EA Wins Title of "Worst Company in America"

[Robert Ewing]

Hahahahahaha. Oh man, I knew it was going to happen.

I followed the count down, and watched gleefully as EA wasn't getting knocked out.

Congrats on your award EA, you fucking earned it, you shits.

 

[BreakfastMan]

BS. This is just freaking pathetic. One of the prime companies responsible for the ruination of the US economy and has forced millions from their homes? Beat out by an entertainment company because a bunch people did not like the ending to a fecking video game. -_- Gaming community? I thought my opinion of you could not go any lower. I was wrong. Congratu-fecking-lations. You just lowered the bar even more.

 

[remnant_phoenix]

Is EA really worse than Bank of America and WalMart? I'm beseiged by questions, Escapists. Help a sister out.

Oh dear lord, no.

Nickle-and-diming consumers and behaving like a giant-mutant-housefly that converts good ideas and good game studios to vomit is bad, sure, but that's nothing compared to some of the stuff that Wal-Mart and Back of America have done.

This contest was poll decided, and most of those polled have been personally subjected to and are aware of EA's douchebaggery, whereas a lot of people who suffer from Wal-Mart and BoA's douchebaggery are older, less-internet-saavy, working class types and foreign workers. The internet is youth-centric, and people care more about what effects them personally than they care about the bigger picture. Ergo, EA gets the poo.

 

[Thuggych]

EA itself doesn't seem terribly upset about having won The Golden Poo, however. In a statement, EA Senior Director of Corporate Communications John Reseburg told Kotaku [http://kotaku.com/5899092/worst-company-in-america-ea-says-halliburton-must-be-relieved-it-wasnt-nominated?utm_campaign=socialflow_kotaku_twitter&utm_source=kotaku_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow] that, "We're sure that British Petroleum, AIG, Philip Morris, and Halliburton are all relieved they weren't nominated this year. We're going to continue making award-winning games and services played by more than 300 million people worldwide."

And lo, the day came when I agreed with, and heartily applauded, an EA employee (a Sr. Director, no less!).

All this award does is prove that a huge number of internet users have screwed up priorities, a ridiculous sense of entitlement, and the attention spans of moths.

Yeah, I agree it's a pretty sad reflection on the myopia of people...and the general narrow mindedness of mob mentality. The real world ramifications of BofA's policies and political influence makes EA's business practices look like a flea on a dog's behind, it's just a complete distortion of perspective.

I would have to say that we as consumers should be "entitled" when it comes to how our disposable income is allocated, and resent when companies like EA use shady tactics to manipulate it.

 

[Tiamattt]

I dislike EA as much as the next guy, but I would've voted for BOA hands down.

 

[Suicidejim]

I think the results would have been quite different if only American citizens could vote in it. The reason being: EA fucks everyone while Bank of America only really directly fucks Americans. Why would you vote for a corporation that doesn't even have clients in your country?

I'm not from America, and I voted EA , for more or less the exact reasons you laid out. On reflection, perhaps I shouldn't have voted, but then again, it's a poll on the internet, after plodding through countless others, I barely reflect on them for a decent amount of time anymore before clicking the button I'd most like to click.

When all is said and done though, I hardly think this result matters. I mean, just look at EA's response. They clearly don't care. I doubt the BoA would have done either, although they might have been less smug about it.

I just really wish EA would sort themselves out. They're damaging the entire industry.

Also, since this seems to be a point of contention with many, I'm going to go ahead and point out that I don't play Mass Effect, haven't played the 3rd one, never intended to, and care little about the various controversies it caused (aside from the implications it may have for the rest of the industry). This isn't reactionary backlash, this is more of an expression of sustained disappointment and disdain. And, to address the other point that will inevitably start cropping up, no, I don't buy EA's games, both out of a lack of interest and an unwillingness to condone their practices.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Eh, 'worst company in America'? I don't think so? They're bad sure, but I'm pretty sure even with my bias as a gamer I can see that DLC and shitty endings don't come close to the kind of practices that landed say, BP, in trouble.

That said, if this revelation actually gives them a wake up call and motivates them to start doing better, I won't complain. It's a long shot, but a man can dream right?

 

[MC K-Mac]

I would have to say that we as consumers should be "entitled" when it comes to how our disposable income is allocated, and resent when companies like EA use shady tactics to manipulate it.

Well, I think that we as consumers are entitled to spend our disposable income as we see fit. Buying something from a company that has disappointed you in the past shows a lack of pattern recognition. Buying something from a company that has disappointed you in the past and then loudly complaining about it on the internet makes you look like a big, entitled baby that thinks the giant corporation that hurt its widdle feelings gives a shit, as long as said entitled baby continues to give them its money.

I'm not saying YOU are one of these people, Thuggych. And believe me, I have vented a lot of hatred towards EA myself in the past. But my hatred was over EA's ridiculous marketing campaigns for Dante's Inferno and Dead Space, which actively encouraged sexual harassment and greatly contributed to people's perception of gamers as a bunch of immature, dishonest man-children. This whole Mass Effect controversy is kind of a joke. Well, OK, the DLC thing I understand, but this whole "take back the ME3 ending" movement just makes me shake my head. What the hell is wrong with people?

 

[pandorum]

While EA deserves to burn in the deepest pit of gaming hell....they dont deserve this.
They make bad products but BA screws an entire country out of house and home.

Gotta agree games is one thing but peoples houses that's total new level of douche beggary.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

I hoped they would of been inspired by this to actually make more of an effort for their customers, but nope, they are going to continue to fuck everyone else over with their big diamond studded cocks. Wankers.

 

[Awexsome]

Sometimes I wonder why the gaming audience is seen as immature spiteful loudmouthed children. Then I quickly remember that it is.

Get the fuck over it people. I've bought every project 10$ thing for every game I've bought and encourage others to do the same to support the publishers and developers that incorporated it. U mad?

The quote was entirely right btw. Band of America and BP deserve it more. Oh they've won it before? Lol Valve's won the Escapist's march madness before and that sure doesn't seem to stop them.

 

[I.Muir]

Well let's see in terms of customer service
Bank of America attempted to foreclose on people who had paid off their house
EA banned people from origin and did not refund any of their games for complaining about their work on the forums
That's where my knowledge of bank of America ends, but it's beyond a doubt that both companies are bad

 

[Frostbite3789]

The reasons I think that EA won, while companies that make much bigger problems for people, is that while BP's rig blew up, they didn't MEAN for it to blow up, and while Bank of America helped crash the world economy, they didn't MEAN to crash the world economy. Ea on the other hand, seems to know exactly what they're doing, and proceed to sit there cackling like Mr. Burns counting his millions. Hence the comments from EA at the end.
From my opinion of course.

BP only ignored everything that said things were bad and took almost no safety precautions.

Economists were warning of an economic collapse, and most of the companies that were a big part of it, knew it was coming, but in the end made money off it.

I think the fact that this poll was conducted on the internet says a lot about the results.

 

[draythefingerless]

They only won because the people BA screw over dont have money for internet......or home...or food....

OH GAWD, LAWD ALMIGHTY, BBUT THE GAMES, THE GAMESSSSS!

 

[ph0b0s123]

Started reading the story and thought, this is dumb. I am no fan but they are no way as bad as companies like BOA and wall mart. Really Internet I am disappointed in you.

Then read their response and thought, OK now they deserve it....

Also their spyware system did not make it onto the list of peeves, disappointed by the internet again.

 

[ZeroMachine]

...

I'm probably going to be the only person to say this.

A) The ONLY reason they won is because of the ME3 ending debacle, and that's pathetic.

B) Their response was well said, as there is no other way to respond to something like that, and it's true (whether or not that's unfortunate is up to people to decide for themselves).

Now excuse me whilst I jump behind this fifty foot thick flame shield and prepare my twenty shotguns for the potential shit storm.

To be fair everyone has hated EA for years now. If ME3's ending wasn't the current issue I am sure something else EA-related would be. We'd probably still be arguing about the Prothean DLC right now if the ending didn't suck.

*peaks out*

... Th... is this a trick to get me to come out from behind the shield?

... Ok... Uh, wellNOSTAYBACK!

... Well... Yeah, I guess. But the thing is, the ending debacle was more or less the last straw, if the straw the broke the camels back was a nuke. People never ACTIVELY fought them before to any great/coordinated extent.

Now we have Retake Mass Effect, nearly ever donor of which probably voted for them to be on this.

Before it was a loose group of people that just didn't like their business practices. It's now a veritable army out for blood, BECAUSE of the ending. I just find it pretty sad that it was not one of their shady business practices that nuked the camel's back, but just the dislike (hatred, whatever) of the ending.

Since that's why they "won" this award, I think it's rather pathetic. That's all.

Now GET OFF MY LAWN *jumps back behind shield*

Have you forgotten the class action lawsuit against EA regarding the price of games in the Madden franchise and the other sports where they have purchased an exclusivity license?

*peaks out*

Technically, no, but you need to know about something before you can forget it.

*ducks back*