EA is watching you

[The Wooster]

Forums are one of the weirdest parts of the Internet (horrific childhood cartoon porn and dead fetus sites notwithstanding). They're incredibly useful, allowing users to communicate ideas and concepts quickly and easily and any user can find out everything worth knowing about a product simply by asking the right question in the right place. At least some of the time.
It's undeniable that forums bring out the worst in people. Guys who, in real life, would probably get along just fine, will have twenty page name-calling bitchfights over the stupidest of shit. I like to consider myself a laid back kind of guy but something about that 'reply to topic' button just turns me into a grumpy asshole.

But apparently EA isn't impressed by my grumpy assholenesss. They're not impressed at all. Apparently, people's EA forums accounts will now be attached to their master game accounts. Meaning that if they get banned from the EA forums, they're also banned from the multi player content of games they already own.

Ragging on EA is old hat I know. But Jesus Christ

"Your forum account will be directly tied to your Master EA Account, so if we ban you on the forums, you would be banned from the game as well since the login process is the same. And you'd actually be banned from your other EA games as well since its all tied to your account. So if you have SPORE and Red Alert 3 and you get yourself banned on our forums or in-game, well, your SPORE account would be banned to. It's all one in the same, so I strongly recommend people play nice and act mature."-C&C Community Manager Aaron Kaufman)

 

[SimuLord]

As I mentioned in the News forum discussion, "yo ho ho and a bottle of rum." I'm reminded of the evil owner chick from Major League. I'm inclined to believe that EA's board of directors have short-sold the stock and have a vested interest in watching it go to hell in a handbasket.

If I were an EA shareholder I'd strongly consider suing the upper management.

 

[The Iron Ninja]

I read (in the news room) that the single player aspects of the games will be cut off as well.

 

[Evilbunny]

I think every company should adopt this policy. We need fewer assholes playing our games.

 

[The Iron Ninja]

I think every company should adopt this policy. We need fewer assholes playing our games.

Or more specifically, we need fewer dumbasses that would be stupid enough to waste their time on the EA forums playing our games.

Or actually more your games (talking to PC gamers in general here), so far the consoles are devoid of this nonsense.

 

[Evilbunny]

I think every company should adopt this policy. We need fewer assholes playing our games.

Yeah well you keep forgetting that forums are not a diplomacy. If a mod of the EA forums decided to ban you for using the word "fuck" you would be banned from every online server you play in. Even if that word was used in a joyful way. And you couldn't do anything about it.

I only see this promoting piracy because people buy multiplayer games to actually play online. If you take that away than what's keeping the average joe from downloading a game from the nearest torrent tracker?

You know I'm not an expert on the EA forums, but I'm pretty sure the mods won't ban you unless you break one of the forum rules they have so proudly posted in the stickies. I always read stickies before I post, and I have so far never been banned from a forum. I don't feel sorry for asshats that get banned. The rules were there to read, they were just too stupid to abide by them.

 

[CyberAkuma]

I know this sounds harsh, but is this really a surprise?
You really thought they they wouldn't invoke some sort of power over DRM giving them the opportunity to shut you out of the game if EA feels like it?

I know you guys think this policy is batshit insane - and you'd be totally right. But this is EA we're talking about here and their standards of customer service is a notch below the people who made the Phantom Console.

This really shouldn't be a shocker.

 

[The Wooster]

How do you think EA responds to complaint topics about DRM? I'll give you a hint. It begins with a B.

 

[Hydrus]

Burritos?

 

[SimuLord]

Burritos?

Same consistency as the beans in a Taco Bell burrito, but that ain't beans.

 

[Hydrus]

But seriously, I can see both sides of this argument. If people were being racist/sexist/homophobic/overly stupid on forums, then they deserve to get banned from the game they're ruining for everyone else. Too bad XBL dosen't have this feature.

But on the other hand, this policy does seem to have the possibility of being abused. And a company should definately not be censoring criticism of itself, and punishing those responsible. Especially considering they bought their games.

 

[Raven28256]

But on the other hand, this policy does seem to have the possibility of being abused. And a company should definately not be censoring criticism of itself, and punishing those responsible. Especially considering they bought their games.

Don't you know? EA is the king of criticism censorship in the game industry. Heard about the times when they tried editing the common criticisms people have from the Wiki page, particularly when it comes to their shitty treatment of employees? I could completely imagine EA doing this to people who mention having problems with SecuROM on the forums. It is just the sort of "shoot-yourself-in-foot" move EA is good at lately.

 

[TheCheryl]

I have a way to not get banned from your games or the forum. Don't go on it. GASP! That's actually a very easy thing to do. Seriously. How many folks who have ea games actually go on their forums? Not that many. It's not that big a deal. Sure I don't like the idea of being unable to play my games if they ban me after I paid good money for them. At the same time if I really thought I ran the risk of being banned on their forums in the first place I just wouldn't go.

If you think there's a good chance you'll get banned then don't go or think before typing up just anything. "Will I get banned for writing this?" should be the question you ask yourself before stirring up trouble. It's simpler than you think. Making mountains out of mole hills are dumb.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

Why don't they just post elsewhere?

 

[Eternal Entity]

As usual, EA proves its idiocy. Rules like this are what make gamers jump ship and start playing on another publisher's games.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

This thing about EA Forum Ban = EA Game Ban has been proven to be a rumor/misinformation- EA came out and said it wasn't true. Probably smelled the shit coming.

 

[The Wooster]

This thing about EA Forum Ban = EA Game Ban has been proven to be a rumor/misinformation- EA came out and said it wasn't true. Probably smelled the shit coming.

Got source?

Also. I can't imagine it would be legal to cut off access to single player content surely.

 

[Daymo]

This thing about EA Forum Ban = EA Game Ban has been proven to be a rumor/misinformation- EA came out and said it wasn't true. Probably smelled the shit coming.

Got source?

Also. I can't imagine it would be legal to cut off access to single player content surely.

Here's your source http://forums.ea.com/mboards/thread.jspa?threadID=457006&tstart=0

 

[Cheesus333]

I read (in the news room) that the single player aspects of the games will be cut off as well.

Take it to the court! They have literally stolen your money.

 

[The Iron Ninja]

I read (in the news room) that the single player aspects of the games will be cut off as well.

Take it to the court! They have literally stolen your money.

No. Mercenaries 2 was them stealing my money.
This is them kicking me in the nuts while I'm asking if I can get it back.