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

Dansrage

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Nov 9, 2010
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http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6459941/1#6460241

Just stumbled upon this little gem and wondered what you fine gentlemen thought about it?
 

Eri

The Light of Dawn
Feb 21, 2009
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Well if you sucker-punch a heavy weight boxer, you shouldn't be surprised when he turns around and clocks you. If you get sanctioned on steam, the sane thing happens, you're locked out of your games. If he's that unhappy with them, fuck if I know why he bought it.
 

0mn1p0t3ntg6y

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Jan 30, 2011
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Well theat's just awful. Why should they prevent him from getting what he deserves from what he bought with legalcurrency because they are unhappy with his opinion of them. He can say what he likes and they can't do anything.
 

Dansrage

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Nov 9, 2010
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Eri said:
0mn1p0t3ntg6y said:
He can say what he likes and they can't do anything.
I'm pretty sure they already proved you wrong.
But the question is, do they have the RIGHT to do anything about it? It wasn't even real criticism, it was more of a joke than anything.
I quote:
"Have you sold your souls to the EA devil?"

That isn't even an opinion worth censoring if you ask me, it's like shooting someone for saying you have a silly hat.
 

Not-here-anymore

In brightest day...
Nov 18, 2009
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Pretty sure that's theft on Bioware/EA's part?

Just because they currently dislike that user doesn't give them the right to remove his ability to play games on that account - that prevents him from accessing save files and DLC in previous Bioware games too. (obviously a new account could be made for DA2)

How well does playing offline work? Would that let him access his (non-DA2) games again?
 

Fusionxl

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Oct 25, 2009
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Doesn't practically every EULA these days remove all rights from the user to complain about anything?
"It's our game. I know you paid 60 green for it, but it's still ours. Just FYI"
 

Lunar Templar

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Sep 20, 2009
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they shouldn't be allowed to do that

i don't like Nexon much, and have said so ON THEY'RE forums, as have others, an my account isn't banned or suspended

but then, this is EA, pissing people off seems they're hobbie
 

Katana314

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Oct 4, 2007
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There's a reply from the moderator at the bottom of the page now. I'm not sure what to make of it; it seems like their EULA does sort of have mention about that sort of thing, but if that really is the case, and it prevents access to a single-player game, then they really need to consider changing that.
 

NotSoNimble

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Aug 10, 2010
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One thing I've learned in life is that people being punished are almost never honest when talking about it during or after they 'pay the piper'.

I have never heard of a forum suspension having any other repercussion other than use on a forum tho.

EDIT: The MOD says:

""Please review the EA Community Terms of Service, particularly sections #9 and #11. There are two levels of enforcement here:

1. BioWare community bans are forum-only and can be for as little as 24 hours. These bans should have no effect on your game, only your ability to use all the features of this website/community. these bans are handed out by BioWare Moderators as the result of our travels around the forum and/or issues reported by fellow community members.

2. EA Community bans come down from a different department and are the result of someone hitting the REPORT POST button. These bans can affect access to your game and/or DLC.

Because the BioWare community now operates under the same umbrella as all EA Communities, community members here have all explicitly agreed to abide by and be governed by both sets of rules. Consider it an added incentive to follow the rules you say you're going to follow.

If there are further questions or concerns, please send them to me via private message. Thank you.

End of line.""

Guess that answers that. It's what you get for not reading the rules you agree to.
 

lacktheknack

Je suis joined jewels.
Jan 19, 2009
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Apparently, it was done by a machine because a bunch of people clicked the "report" button.
 

tippy2k2

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Mar 15, 2008
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Big game companies are not stupid and don't just ban you because of things like that. Most likely, he's one of those kids who has done something REALLY stupid and got hit for it.

We're seeing one side, the side of the guy who can make whatever he wants up and says that EA banned him for it...
 

RedEyesBlackGamer

The Killjoy Detective returns!
Jan 23, 2011
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Looking at the ToS, they CAN do that. It doesn't make it right, though.

From a mod/admin: "Consider it an added incentive to follow the rules you say you're going to follow."

Yeah, Bioware has lost all of the respect I once had for them.
 
Jan 27, 2011
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Ok that's just wrong. Suspend him on the forums, fine, good, that's perfectly appropriate. But preventing him from activating his game that he BOUGHT?

That's just not right.
 

ZippyDSMlee

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Sep 1, 2007
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Why do they feel the need to tie a your game account with your forum account for bans,ect. That seems....quit silly if you ask me.
 

mireko

Umbasa
Sep 23, 2010
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Please review the EA Community Terms of Service, particularly sections #9 and #11. There are two levels of enforcement here:

1. BioWare community bans are forum-only and can be for as little as 24 hours. These bans should have no effect on your game, only your ability to use all the features of this website/community. these bans are handed out by BioWare Moderators as the result of our travels around the forum and/or issues reported by fellow community members.

2. EA Community bans come down from a different department and are the result of someone hitting the REPORT POST button. These bans can affect access to your game and/or DLC.

Because the BioWare community now operates under the same umbrella as all EA Communities, community members here have all explicitly agreed to abide by and be governed by both sets of rules. Consider it an added incentive to follow the rules you say you're going to follow.

If there are further questions or concerns, please send them to me via private message. Thank you.

End of line.

I have no idea who to blame at this point.

We need a little more context, but it seems that the user got themselves suspended from EA's side as opposed to being suspended by BioWare mods. It's an unnecessarily harsh punishment, but it could be an unintended side-effect of the suspension. Of course, since we're talking about EA they could just be fucking with him for fun. Their ToS does come with a laundry list of reasons to wreck your shit, after all:

11. Rules of Conduct

You may violate the Terms of Service if, as determined by EA in its sole discretion, you:

- Post, transmit, promote, or distribute Content that is illegal.
- Harass, threaten, embarrass, or do anything else to another player that is unwanted, such as repeatedly sending unwanted messages or making personal attacks or statements about race, sexual orientation, religion, heritage, etc.
- Transmit or facilitate distribution of Content that is harmful, abusive, hateful, racially, religiously or ethnically offensive, obscene, threatening, bullying, vulgar, sexually explicit, defamatory, infringing, invasive of personal privacy or publicity rights, encourages conduct that would violate a law or in a reasonable person's view, objectionable and/or inappropriate. Hate speech is not tolerated.
- Use abusive, offensive, or defamatory screen names and/or personas.
- Disrupt the flow of chat in chat rooms with vulgar language, abusiveness, hitting the return key repeatedly or inputting large images so the screen goes by too fast to read, use of excessive shouting [all caps] in an attempt to disturb other users, "spamming" or flooding [posting repetitive text].
- Impersonate another person (including celebrities), indicate falsely that you are an EA employee or a representative of EA, or attempt to mislead users by indicating that you represent EA or any of EA's partners or affiliates.
- Attempt to get a password, account information, or other private information from anyone else on EA Services.
- Upload any software or Content that you do not own or have permission to freely distribute.
- Violate any additional Rules of Conduct applicable to a specific EA Service that you are using.
- Promote, encourage or take part in any illegal activity including hacking, cracking, taking advantage of exploits or cheats and/or distribution of counterfeit software.
- Upload files that contain a virus, worm, spyware, time bombs, corrupted data or other computer programs that may damage, interfere with or disrupt EA Services.
- Post messages for any purpose other than personal communication, including advertising or promotional messaging, chain letters, pyramid schemes, or other commercial activities.
- Improperly use in-game support or complaint buttons or make false reports to EA staff.
- Use or distribute unauthorized "auto" software programs, "macro" software programs or other "cheat utility" software program or applications.
- Modify or attempt to modify any part of the EA Service that EA does not specifically authorize you to modify.
- Post or communicate any person's real-world personal information using an EA Service.
- Attempt to interfere with, hack into or decipher any transmissions to or from the servers for an EA Service.
- Use and communicate exploits to gain unfair advantage in a game
- Attempt to use EA Software on or through any service that is not controlled or authorized by Electronic Arts. Any such use is at your own risk and may subject you to additional or different terms. EA takes no responsibility for your use of EA Software on or through any service that is not controlled by Electronic Arts.
- Interfere with the ability of others to enjoy playing an EA Service or take actions that interfere with or materially increase the cost to provide an EA Service for the enjoyment of all its users.
- Unless expressly authorized by EA, you may not sell, buy, trade or otherwise transfer your EA account or any personal access to EA Services, Content or Entitlements, including by use of auction websites.
- You may not conduct any activities that violate the laws of any jurisdiction including but not limited to copyright infringement, trademark infringement, defamation, invasion of privacy, identity theft, hacking, stalking, fraud and the distribution of counterfeit software.
 

ImprovizoR

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Dec 6, 2009
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What they did is illegal. It's that simple. It's his opinion and his right to free speech.
 

RedEyesBlackGamer

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Jan 23, 2011
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J03bot said:
Pretty sure that's theft on Bioware/EA's part?

Just because they currently dislike that user doesn't give them the right to remove his ability to play games on that account - that prevents him from accessing save files and DLC in previous Bioware games too. (obviously a new account could be made for DA2)

How well does playing offline work? Would that let him access his (non-DA2) games again?
http://tos.ea.com/legalapp/WEBTERMS/US/en/PC/#section9
Look at 9 and 11. They could effectively cut him off. Sounds like what they did.