Electronic Arts: Difference between revisions
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The company has been widely criticized for anti-consumer behavior, including: | The company has been widely criticized for anti-consumer behavior, including: | ||
* Forced obsolescence (cutting off 32-bit Origin support, blocking access to games players bought) | *Forced obsolescence (cutting off 32-bit Origin support, blocking access to games players bought) | ||
*Predatory monetization (sports game lootboxes and Star Wars Battlefront II, overpriced DLC) | |||
*Restrictive DRM (SecuROM, Denuvo) that restricts game access and modding | |||
*Exclusive licensing deals that lead to monopolies in sports genres | |||
*Studio closures and buyouts resulting in orphaned franchises | |||
Though EA did something right by open-sourcing older Command & Conquer games in 2025, its history of putting profits ahead of player experience continues to dismantle consumer trust. | Though EA did something right by open-sourcing older Command & Conquer games in 2025, its history of putting profits ahead of player experience continues to dismantle consumer trust. | ||
For more information see [[EA releases source code of classic command and conquer titles]] | |||
==Incidents<!--Page to reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Electronic_Arts Extra note: Incidents will be split into 2 sections: Standard incidents: self-explanatory Anti-consumer practices: practices that are in fact anti-consumer.-->== | ==Incidents<!--Page to reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Electronic_Arts Extra note: Incidents will be split into 2 sections: Standard incidents: self-explanatory Anti-consumer practices: practices that are in fact anti-consumer.-->== | ||
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===Buyouts and closures=== | ===Buyouts and closures=== | ||
In order for EA to hold its high position, it has been known to buy out its competition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stebbins |first=Samuel |last2=Comen |first2=Evan |last3=Sauter |first3=Michael B. |last4=Stockdale |first4=Charles |date=1 Feb 2018 |title=Bad reputation: America’s Top 20 most-hated companies |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/02/01/bad-reputation-americas-top-20-most-hated-companies/1058718001/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230013406/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/02/01/bad-reputation-americas-top-20-most-hated-companies/1058718001/ |archive-date=30 Dec 2019 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Usa Today}}</ref> Often, this has led to the detriment of the companies they buy out,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hsu |first=Tiffany |date=4 Apr 2012 |title=Electronic Arts: ‘Worst company in America’? Consumerist says yes |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2012-apr-04-la-fi-mo-electronic-arts-worst-company-consumerist-20120404-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> and by extension, the media which they release. A historical example, Westwood Studios, which pioneered the RTS genre with the ''Command & Conquer'' series, was shut down about five years after its purchase by EA, and its notable franchise was left abandoned years later, with entries either delisted or broken after GameSpy-based DRM were broken circa 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maiberg |first=Emanuel |date=8 Apr 2014 |title=Reddit compiles terrifying list of games affected by GameSpy shutdown |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/reddit-compiles-terrifying-list-of-games-affected-by-gamespy-shutdown/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=PCGamer}}</ref> While its habit of buying and closing studios has thinned since 2008, it similarly closed Visceral Games, the developer of ''Dead Space,'' in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fingas |first=Jon |date=18 Oct 2017 |title=EA shuts down the studio behind 'Dead Space' |url=https://www.engadget.com/2017-10-17-ea-shuts-down-visceral-games.html |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=endgadget}}</ref> | In order for EA to hold its high position, it has been known to buy out its competition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stebbins |first=Samuel |last2=Comen |first2=Evan |last3=Sauter |first3=Michael B. |last4=Stockdale |first4=Charles |date=1 Feb 2018 |title=Bad reputation: America’s Top 20 most-hated companies |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/02/01/bad-reputation-americas-top-20-most-hated-companies/1058718001/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230013406/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/02/01/bad-reputation-americas-top-20-most-hated-companies/1058718001/ |archive-date=30 Dec 2019 |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Usa Today}}</ref> Often, this has led to the detriment of the companies they buy out,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hsu |first=Tiffany |date=4 Apr 2012 |title=Electronic Arts: ‘Worst company in America’? Consumerist says yes |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2012-apr-04-la-fi-mo-electronic-arts-worst-company-consumerist-20120404-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> and by extension, the media which they release. A historical example, Westwood Studios, which pioneered the RTS genre with the ''Command & Conquer'' series, was shut down about five years after its purchase by EA, and its notable franchise was left abandoned years later, with entries either delisted or broken after GameSpy-based DRM were broken circa 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maiberg |first=Emanuel |date=8 Apr 2014 |title=Reddit compiles terrifying list of games affected by GameSpy shutdown |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/reddit-compiles-terrifying-list-of-games-affected-by-gamespy-shutdown/ |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=PCGamer}}</ref> While its habit of buying and closing studios has thinned since 2008, it similarly closed Visceral Games, the developer of ''Dead Space,'' in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fingas |first=Jon |date=18 Oct 2017 |title=EA shuts down the studio behind 'Dead Space' |url=https://www.engadget.com/2017-10-17-ea-shuts-down-visceral-games.html |url-status=live |access-date=31 Mar 2025 |website=endgadget}}</ref> | ||
=== Switching to in-house kernel-level anti-cheat after purchase === | |||
See also: [[EA moves to in-house kernel-level anti-cheat on PC after purchase]] | |||
EA has implemented a change to the anti-cheat of several games after release including: EA SPORTS WRC, Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2, Battlefield 2042, Battlefield V, and Battlefield 1. This change breaks the ability to play the game, even after purchase, on older [[Windows]] versions and alternative operating systems to Windows including Linux and SteamOS. EA refuses to give you a refund for these games. | |||
==Positive incidents== | ==Positive incidents== | ||