EA, Microsoft, and Zynga Oppose Defense of Marriage Act

[hermes]

In this case, EA (as a company) political view and mine coincide, but I can't help to feel weird that a entertainment corporation is doing political lobby on a civil issue. Not trying to be the cynical guy that asks "What is in it for them?", but I do wonder what is the point of them being part of this.

 

[Verlander]

The reason is in the article - DOMA makes it difficult for them as a business. It probably conflicts with serveral other US laws based on employment equality. Other games companies cannot sign this document if they aren't affected by the same condition - it doesn't mean that they don't agree with the sentiment.

I don't know how big, for instance, Valve is in terms of a mobile business, but you can bet your ass it isn't remotely the same size as these companies.

I'd like to see who else signed the list

 

[Joseph Harrison]

What the fuck do companies have to do with this... does your whole legal system really only run on money or something.

It's an amicus curiae, basically whenever there is a case that is going on or a bill that may be reconsidered interested parties, even if they are uninvolved with the bill, can send in additional info. These companies have sent in info basically stating that they are opposed to the DOMA.

 

[GoddyofAus]

Don't be too impressed folks; While it is admirable, they're doing it to make working with their business interests easier, not for the sake of human rights.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

-snip

Well this sucks... how am I suppose to stay pissed at EA now?

By remembering that they have a lot more good deeds to do before they're done repenting for their business practices. This is a step in the right direction (for them, and the other two companies), but it hardly undoes the harm done by their usual business practices.

Here is how unbelievably entitled you sound. There are two issues at play here:

1. Millions of Americans are being treated as second class citizens and having the quality of their lives significantly reduced just to satisfy the bigotry of the religious majority. People have died because they weren't able to use their same-sex partner's health insurance benefits. Not to mention that laws like DOMA help enable a culture in which just this week a Mississippi politician was murdered for being gay.

2. A video game company uses copyright protection measures on their software, offers additional products to buy after the initial purchase of the game, and gave a really fantastic trilogy an unsatisfactory ending, which they then revised.

Now I'm not justifying EA's practices at all, but the first issue kills people while the second issue doesn't affect anybody who chooses not to buy EA's games. And yet, the second issue fills you with so much rage that EA's attempts at dealing with the first issue barely make a scratch. Repent? We used to use that word for thieves, rapists, and murderers.

You grew up in the first generation in human history in which nothing was expected from you but to sit on the couch and stay out of your parents' way. Try experiencing just one hardship in your life and maybe you'll get a sense of perspective on what really matters.

Alright, kid, you can tell your high horse to hop off of that soapbox, we get it. In the end, though, none of what you said really matters.

A) EA is still a video game company. Anything they do outside of gaming, while admirable (hopefully), doesn't really effect things within the sphere of gaming. I might give them a nod for putting their name towards a good purpose, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna turn a blind eye to their bullshit business practices.

B) By your own logic, I could say that you sound entitled for crying about a few deaths happening here in the US when there's thousands of our troops over in Iraq dying on foreign soil. There's always a bigger evil out there, somewhere. It's like when I'm not allowed to be upset about having money issues because some kids in Africa are starving every day. Yeah, that's shitty, but it doesn't exactly pay my bills.

 

[blalien]

Alright, kid, you can tell your high horse to hop off of that soapbox, we get it. In the end, though, none of what you said really matters.

A) EA is still a video game company. Anything they do outside of gaming, while admirable (hopefully), doesn't really effect things within the sphere of gaming. I might give them a nod for putting their name towards a good purpose, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna turn a blind eye to their bullshit business practices.

B) By your own logic, I could say that you sound entitled for crying about a few deaths happening here in the US when there's thousands of our troops over in Iraq dying on foreign soil. There's always a bigger evil out there, somewhere. It's like when I'm not allowed to be upset about having money issues because some kids in Africa are starving every day. Yeah, that's shitty, but it doesn't exactly pay my bills.

The difference between EA's business practices, gay rights, the Iraq war, and starvation in Africa, is that the only one of these issues you care about is the only one that directly affects you.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Alright, kid, you can tell your high horse to hop off of that soapbox, we get it. In the end, though, none of what you said really matters.

A) EA is still a video game company. Anything they do outside of gaming, while admirable (hopefully), doesn't really effect things within the sphere of gaming. I might give them a nod for putting their name towards a good purpose, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna turn a blind eye to their bullshit business practices.

B) By your own logic, I could say that you sound entitled for crying about a few deaths happening here in the US when there's thousands of our troops over in Iraq dying on foreign soil. There's always a bigger evil out there, somewhere. It's like when I'm not allowed to be upset about having money issues because some kids in Africa are starving every day. Yeah, that's shitty, but it doesn't exactly pay my bills.

The difference between EA's business practices, gay rights, the Iraq war, and starvation in Africa, is that the only one of these issues you care about is the only one that directly affects you.

There is a LOT more different about them than whether or not I care about them. Also, nice to see that you continue to be presumptuous, but then what can I expect from someone who probably spends his entire life preaching from a soap box?

 

[Mcupobob]

In this case, EA (as a company) political view and mine coincide, but I can't help to feel weird that a entertainment corporation is doing political lobby on a civil issue. Not trying to be the cynical guy that asks "What is in it for them?", but I do wonder what is the point of them being part of this.

They already said whats in it for them. Saves money and paperwork, also say what you want about EA the treat their employees pretty fairly. I don't know about Microsoft, have heard some horror stories about guys that worked in Zynga though saying they had to raise their hands for bathroom breaks.

Anyways interested to see what and if something becomes of it. Obama has already sided with the gay community and talked about getting gay marriage legalized. Haven't been keeping up to diligently with the news as of late, but I think that got but on the back-burner or possibly was a ploy for votes.

 

[Frostbyte666]

While it is nice I'm not going to praise them for it since they are only paying lip service to this issue, because to them it's not about what's right but a quick pr grab and making things easier for themselves. Just think, if it was a case where the public opposed honouring interstate gay marriage and this bill was to support that viewpoint (opposing gay marriage) would these companies support it (anti gay marriage) or take a stand against it (pro gay marriage)? and I just went cross-eyed and confused myself. Anyway to summarize what I am trying to say which is: Even if people do support a good cause it better be for the right reasons instead of just convenience and face-saving because that kind of support isn't very loyal.

 

[nathan-dts]

Entertainment industry is always fighting for equal rights. After all, they don't want to alienate people from their products. Just look at Hollywood for an example of equal rights advocation.

 

[vgmaster831]

I think one of the FB people said it best "If you drag a person's past sins into everything they do, you will see nothing but monsters" or something like that.

For whatever reason they did it, it's still a good thing! Good on these people!

EDIT: Fixed error

It seems nice until you realize they are still condemning homosexuality as somehow harmful, which it is not.

 

[Extragorey]

It always saddens me to see stuff like this. People have really lost touch with their sense of morality these days. Companies too now, it seems.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Hell yeah! Thank you EA, Microsoft, and Zynga!

And yeah, to those saying that this is a bad thing... sigh. Just... sigh.

Edit: Wow. Really people? I've added four of you to my ignore list. I am seriously disgusted right now.

I don't give two fucks if it was a PR stunt. They did a Good Thing. End of discussion.

 

[aelreth]

Good move. Still not buying a $60 game with microtransactions, though.

Why do you have to have such extreme standards?

/EA PR rep

This is pure publicity on a subject they feel will win them points, maybe a increase in their own stock price.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

While it is good that they did so. Why do we care? Should we be upset at the companies that didn't sign it? They are video game companies. Shouldn't they be more concerned with, you know, making video games?

 

[Yureina]

...These companies did something good?

I'm at a loss as to what to make of this. Make no mistake, I still don't like any of them. But... yay for doing a good thing? I guess I ought to celebrate that.

[sub]But EA is still evil![/sub]

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

I think one of the FB people said it best "If you drag a person's past sins into everything they do, you will see nothing but monsters" or something like that.

For whatever reason they did it, it's still a good thing! Good on these people!

EDIT: Fixed error

Wow, what a fucking quote. I'm seriously going to have to put that one on my list of important quotes to live by. I have to ask though - who's FB? Facebook?

On topic: Kudos to EA and Zynga here. I don't care that this is likely nothing more than a PR stunt, anything that helps people and fights hatred / intolerance is good in my book. Doesn't mean that I'll be giving a rat's ass about their games or forgetting about their track record with eating devs / stealing games, but combating inequality is substantially more important. Still, I don't think that the government should have anything to do with marriage in general (separation of church and state springs to mind, and marriage is a religious institution), but as long as they are they might as well not be discriminatory about it.