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If EA was personified, he'd be just one big greedy bastard. And ugly...

If you're not really sure why I would think this, then don't bother with this topic, but if you do know a little about EA's business moves the past few months, what do you think?

Like I hinted at, I think EA is going way overboard. Many analyst and whatnot have said EA is smart as hell, but they're just damn greedy and cold. I know it's all business, but buying all the rights to the NFL and basically stealing Take Two's ESPN deal just because EA is afraid of some competition and want the WHOLE market, not just most of it... come on. And now making this move on Ubisoft... it disgusts me.

Are you guys as mad as me? Do you even know what I'm talking about?

This is news to me... probably since EA interests me little. I've heard about its employment problems, the crunch times they impose on eager young programmers that are never given a break. Yeah, come to think of it, EA always irked me a little even back in the 90s.

EA was always this way, is this way, and will be this way. They'll do it until they're stopped.

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At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

I've never been a big fan of EA and this is just one more reason to dislike them.

Someone likened EA's buyout of Digital Illusions to the want of "buying out every video game company", which I got a laugh out of, but in actuality, they're ruining a lot of great companies. Call it competition or whatever you want, but I have grown quite tired of crappy sports titles every year with no relevant features being added.

Plus, with how they treat their employees (look up EA lawsuits), I'm surprised they sell as much as they do. Tough work down in the trenches...

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It's gonna be a glorious day
I feel my luck can change

I own NO games from EA, and never will. They lost me as a consumer a while ago. I garuntee you though, they dont give a ****.

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"Dance, water, dance!"
-Demyx, Kingdom Hearts II

"I met my love before I was born..."
-AFI, 'Love Like Winter' from 'Decemberunderground'

Currently Playing: Guitar Hero, Shadow of the Colossus

I agree with this letter in April's issue of EGM:

Quote (Eric Hysen)

Ever since EA's NFL exclusivity agreement, everyone's been accusing the megapublisher of monopolistic practices. It was the NFL, however, that started shopping its license around to publishers, and pretty much everyone put in a bid. The blame lies with the league. EA simply did what it had to do---and what any company would have done---in order to stay competitive.

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FFXI (Siren server)
Tauu the Windurstian Tarutaru!
White Mage & Paladin

I read that article myself, i90. Thanks for posting that excerpt from it.

Folks can be mad at EA for what they did, but any company that had the resources available would have done exactly the same thing, if they could have.

I am not a rabid EA fan, but I think it's ridiculous to sit on a high horse and bash them for their business practices when you all know damn well that smaller companies were salivating over the same deals. The NFL shopped out their license to anyone who could afford it. EA could, so they scooped it up. It was a shrewd business move, and it all but ensured EA's survival for years to come.

If you don't like EA games, fine. If you like them, but won't buy them for "moral and ethical" reasons, that's fine too..... though I would put you in the same category as vegetarians who don't eat meat because they want to "stem the suffering". Think about it for a moment, though, and you'll see that all gaming companies are the same way.

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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

What can we do about it? EA's just gonna keep releasing powerful games like Madden, Sims, Need for Speed, TimeSplitters, and James Bond games. The thing is that they can put any price they want for these games. I'm pretty sure that Madden 2006 will cost more than $50 upon its release...

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Yunalesca: "Hope is...comforting. It allows us to accept fate, however tragic it might be. "

Yunalesca: "Poor creature. You would throw away hope. Well... I will free you before you can drown in your sorrow. It is better for you to die in hope than to live in despair. Let me be your liberator. "

It very well may. And you know what? The masses will eat it up, as always.

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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

I think EA's employment practices prove that all gaming companies are not the same. Whatever...it's not a big deal to me, I don't buy EA games because they really aren't that good. I mean maybe once upon a time Madden was innovative and new, but now it's the same rehashed junk every year w/ an updated roster. There is really no reason not to buy the ESPN game and play half the price. Or at least there wasn't until this year.
Whether or not other companies with the means would have done it as well, it definately is bad business ethics. Microsoft didn't go to court for not doing anything wrong.

This post has been edited by The Ancient on 16th March 2005 14:27

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"That Light has bestowed upon me the greatest black magic!"

I thought the only "bad business ethics" were if you didn't make money?


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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

The best article I've ever seen regarding EA's recent activity is at DFC Intelligence. Go to this page and scroll down to "EA Dominance".

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FFXI (Siren server)
Tauu the Windurstian Tarutaru!
White Mage & Paladin