EA: "I Struggle with the Perception that We're just a Bunch of Bad Guys"

GamesIndustry - "Behind the big blockbusters, EA is offering very friendly deals for indie developers -- EVP Matt Bilbey tells us why."

[Nitrowolf2]

The the small employees aren’t the bad guys, But you’re working for a company that has time and time again made several greedy moves That the vast majority don’t like

The head honchos dictate things. They set the tone but you guys follow it still and I don’t blame you because it can be tough to find a job in the game industry.

I’m sure there’s internal conflicts happening all the time there but at the end of the day it’s the final decisions that lead the company Identity

[Bleucrunch]

That is a perfectly sound argument. The senior management are the ones making the decisions, the smaller employees know exactly why the company gets so much hate from the gaming community, they are not the stupid ones.

[indysurfn]

EA is feeling what I have been preaching for years. Eventually they will have the Circuit city effect where there is a tipping point of bad will towards them from consumers.

[Retroman]

It's Not the senior management making decisions but the Investor's telling them what to do
Trickle down to ghost games.

[rainslacker]

EA actually is really good with their indie publications. I've worked with them, and found then to be knowledgable and really capable, and they dont "intefere", although they often have really good ideas on how to make games better...which doesn't mean add MT.

Most of the hate for EA is centered around their big games, because obviously that is what most people care about.

But, the trickle down effect means it's all one corporation. Not much can be done about it unless you can get the execs.to stop doing things that people dont like.

[Dabigsiebowski]

@rainslacker The plan for Games as a service and the amount of Microtransactions in nearly all lineup of their games if pretty bad. EA was successful in a big way even before all that nonsense and I used to not actually mind buying a game under them. Now I won't touch them or anything that has their name on it with a 10 foot ethernet cord.

[Chexs1990]

The problem is primary stakeholders and top-shelf management IMO. Management is trying to too off their fiscal turnover come a new year.
This basically led to all the dumbass decisions we've seen for the last 3-4 years especially.

The regular employee just follows directions, but the top is the one giving the direct orders to "innovate" the monetization scene and push it in there, harder and harder.

I do think it's a pity though, since I expect the top management isn't looking at ethnographic consumer behavior, only the raw numbers from their analysis.

[DarXyde]

"The head honchos dictate things. They set the tone but you guys follow it still and I don’t blame you because it can be tough to find a job in the game industry."

Keep in mind that EA is massive, especially in this industry. It goes without saying that the executives are the ones at the reins, but I think you may be underestimating how much control they have. Specifically, you seem to be understanding, but also kind of judgmental by saying "The the small employees aren’t the bad guys, But you’re working for a company that has time and time again made several greedy moves That the vast majority don’t like".

I don't work in this industry, but if you've spent your entire career as a game developer at EA with no other experience, it's rock- meet- hard place. If I'm being candid, an employee doing anything to piss off EA could very well be a career death knell. They're programmers, sure, but at the end of the day, they're still in the entertainment industry, and that's pretty tough to recover in when you've aggrieved the powerful.

[WelkinCole]

How free market is suppose to work is that gamers vote with their wallets. Unfortunately for many of us many more still buy EA games.

EA need to get their profits up yoy for their shareholders and for their top fat cats to get their million dollar bonus

The money has to come from somewhere so thats us while they try to spend the least they need to. I mean look at Anthem for example.

It is what it is.

[Imortus_san]

The majoraty of people love EA, if they don't, then how do their games sell so freaking much.

[DarXyde]

I wouldn't go that far.

I think most people are kind of "hardwired" to buy the annual sports franchises and recognize EA as "that logo that comes up every time I play my sports games"; I don't think it's love, so much as it is tradition. Like, I think if there's a string of truly abysmal sports titles year after year, people will stop buying them without really blaming or confiding in EA. If you can believe it, I know people who have had to Google "who makes Metal Gear Solid"- this conversation came up about a month ago, actually. And companies know this, which is why they often advertise new projects in terms of games instead of companies (e.g., "From the creators of [insert franchise with a positive reputation]"]Even if another company picked up the Madden license, if a high tier studio like, say, Naughty Dog made a Madden game, those same people who moved away from the series would probably not come back without some kind of assurance that a quality studio is handling it. I don't think the average person attributes much to EA nearly as much as the game itself, which actually protects existing franchises with a good reputation.

The people on this site are actually more informed than the general population who kinda just see a trailer for a game and get hyped.

But yeah, I don't think saying people love EA is quite right. Anthony Mackie made a point about movies that I think is also true in games where he said in the 80s, people went to see "the new Sylvester Stallone movie ", but now, it's about going to see "the new Captain America movie". It shows you that people attribute excitement for the product rather than who brings it to life; likewise, the average person cares about "the new Madden", not "the latest game by EA". So yeah, I think people will continue to buy EA: because the company practices aren't relevant to the average person. I think it's a shame because the "surprise mechanics" comment will go largely ignored, I'm sure.

[trooper_]

Well said.

[xRacer74x]

EA keep making money ignore the haters. Those people complain to complain its what the USA does best now. Whine and complain about everything small and big. Looking forward to Madden in a few weeks. Than you can hear people whine and complain it has not changed enough or that you own console rights to football. Its always something these days with the whiners and complainers.

[ApocalypseShadow]

You have no idea what you're talking about. And, you're part of the problem of why they do the things they do.

Anyone familiar with EA and their practices over the years, the closing or shady management of good developers after buying them, the locking up of more than just the football license to kill competition, the money hungry schemes to please their investors, their tag along jumping in with Microsoft in 2013 of trying to kill used games and gamer ownership, the lazy yearly development using the same game engines they acquired after buying their competitors, their "SURPRISE MECHANICS"...

You may love them. I'll continue to boycott them. Any money given to them only leads them to use it to monopolize more licenses so that no one else can make a licensed game that could be better. Or make them step up to produce better products.

Thank you for your poor consumer spending and blind loyalty.

[gangsta_red]

So xRacer just can't enjoy the games from EA without having to get into some sort of backroom politics about it?

Everything you described has happened with pretty much every huge developer and publisher in this industry, the fact that EA seems to get singled out for this is not only puzzling but hilarious. Money hungry schemes? Shady management? Pleasing investors? Are you just running the generic big business gamut of what you believe is happening, because that's exactly what it sounds like.

You may have a valid complaint about EA closing a lot of studios they bought but then again, who in this industry hasn't done this?

Maybe you're the problem, unable to put aside some bias or high horse attitude towards a company but then excuse other companies when they have been doing the same thing for a while now. This is evident when as per usual with you, you want to drag in MS with your agenda, but lets not even talk about Sony's own exploration or "tag along" into the so called "killing used games" space.

https://attackofthefanboy.c...
https://www.eurogamer.net/a...
https://www.geek.com/games/...

"...only leads them to use it to monopolize more licenses so that no one else can make a licensed game that could be better"

Who else is handing out their licenses for others to use? Seriously, this makes no sense at all. Isn't this why companies go after licenses, for them to be the only ones to use.

"Or make them step up to produce better products."

EA doesn't make quality products? EA games may not be for everyone but saying they're not stepping up with better produced products is definitely not true.

"..using the same game engines they acquired after buying their competitors,"

Yes, because no one else does this at all. Are they suppose to completely trash an engine after purchasing it? How much sense does that make?

"Thank you for your poor consumer spending and blind loyalty."

Says this guy who is just as blind from others devs/publishers doing the same thing in this industry.

[Shikoku]

Yes he can't @gangsta_red shill if he is on a forum running his mouth about it. If you don't want to be involved then STFU and stay home pretty simple.

[FITSniper]

EA has certainly engaged in behavior designed to get the most money out of people, but as far as closing developer studios, blame the studios for getting greedy themselves. They weren't forced to sell out to EA. They did it for money.

[Christopher]

***the fact that EA seems to get singled out for this is not only puzzling but hilarious.***

Not really. They're the most notable and egregious of the offenders outside of mobile games and they make horrible comments to try and cover it up that can be easily ridiculed by the gaming community. Their SWBF2 response was seriously bad. Their recent comments about "surprise mechanics" and how lootboxes are "actually ethical" were even worse.

Sure, they're not the "only ones" but they are a major problem and have had clapback from Disney alone because of it, let alone the gaming community. Add in their handling of BFV controversy, Anthem being the game it was thought to be but wasn't, and the like, it only makes them a bigger target.

[xRacer74x]

Im the problem. I support a company who releases games I enjoy. if you do not like them Do not buy their games. Easy as that.

[gangsta_red]

"Add in their handling of BFV controversy, Anthem being the game it was thought to be but wasn't, and the like, it only makes them a bigger target."

Should we also not recognize some of the great games they also released or were involved with from the past or upcoming games, Apex Legends, Sea of Solitude, past Battlefields, BattleField Bad Company, A Way Out, etc.
Being the supposed biggest target doesn't necessarily make them the right target to turn all this cynicism and hatred on. Especially when there's an admittance of every company doing the same thing as EA does.

They have had their share of problems like any other company who has been in this industry for this long. But a lot of these *issues* seem like they're being blown way out of proportion by folks on the internet that continuously have nothing good to say or hold extreme grudges against a company no matter what they do or how many quality games they still release to all systems.

Besides, ridiculing EA is one thing, adding a hefty amount of exaggeration (shady, money hungry, etc) makes it sound like EA is the Extensive Enterprises ran by Tomax and Xamot of the video game industry.

[rainslacker]

EA likes to try and defend itself against practices the consumer doesn't like. Other companies dont. That's why EA gets more attention. People complain about other companies, but those other companies dont keep poking the bear, hoping the bear will share their honey.

Basically, EA gives openings to be attacked, and historically, they say they'll change, do better, and start listening, only to do worse on their next attempt.

EA doesn't need to defend itself against haters, but if their practices are causing sales to not meet expectations, then they have to explain themselves to investors. That's what's been happening the past couple years with a couple games that came up short. Some of the openings they provide aren't because they want to discuss it, but out of necessity.

Other companies just dont have the same negative perception. Whether they deserve the same hate or not is irrelevant to how people view them, but in general, other publishers aren't quite as ecstatic to find ways to fleece the customer, and certainly they dont brag about how it's good or necessary.

[RememberThe357]

EA sucks and most of their games suck. I'm a Battlefield addict and BFV is a shit show. Sparse content, the new updates have actually made the game run worse (constant frame drops, invisible enemies, missing animations), terrible stat tracking, lack of identity. And before you all point to DICE, EA gave them roughly 8 months to make this game. 8 fkn months...

[Zenbaby369]

I for one just hope that when my kids get a little older. That I don't have them come to me and ask me to get them something that can ONLY be gotten from a loot box. Then my options are A. Make the kid sad and try to explain to them why. Or B. Give in and be forced to literally gamble for the kids happiness.

On another note. Can you guys imagine if back in the day you had to pay the full price of a game for each world/level in mario games? lol

[-Foxtrot]

You...yes YOU are the reason the rest of us level headed people keep getting screwed over by EA

The type to lube themselves up before big Daddy EA has even parked his car on the drive way.

[Christopher]

Eh. I wouldn't blame most gamers who are informed for the issues. It tends to go down to those who are less informed and play games because of streamers or the like. The goal to be better sooner than anyone else, not just because they like the game.

[xRacer74x]

Yet, I find you the to be the issue. complaining about microtransactions you do not need to buy is just plain silly and a waste of your and my time.

[xX-oldboy-Xx]

xRacer74x - People BANG on about others buying MT's because it validates them and give EA the ammunition to sit in a court house in England and say things like - "People like surprise mechanics".

As is indefensible in this regard, but here we are people are defending them! It's bullshit and then EA have balls to cry foul - bunch of pricks.

[rainslacker]

I'm not screwed over by them because I dont buy many of their games. The ones I do buy tend not to have significant MT to get into the politics of it.

Its helped they've moved away from a lot of their SP offerings, because i dont have to worry about missing out on a good game which has bad practices attached to it.

@xracer

Sometimes their games are designed around MT, and it effects the main game. Others just find it distasteful to sell things the way they do...namely with loot boxes, because they feel its exploitative. Even if they aren't personally affected by them, it doesn't mean someone can't recognize what may be a bad practice.

More so...EA has a bad habit of only getting worse over time. It may be hard to comprehend what may be worse than loot boxes, but one thing that most can agree to, it's that EA is the one thinking of that right now. Probably watching the mobile market to rip it off from that market.

[PapaBop]

@xRacer Say that to Star Wars fans. Microtransactions ruined Battlefront 2.

[Christopher]

***Yet, I find you the to be the issue. complaining about microtransactions you do not need to buy is just plain silly and a waste of your and my time.***

I disagree with this. I don't disagree with being "too harsh" or "too whiny" in how we present it. But, complaining about things is important and playing it off as "if you don't need them then don't buy them" isn't the right thing to go with.

Why do I say this?

Gambling is regulated for a reason and has limitations for predatory actions to entice people to participate. And even with those regulations, it's easy to still sell it as something you can definitely win at.

Lootboxes/MTX are similar. There needs to be a boundary between what is acceptable and what isn't so that it doesn't become predatory.

Ubisoft used to be way more predatory. Then they backed that train up and started doing less predatory things and making it easier for people to obtain mostly cosmetic, non-gaming affecting stuff via normal gameplay (or weekly challenges).

EA was extremely predatory with SWBF2 release. Complaints didn't remove MTX/lootboxes, but it did force them to make them more reasonable and less taxing so that it would almost guarantee that if you wanted to get something you would need to spend money rather than wait for two months or so and hope it dropped for you.

There should be limitations on the predatory elements of these games and complaints about them help to announce when they are predatory and when they need to be fixed.

[ANIALATOR136]

If you don't whine and complain, you never get change.

[gangsta_red]

So has EA changed, because I've been seeing a lot of whining and complaining about them for a long time and yet EA is still doing what they're doing

[FITSniper]

False.

[NXFather]

That's because you are a vocal minority group unfortunately for you guys and it often does not end up working but, oof.

[Christopher]

***So has EA changed, because I've been seeing a lot of whining and complaining about them for a long time and yet EA is still doing what they're doing***

Yeah, they have...

SWBF2 changed.

Apex Legends is more acceptable rather than heavy handed like other EA games.

They're actually making a Star Wars SP game after cancelling two others and citing that the profit margins for a SP game wasn't a good investment for them.

Now, FIFA... that's something that hasn't really changed. It's like a blind spot for EA and the community.

[gangsta_red]

Didn't SWBF2 bring back the loot boxes in some other form even after the backlash? No clue actually, i thought i read that somehwere.

Besides loot boxes was a controversy that wasn't just specifically aimed at SWB2, but was the industry hot topic for a while with that game included.

Point is, whining and complaining never seems to get the change done more so than actually not playing or purchasing the game.

[rainslacker]

Best you really get from EA is some promise they'll do better. Then they usually end up being worse.

[Christopher]

***Didn't SWBF2 bring back the loot boxes in some other form even after the backlash? No clue actually, i thought i read that somehwere. ***

The complaint: The implementation of lootboxes was extremely predatory.

The initial response: "provide players with a sense of pride and accomplishment for unlocking different heroes"

The response: Holy crap, you're not getting it. Let's downvote this Reddit response.

The follow-up response after being contacted by Disney as well: "Okay, we've drastically reduced how much time it would take to unlock the stuff you want."

The response: Okay, that's better. Let's not do that initial set up ever again, ok?

---

The feedback by actual players of the game wasn't to remove the lootboxes, but to reduce the predatory nature of them that created a sense of never being able to unlock the content within a reasonable amount of time. There are still people who are anti-lootbox, but the players of SWBF2 got what they wanted.

This is similar to NetherRealms and Injustice 2 issues. They reduced them drastically as well. And in MK11 they moved game affecting unlockables to accomplishments and had lootboxes as almost entirely cosmetic items.

So, the issue is that people think the complaint was about lootboxes existing, it wasn't, it was about how bad they were. People complained. They responded horribly. People complained to new levels. They made changes and those changes reflect what they've done in Apex Legends and will likely do going forward.

***Point is, whining and complaining never seems to get the change done more so than actually not playing or purchasing the game.***

You can't stop other people from buying games. You can get people who own the game to agree with a complaint, though.

So, I disagree with you there. Let alone the fact that if people don't buy the game they tend to blame the developers when it's a publisher issue applied to the game.

[Potnoodle999]

You know what gangsta, you may be right. I mean look at the colossal amount of disagrees you get and all the whining about your completely nonsensical opinions.... and you haven’t changed! You are the entertaining one on here, MS Butt buddy and now your in for EA too!? Holy hell I think you just like to go against public opinion😂 ah well keep doing what you do, it’s hilarious to read👍☺️

[harmny]

Well said

[gangsta_red]

You have a point but I disagree with the "USA does best now". Why this whole notion that only people in the USA complain is hilarious especially when you have sites like this one filled with complainers from all over the world.

[Hungryalpaca]

You’re complaining about complainers. Sounds more like you’re the issue.

[NXFather]

Cuz it was his idea to start it all the time, oof.

[spicelicka]

What's worse than whiners are people that bend over and take it, and worse than that are people who ask others to bend over and take it too. I think you're camp # 3.

[NXFather]

People uninterested in EA games are good though. You guys know a thing or two about taking it since "As I said, we could never beat you."

[Eulderink]

it's not the problem that they make money but how they make it...
and yea i hate on them cause of that just like i hate on other practices i disagree with.
It's just common sense.

I mean you're also hating on people who are hating on EA, guess we're not so different after all ;)

[Enigma_2099]

How's that kool aid taste?

[Angyobangyo]

It's not xRacer74x is a surprise EA shill!

Interesting how they're the company that caused legislation by governments to be brought forward. It even got bipartisan support in the US and banned their mechanics in some EU nations. For whiners and complainers, we are enjoying seeing EA trying to lie to different governments by re-labelling their mechanics to keep screwing over gamers like you.

You sure do use complain and whine a lot for only 4 lines. Who's the whiner and complainers again?

[yoshatabi]

Oh look. One of the idiots EA does this for in their natural habitat

[Potnoodle999]

Mate... you are just the WORST! Quit being part of the f*****g problem.

[SephirothX21]

@shikoku
Oh please go for in a fire

People love jumping on bandwagons and hating like sheep. Sure EA are underperforming but they are no greedier than any developer. It's just that their games of late are not as good as they used to be. That's down to the designers. Not executives. And people complaining about frostbite haven't a clue what they're talking about because they're not technical. A game engine is constantly being updated and evolved by the engine team like any piece of software and the reason for their games being below par has nothing to do with the engine. I'm a software engineer working in a games company btw...

[Activemessiah]

Thats exactly what a bad guy would say...

[Steveoreno1]

Let them keep thinking this as we watch their slow destruction. We will never forget! Say its name..........anthem. that one game taught me so many lessons. Thank u EA.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

I mean, EA is a bunch of bad guys so yes that's correct.

[Father__Merrin]

EA have made some of the most brilliant franchises ever.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

*EA have made some of the most franchises ever and eventually ruined 90% of them.

[Srhalo]

Correction: EA has bought companies who made some of the most brilliant franchises ever.

Then they shut them down.

[Shikoku]

Yep

[indysurfn]

THANK YOU! Perfect comment.

[rainslacker]

EA way back in the day was an awesome publisher. Near the beginning of last gen is when they started becoming what they are now. Not everything they do is bad, but they certainly have some notable bad qualities.

[annoyedgamer]

EA have BOUGHT some of the most brilliant franchises ever. And EVERY SINGLE ONE is ruined.

[InflectionPoint]

To be fair, EA has done NOTHING. EA is a publisher, its game studios that do the work. All EA is there to do is distribute and market. The fact that they are able to push the game studios to implement their publisher schemes is sad, but the alternatives are for the studio to not have funding to make or complete a game.

[nommers]

Technically EA provides the money to the developers for them to be able to create, much like any self preserved developer. It's the same as any other game company regardless if they are the publisher or the developer. It's on EA however to manage those funds appropriately since they are the publisher and can pull rank creatively.

[Rachel_Alucard]

EA assigns revenue goals and the game studios have to find a way to reach those goals. Separate budgets are assigned to different departments like textures, models, sound, etc. They also do all of the marketing. So they do way more then you think. Game studios are also to blame in this regard since it's up to them how they get the revenue each quarter. Some studios will implement horrible predatory items like Treyarch did with Blops 4, others like Massive make more fair ones with Division 2. That's one of the reasons why Anthem is so bad economy wise is due to Bioware's half assed market where they just couldn't finalize on a price point for items and kept the grind slow and awful and kept making it worse. They realized not enough people were buying the game to warrant the predicted revenue target they were trying to hit, then instead of leaving it they just made it worse. Never increase the workload on players. Only so much time in the day.

Source: EA insider

[Brave_Losers_Unite]

Yeah like a decade ago. Now they are the greediest pieces of s**t

[Angyobangyo]

.....and then single-handedly destroyed them

[wheresmymonkey]

No EA holds the rights to some of the best franchises ever.
The people and studios that made most of them are long gone thanks to EA.

[yomfweeee]

Because a billion dollar corporation backs some small indies, which is a drop in the bucket financially... we're supposed to ignore all the bad? Riiight.

When was the last time EA tried to do something to change the industry in a positive way?

[milohighclub]

If you cant see why the public think this of you then you're obviously part of the problem... dont act innocent. After 20+ years, you know what's what.

[Platformgamer]

you are

[Baza]

Delusional and out of touch with reality = every EA Exec.

[MasterCornholio]

Then fix it!!!

[tigertron]

"Are we the baddies?"

[AngelicIceDiamond]

EA hasn't done anything to change that public perception. Its hard to look at them as "heroes" When they practice greediness time and time again. They're the ones who kicked off this whole lootbox debate in the first place. A debate that hasn't been seen since Mortal Kombat released and government officials came up with the ESRB rating.

[bluefox755]

Then maybe stop doing everything your consumers despise.

[RosweeSon]

Online passes banning second hand sales microtransactions cash grabs dlc and yearly churns can’t think why.

[stokedAF]

They’re not evil, they are incompetent.

[Hungryalpaca]

They’re greedy.

[stokedAF]

That’s an ignorant way to look at a business. Making money is the only reason they exist. They didn’t close visceral because they were greedy, they didn’t close black box because they were greedy. They just don’t have any passion for games anymore. They make what sells. It’s not their fault people shower them with billions of dollars for trash. Of course they are going to keep making trash.. incompetently.

[Zenbaby369]

@stokedAF
I find it funny to say that it's an ignorant way to look at business. Sure the point is to make money, that's pretty obvious right? Which to me means only one thing. That when someone says a company is greedy, they are referring to the company doing immoral things to make more money. Or doing so with disregard to anything or anyone else. Like I dunno, fracking. And why do you think making money is the only reason a company can exist? I like to think there are at least a few companies in this world that run to help the lives of others. I hope I don't offend you, but I think it speaks to the character of the person if they think what you appear to think. I mean I get what you're saying, but I hope now you can see how it could be different?

[stokedAF]

@zen
Ruining franchises and studios isn’t immoral, it’s incompetence. When EA sees the the ridiculous amount of money they pull in because of micro transactions they literally think “wow people really don’t want single player games anymore we don’t need this single player studio anymore. They are following the money like any business would. When they release a skate game 1 year after the last with no real changes or budget and it flops they really think “wow skateboarding games aren’t popular anymore, shelve the studio and franchise”. That’s not greed it’s just stupidity with no real pulse on the true gamer base. The people that buy more than 2 games a year. Or maybe they just don’t care about that base because they can make easier money with people that buy card packs and whatnot. It’s not greed if people buy it, that’s supply and demand.

I’m not offended at all, that’s just my opinion and I respect yours. Businesses aren’t greedy, that’s their nature. You adapt or die. People are greedy at the expense of others and their business.

[0hMyGandhi]

all Matt needs to do is google "developers that EA Killed" and you can find your answer rather obviously.
EA isn't solely to blame for bad practices within the game industry, but its use of these "bad faith" and predatory tactics and the willingness to perpetuate them on a massive scale is why people not only don't like them, but many don't trust them. But hey, if Matt doesn't seem to understand what's wrong with EA, he'll probably go far within that company.

[harmny]

And how many developers have gamers killed with their blind hate and fanboyism?

[AngelicIceDiamond]

How have gamers killed developers due to fanboyism I don't follow.

[0hMyGandhi]

Not quite sure I follow. Most developers receive their marching orders from publishers. They are the ones that put up the capital and take risks. If a developer changes on a dime, or implements microtransactions and other "goodies", it's usually because the publisher forced them to do it.
Or are you actually implying that gamers, through sheer ignorance are boycotting developers because of their own personal beliefs/agenda?

I can virtually guarantee you that there is far more of the former than there is of the latter.

[lazyboyblue]

Don't like the smell? Then don't roll in it.

[opc]

I stopped paying attention to their games for awhile when they left Steam. It wasn't on purpose. I just have enough games on Steam so I didn't bother. Nowadays, Origin is pretty decent and Origin Access is a great deal for third party games... but EA doesn't have any recent games that interest me. If they make another great SP game like Dead Space, I'll check it out.

[bikar]

EA did not put a game I would play in a long time so there is really no need for me to boycott them.

If the BFV was any good I would buy it.

[DillyDilly]

Stop doing bad anti consumer business practices

[indysurfn]

Right!? I mean come on.

[Arty84]

The decisions behind BFV especially its pre release promotion is enough to understand why

[neomahi]

You're kidding, right? EA access, Origin, Lootbox, do I really need to go on? You don't give a shit about your customers, it's fees and more fees, more ways to pick their pocket and nickel and dime em to death, you tell me.
Let me tell you something about how Canadian businesses operate and why consumers end up paying for it. If you apply for a position at a Canadian corporation, not even as an executive where they're in Vancouver and you live, let's say in Kentucky, and they're CONSIDERING YOU, this is how it looks. "Alright, so we'd like to bring you in for an interview here in Vancouver, the interview might take 30-45 minutes so what we'll do is cover your flight costs and we'll have you picked up, grab you some lunch on us and then we'll have dinner that evening over the interview, we've got a reservation for you (at a nice hotel) for the night and we'll fly you back tomorrow." This is for real, I know someone being interviewed as a pion that went through this, yup, very brief interview to tell him NO. They just wanna throw money around instead of being wise with it because they know they have a ton more coming in and waste doesn't matter to them, that's it. Consumers wind up paying for all that, that's why EA are assholes.

[indysurfn]

Yeah like for instance, they said we have no plans for micro-transactions for star wars.....then 48 hours later there where MICRO transactions. This did not get developed in 48 hours- tested- and manufactured.

You sir are the type of person that would be at the Boston tea party instead of defending people for selling out to unfair practices.

[Shikoku]

Then stop acting like one and doing anticonsumer action.

[strayanalog]

EA isn't seen as a "bad guy" because they're made up of bad people, the company is seen as bad because they make dumb decisions and defend them. This is one of your defend moments now.

Since you have the Star Wars license:
EA: "I struggle with the perception that we're just a bunch of bad guys."
Yoda: "That is why you fail."

[indysurfn]

A rotten tree produces rotten fruit. In this case the top of the corporation produces the rotten fruit.

[quent]

A Determent to gaming as whole in how they set the standard for greedy business practices and popularizing them is more like it

[Bleucrunch]

EA can cry me a river, no one is forcing gamers to purchase games from EA, (well, if you want to play NFL football games you have NO CHOICE but to purchase from EA) so if gamers do not want to purchase there games because they think EA sucks who am I to tell them different.

On the other hand if gamers want to purchase EA games, let them, it's their money, but excuse me if I do not want to support any gaming company for ANY reason I want. It's my money and I certainly wouldn't tell another gamer how to spend their money on what games to buy.

Now lets come back to reality here, for the folks who are on EA's side, if you really think that so many gamers who do not know each other have similar gripes about EA and its practices, your conclusion is that we are complaining and making it up? There isn't a basis and or reason for why EA is getting so much hate from the gaming community?

Are you saying we should just purchase games anyway because YOU said so???

Listen you EA loyalest, purchase and play their games I ain't mad at that, but seriously do not tell us what to do with our hard earned money. Screw EA and no I do not support them nor their bullshit...FOH!

[indysurfn]

You sir are the type of person that would be at the Boston tea party instead of defending people for selling out for unfair practices.

[Bleucrunch]

I am unsure what your angel is with that post, care to elaborate please?

[indysurfn]

Oh I thought everyone knew of the boston tea party. Basically before America got free of unfair taxes practices from the British on goods, like the tea party people protested (even though tea meant everything to them at that time) and they threw it over board into the sea. Instead of selling out to being taxed without representation.

It is a complement.

[Bleucrunch]

Ahh ok thank you very much for the explanation, that flew right over my head.

[Parasyte]

Then stop being a bunch of greedy assholes!

[sprinterboy]

EA "I struggle to understand how greedy you are and how out of touch you are with gamers"
You are the cancer of the industry

[thepatientgamer]

“Surprise packages”

[milohighclub]

-_-

[Sophisticated_Chap]

The executives are the ones who have completely lost touch with reality. There is also no question in my mind, that the decline in the Battlefield series and the Mass Effect series are 100% due to exectuive meddling. Let the studios do what they want, and they'll be even more successful. Right now however, EA and their studios are being damaged beyond repair with Andrew Wilson at the helm. I'm sure he is the master when it comes to FiFa, but he is just clueless when it comes to anything else.

[NXFather]

"As I said we couldn't beat you."

[InflectionPoint]

Any publically traded company will try to get the most out of its products, and often at the consumers expense. Yes, in the gaming world were there are people who makes fantastic games with a small group of people and give away dlc, you are the bad guy. Don't like your customers opinions and their ability to get more for less elsewhere? Well maybe don't be a publicly traded company and just be happy developers would choose you to publish their games instead of forcing micropayment systems on consumers.

[RavenWolfx]

Quit destroying my favorite studios.

[Gwiz]

Zeh struggle lol

[Knightofelemia]

The author forgot the words EA is also ran by dumbasses. EA has managed to piss off gamers from closing down great studios and scrapping great franchises. Took a big name like Star Wars and managed to run it face first into the ground with loot boxes and microtransactions. They have rushed out games that are crap Andromeda was rushed so ME is basically dead now and Andromeda was dropped by EA very very fast. Anthem is on life support who knows when EA is going to stop beating that horse. I know if I worked with a studio and it was bought up by EA I would jump ship better to find a new job then have a studio closed. And still hoping you're transferred to a new department or worse be out of a job if EA decides to close the studio.

[DigitallyAfflicted]

Bunch of crooks!

[Brave_Losers_Unite]

Breaking News: "You are the bad guys!"

[txboy05]

You’re not bad guys you’re scum bags !!

[chazjamie]

If you ask me, Take 2 and Activision are a 1000 times worse than EA. I will never understand why those companies don't receive half the amount of criticism as EA. Activision started the whole add microtransactions after release shit. Then Take 2 and VC. Fuck all that noise.

[mogwaii]

Psychopaths never know that they are psychopaths.

[StarkR3ality]

🍿 🍿 🍿

These comments gunna' be good.

[yeahokwhatever]

Individual contributors from the current generation lack the courage to reject the poor decisions of the higher ups when they are presented with them. This wasn't an issue for gen-x. This is small symptom of the greater problem of an emasculated society. My generation is doomed.

[BadElf]

Guys? Sexist, no?

[PiNkFaIrYbOi]

Not a perception it is reality.

[Rambokind]

EA is a horror show of a company. I refuse to buy any games from them.

[william_cade]

EA at it's core is a loot box wrapped in adverts.

[Tross]

If you don’t want to be regarded as a bad guy, don’t be a bad guy. Sure, I feel bad for the employees who might actually be great people, but the suits in charge are bad guys no matter how you cut it. Cigar smoking, backroom dealing bad guys.

[titans9999]

no no no, not bad "guys," just really really really REALLY bad "developers!!!!" oh, and I would add "delusional" as well...and also poor decision makers, horrible public relations, money hungry cluster fucks...."...umm ummm umm, well, ok, you are all BAD people.....

[The7Reaper]

Well get used to it because you are the bad guy EA

[yoshatabi]

If you honestly struggle with that like you claim you do. Then you would try your best to change but you don't. Nothing but lies

[addictedtochaos]

It is a reputation that EA has earned.

[DazaMc]

That's what Darth Vader said!

[BlackDoomAx]

Bad guys is too much positive. You (EA) are more like scumbags and bullies.

[slayernz]

fifa is a classic example of how EA ruined a game with their microtransactions and pay to win.....fifa 15 i would often play with silver teams and beat (often thrash) teams full of high rated cards as if you had the skill you could beat them easily.........this is now nigh on impossible to do as theyve basically dumbed down and wrecked the gameplay and made it so even if you are absolutely rubbish if you buy the best players you can still compete

[wheresmymonkey]

the company is literally preying on people with addiction issues to boost their profit and had the ghoul to sit a government committee and lie under oath.
They deserve the hate.

[Hyperstrada]

I don't think EA is evil or hate them , But I don't really like many of their offerings . TF2 is good. I cant think of any others I bought from EA.

[WickedLester]

This is why I try to do business with as few publicly traded companies as I possibly can. Once a company goes public, it's focus ceases to be putting out a quality product at a fair price and instead, how much money can they generate for their shareholders. I understand the temptation for a company to go public. The potential for a large influx of capital on the front end is hard to turn down. However quality seems to ALWAYS take a hit, whether it be immediately or gradually over time.

[Juusterey]

Probably help if Ea wasn't awful
most companies tend to learn to at least avoid the negativity even if not doing too great in peoples eyes
but ea goes from starwars battlefront 2, to anthem, to "they're not lootboxes, they're surprise mechanics"

[drunkenspy007]

then stop acting like money grubbing bad guys

[GamesAsAService]

I feel that now more than ever there has to be a paradigm shift in terms of game monetization.

I have been brainstorming over the years as to how additional monetization methods could be integrated into games in a way that is non offensive that the gaming community would be fine with.

I think we see certain trends that make more sense than others.

I think solving this problem is going to be the most important issue for the gaming community to solve. IF we can solve this problem we can expect great things out of this industry.

The rising cost of games is an inevitability. So how can we help these companies in guiding them to a mutually beneficial and accepted system of monetization in addition of the sales of games themselves? I want to know, because right now companies are just throwing methods of monetization at a wall and seeing what sticks.

As of now there are only a few ways we can have a sustainable future for games.

1) The development of developer tools that streamline games development that can increase productivity and speed of production. AKA very easy to use game engines and design tools that will allow maximum productivity from developers. Tools that are easy to use and powerful thus amplifying the output of individual employees at these companies. Something where rapid iteration of new ideas can be done quickly and at low cost. Where smaller teams can develop more ambitious projects at lower cost.

2) Storefronts that provide greater cuts of profits to developers.

3) Accepted rules of monetization. Free games = monetization. Nonfree games = monetization at a decrease in cost of sticker price of game. Full priced games = no monetization.

4) guidelines for acceptable forms of monetization. No form of monetization that compromises the gameplay and design of a game. Monetization should have no seat at the table when developing systems that the game will use to be played.

5) (This is just a shot in the dark) Perhaps advertisements in the form of product placement like in film where appropriate (as a form of non invasive advertising, and only if it fits the work in which it is in (maybe red bull partnership with Pubg, as shield drink almost looks like it already) etc.

I would love to hear suggestions from other users on this topic. Perhaps highlight instances where you have seen instances of monetization that you thought were done in a fair and classy manner. I think the gaming community has already been leading the charge in terms of what we deem acceptable and not. If we are putting our money where our mouth is, the companies will follow the money. Customer goodwill is now something that has tangible value and visible effects the performance of a game over time. It is in their best interest to keep us on their side.

[AnubisG]

I remember a time when I've seen the EA logo and knew it will be a quality game. Those days are long gone. Now when I see the EA logo I associate it with microtransactions, lootboxes, incomplete half-assed games and unlimited greed.

[DarkKaine]

"Behind the big blockbusters" case closed and extremely weak argument.
If I kill someone but still donate to charity it doesn't make me any less of an asshole.
As long as they have garbage pay 2 win mechanics nobody's stance is going to change, even if they try easing us in we see right through all the bs due to past experiences.
Thank god for technology and social media. It used to be downright impossible to influence others, now it's actually hurting their wallet. Suck it up EA, Activision and Blizzard.

[aarogree]

Mythic Entertainment. Pandemic Studios. Visceral Games. Bullfrog Productions. Surprise mechanics.
These and more are why you're perceived as a bunch of bad guys, EA. The only reason you're not perceived as the literal worst video game company ever is because you're not making Dragon Age pachinko machines.

[Yi-Long]

You're in the gaming industry. It's extremely simple.

We like games. You make games. Make a good/great game, and we'll buy it.

Try to nickel & dime us, and we'll take our money elsewhere.

Invest in creating a nice wide variety of cool games (Remember those days of Def Jam FFNY, Burnout 3, Skate, SSX3, NBA Street, etc etc!? Go do that again!), and gamers will take note.

Nowadays, EA is barely releasing anything interesting, and when they do, they'll ruin it with their greed ...

[Mylove1516]

EA/Activision/take two/ and some others are greedy..

Greedy =bad.