EA Makes Nice With Banned Players

[WMDogma]

EA Makes Nice With Banned Players

[img_inline src="http://cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/73/73931.jpg"]
New policy takes some of the weight out of being banned.

In an surprising move, Electronic Arts has revised its account suspension policy [http://help.ea.com/article/electronic-arts-account-suspension-policy] to allow banned Origin users access to their games, albeit in a limited form. The new policy allows users with a disabled Origin account to access the single player or offline modes of any of their previously purchased titles.

EA enacted the policy just over a month ago, although it didn't really bring the new changes to anyone's attention until recently. The new changes mark a strong shift away from the rather harsh penalties EA used to favor when Origin first launched. Previously, when EA banned a user, they lost complete access to their accounts for a 72-hour period, and repeat offenders were likely to have their accounts permanently deleted, including any and all paid content.

While this may be a good, reasonable step towards better customer service, EA probably has a long way to go to work off the stigma of being crowned collects user data [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116653-EA-Wins-Title-of-Worst-Company-in-America] without asking first.

Source: CinemaBlend [http://www.cinemablend.com/games/EA-Updates-Origin-Account-Policy-You-Can-Now-Access-Your-Games-Banned-41417.html]

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[mad825]

The only good news is bad news.

People are still going to hate anyway, it's not Steam.

 

[Scars Unseen]

The only good news is bad news.

People are still going to hate anyway, it's not Steam.

I don't hate Origin. Just EA customer support. Some of the worst customer service this side of the Pacific.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Extremely too late, you archaic machines that run on money.

 

[octafish]

I love how it always EA's terms of service that prevents class action suits, never Sony or God forbid AT&T. Plsce the blame for that where it belongs, the US Supreme Court. Seriously, fuck AT&T.

 

[synobal]

It's still not as good as the way Valve handles bans. I don't want to sound like a steam fanboy but I find Origin laughable especially considering that they've had the service out for ages and still don't even have half the features of steam. You'd think a serious publishing company could put forward a serious competitor for Steam but they seem to lack any follow through. They make a big announcement about reskinning their EA Download Manager and then basically do a whole lot of nothing afterwards.

 

[Beautiful End]

Well, I see this as a good act of...whatever. I mean, those "offenders" have it coming anyway. For the most part, they're not banned because it's cloudy outside. And it seems they even get a first-time warning (72 hours-ban period).

Yeah, losing access to your account and games sucks. But hey, don't go trolling people and being rude and you'll be safe.

And again, I say for the most part. I know there are some cases of being unfairly banned. But again! For the most part. We got that, right?

At any rate, EA still sucks for reasons other than this. If they're trying to get rid of their bad reputation, there are other things they should prioritize *coughonlinepassescough*.

 

[synobal]

Well, I see this as a good act of...whatever. I mean, those "offenders" have it coming anyway. For the most part, they're not banned because it's cloudy outside. And it seems they even get a first-time warning (72 hours-ban period).

Yeah, losing access to your account and games sucks. But hey, don't go trolling people and being rude and you'll be safe.

And again, I say for the most part. I know there are some cases of being unfairly banned. But again! For the most part. We got that, right?

At any rate, EA still sucks for reasons other than this. If they're trying to get rid of their bad reputation, there are other things they should prioritize *coughonlinepassescough*.

Wow seriously? So because you post something that they don't like on their online forums they have the right to keep you from a product you paid for? How does, me being mean on their forums have anything to do with me playing I dunno 'need for speed grand pursuit three' or what ever?

 

[Beautiful End]

Well, I see this as a good act of...whatever. I mean, those "offenders" have it coming anyway. For the most part, they're not banned because it's cloudy outside. And it seems they even get a first-time warning (72 hours-ban period).

Yeah, losing access to your account and games sucks. But hey, don't go trolling people and being rude and you'll be safe.

And again, I say for the most part. I know there are some cases of being unfairly banned. But again! For the most part. We got that, right?

At any rate, EA still sucks for reasons other than this. If they're trying to get rid of their bad reputation, there are other things they should prioritize *coughonlinepassescough*.

Wow seriously? So because you post something that they don't like on their online forums they have the right to keep you from a product you paid for? How does, me being mean on their forums have anything to do with me playing I dunno 'need for speed grand pursuit three' or what ever?

Because internet? It's a worldwide known rule: Don't troll people/don't be rude/whatever or the bahn hammer will descend upon your face. Hell, the same rules apply here at Escapist.

I haven't been banned because:
1) I don't find it useful to be rude or troll people on the forums.
2) If you know the admins at the forums are ban-happy, avoid the forums.
3) What's the point in trolling at the forums anyway? Just don't.

Yeah, maybe they're a bit unrelated; the forums and the games. But it is precisely because of that that the forums can easily be avoided.

I'm not justifying them. I'm just saying it can be avoided. I don't know. Seems simple enough *Shrugs*

 

[Something Amyss]

The only good news is bad news.

People are still going to hate anyway, it's not Steam.

Which is why people will ***** about this move.

"Hey guys, we're being less douchey to our customers."

"WAAAAAAAAAAAH YOU SUCK!"

 

[Something Amyss]

Because internet? It's a worldwide known rule: Don't troll people/don't be rude/whatever or the bahn hammer will descend upon your face. Hell, the same rules apply here at Escapist.

Except that's not the only way to get banned on the EA forums and the Escapist doesn't take away games you've purchased if you get banned.

At least, to my knowledge.

 

[porpoise hork]

Wow seriously? So because you post something that they don't like on their online forums they have the right to keep you from a product you paid for? How does, me being mean on their forums have anything to do with me playing I dunno 'need for speed grand pursuit three' or what ever?

On another forum I'm on a user got his entire EA account banned for two weeks over a name violation that stemmed from a rant he made on the EA forums. EA notified him of the ToS name violation and claimed they would allowhim the opportunity to correct it. He went to log in and make the appropriate hanges 15 minutes after the notification email only to find that they banned him. It took him countless hours sitting on hold talking to rep after rep, sending in at least two dozen emails before someone at EA finally decided to unlock his account. In the mean time he couldnt play any of his games even the offline modes since he couldn't even log into Origin.

 

[Beautiful End]

Because internet? It's a worldwide known rule: Don't troll people/don't be rude/whatever or the bahn hammer will descend upon your face. Hell, the same rules apply here at Escapist.

Except that's not the only way to get banned on the EA forums and the Escapist doesn't take away games you've purchased if you get banned.

At least, to my knowledge.

Because the Escapist doesn't make any games...? At least to my knowledge? *Sigh*

I already explained myself regarding that anyway. The bottom line is: Be a good boy, avoid those crazy forums and you'll be fine. EA sucks, they're unfair at times but it's easy to avoid the lava pit.

And just like Forrest Gump, that's all I have to say about that.

 

[Nurb]

Yea, no, fuck EA. This is why digital distribution and required accounts to play games will always suck, because the companies want to control everything you do despite paying for it.

No, being denied any part of a product you pay for over an internet based violation of a TOS or EULA that no judge would allow in court when challenged is unacceptable.

 

[Xpheyel]

Eh, good enough for me. At least in the sense of categorically rejecting it for use. Though I guess that extends to DLC which isn't fantastic.

 

[Hungry Donner]

It's a step in the right direction, but it's something that should have occurred months ago when the problem first started, the fact that it took this long is embarrassing.

 

[shintakie10]

Because internet? It's a worldwide known rule: Don't troll people/don't be rude/whatever or the bahn hammer will descend upon your face. Hell, the same rules apply here at Escapist.

Except that's not the only way to get banned on the EA forums and the Escapist doesn't take away games you've purchased if you get banned.

At least, to my knowledge.

Because the Escapist doesn't make any games...? At least to my knowledge? *Sigh*

I already explained myself regarding that anyway. The bottom line is: Be a good boy, avoid those crazy forums and you'll be fine. EA sucks, they're unfair at times but it's easy to avoid the lava pit.

And just like Forrest Gump, that's all I have to say about that.

No matter what you say, you can't justify them keepin you from playin games that you legally own. no matter how much of a dick you are to someone on the internet.

If I get banned from the Blizzard forums for trollin, I get banned from the forums and that is it. I don't suddenly lose access to my MMO because I was a dick, I just lose the privilege to post on the forums. If I get banned from the game I can still post on the forums. That is how this stuff should have worked from the start but EA thinks they need to be the internet police or somethin and now people have to deal with this kind of stuff.

 

[Guardian of Nekops]

This is a good decision. Keeping people who deserve to be banned from interacting with other people via your service is about all you can justify, unless they're using their access to your game to steal from you, or something. It's still gotta suck for almost entirely multiplayer games, but it sounds like a good compromise.

Now, this is solidly in the "stop digging" category for EA... they gain no brownie points for being exactly as reasonable as they always should have been. Still, glad they have people working on how they can make things better for their customers.

 

[Something Amyss]

Because the Escapist doesn't make any games...? At least to my knowledge? *Sigh*

Well, duh, that's why it's a terrible comparison in the first place. I'm sorry this is lost on you the third time around.