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

Enkidu88

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Jan 24, 2010
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I'm surprised the Escapist doesn't have a news article on this, considering most other sites have.

In other news, this is complete and utter crap. This is like insulting Toyota and them repoing in your fully paid off car.

Like others have said, it's technically legal, but I believe thats more because the EULA (and ToS for that matter) haven't been challenged in court yet.
 

Deshin

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Aug 31, 2010
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I read the whole OP, and the OP's link, and 3 pages of comments on here. (1st, 2nd, 11th, I'm at work so can't read all of them) I just really have to ask...

Why are so many people DEFENDING EA over this whole thing?
 

Venereus

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May 9, 2010
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Deshin said:
I read the whole OP, and the OP's link, and 3 pages of comments on here. (1st, 2nd, 11th, I'm at work so can't read all of them) I just really have to ask...

Why are so many people DEFENDING EA over this whole thing?
Never underestimate the power of indoctrination, just ask Saren. We've been living in corporate paradise for more than 30 years now, and people keep buying the "profit motif is good" BS.
 

Vakz

Crafting Stars
Nov 22, 2010
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Wow, this even makes me feel bad for buying DA2.. last time I buy a Bioware-game <.<

And to think I used to believe Bioware were the good guys, and that EA was starting to get better..
 

godofallu

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Jun 8, 2010
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They shouldn't be allowed to ban people from the single player game they bought. They also shouldn't be allowed to force you to sign in online all the time to do security checks.

This shit is whack.

I recommend that guy returns his game ASAP and finds a better version, with something called a crack.
 

Gindil

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Nov 28, 2009
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Deshin said:
I read the whole OP, and the OP's link, and 3 pages of comments on here. (1st, 2nd, 11th, I'm at work so can't read all of them) I just really have to ask...

Why are so many people DEFENDING EA over this whole thing?
I'm not. That was truly asinine and overboard. What I will do is NEVER pay for another game so long as it's anti-consumer like this.
 

luckycharms8282

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Mar 28, 2009
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It seems like everyone in this lttle tustle is being overlysensitive. What does bioware care if one gamer is badmouthing them? Why does the gamer care so much he cant play bioware games for 72 hours? It seems everyone is running around with fake indignation. They all need to toughen their hides a bit.
 

Meowfood

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Feb 7, 2011
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It's not right, he broke the rules laid out on their forum site saying what he said, but its not fair to ban him from playing a game he legally paid for.
 

Fret098

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May 21, 2008
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luckycharms8282 said:
It seems like everyone in this lttle tustle is being overlysensitive. What does bioware care if one gamer is badmouthing them? Why does the gamer care so much he cant play bioware games for 72 hours? It seems everyone is running around with fake indignation. They all need to toughen their hides a bit.
Its not about him anymore its about their ability to ban people from their Singleplayer games at will, and what it means for gameing in general.
 

Timbydude

Crime-Solving Rank 11 Paladin
Jul 15, 2009
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It seems like a lot of people didn't actually read the link. Or, at least, the last post on that thread.

This was probably already said somewhere in the 11 pages, but the moderator says at the end that BioWare had nothing to do with it, since they can't restrict access to someone's activation abilities like that. It was on the EA side of things that this apparently occurred.

I remember that this was a big deal a couple months ago, when EA announced that they would lock down someone's ability to play their EA games if their forum account got banned. Apparently the issue has reared its ugly head again.
 

ImprovizoR

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Dec 6, 2009
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Danz D Man said:
ImprovizoR said:
Danz D Man said:
ImprovizoR said:
What they did is illegal. It's that simple. It's his opinion and his right to free speech.
Not true, at least for the reason you mentioned.
Free speech doesn't extend to what you do in a privately-owned location. That'd be like saying I can't kick you out of my house if you start making remarks about my wife (just an example, I don't have a wife). They can limit his speech while he's using their forums.

However, I do believe that taking his game from him is illegal. However, they didn't really do that, since he can make a new account. It sucks, but he can still work around it.

Still, I've lost a lot of respect for Bioware. Which is funny since I'm replaying Jade Empire.

Edit: It's probably mostly EA, but the Bioware mod was a bit of a jerk anyway.
Yes you do have the right to kick someone out of your apartment if he's talking shit about your wife, but you don't have the right to cut out his tongue. I hope now you understand what I was aiming for.
I don't agree that that's what they're doing, but that's purely a matter of opinion now.

Also, I don't mean to appear condescending, but I always put out that air online. So, sorry if I offended.
Anyway, I have nothing more to say on-topic.
No, of course not. I'm not offended or anything. I just thought you might understand what I meant better if I express my opinion your way.
 

Whispering Cynic

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Nov 11, 2009
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I've never had any illusions about EA but this is just going too far. I bought the bloody game yesterday, had I known this was going on I would never forked over the money. Blasted EA clearly doesn't deserve it.
 

Admortis

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Mar 11, 2011
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Let's say I'm at a concert.

I say "Boy, this concert sucks." Maybe I've got a motivation, like the band I'm viewing bought out other bands and didn't play any of their songs which were super fantastic and instead play their own lackluster nonsense. (Bad analogy. But I needed to weedle that point in.)

Anywho, does that give anybody the right to kick me out? No, of course not. They already had the 'right' - I'm on their venue, and they've got an argument revolving around social customs to be able to kick me out - or terrible EULAs.

Essentially this bastardized concert is what EA has done here. They've provided a service, someone says they don't like the said service, so EA bans them from it.

Clearly we customers have no rights.
 

DustyDrB

Made of ticky tacky
Jan 19, 2010
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I'm not a member of the BioWare forums (I feel like a company's own forum wouldn't have much diversity of opinion), but I have browsed threads around there enough to know that Stanley Woo has a history of being a blunt and harsh moderator.

I love BioWare. Every one of their games that I've played are among my favorites, but I do not approve of this. If the Terms of Service allow for a consumer to be blocked from enjoying his purchase (even temporarily) for something like this, then that is a flaw with the Terms of Service. I'd like to think that a company as successful as BioWare and with a reputation for releasing quality products could shrug this off. People will always speak unfavorably of you, with or without good reason.

Further than that, this is bad PR. Eyes are on BioWare right now, and they should be careful of how they act more than ever. If I were his supervisor, I would relieve Stanley Woo of his duties. There are ways to enforce forum rules without making yourself and the company you represent seem overly harsh.
 

joshthor

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Aug 18, 2009
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on the internet no one seems to know the expression "dont poke the bear"

in reality though, if the facts are what he says they are then i hope he gets rights to at least activate his game.
 

RatRace123

Elite Member
Dec 1, 2009
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How can EA get away with doing this and not have anyone pull a big shit fit over it?
I had no idea they could lock people out of their purchased games just for a bad comment. (which in this case wasn't really all that bad)

I'm really surprised I haven't heard editorials or news stories on gaming sites cover this, it seems like such a violation of freedom. So long as someone gave the publisher money for their games, he should be able to say whatever he wants.
Maybe not without punishment like being banned from their forums, but certainly without being banned from playing a game he payed 50-60 dollars for.