Bioware blocks user from playing his store-bought copy of DA2, for bad-mouthing EA?

[Irony's Acolyte]

Well it's obvious now- you know longer own the games you spent 60 dollars (or whatever it costs) on; you're just renting a copy from the company. I mean, it looks like they have the right to do what they did (he did essentially bind himself to the agreement of their rules and technically he broke them), but I don't like it. I mean he did buy the game. Or so I thought.

 

[Vidiot]

What they did is illegal. It's that simple. It's his opinion and his right to free speech.

*ahem* actually, the legal agreement that the poster signed in order to open an account with Bioware stated specifically that they CAN legally do... exactly what they did. There is no such thing as freedom of speech when you don't read the fine print.

It's pretty obvious that the moderator didn't give two squirts about this user's claims of injustice, but the ban came from users hitting the report button and claiming to be offended, not some EA overlord swinging his mighty banhammer at any sign of insolence.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Morrigan disapproves -17

 

[Auxiliary]

Morrigan would approve of this! She is a ***** for a reason.

 

[AnonymouZero]

regardless of rules it's a shitty situation. i can't believe bioware would come up with some bullshit like this.

on the other hand, problem is fixed by making a forums account and just be a douche on THAT account.

 

[Pilkingtube]

Fortunatley, despite what companies like Bioware wish people to believe, it is not possible to sign away many of your protected rights in an EULA, simply because an EULA is not a legally binding contract. Under the UK Sale of Goods Act 1979 I believe he may return the product as defective if, as an average customer, he was led to believe that he would be able to have full usage of a product that he paid for. If he isn't, he can return it for a full refund, no?


...If he's English/Welsh that is.

 

[Sneeze]

This is really stupid... Yes he broke the rules of the FORUM and thus should be banned or punished on the forum... Taking away the games he bought legally with his own money is pretty unreasonable. Yes it at the fault of EA it is their rules after all but Bioware equally could have said "hang on this part is a little bit stupid" or something I'm sure. Urgh..

 

[chinangel]

OKAY! people, please read the whole darn thing. This isn't bioware's call, it's EA. EA is a big self-righteous bully who doesn't want to hear of their screw ups. Want someone to blame? Blame EA.

 

[vxicepickxv]

So, stay off of the EA forums, got it.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

I fail to see some sort of logic here. Let's see...

1) Person posts something on forum, which roughly amounts to snarky, ill-constructive criticism.
2) Person gets 72 hour ban on forums. Rough punishment, could have been handled better. And in a more mature manner.
3) Person ALSO gets a 72 hour GAME ban, because the game account is tied to the forum account.

Now, how is it that an account on a FORUM equates to an account on a GAME? Aren't they supposed to be two separate entities? And if not, then how is it legal that these two entities are merged? It just seems to me that the line between forum and game got horribly tangled, somehow.

Regardless, I will greatly reconsider buying from both of these companies. Seems as though the old Zelda imagery proves correct here - Power, without the Wisdom to properly use it and the Courage to guide its use, will always lead to corruptive and self-destructive ends.

(Captcha: squalic expensive. Did not know that. Must tell Rinoa...)

 

[Venereus]

So, stay off of the EA forums, got it.

I wish it was that simple. This is not about Freedom of Speech in a forum, or about what punishment is considerable reasonable or not. For all I care, the guy might be an asshole and deserve this and more (apparently not the case), but that's irrelevent at this point. What matter is that we just found out that a game publisher can lock you out of your purchased game. This.Is.Wrong! They shouldn't have this power. It sets a bad precedent for the industry.

 

[Xaositect]

OKAY! people, please read the whole darn thing. This isn't bioware's call, it's EA. EA is a big self-righteous bully who doesn't want to hear of their screw ups. Want someone to blame? Blame EA.

Yeah, but Bioware willfully bent over and spread cheeks for EA. They are complicit in this and cannot worm their way out of it.

I must say, its nice to see Biowares reputation pretty much in tatters from these past few days. It kinda makes up for that whole "creatively getting away with murder" that happened with that boring TPS drawl that was supposed to be a shooter/RPG hybrid called ME2.

 

[Pendragon9]

This is going way too far. NO other game company has ever had the gall to do this, and it's gonna bite them back.

 

[Venereus]

So i'm not clear, has this guy been permanently made unable to play this game?

No, just for 72 hours. However, after looking deeper into the matter, it turns out EA can permanently lock you out of your game, at pretty much their discretion.

 

[irani_che]

god help yahtzee