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How EA stopped being the worst company in America
- Thread starter shinobi602
- Start date
The "winner" changes each year, those terrible true titans had already "won" before.
Shalashaska161
Member
They never we're the worst, or close to it even. The poll just always got hammered by people with nothing better to do than vote in online polls.
It's cool that it sounds like EA took it to heart though.
It's cool that it sounds like EA took it to heart though.
It's the cycle of multi-million dollar corporations. A studio/publisher/developer starts off on the right foot. Pro-consumer, quality output and seemingly selfless. They become successful and lucrative, and after some time - turn selfish, exploitative and anti-consumer. They get put in their place for the bullshit (negative PR, impacted revenue/sales, etc.) and then they become pro-consumer, selfless and begin to pump out quality output once more. And the cycle continues.
Gamezone
Gold Member
That's what I mean. The western world actually, as a whole, felt the ramifications if a few banks fucking up because of their own wallets, a few companies did irreversible damage to our nature that our kids will have go deal with. But nope, let's attack a shitty publisher that doesn't really matter in the long run.
Smh
Suzushiiro
Banned
True, the title of most hated company in gaming tends to get passed around a lot between the big publishers. Konami is almost certainly at the top of the list right now.
They haven't been perfect since their last win but they seem to "get it" more than they used to. The fact that they've been more than willing to delay shit when it's not ready (see DA:I and Hardline) attests to that.
Dick Justice
Banned
And you think that an online poll will affect jack shit in any of those companies. How adorable.
[written with an internet connection on a machine that requires an internet connection]
The big issue is that no matter how many times Bank of America is talked about in the news and people get riled up, they are never negatively impacted by whatever any media or people say. They earn golden poo award for sure but it would not impact their business of screwing people over unless the courts get involved.
EA did a lot of their worst stuff in 2013 and beyond:
Sim City
Dungeon Keeper mobile.
Disasterous launch of Battlefield 4.
In 2013 after they won the award alone. If anything they deserved to win the 2014 (I'm assuming the award is for the previous year) award MORE.
I don't think they deserved it in the first place when companies like Comcast and Bank of America exist, but this redemption narrative is a bit iffy.
Edit: looks like I was off, they won in 2012 and 2013, and it's for that current year. I don't really think we've seen a whole lot of improvement from them yet though at least their 2014 was better.
Sim City
Dungeon Keeper mobile.
Disasterous launch of Battlefield 4.
In 2013 after they won the award alone. If anything they deserved to win the 2014 (I'm assuming the award is for the previous year) award MORE.
I don't think they deserved it in the first place when companies like Comcast and Bank of America exist, but this redemption narrative is a bit iffy.
Edit: looks like I was off, they won in 2012 and 2013, and it's for that current year. I don't really think we've seen a whole lot of improvement from them yet though at least their 2014 was better.
truestatic
Member
Mostly just them getting out of the spotlight. No single colossal fuck-up to galvanize vitriolic fans into spinning up a huge campaign to win EA the award.
DoctorFling
Member
Nice try EA, I'm not buying Battlefront.
fabricated backlash
Member
Now you get nice worded PR releases while being robbed. How nice of them...
To me EA is still a criminal organization that scammed me out of 130 Euros calling me a thief and a pirate. Fuck this scum.
To me EA is still a criminal organization that scammed me out of 130 Euros calling me a thief and a pirate. Fuck this scum.
Gamezone
Gold Member
So after the previous "Worst Company in America" EA has:
- Released the horror version of Dungeon Keeper.
- The always online DRM with Sim City.
- Killed Maxis.
- Released mediocre versions of The Sims, Madden, NBA, UFC and NHL.
- Announced that the next Need for Speed will be always online for single player, and Mirrors Edge 2 is rumored to have the same DRM.
So I ask, did they ever stop?
- Released the horror version of Dungeon Keeper.
- The always online DRM with Sim City.
- Killed Maxis.
- Released mediocre versions of The Sims, Madden, NBA, UFC and NHL.
- Announced that the next Need for Speed will be always online for single player, and Mirrors Edge 2 is rumored to have the same DRM.
So I ask, did they ever stop?
Imperfected
Member
I know it gets said every time this comes up, but while big oil and agriculture and pharmaceuticals all certainly have examples of worse companies, for the most part those businesses are providing commodities that are (or at least are widely regarded as) fundamentally vital, rather than consumer-centric luxury goods.
Not to say there's no value in getting the public informed about how bad a given oil company or agriculture business is, but given that most people can't (for all practical purposes) stop buying their products even if they actively want to, drumming up a general discontent with those companies isn't anywhere near as useful as it is when compared to public backlash against an entertainment company.
To have any influence on the actual big industrial firms you have to go several steps beyond mere outrage and actually bring concerted, national-level action against them. Meanwhile, bad PR alone can have a substantial impact on the operations of a company like EA.
Americanmushroom
Banned
Still usable without internet connection
Lionel Richie
Member
All day erryday.
In the bigger picture EA was never even remotely close to the vile scum of other industries, like banks, insurance companies, utility companies, or cable companies. Any company with a monthly bill or 2-year contract is far worse.
They weren't even the worst gaming company. At least they were releasing some innovative games and helping developers via the Partners program. Activision on the other hand churned out a heap of derivative sequels that negatively affected and even destroyed entire genres. I really hope they don't oversaturate the rhythm genre and screw Harmonix again.
They weren't even the worst gaming company. At least they were releasing some innovative games and helping developers via the Partners program. Activision on the other hand churned out a heap of derivative sequels that negatively affected and even destroyed entire genres. I really hope they don't oversaturate the rhythm genre and screw Harmonix again.
I'm sorry you're upset at some customer service issues that meant you lost some money but lets not pretend their anything close to a criminal organisation.
jaundicejuice
Member
They've learned nothing if Need For Speed and Mirror's Edge 2 both require persistent internet connections. I stopped being their customer years ago, although that's more their fault than anything. When they stopped releasing newer content on Steam, I stopped buying their games.
Are the applications that allow you to post on GAF usable without an internet connection?
Grab your pitchfork and start yelling at Mozilla?
Are you people serious?
Note that it says "worst company" not "worst game company." It takes a serious perspective deficit to think EA outranks Chase or Bank of America, companies that have destroyed thousands of people's lives and given zero fucks about it.
Gaz Pwnage
Member
Pretty sure nothings changed?
DoktorEvil
Banned
There are bigger fish to fry and you've managed to take your anger out on the one that matters the least in the bigger picture. Congrats.
Black Mantis
Member
They never were anyway.
RedNumberFive
Banned
This article kind of missed the point, and misplaces most of the anger. I think it was more about horseshit like Sim City and less about stuff like the Mass Effect ending.
Let's be real, does releasing mediocre video games qualify a company for being the worst in America when you have dickheads like Lumber Liquidators endangering the lives of people? No, it does not.
Lumber Liquidators is 100x worse than EA and then we have shady financial institutions to consider. Gamers just get lost in their bubble and don't look at the bigger picture.
If the Enron scandal happened in 2013 I bet there would still be gamers saying oh yeah EA is definitely the worst company.
Netherscourge
Banned
A lot of it was related to DICE's BF4 launch.
And BF3 for that matter.
And the Sim City Online stuff.
And Origin, as a Steam competitor, wasn't much fun to deal with. For BF3 & 4, for example, 1st you had to log into Origin, then you had to log into Battlelog, THEN you could possibly play the game if it didn't crash.
The problem, for a lot of their games, was poor QA, patches that didn't fix much or introduced new problems, almost zero community interaction, etc... They RUSHED out products to meet deadlines and launches (cough PS4/XB1 launches cough). It was nonstop dumb decisions.
Their EA Sports divisions were pumping out yearly recycled stuff with little new features or innovation (except FIFA and NHL, but some would argue they aren't going in the right direction now).
Pretty much everything that was under the EA umbrella reeked of monopolized laziness.
I'm not sure if anything has "changed for the better", but they were so low at the time, the only direction they could go was up - or plateaued.
And BF3 for that matter.
And the Sim City Online stuff.
And Origin, as a Steam competitor, wasn't much fun to deal with. For BF3 & 4, for example, 1st you had to log into Origin, then you had to log into Battlelog, THEN you could possibly play the game if it didn't crash.
The problem, for a lot of their games, was poor QA, patches that didn't fix much or introduced new problems, almost zero community interaction, etc... They RUSHED out products to meet deadlines and launches (cough PS4/XB1 launches cough). It was nonstop dumb decisions.
Their EA Sports divisions were pumping out yearly recycled stuff with little new features or innovation (except FIFA and NHL, but some would argue they aren't going in the right direction now).
Pretty much everything that was under the EA umbrella reeked of monopolized laziness.
I'm not sure if anything has "changed for the better", but they were so low at the time, the only direction they could go was up - or plateaued.
Eh?
No one's shaming anyone for not voting for a specific company.
The shame should come from the complete lack of perception and context with the world and how it works. Voting for the 'worst company in America' is already dumb as shit. Then getting behind a fucking videogame company as the worst (despite being positive pastoral and social employers) is just insane.
Gamezone
Gold Member
Fair enough, but im pretty sure that Gaf is talking about them as the worst game company.
JustinBbad
Member
Agreed. Comcast is miserable.
First thing i thought off they still have a lot of horrible microtransactions in example Battlefield 3/4 and Hardline.
Prototype Viktor
Member
They stood next to Ubisoft and konami like a hot girl having ugly friends to make them look better
Why is GAF doing that in the conext of the actual title; Worst Company in America?
Doug Heffernan
Member
SimCity, BF4 and Fuse were the last big fuckups. Things have been much better since then, especially with EA Access.
Starfish Hero
Member
It always amazes me how seriously people take a poll like this. Who cares if EA "won" worst company over a company that strangles puppies or whatever. They only got a bit of bad publicity out of it, and all the companies nominated have that anyway.
Plinko
Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Gamezone
Gold Member
Like what?
RipperGrim
Member
Them getting that nomination was always just a by product of the Mass Effect ending fiasco, people being pretty immature about it. Made the whole list a joke.
It's the hypocrisy. Why are people even voting for such an award. Why is there celebration in the negativity of something?
Personally, I'm both intrigued and flabbergasted at the lack of context that so many people in this thread show. There's a big part of schadenfreude that makes me enjoy the debate but outside of that I'm just mentally shaking my head at it all.