So IGN decided to ask "why do people hate EA"

[brom0220]

But here's the thing: If Activision donated $100,000,000 to charity, I'd be more likely to buy their stuff. Even if it has nothing to do with the quality, it's still a factor.

And I checked, it looks to be a healthy mix of bitching about publishers and talking about games.

We may have to agree to disagree.

Now the thing is when EA does an objectively good thing they still get bitched at. Case and point : The kickstarer indie support.

It was pretty simple. Any project that had reached their goal in funding would be given 90 days free distribution over Origin. Now say what you will about Origin, but free distribution is free distribution. It is a free meal for a developer who is working hard to make the money last. Yet comment on every site I found this story on was damming them for doing this.

Its no longer about what they do, But who they are. They are just a hate target now regardless of what they do.

Last time I talked about this someone quoted me and said "Because we know the minute we change our tune they change theirs too and go back to being exploitative douchebags.".

That is more or less saying "If we stop hating them they will do something that makes them deserving of the hate". Its not about what they do. It is about who they are now.

I think Dexter111 has already answered why EA beat out the companies that crashed the economy and polluted the planet for the award this year. If you click on the link in his quote, he explains that all those companies have already won the award, and he even sources his info. Kudos. Basically, EA was the worst company that hadn't already won.

Yeah that doesn't hold water either since Apple was among the contenders and didn't even make it to the semi finals despite the worker conditions at Foxconn.

Shows peoples priorities.
Day one DLC = Worst company.
Making working conditions so bad your workers try to kill themselves and choose to solve this by setting up suicide nets so they cant jump off the roofs = acceptable

I am going to be positive and assume people didn't know that when voting, rather than being self-centred children. But now that you know do you still think "Basically, EA was the worst company that hadn't already won." is true?

No I don't. I didn't know Apple was a contender, and I didn't know their business practices were that bad. That is way worse. You are probably right in thinking that people didn't know that when they voted.

To be honest, I didn't even know there was a "Worst Company in America" contest until after I had heard EA had won.

 

[CaptainMarvelous]

I can sum up EA hate in simple terms.

EA make millions off releasing extremely similar sport's games year after year

Suda 51 makes thousands off releasing hugely ranged stuff year after year (according to his current schedule we're getting one game a year from 2011-2013)

Suda's stuff might be shorter, and it's not exactly untouchable in terms of criticism, but goddamnit at least he LIKES his fans.

 

[Shavon513]

It wasn't ME3, or even DA2 that caused EA to have such a bad reputation. it was the release of Origin and a history of running gaming companies into the ground. The dlc ploy doesn't help, either.

The hate and strong opinions of EA doesn't originate in a vocal minority, either. It stems from people who want quality in their games, and they are completely justified in their dissatisfaction.

 

[Reyold]

I quit reading IGN after seeing this article.

It's one thing when an incorrect detail in a game review gives you the impression they didn't play it all the way through. It's quite another when someone tries to defend a company with one of the worst reputations next to Activision without some INSANELY good arguments to back them up.

 

[Aeshi]

You want to know why people hate EA?

It's because EA makes more money than they do.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I love how he's all set for specific examples of s*** things EA has done, but is happy to balance that out with sweeping generalisations like "have done some very smart things with Origin". What are these things? No, f*** you, they have done some REALLY S*** THINGS, and the fact that they make games that we like does not counteract it, because that's not the part of the company that we're generally annoyed at. Bullfrog, DRM, sitting on IPs that have potential. And on the all companies do it note, yeah they do, but EA does ALL of it by itself and with apparent glee. The first section with the COO's comment was particularly insightful. It's like the people who knowingly ruined Bullfrog, to give one example, are innocent victims. I bet when their neighbours ask them about it, they don't say "Well, we butchered a smaller company and people called us out on it and it maed me crai".

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

You want to know why people hate EA?

It's because EA makes more money than they do.

People don't hate Activision as much and it makes more money than EA.

 

[JamesStone]

I still can't get why they are asking EA why people hate EA. It's stupid. If I ask someone why he is hated, of course he is not gonna say he is a dick. He is gonna say people that hate him are dicks.

What did IGN tried to do here? Convince us EA aren't dicks? Well, if that was the plan, it backfired like a Colt gun that hasn't been cleaned in centuries, considering almost everyone in this forum, including me, just got their opinions about EA worsened.

 

[PrototypeC]

Bad companies are everywhere, but a bad company that dominates their industry, insults their customers while simultaneously asking them for money and takes over smaller companies to crush their creativity and ruin a series? That's a whole new kind of evil.

EA bought out (or "acquired") a great Canadian game company and sank it with horrible DLC schemes and rushed, lackluster sequels. That's enough reason for me to hate them. The fact that they've done it to hundreds of other great or up-and-coming game companies is just a bonus.

EA tries to gouge me at every opportunity. A lot of companies do that, but EA does it with such enthusiasm and clocklike regularity it's almost insulting. They will not miss a chance to screw over their customer base in the name of a quick buck; but they're not hurting! They're probably the largest game publisher in the world! What do they need all this blood money for? They certainly aren't using it to lengthen development times and create a better product...

Oh, I know! They're using it to pay for their obnoxious advertising! Yes, from ARGs (of the "drink your ovaltine" variety) to having us take pictures with "booth babes" to bringing in real mothers in order to advertise an M-rated game to children, EA has had their share of horrible marketing. They treat us like children, so why should I give THEM any respect?

These are just some of the RECENT reasons as to why I, personally, find EA offensive. Others have listed even more reasons. Why do I have to say any of this at all? How are there so many people who will buy their products anyway and defend them on these forums? I was sure this comment area would be full of spitting hate, but I actually have to explain myself because there are too many vocal proponents. I mean, even I found the "worst company in America" thing to be head-shakingly Nerd Rage.

 

[Escherichia]

Its the consumer's fault.
Sure, EA is a shitty company that bought out Bullfrog and Maxis among others to destroy the competition instead of trying to keep up with them.
But how did it end up with the kind of money needed for that? How can it pay biased reviewers like IGN to make up stuff about their games? How can it spend a shitload of money in marketing for that matter? Because people willingly give EA their money, knowing they will do exactly that.

Instead of crying because your favorite franchise (lol) got ruined, or voting them as the worst company of the united states (like that means anything) stop buying their games.
Not selling their games means no more money, no more money means they will lack the currency to do all the things everyone hates.
Dont expect them to stop doing whatever the hell they want to do with the money you give them. It wont happen. Just dont give them your money. Its as easy as that.

 

[dementis]

I hate EA because there has been a very noticeable decline in the quality of Bioware's games since they became part of EA. They've started to mess with what was once one of my favourite developers.

 

[hawkeye52]

Easy. Their habit of taking a good game and then grinding it into the ground over in 1 game.

Their horrific marketing is another problem. See dead space 2's YOUR MOM WON'T LIKE IT for an 18+ game.

Origin

and a plethora of other smaller reasons.

Though really right now there is only 2 publishers which I trust and actively support. Paradox Plaza and Valve. Paradox for producing games that are good and have more depth then a childrens swimming pool and at affordable prices (Not £30-40) and Valve because Valve and everyone knows why