the loudest voice is heard.
Why do I write, create, fantasize, dream and daydream about other worlds? Because I hate what humanity does with this one.
Way too many butt-hurt gamers had free time on their hands. EA broke my vidya games! Apple has slave labour making their products, Bank of America is easily a real contender for worst company in America and don't forget about any of the big oil companies who make record profits while bending the population over a barrel of oil and not even being nice enough to use some as lube. Goddamn cry-baby gamers and their first world problems, that is hilarious and pathetic.
“It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that's all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”
Wow... I hope this was only an applied comparison of game companies.
It's a sad state of affairs if truly horrible companies, that help support corrupt regimes and the suffering of millions for oil or natural resources, that trade in weapons, that consciously ruin nation's economies with fraudulent practices and many sortlike companies, all get surpassed by a game company.
It's saying something about (American?) people, if any irritation of their gaming enjoyment is more important than the really important stuff in the world that they couldn't care less about
Originally posted by Calerxes
Originally posted by red_cruiser
I know EA sucked, but beating out Bank of America, Monsanto, Wal-Mart and Exxon-Mobil is something else.
This just shows the power of jilted gamers, just look at SWG vets 7 years and they are still bitching, and a sad indictment of he people in this hobby. I'm so glad that most of the people I meet in an MMO are of a much better quality. There are far worse companies out there than a fucking gaming company as the writer alludes to at the start of his piece.
Sadly enough, with such ridiculous results of such a poll I have to kinda agree.
Originally posted by Alders
This article puts in perspective what's wrong with America. While i agree that EA must be taken down, there are far bigger fish to fry.
Really america? Really? A video game company is worse than scumbags who use robo signing to steal houses and any excuses to screw over account holders for thousands of dollars is better than some video game company that screwed up star wars and the ending to ME3? This is why noone takes us seriously as a country.
I was happily opening the Secret World trailer, thinking it was just another Funcom game. Granted, I dislike FC to some extent because of my experiences dealing with them through my purchase and subscription to AoC. But It was not anywhere near the loathing I feel for EA.
When I saw the EA logo at the beginning of the trailer, I decided right there not to give them my money. As the last line of the article says:
If you want to topple EA, don’t vote in a poll. Vote with your wallet.
You do know the difference between a Publisher and a Developer don't you? There's a reason Funcom chose EA - and that has to do with the largest footprint in the industry. Is the relationship anything more than that? Who knows - certainly none of us here on this board (as much as people may posture here - they're as clueless as the next person.
To not play a game that possibly interests you because the developer chose to go with a better option than trying to self-publish is well...oh yeah, forgot this is MMORPG.com!
It's kind of like the Roman Empire. The entire empire was falling to shambles, but the common folk didn't start to get pissed until the whole failing empire thing had an effect on their gladatorial combat. They do say history repeats itself, right?
That being said, I also hate EA and refuse to purchase any game with an EA tag anywhere on it. It's kind of sad that EA Maxis is putting out a new Sim City. I would have liked to check that out before I vowed never to purchase another game with EA's mark anywhere on it.
Last, but not least. To be fair in the comparisons of EA to all of these other evil companies, EA does crush dreams. It crushes the dreams of developers, IP followers, gamers and probably puppy dogs and kittens too. That has to fall under the "evil" category, right?
I was mad at EA when they closed Motorcity Online in 2003. Then they offered me a free copy of The Sims Online which never released. I do love the Battlefield series though.
Disgruntled gamer_01: EA sucks, they are moneygrabbin bastards!! I hope people will start boycotting their games after their latest scheme
2 days later
Disgruntled gamer_01: Oooh!! look!! Medal Of Honor Warfighter is coming soon.... DAY ONE PURCHASE!!! huzzaah!!
------------------------------
Disgruntled gamer_02: Screw Bioware/EA and their day 1 "must have" DLC, plus they completely ruined the ending of ME3
Months later
Disgruntled gamer_02: Oooh! look!! A DLC that fixes the ending of ME3. I'm still very very angry!!!..... buuuut I'll buy it anyway because I just love the ME3 franchise and I'm a big pussy for not standing by my convictions
I launch my ME3 copy from Steam... It's the little things that count.
EA's big downfall started when they started eating up there competition and it all started with grabbing the exclusive rights to the NFL license. No company has been allowed to make a NFL game since. And that there started there strong arming and greed. They got so big for there britches that they dont listen to the community. But yet....us gamers still buy there product only to find out we got burned once again because of some half truth EA told there potential consumers during the time of release, such as the DLC isnt done....but we wont tell you that you have most of it on your Hard drive or Console disc and we will charge you more to unlock it.
I think the developers who are looking for a publisher for there games ought to stay clear of EA. It will only pull them into the storm.
A few internet geeks voting for worste company in an online poll doesn't say much.
Had this been a real poll, EA wouldn't even have made it in the top 10. Most people never even heard of EA.
Exactly. All this really says is that most people who responded to the poll were gamers.
And hey, if you're a gamer, and you live in your own little gamer world, you're probably not even aware of most of the travesties committed by oil companies and big banks. But you are aware that EA ruined your game franchise.
Myopic? Yes. But it is what it is.
You folks do realize that the net result of the poll is the winner receiving a gilded turd, right? This wasn't something that was going drag actual criminals into federal court on fraud charges. Nothing of value was ever going to be achieved. There was never any justice in the offing. Just a booby prize for some tyrant scum or another.
I think the only myopia here involves treating this poll like it's something to be taken at all seriously.
If you want to effect real change, write your lawmakers and don't work yourself into a tizzy over Gong Show level silliness.
EA is RIGHTLY concerned for the profits of the company and accountability to its shareholders. However, EA in NOT CONCERN ENOUGH about what provides those profits in the first place....its CUSTOMERS. EA provides some decent product but that product is overshadowed by lame brain marketing schemes that alienate those customers. Case in point (and just one example), the most recent scam to provide experience boost packages for sale to Battlefield 3 players. While I appreciate the fact that EA is trying to make money, I am less enthused to see that they are attempting to squeeze money out of players at every turn. While it is optional to purchase said packages, it puts those that enjoy the challenge of getting those unlocks via game mechanics at a disadvantage. While I do not believe it is a "pay to win" situation, it certainly is close. But that is just one issue that does not give EA customer or potential customers a warm fuzzy feeling about that company.
Comments
Monsanto, Bank of America beaten by EA ?
So all kids have an access to internet now .... ?
***** Before hitting that reply button, please READ the WHOLE thread you're about to post in *****
EA’s problems extend far beyond DLC packs however. They were Zynga before Zynga existed, buying up promising companies and gutting them so they were no longer competition, harvesting the best ideas for themselves. The complete list of EA’s acquisitions over the years is massive, and they’ve killed many beloved brands in the process. Recently, Bioware seems to be their latest casualty, as the company now seems more dominated by EA’s influence than ever.
This is the part that stuck out to me. EA makes money by consuming other peoples IP and creative energy, not by actually making anything themselves.
They consume the companies talent and idea's, make a few dollar's on them and then let's the original creative talent or inspiration die a slow death.
It's exactly what corporate vultures do but with creative IP's instead.
I was actually following this. They beat Bank of America..... wow. Hats off to you, EA, you really really suck.
I was happily opening the Secret World trailer, thinking it was just another Funcom game. Granted, I dislike FC to some extent because of my experiences dealing with them through my purchase and subscription to AoC. But It was not anywhere near the loathing I feel for EA.
When I saw the EA logo at the beginning of the trailer, I decided right there not to give them my money. As the last line of the article says:
If you want to topple EA, don’t vote in a poll. Vote with your wallet.
I wrote off EA with DA:O and their DLC. Sad part is, when you look at the sales for ME 3, EA is laughing all the way to the bank...I am proud to say however, they arent doing so with any of my money.
Odd results. I can wholeheartedly agree that EA, along with Activision are some of the worst video game companies around, considering how they seem to do such anti-consumer things, but worst company period? I have had many more bad experiences with BoA and Comcast than EA. I suppose in the past year though maybe not, it's been a bad year for EA imo. Hell I had Comcast back in 2007 when they were throttling my connection for using P2P and online gaming. I remember having a BoA account as a starving college student and getting charged ridiculous fees for doing anything with the account. I also got screwed by Sallie Mae which held my student loans. Used to love those $10 ticket fees from ticketmaster too.
EA Devils !!!
I completely agree with that sentiment.
Activision was never in the poll
the polls were a series of XXs vs YYs (can see all of them at link)
and people would choose which one of two they thought was worse
http://consumerist.com/2012/04/worst-company-in-america-2012-final-death-match-bank-of-america-vs-ea.html
EQ2 fan sites
No wonder why . . .
Yeah pretty much this
It's sad... but EA are a video game publishing company... they don't actually do anything I would call 'EVIL'. They do some things I'd call stupid, cruel to their employees, and some stuff that just pisses me off as a game writer/designer... but no, they're not EVIL, they're simply a business.
There were companies in the running (mentioned previously) that... well, DO some pretty 'evil' stuff...
But, GAMERS are connected and the loudest voice is heard.
BOYCOTTING EA / ORIGIN going forward.
Way too many butt-hurt gamers had free time on their hands. EA broke my vidya games! Apple has slave labour making their products, Bank of America is easily a real contender for worst company in America and don't forget about any of the big oil companies who make record profits while bending the population over a barrel of oil and not even being nice enough to use some as lube. Goddamn cry-baby gamers and their first world problems, that is hilarious and pathetic.
Don't buy their games, simple enough.
--John Ruskin
Holy crap?!
Wow... I hope this was only an applied comparison of game companies.
It's a sad state of affairs if truly horrible companies, that help support corrupt regimes and the suffering of millions for oil or natural resources, that trade in weapons, that consciously ruin nation's economies with fraudulent practices and many sortlike companies, all get surpassed by a game company.
It's saying something about (American?) people, if any irritation of their gaming enjoyment is more important than the really important stuff in the world that they couldn't care less about
Sadly enough, with such ridiculous results of such a poll I have to kinda agree.
This.
Really america? Really? A video game company is worse than scumbags who use robo signing to steal houses and any excuses to screw over account holders for thousands of dollars is better than some video game company that screwed up star wars and the ending to ME3? This is why noone takes us seriously as a country.
You do know the difference between a Publisher and a Developer don't you? There's a reason Funcom chose EA - and that has to do with the largest footprint in the industry. Is the relationship anything more than that? Who knows - certainly none of us here on this board (as much as people may posture here - they're as clueless as the next person.
To not play a game that possibly interests you because the developer chose to go with a better option than trying to self-publish is well...oh yeah, forgot this is MMORPG.com!
in the poll faceoffs, EA was never compared to the poll competition Bank of America was compared to
for example
there was a Walmart vs Bank of America poll but there was never Walmart vs EA poll
anyone who wants to know *how* EA was chosen top bad dog,
should look at the past XX vs YY polls
http://consumerist.com/2012/04/worst-company-in-america-2012-final-death-match-bank-of-america-vs-ea.html
EQ2 fan sites
doesnt matter champ is champ no one cares how it gets there.
It's kind of like the Roman Empire. The entire empire was falling to shambles, but the common folk didn't start to get pissed until the whole failing empire thing had an effect on their gladatorial combat. They do say history repeats itself, right?
That being said, I also hate EA and refuse to purchase any game with an EA tag anywhere on it. It's kind of sad that EA Maxis is putting out a new Sim City. I would have liked to check that out before I vowed never to purchase another game with EA's mark anywhere on it.
Last, but not least. To be fair in the comparisons of EA to all of these other evil companies, EA does crush dreams. It crushes the dreams of developers, IP followers, gamers and probably puppy dogs and kittens too. That has to fall under the "evil" category, right?
I was mad at EA when they closed Motorcity Online in 2003. Then they offered me a free copy of The Sims Online which never released. I do love the Battlefield series though.
of course it matters
if you give someone a list of 20 companies and ask them to choose the worst
(comparing ALL companies listed when you make their choice)
thats more valid than this method
================================
whats worse bananas vs. orange - oranges
whats worse grapes vs. apples - apples
FACEOFF whats worse oranges vs. apples ?
why not just list 4 fruits and rank them?
EQ2 fan sites
I launch my ME3 copy from Steam...
It's the little things that count.
EA's big downfall started when they started eating up there competition and it all started with grabbing the exclusive rights to the NFL license. No company has been allowed to make a NFL game since. And that there started there strong arming and greed. They got so big for there britches that they dont listen to the community. But yet....us gamers still buy there product only to find out we got burned once again because of some half truth EA told there potential consumers during the time of release, such as the DLC isnt done....but we wont tell you that you have most of it on your Hard drive or Console disc and we will charge you more to unlock it.
I think the developers who are looking for a publisher for there games ought to stay clear of EA. It will only pull them into the storm.
You folks do realize that the net result of the poll is the winner receiving a gilded turd, right? This wasn't something that was going drag actual criminals into federal court on fraud charges. Nothing of value was ever going to be achieved. There was never any justice in the offing. Just a booby prize for some tyrant scum or another.
I think the only myopia here involves treating this poll like it's something to be taken at all seriously.
If you want to effect real change, write your lawmakers and don't work yourself into a tizzy over Gong Show level silliness.
EA is RIGHTLY concerned for the profits of the company and accountability to its shareholders. However, EA in NOT CONCERN ENOUGH about what provides those profits in the first place....its CUSTOMERS. EA provides some decent product but that product is overshadowed by lame brain marketing schemes that alienate those customers. Case in point (and just one example), the most recent scam to provide experience boost packages for sale to Battlefield 3 players. While I appreciate the fact that EA is trying to make money, I am less enthused to see that they are attempting to squeeze money out of players at every turn. While it is optional to purchase said packages, it puts those that enjoy the challenge of getting those unlocks via game mechanics at a disadvantage. While I do not believe it is a "pay to win" situation, it certainly is close. But that is just one issue that does not give EA customer or potential customers a warm fuzzy feeling about that company.
Let's party like it is 1863!