Why you should really, really stop buying from EA

[Andy Shandy]

Wait, what? You're saying we shouldn't buy from EA?

I think you might've been a little too subtle for anyone to notice.

Also with that whole charge-back thing, the exact same thing happens with Steam. Basically, chargebacking these things is the nuclear option.

But anyway, I'll be continuing to buy any EA games that grab my interest. Like the new Mirror's Edge for example.

 

[DoPo]

6. Their games are terrible. Okay that's just my opinion, but it's still my main reason for not buying anything from them.

Yeah, me too. Almost none of the recent games they offer appeal to me. So far there is Mass Effect 1/2, Mirror's Edge and Spore. These are the newest games of theirs I've bought. What else I could buy is
- Mass Effect 3 - waiting for a good price drop. Not ending related, well before it was released I just didn't think it's worth full price
- Mirror's Edge 2 - first was really nice, though I'm waiting to see if the second one would be worth it.
- Kingdoms of Amalur - really good price drop needed. I might pick it up if I find it for less than £10 but I'm not actively searching for a deal. If I happen upon one, I'd get it, otherwise - meh. yeah, EA are only the publisher here but still meh, the game is just not that appealing to me.

So that's...4 games over the last 6 years, one more I'd get eventually, and 2 maybes, one of which a really big maybe. There just aren't that many interesting games they offer.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

I have. Feel free to join me.

But that said, I'm not just blanket boycotting everything they produce. It just so happens that they tar all of their products with the same bullshit brush. If they released a game I was interested in with no DRM, no DLC anywhere near launch, no preorder bonuses, development time befitting the game, no arbitrary online requirement, none of that, I'd buy it.

It's really a "be the change you want to see in the world" situation. Publishers will do what's profitable for them. Make doing what you want profitable and they'll do that. If they don't, they're welcome to their diminishing market of people who tolerate their shit.

 

[Nomadiac]

You clearly haven't used Origin. I can play offline just fine with it, and all it is to me is Steam with a different skin.

And strangely enough, Steam had more than a few issues of its own when it first launched...

 

[ThriKreen]

1. They have a new CEO.

Technically old. Larry Probst is the one that managed EA before JR during the 1990-2005ish era where a lot of the EA hate legacy arose from, due to the purchase and shutdown of studios like Origin, Bullfrog, Westwood, etc.

Not necessarily. There's usually a big chunk of time between the game going to be printed on discs and being released. At least a month, often up to three.

Actually double that, although it'll depend on game size and complexity. For large AAA titles, content lockdown and the polish can be from two to four months, then platform certification usually takes at least two months (three is average for PS3). So you're realistically looking at four to six months from "Stop production!" to "Here's your game!"

Is it a money grab? Perhaps, but the alternative before DLC and Internet distribution was either an expansion a year later, or never seeing the content in the first place.

I like to view it as making muffins out of left over cake batter, instead of tossing it in to the trash.

I do wish when they release the complete package later, they also offer an all DLC package at the discounted price if you have the main game already. Like a "thanks for early support". However I see Steam has discounts on SR4 if you own SR3 already, so it looks like it's something they're adding to Steam now. Whether Origin would is another matter.

 

[DoPo]

Is it a money grab? Perhaps, but the alternative before DLC and Internet distribution was either an expansion a year later, or never seeing the content in the first place.

No, those are LIES! There was a third alternative - fans digging through the game and finding not quite finished assets and references to stuff. So it's neither here or there but worse than both, as you DO see the content...well, parts of it, but you never really get to use it. Or, at most, somebody might make a mod that incorporates the stuff but most of these I've seen never really leave beta or get abandoned at some point or don't easily fit in with the game and similar.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Alright, you convinced me. I'm going to stop buying games from EA because some random guy on the internet made a new account just to hate on EA. Well... until they make another game I'm interested in, that is.

 

[FEichinger]

Welcome to ... 2011? That was when the whole bandwagon started, wasn't it?

Or we could go all the way back to when they turned into the Borg and assimilated studio over studio ...

Seriously, this discussion can have precisely three endings:
C: We all agree on some weird thing where EA is somewhat evil but not totally evil and could do much worse or something.
D: We argue for days and days about whether or not EA is indeed the worst gaming publisher, or if others are just as evil.
S: We just stop giving a flying fuck about what other people do and just do our own thing.

 

[lacktheknack]

So Bethesda should be burned at the stake along side EA then?

Where is Bethesda's day one DLC? I don't see any.

The games they release aren't broken, they're FRACTURED.

OT: No. They're the only ones with the balls to put as much money as they are behind the new Mirror's Edge. Provided they don't royally screw it up, that's something to be lauded and worth giving them money for.

Also, new user called "IHateEA".

Seems legit.

 

[unindexedsearchengine]

Oh, look, someone made a thread about why EA is inherently evil! Finally, a beam of light this cave of ignorance absolutely everyone who isn't you lives in! May you be forever praised as the prophet who delivered us to the promised land!

Seriously, though, you're a little late to the party. Valid points have came up against EA more than enough times in the past already, so you're not changing anyone's mind here. Those who see EA's folly have already done something about it and those who didn't care back then won't care now.
In all honesty, when I look at a game, who published it is one of my last concerns. I'm going to judge a game based on the merits of said game, not what logo I see first when starting it up.
If i'm interested in a game, and the reviews come back positive, and I like what I see, i'm going to buy it regardless of who published it. If it's a good game, then it will continue being a good game even if it was published by EA.
And I have no problem with buying a good game.

 

[shrekfan246]

S: We just stop giving a flying fuck about what other people do and just do our own thing.

That seems wildly optimistic to me.

OT: I just want to be the third person to point out that your point about Origin is wrong, OP. It functions perfectly fine offline, and in fact often switches to offline mode easier than Steam does, which so many people proselytize while demonizing Origin.

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

The last thing I bought from EA was Battleforge. A new IP from Phenomic with quite some potential, even though it was an eeeevul collectible card game allowing for some of that Warcraft/Starcraft strategic action once you've sunk enough money in it. It never lied about its nature, and yet we enjoyed it. It was fun. Then EA turned it into a free-for-all F2P, so it mostly feels like taking a stroll through beggars lane. One out of, say, ten matches is actually enjoyable. Beyond that, it's been pretty much in stasis and on hold for, what, two years. The last expansion was a joke, a really bad one.

I can confirm that my experience with EA customer support was... abysmal, for lack of a better word that won't get me banned, into hell and banished from public places. Each and every customer support employee I have encountered was obviously stationed in India, with English skills ranging from deceptively good but with bad actual comprehension skills, really poor to practically non-existent. In typed chat, my mileage stayed the same, as it all resulted in nothing, absolutely nothing being resolved. Even if the understand you properly, they have no power to actually solve the problem at hand, especially when it is of a financial nature, or requiring the attention of a higher up. I've reported faulty or worrying business standards in how EA business is being done in half a dozen countries over the world, none of which are officially situated in lawless zones or developing countries. The 'handlers' I've confronted with these really bad things were shocked, but none of them had any tools or procedures in place to do anything about it; all they could do was feel bad and that was that. I didn't feel supported at any time. The only things I felt were rage and hatred... and I also felt a bit sorry for these poor people at the other end of the world, even though they're highly probably the very same ones cold calling people around the world to scam them.

Everything else... yeah, I played most supposed AAA titles, but I never felt too tempted to break my own personal little boycot. I started out loving ECA, admiring the folks, enjoying their games. Oh, EA. What have you become.

 

[NKRevan]

Is it just me, or does anyone else get a sneaking suspicion this is MS fanboy/employee trying to rekindle the flame of EA hatred so MS will not be the primary target anymore?

 

[CWestfall]

I don't think there is anything wrong with rehashing this old topic. If we (Gamers generally) completely stop talking about EA's bad practices, they won't change. Yes, some part of me is optimistic that they will change.

The ongoing bullshit they are putting us all through and the discussion surrounding it is what pushed me from just silently hating EA (2007-2011) to actually boycotting anything they publish (2011-present)

 

[Fappy]

I hate EA, but I will still probably get Battlefront and possibly even the new DA title if Bioware didn't completely and totally botch it again. I am an evil, evil man >

 

[Headdrivehardscrew]

Is it just me, or does anyone else get a sneaking suspicion this is MS fanboy/employee trying to rekindle the flame of EA hatred so MS will not be the primary target anymore?

I can hate EA and despise MS at the same time, 24/7.

I feel bad about MS right now, as I really liked both XP and 7, in their time respectively.

What they're on to now with Windows 8 and the Xbone, though, is making Linux look very sexy to me once again. The PS4 will be bought. The Xbone... no way. The wording of the regional 'release', vulgo locking down of software/game releases was the one bit that made me just stop caring about it altogether. FU, MS. FU. Now you get licks now get kicks nuff licks now kuffed up

Cuz you can catch a quick drop
For tryin to take the schnicks props
So tick tock around the clock
And shock while we lick shots
For goodness sake's the stakes are high
I'm out, abc ya' bye

Maybe I should put some more effort into switching to Linux beyond my current, what, 20% to 25% of all my computing/serving/browsing/gaming needs. Windows 7 allowed me to be and stay lazy. Windows 8... I still haven't used any of my licenses. I still run but the RC on virtual.

I don't need it, I don't want it, and no one will cheat me into liking it.

 

[Brotha Desmond]

I really don't buy many of their games anyway. I just by the battlefield and Mass effect games.

 

[Greg White]

Let me go down the list here:

1. EA's customer support is notoriously bad.

That's called competent tech support. You don't make it a first option to call someone when things can be handled over the internet just as well.

2. Day-one DLC

This is called good time management. Most of the development staff doesn't do much for the last several weeks of development and this is their chance to work on bits that had to be cut from the final version because of time constraints. the fact that they know in advance what these parts are going to be shows a more refined degree of time management on their part.

3. Greedy micro-transactions

If someone wants to pay extra to save themselves a bit of time in a game, then who are you or I to disagree with their choice? The games aren't forcing you to and it being in the game doesn't effect your game enjoyment in the least unless they shove a message saying "BUY THIS TO KEEP PLAYING!" in your face at every pause screen.

4. Digital rights management

See, that's the crux of PC gaming: if you protect your software you inconvenience your customers by making them take an extra 20 seconds of installation to enter a code in order to slow pirates down, but if you don't protect it at all then people will pirate the ever living @#$% out of it(regardless of the games price, by it 1 cent or $60).

That said, they are making a move away from some of it since they decided to move away from the online passes.

5. It's okay you release games unplayable.

All MMO's have that issue. The initial server load is rarely something a company can anticipate, and even if they do they are loath to have enough servers to manage a load that is only going to last a day or so, mostly because both the servers and the backbone to support them is very expensive to maintain. As you put it, they are a business and they made a business decision to go with a normalized server estimate instead of spending a fortune on enough servers to handle the initial rush , but are then going to go mostly unused afterwards. May not be the best PR choice, but from both a business and an IT standpoint it makes perfect sense.

 

[Zukabazuka]

It is actually Gamestop making demands for pre order bonus stuff. Even Exclusive stuff to for that matter.