OT: EA worst company in america; 2nd year in a row; achievement GOLDEN POO

Submitted by newfoundhbomb on

i'm a gamer and i'm sure alot of you are as well.  so i'm sure you guys will find this article entertaining.

over on the consumerist website EA was voted as the worst company in america for the 2nd year in a row.  they list a few reasons along with a tournament style bracket.

 

http://consumerist.com/2013/04/09/ea-makes-worst-company-in-america-his…

AnthonyThomas

April 10th, 2013 at 5:43 AM ^

You can pin that one on EA. They bought out their competitors (who made better games) and were producing the only college basketball game. It was pure, unadulterated shit, though, and no one bought it. So they stopped. 

Sports games could be light years ahead of what they are if they gave a shit. Look at how good FIFA and NHL can be. Why not football?

Logan88

April 10th, 2013 at 7:19 AM ^

I am (err....was) a HUGE BioWare fan but the quality of their games has gone downhill so quickly since being purchased by EA that I haven't even purchased Mass Effect 3 and I really enjoyed the Mass Effect series.

I am now looking forward to seeing if Obsidian Entertainment or InXile can assume the mantle of best RPG developer in the business.

Hannibal.

April 9th, 2013 at 11:18 PM ^

It's just an internet poll that is being taken too seriously. 

There's a big flaw with the argument.  By definition, a games company can never have as much negative impact as a major oil company, because they deal in intangible products that aren't essential to the economy or hazardous to the environment.  They have to be judged by what they do within their industry.

Nobody at EA should be making the argument that a bad game is less detrimental than an oil spill or a home foreclosure.  EA isn't in those businesses.  They are in the business of making games, and they have sucked at it for at least a few years.  A gut reaction shouldn't be a defensive response like that.  It should be some soul searching about why there is so much hostility towards them.

(I haven't seen confirmation that it's real yet though).

I also see this as part of a larger pattern going on in the gaming media and in the industry to plug their ears and marginalize critics. 

SteelCityMafia

April 10th, 2013 at 12:57 AM ^

What if I don't have reliable internet connection? What if I just want to play the game offline, without EA tracking everything I do, or IT'S A DAMN SINGLE PLAYER GAME (cough SimCity cough).  What if I want to play a game while traveling, or where there isn't a wired internet connection available (buy this wireless adaptor for $90!)

This DRM fad will no doubt transfer and spread like a virus to other types of games and platforms.  XBox 720 requiring constant internet connection? No thanks.  There's no reason.  This opens up Pandora's box, like the rumor that the XBox 720 won't have physical copies of the games, just digital.  I want a disc for the game, damn it.  This way companies can't pull an EA on me and shut down the servers of a game I love and paid for a few years ago, and/or force me to use a patch that breaks the game/makes it worse.

There are so many things wrong with the DRM and the attitude behind it.

thisisme08

April 10th, 2013 at 8:58 AM ^

My parents, along with the nieghbors just had to pay Charter big $$ to finally have cable internet installed down a main paved black top road, 3 miles outside of a city that has 20 some thousand people in it. 

The US is the worst industrialized nation for broadband access so, always on is kind of a big deal. 

Mr. Yost

April 9th, 2013 at 10:37 PM ^

...everyone knows they have the ability to create a game that everyone wants, yet they don't do it because they have no competitor.

Every year people request specific features or wonder why simple issues haven't been fixed. But EA answers to no one and that's why the product "fails."

I just wish every 2-3 years they give an honest product that gives the consumer everything they want. They never do.

 

Chaggi

April 9th, 2013 at 10:38 PM ^

You should've seen the mess that is FIFA for the PS Vita

The versions were released a few months apart, and the only difference was updated rosters. Charged full price for it too. 

Ball Hawk

April 9th, 2013 at 10:44 PM ^

I actually broke out the Tecmo Bowl about a month ago as I was cleaning out my basement. I didn't get much accomplished cuz I was playing with the 49ers. What a simple game and I loved it.

ixcuincle

April 9th, 2013 at 11:04 PM ^

Other than FIFA 13, and Battlefield 3, EA provides some pretty bad games. NCAA is okay. 

FIFA 13 may be the best game out right now. Barnsley career mode is addicting. Players keep demanding trades though. You're at a 4 star EPL program. 

If you don't have FIFA 13 you should definitely get it. FIFA games have consistently been some of the best EA Sports puts out. 

WMUgoblue

April 9th, 2013 at 11:09 PM ^

Aside from the Mass Effect series (seriously worst ending ever) EA is pure garbage, this might be the best game they've had in the last 10 years.



ironman4579

April 10th, 2013 at 11:35 AM ^

As much fun as it is to bag on EA (and they do put out a TON of crap), this statement is a little ridiculous to me.  In the last ten years:

Mass Effect series (which you mentioned.  The ending doesn't ruin the other 2+90% of the rest of the series).

Army of Two series- Not a great series by any stretch, but still good, silly, fun games.  Actually got my wife to play CO-OP with me, so I'll always enjoy them.

Battlefield series- Not all the games obviously, still a popular series.

Crysis series- pretty games if nothing else.

Dead Space series

FIFA series- Excellent footie series.  Some people prefer Winning 11, but still very good games.

MVP Baseball 2005- the best baseball game ever made.

NHL series- by far the best hockey game on the market the last few years.

Shank series

Star Wars the Old Republic

Team Fortress 2

Now I realize EA is just the publisher for alot of these games and not the developer, and I'm no EA apologist but still, those are some pretty good games just in the last 10 years.

goblue20111

April 9th, 2013 at 11:19 PM ^

I was really excited to buy Madden 2012. I went to my cousin's house right after. He eneded up playing it first and signing it up for online on his PS3. Neither one of us knew that in order for me to play it online on my PS3 I had to pay $10 more dollars. Fuck them. 

TruBluMich

April 9th, 2013 at 11:33 PM ^

After the NCAA cover vote, I wouldn't be shocked to find out theres a message board post, on a Texas A&M blog, explaining how to vote multiple times in this poll.