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EA had a fantastic 2013, huh?
- Thread starter chubigans
- Start date
2 Slice Toaster
Member
The Consumerist might as well replace the other companies in the tournament bracket with all videogame publishers, a Gamefaqs style battle would probably draw alot more attention throughout the course of the voting.
I love how you quoted a specific part of my post, even though afterwards I made a point of not being completely cynical and actually offering a constructive argument, which was summarily ignored. Probably because the angle you're taking is that everything has to be in black and white: EA is either saintly, or a fucking evil demon corporation from hell out to pilfer money from our wallets at every opportunity. There can't be any granularity in how they act and the things they do. Jeez.
You too (in regards to taking my quote out of context). At least you tried to make a valid point.
And of course it was a ploy to get people to use Origin, amongst other things including being tax deductible. Are you actually implying that a company did this because they wanted to be good citizens or something? There is always an ulterior motive. That doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, because if something benefits EA also benefits society, then where's the harm? Ultimately, EA getting more Origin users is seen as a plus, and they also they get good PR from the charity donation, get tax deductions, and the charities they chose to donate to also get a nice fat paycheck, which (hopefully) is spent wisely.
Also, what you said about Steam alternatives being offered where available isn't entirely true. The Sims 3 is on Steam, but no Steam key was given. Just saying.
Is the poll up right now? You now for...scientific reasons...
balladofwindfishes
Member
Think of what you would consider the worst company in America
Got one in your head?
They donated to charity
I was under the impression that the EA partners program isn't really a publishing arrangement. Instead, they really offer a menu of services. The Titanfall exclusivity deal with Microsoft suggests that the partners program isn't as altruistic as advertised. Makes me wonder how much responsibility EA has for the Fuse/Overstrike development shift....
Don't forget the refund policy in Origin. I can't think of any other "good" they did.
Developer has said that they didn't, but unless the gameplay was also going to be radically different, I don't think it would have altered sales in any measurable way. It was essentially more Gears when people were tired of Gears.
Mobius and pet octopus
Member
You seem to enjoy focusing on the negativity and assumed selfishness of a situation. That actually is quite cynical by definition. EA was very generous in the way they did the humble bundle. And a single game being not offered for steam as well as origin doesn't invalidate my point.
Neuromancer
Member
No one said they were the worst company in the world. Just America.
Baron_Calamity
Member
The final three The Sims 3 expansions (University Life, Island Paradise, and Into the Future) were excellent.The two stuff packs (70s,80s,90s and Movies) were much better than their average stuff packs.
It says a lot more about the intelligence level of the Consumerist voters than about EA when they put them over banks that are actually destroying lives.
Mengy
wishes it were bannable to say mean things about Marvel
They make a lot of bad decisions for gamers, but they also make a lot of money and profit off those bad decisions. Simcity, despite however horrible the game is, sold well over a million copies. BF4 despite all of it's problems has sold much more than that. EA is very good at two things: releasing on time and making money. To them that's priority, actually making a good finished game is secondary. As long as people keep blindly buying EA's games they will do just fine with this business model.
Blizzard, Valve, those are two game companies that I pretty much never have a second thought about buying their games on day one for whatever price they want. Diablo III was a rare clusterfuck for Blizzard, and it is being addressed in spades with it's expansion (and patches did a decent job up til now). Stardock is a decent company that I cautiously buy day one, Elemental was an exception but I like Stardock's principles and their behavior towards it's customers. Firaxis seems to always release great games and follow up with fantastic support.
All great game devs IMHO have one thing in common: they listen to their customers and treat them like partners, not money pinatas. EA falls way on the other side of the fence from what I consider a good developer, doing exactly the opposite in most situations. I truthfully have not bought an EA game in years, and I ALWAYS wait for customer reviews and opinions on their games before buying. That's probably why I haven't bought any of their games in years.....
Black Door
Banned
It'll never happen as long as dummies keep buying BF, Sim City, and Madden, and saying to themselves "it'll be better next year"
Xisiqomelir
Member
I haven't bought an EA game since Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday.
It's crap because EA outsourced the entire development of that game to a tiny remote studio based in Dallas and then ended all their contracts with them before that studio finished working on it.
maquiladora
Member
Worst Gaming Company.. Far from the worst company in the world.
Wow, seriously? Holy crap.
TheFLYINGManga_Ka
Member
This is what happens when you don't support Nintendo! 
J/K
J/K
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
I am constantly baffled by the fact that how many gamers such as in GAF can continue to continuously disparage and make fun of EA and EA suck this and that and yet they still buy their games anyways.
Case in point, Battlefield 4. No matter how many people say Battlefield 4 sucks/incomplete/trash/whatever I am perfectly willing to bet that a lot of the same people that complain will buy Battlefield 5 anyways.
Case in point, Battlefield 4. No matter how many people say Battlefield 4 sucks/incomplete/trash/whatever I am perfectly willing to bet that a lot of the same people that complain will buy Battlefield 5 anyways.
EdibleKnife
Member
That is probably true, but the hope is that the number of those people returning to the well is dwindling fast with each and every entry in the series and even more that EA takes notice of this fact. It's a hard thing for some to break away from a game series that rocked for several years. I personally lost investment after the Bad Company games. (Thinking back, what an apropos title for EA to use)
UncleSmoothie
Neo Member
This has appeared in other threads but it's worth flagging here as it's rather germane.
EA has been accused of the same shenanigans Microsoft has been caught doing: payola to popular Youtubers for positive coverage.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming...ubers-highlight-games-without-telling-public/
EA has been accused of the same shenanigans Microsoft has been caught doing: payola to popular Youtubers for positive coverage.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming...ubers-highlight-games-without-telling-public/
DenogginizerOS
BenjaminBirdie's Thomas Jefferson
Given the recent story about EA's payola scheme that somewhat mirrors Microsoft's payola scheme, this quote from Peter Moore on the controversy over canceling Dead Space 3 and his disdain for the tactics used by people to get clicks is somewhat ironic:
Peter Moore said:
It's deliciously ironic.
DoubleTake
Member
Starting off 2014 with a bang....
I'm terrified. Especially with them talking about the changes to the gameplay...oh fuck no.
That will be my biggest disappointment if they fuck that up.
RockmanWhore
Member
I wonder if they have any responsibility toward Insomniac's Fuse change of art direction.
Marauder Shields
Member
Can't hate on EA. Their Humble Bundle was spectacular. My favourite gaming software deal ever.
Rodney McKay
Member
Looking at the list of EA games released in 2013, I'm happy to say I didn't buy a single one! (played PvZ 2, but didn't spend a dime on it, nor will I even though I do enjoy it). In 2012 I think I only bought 2 (Mass Effect 3, and I think SSX at a reduced price), so I'm improving!
I still have a soft spot for Bioware, so I'll probably get Dragon Age, but only AFTER reviews and impressions are out.
I still have a soft spot for Bioware, so I'll probably get Dragon Age, but only AFTER reviews and impressions are out.
Mass Effect 3 was the last decent game EA released and the best part of the game (the multiplayer) wasn't even half assed by them. It was just given the go ahead, then just let it be until they noticed it existed. Hopefully ME4 MP is half as good as ME3 MP but I'm not optimistic given recent trends.
IncandescentPrecept
Banned
How's FIFA 14 on PS4 though?
ArkkAngel007
Member
OP, you should probably play Dead Space 3 before bringing out the microtransaction card. The game was not "riddled" with them, nor did it affect it in a negative fashion. The human fights were also limited to maybe a dozen at most throughout the entire game,
and weren't "action set pieces" sans one Gears/Uncharted inspired piece that last all of one minute, if that.
It's ok to hate the practice and change of tone, as it wasn't necessary, but you could at least bother to know the product if you're going to take this much time already to write about it. Game had far more notable issues that actually scarred the series.
With that said, I agree with your beating of this dead EA horse. We go from having a guy running the company that has a gamer mindset, but terrible at business; to having this company now being purely by the numbers that is handling business worse arguably by barely maintaining their current staples.
However, I'll go on to argue that this is hardly just an EA issue, just that EA has been the one to as of late and most often to fuck up their established quality franchises and dive head first in experimenting through monetization.
First chapter, few encounters during the fetch quests on the planet, and 3 or so in the city.
It's ok to hate the practice and change of tone, as it wasn't necessary, but you could at least bother to know the product if you're going to take this much time already to write about it. Game had far more notable issues that actually scarred the series.
With that said, I agree with your beating of this dead EA horse. We go from having a guy running the company that has a gamer mindset, but terrible at business; to having this company now being purely by the numbers that is handling business worse arguably by barely maintaining their current staples.
However, I'll go on to argue that this is hardly just an EA issue, just that EA has been the one to as of late and most often to fuck up their established quality franchises and dive head first in experimenting through monetization.
John_RiticelloEA
Banned
Neogaf Nerd buttrage at it's finest.
I can't wait to see the seething "fanboy" rage here when Titanfall drops, or better yet... Dragon Age 3
I can't wait to see the seething "fanboy" rage here when Titanfall drops, or better yet... Dragon Age 3
adamsappel
Member
Neogaf Nerd buttrage at it's finest.
I can't wait to see the seething "fanboy" rage here when Titanfall drops, or better yet... Dragon Age 3
Oh, my.
POWERSPHERE
Member
Skate 4 or Die
speculawyer
Member
That is a great OP.
Considering how they did this year, I'm amazed they are doing as well as they are. I guess you can fuck up a lot of stuff when you have Madden and FIFA to carry you. Battlefield 4 did sell well but had a lot of issues.
Considering how they did this year, I'm amazed they are doing as well as they are. I guess you can fuck up a lot of stuff when you have Madden and FIFA to carry you. Battlefield 4 did sell well but had a lot of issues.