gingerjet: So some internet poll asks a bunch of game playing geeks who spend too much time on the internet who the worst company is, eh? And how wouldn't they come up EA? Video game geeks obsess over bashing video game companies and their decisions.

Anyone who keeps tabs on the news would probably agree that EA is one of, if not the worst, company around. They got sued for not paying an excessive amount of overtime wages to their employees, work their people to the bone while paying them pennies on the dollar, screw their customers over on an almost constant basis, rehash the same titles year after year(when there are cheaper update alternatives that are better for the customer), and in general just partake in some of the scummiest business practices around.

It has nothing to do with asking a bunch of game playing geeks on the internet. It has everything to do with the fact EA is truly one of the shiattiest companies around. Yet anyone who games owns dozens of their products.

You have EA doing this and now Apple won't approve any app that links with Dropbox because you can buy more storage from Dropbox through the third party app. The only reason they're doing this is because all purchases must go through them. And they're probably not happy with Dropbox's instant photo uploading because it takes away from the wonder and magic of iCloud.

Walled gardens suck.

mccallcl: If my $6 video game stops working, i shrug and either buy it again or don't play it anymore. I mean, I guess, I've never had that happen to me because my budget for childrens' toys is about $0. Because I'm an adult.

82% of gamers are over 18.

And an appropriate quote from CS Lewis:
"Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence."

Strategeryz0r: It has nothing to do with asking a bunch of game playing geeks on the internet. It has everything to do with the fact EA is truly one of the shiattiest companies around. Yet anyone who games owns dozens of their products.

Not everyone.

I worked with EA a few years back. At one point they called my boss to express their displeasure that I wasn't planning to work on Thanksgiving day. I still made 70 hours that week but they weren't happy with how much time I was putting into the project. At the end of that project I was completely burned out and rather happy to be fired.

Since then I've boycotted EA. Yes, I understand that this means nothing to them and yes it means that there are a lot of games that I'd like to play and won't let myself. Once they've pissed off enough people that a significant number are doing the same it might get better.

About the only thing that really annoys me is that I won't be able to buy Plants Versus Zombies on the next platform. (Although given that they added micro pay to it on iOS shortly after EA bought them the next release will probably be too annoying to play anyway.)

Fano: Strategeryz0r: cman: Snarcoleptic_Hoosier: And piracy continues rise.

What does piracy have to do with it?

Why would you pay for a product they can turn off at any time? Why not just pirate it, so when the dickish company that produces said product decides to turn it off and not issue a refund for your wasted money/time you don't care?

Seriously, when will software publishers/mpaa/riaa realize they are the biggest contributor to the piracy problem? Keep jacking the price up, minimizing customer value/return, and/or shutting off a product you farking paid for with little to no warning. That'll ensure nobody wants to just steal your product.

[cdn-www.i-am-bored.com image 640x660]

Nice to know they just don't get it.

I love that picture. Everytime piracy gets brought up, that needs to be the only argument given. You can go on about price and artist compensation, but really it all comes down to I just want what I paid for, not a bunch of bullshiat the studio wants to throw at me for the priviledge of watching their movie/listening to their music/playing their game. Don't force me to watch bullshiat ads. Don't force me to listen only in approved devices. Don't force me to be online connected to your servers in order to play. I am paying for a product, and through that payment I am reserving the right to use that product when and where I see fit. If they are so greedy/controlling that they cannot respect that right, then fark them, I will take what I want and they will get nothing.

imontheinternet: NutznGum: You have EA doing this and now Apple won't approve any app that links with Dropbox because you can buy more storage from Dropbox through the third party app. The only reason they're doing this is because all purchases must go through them. And they're probably not happy with Dropbox's instant photo uploading because it takes away from the wonder and magic of iCloud.

Walled gardens suck.

[imgs.xkcd.com image 640x304]

/oblig

Nah, XKCD still comes off as smugly thinking he is superior and is probably autistic.

EA is only interested in supporting their current products. They continually shut down servers for games that are no longer making them money, even though they continue to sell them. Older copies of Madden Football games are still being sold new in stores despite the fact that the online servers were shut down years ago.

Personally I wont buy an EA game.

cman: Snarcoleptic_Hoosier: And piracy continues rise.

What does piracy have to do with it?

Why would you pay for a product they can turn off at any time? Why not just pirate it, so when the dickish company that produces said product decides to turn it off and not issue a refund for your wasted money/time you don't care?

Seriously, when will software publishers/mpaa/riaa realize they are the biggest contributor to the piracy problem? Keep jacking the price up, minimizing customer value/return, and/or shutting off a product you farking paid for with little to no warning. That'll ensure nobody wants to just steal your product.