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Video Gamers Sue EA Over Exclusive Sports Games

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Sports video games are a huge business -- and for many years, it was an extremely competitive space. I remember a few years back trying to wade through half a dozen different baseball video game titles to figure out which one was worth buying. However, a few years back, video game giant EA started signing "exclusive" deals with a variety of sporting leagues, including the NFL. These "exclusive" deals supposedly meant that only EA could produce games with the names and stats of real players -- a huge selling point among most fans. And, of course, in gaining exclusivity, EA has completely cashed in. However, a bunch of angry video gamers are now suing the company for anticompetitive conduct, noting that these exclusive deals killed off all the competition, allowing EA to drastically raise its prices.
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techdirt.com
Alternative Sources:
EA Sued by Gamers - joystiq.com | By: Hershy999
kornbeaner - contributor
Published: 549 days 16 hours ago | News | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 | Wii | Sony PSP | Nintendo DS | PlayStation 2 | Gaming | Industry News | Dev News
 
 

Showing: 1 - 8 of 8 Comments
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PS360WII - 549 days 17 hours ago
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ooh I hope EA loses ^^
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TheHater - 549 days 17 hours ago
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I hope so also. Then we can bring back the 2K series.
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cp68 - 549 days 17 hours ago
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2 - DEATH TO EA!
I shall pray the mighty lord for EA to lose.
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FCOLitsjustagame - 549 days 15 hours ago
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I was wondering why no one ever sued over this. I would have hopped it would have been a company wanting to compete but having somekind of class action user suit may work too. The exclusive deals are certainly anti-competative and has lessened the quality of these games. (not sure it has raised any prices though, since all games come in at the same price).
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Topshelfcheese - 549 days ago
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The reason no one sued over this is because they are going to lose, this won't even see a court date. First off, these people are going after the wrong company. It was the NFL that decided they wanted only one company to make an offical game and had a bidding war for the exclusive licence. You people need to get over your petty hatred of EA and open your eye's. The only way you can stop EA from making Madden every year is to stop BUYING it.
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aggh im on fire - 548 days 22 hours ago
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If they win does that mean we can sue Sony and Microsoft for not putting there so called exclusive games on rival consoles?
This is crazy. They put the licence up for bids and EA won.
Hey maybe i can sue McDonalds for stopping me selling BigMacs or Rockstar for not letting me make GTA games. This is just plain stupid.
If you don't like the game don't buy it. Don't blame EA if your the idiot buying it.
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DraconWolfX - 548 days 21 hours ago
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Your analogies are wrong. The problem is that EA didn't create/invent the NFL. McDonalds invented the Big Mac, Rockstar holds the right to the intellectual creation of GTA. EA didn't invent the NFL. This whole lawsuit SHOULD happen. Madden was $50 before NFL 2k5 came out at $20. EA lowered their price down to $29.99. As soon as they got the exclusive license they raised the price back to $50 (now $60). How is that NOT anti-competitive?
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kewlkat007 - 548 days 21 hours ago
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6 - That's some Shady practices
That's what you call a Monopoly.

I've been playing 2K series since the first one on Dreamcast.

Never liked madden.

Them bastards..This is all about Money.
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