EA in a Nutshell

[norm]

EDIT 3: Btw, i am a strong believer against DLC. I don't like it, and never bought any form of DLC. That being said, I think its a good idea to lengthen the life of a game. Personally, I would like it to be free/very cheap like PC mods, but if people are willing to pay for it, I hold nothing against the business. They are doing their job.

Interesting because EA's approach to DLC nowadays is to include it in the games production cycle and then simply withhold the content at release, and then charge the gamer a premium to unlock, as was the case with Back to Karkand (Battlefield 3) which was just 4 maps they rehashed from BF2.

So by EA doing "their job" they are actually degrading the gaming experience. They seek to extract as much money as they can in return for as little as they can. And it's this attitude of theirs that's pervading throughout most of their games.

The fact EA's share price has fallen 43% since the Nov 2011 shows you investors are losing confidence in them.

 

[BigChief]

I've been fed up with EA for years now but their empire is so big it's hard to not buy the games because so many other people buy and play them.

 

[Gimpymoo]

They are doing their job.

Point WELL AND TRULY MISSED.

 

[R.P.L]

Can't view the vid at work, but I will echo the 'don't like it, don't buy it' sentiment above. It drove me crazy how many people pre-ordered BF3 then moaned about how rubbish / unfinished it was - I tried the beta, knew it wasn't for me and probably wouldn't be finished to an acceptable degree for release, and so didn't buy it.

 

[snave]

Unfortunately common sense, isn't.

 

[olivier renault]

Point WELL AND TRULY MISSED.

Some do their job better than others.

 

[twist3d0n3]

I've been fed up with EA for years now but their empire is so big it's hard to not buy the games because so many other people buy and play them.

this really.

i keep buying them, but feel miffed after playing them for a while. i'd love to boycott them but get caught up in the hype for some of their games

 

[Mr Sustainable]

It's not like Valve are all lollipops and rainbows either.

Exactly, just look at the way they have treated their fans over Half Life 3 / Episode 3!

Yes, I know they don't owe us anything, but no news for HOW many years? Dreadful arrogant attitude.

To be honest I have started to go off gaming due to the industry - final nail was Mass Effect 3 where I cancelled my pre-order, because of the money grabbing Day 1 DLC - which by all accounts was clearly designed into the game from the start (don't care what EA said) and was a big part of the overall story - shame I will never know.

I enjoy a bit of Sins of the Solar Empire (have all versions), but even they have hoodwinked their fans IMOHO with the release of rebellion, which was supposed to be a 'new version' of the game, but in reality it is a expense add-on pack.

I think I will stick with [star trek] FTP until something amazing comes out.

 

[Dark Kyon]

LOL. So very true.

 

[Afran]

How I've looked at EA for quite some time ^^ This is what Blizzard are becoming too

 

[KillBoY_UK]

Activision is far more evil Ubisoft are not to far behind as well , Imo I think EA have gotten much better since when they were at there worse in around the mid 2000's but I don't like the over use of the Bioware name atm

 

[Naff8000]

I kept hearing that EA we're changing their strategy, they had learn't from the Westwood experience but I haven't really seen any changes.

Exactly, just look at the way they have treated their fans over Half Life 3 / Episode 3!

Yes, I know they don't owe us anything, but no news for HOW many years? Dreadful arrogant attitude.

I think that's quite the opposite situation.

 

[Daichin]

Interesting because EA's approach to DLC nowadays is to include it in the games production cycle and then simply withhold the content at release, and then charge the gamer a premium to unlock, as was the case with Back to Karkand (Battlefield 3) which was just 4 maps they rehashed from BF2.

So by EA doing "their job" they are actually degrading the gaming experience. They seek to extract as much money as they can in return for as little as they can. And it's this attitude of theirs that's pervading throughout most of their games.

The fact EA's share price has fallen 43% since the Nov 2011 shows you investors are losing confidence in them.

I would ask what "their job" is if it isn't to extract money out of people.

Back to Karkand took some months to come out if I recall. I didn't have a problem with it. Preorder and you get future DLC. Don't preorder and you won't. I didn't preorder, I bought BF3 a few weeks after release. I didn't enjoy it in the end and didn't buy Karkand.

The whole ME3 thing was awful. I didn't buy ME3 as a result. I, personally, won't be buying anything from them again unless it's well reviewed and doesn't have terrible DLC policies.

Once again, people need to remember that if they don't like something they don't buy it. Simple as. EA won't be getting money, they won't be doing "their job", they'll have to change their policies and everyone will be happy. Remember that, in order for a company to extract money out of people, they need to have that money given to them.

Silly videos on the internet which consist solely of hyperbole (a massive barrier to constructive conversation) really won't change any of EAs policies or how they operate as a business.

 

[Howitzer]

Not entirely in agreement with the message... but it's darn funny!!

 

[queamin]

I kept hearing that EA we're changing their strategy, they had learn't from the Westwood experience but I haven't really seen any changes.

I was thinking the same, first thing came into my head was Westwood and how RA and C&C are today and look what happening to DA2

 

[Yamahahahahaha]

Don't like it? Don't buy it.

There are plenty of good games around which aren't made by EA / BlizzardActivision / Ubisoft.

 

[gronf]

Most excellent! Can never have too much righteous propaganda against the infidel!

May Steam be upon you all, Gaben-u Akbar!

 

[drunkenmaster]

Meh the vast majority of games fanchises go downhill VERY quickly, but because studio's tend to buy game dev's up after the first game, the the second game seems ****, people blame EA(or the other guys doing the same). Fact is, idea's get stale and most dev's tend to screw up most sequels badly. For me, Hl2 is good but not as good as Hl1, however the episodic content is both, exactly the kind of thing people rail on EA for, less content, higher price, supposedly bring us more content quickly but fail spectacularly in execution, yet Valve get their arses kissed.

One of the only companies you might attribute to EA and going downhill is Bioware, however I think it was more feedback on console and how all console games seem to be going more than EA, ME2/3 are pathetic compared to the first one, and DA:2..... complete turd.

Realistically best thing to do these days is, new IP, and jump ship before the cash in sequel. It's all well and good hoping and praying the follow up is great but 9/10 games, the follow up is pathetic and the company being lazy and stupid. One good idea, one game, then out of idea's they do stupid things, write a **** story, put no effort in and see a quick buck taking advantage of the games reputation.

 

[panyan]

Competition breeds innovation, remember.

Exactly!

EA seems to have bought all the competition so that they dont have to innovate!

 

[norm]

Back to Karkand took some months to come out if I recall. I didn't have a problem with it. Preorder and you get future DLC. Don't preorder and you won't. I didn't preorder, I bought BF3 a few weeks after release. I didn't enjoy it in the end and didn't buy Karkand.

You're missing the point entirely. EA could have quite easily included BTK in the release of BF3, but they purposely withheld it from the game to use as part of a promotion. (Same way they offered early Beta access to BF3 if you bought Medal Of Honor (they never told you at the time it was only 2 days early access, making a completely pointless offer but generated them a lot of sales).

It's this kind of conceited opportunistic behaviour I dislike about EA. They are out to milk the gamer whereever possible. There's no soul or heart in the business any more.

That's the message this video is trying to convey.

Silly videos on the internet which consist solely of hyperbole (a massive barrier to constructive conversation) really won't change any of EAs policies or how they operate as a business.

No it won't change EAs policies in the short term one bit, but it aims to enlighten people's perception of them, which will hopefully result in less sales for EA, which I assure you will lead to them changing their ways in the long term.