Angry PS3 Gamers Sue EA Over Broken Battlefield Promise

[Woodsey]

Fuck me, a class-action lawsuit from gamers that's not retarded.

I guess the pigs have started flying.

I understand why they did it. Complicated business oddities. But end of the day, they did promise a product that they could, but didn't, provide. And there wasn't even a substitute.

Also, does this intersect in any way with the whole, "No class action lawsuits allowed" EULA bit? Actually just to go on a bit of tangent, what would happen if it was Sony doing this?

That's for Origin, which isn't on the PS3, and PSN, which didn't promised anything. It was all EA, and they're not protected from a class-action in this case.

But if there was no class-action suit allowed, then the customers would have been screwed. Simple as that. If they promised free 1943 on Origin, and you bought BF3 and they didn't deliver, you'd be screwed with now way to get them to hold up their end of the bargain.

I would doubt that any judge/court/whatever, if there was a case to be made, would throw it out simply because EA had said "you can't sue us so nuur". I know US law gets pretty mightily retarded in these sorts of areas, but I can't imagine it allowing them to go that far.

 

[General Vengeance]

Stopped buying EA games 2 years ago.

 

[sgtslacker]

I am no expert on law, but does the law even allow EA to deny class action lawsuits?

When it comes to Origin (their crappy version of steam) then yes they have the right because it is included with their EULA. However it is actually pretty specific about what kind of lawsuit is not allowed. You can still sue EA if they release a game on Origin and no one in the world can play it because you know you paid for a product, however something like this false advertising thing they just did they could get away with.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I was about to go into a tirade about retarded law-suits, but, after reading this, I was thankfully wrong.

Good God EA, can't you do something right for a change? That was a dick move and you know it.

 

[Xmaspast]

Sometimes I wonder if big game publishers have a special department for creating bad PR, because there's no way that they can generate this much by accident.

I don't know about other companies, but if history is any indication, EA certainly does.

 

[Baresark]

I'm not surprised by this at all. I remember when they offered BF1942, and I was surprised at the time they were offering it up since it was never a console release previously. I was a bit impressed that they were going to port the game to a console at all.

Low and behold, they spoiled one of the few positive feelings I have felt about EA in a really long time. If people think they are rotten now, I remember hating them for buying the game company Origin System. Why? Because I knew some of their more promising, fun and creative properties would disappear, as they did.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

EA, with bullshit like this you're making me wish more and more that Maxis wasn't absorbed into you...

 

[newguy77]

I am no expert on law, but does the law even allow EA to deny class action lawsuits?

When it comes to Origin (their crappy version of steam) then yes they have the right because it is included with their EULA. However it is actually pretty specific about what kind of lawsuit is not allowed. You can still sue EA if they release a game on Origin and no one in the world can play it because you know you paid for a product, however something like this false advertising thing they just did they could get away with.

I thought a contract was rendered void if it specified something illegal or unethical, where the anti class action lawsuit seems to be both. Or at least the unethical part would be cut out.

OT: What a bunch of pricks. Bait and screw you seems a bit light. It's a bit more like bait and bend over and bite the pillow, bitches.

 

[McMullen]

I'm not sure which is worse, that they didn't go through with it, or that they came up with such an insulting substitute "deal".

Someone at EA is not just stupid, but actively despises their customers. Hopefully that person loses their job.

 

[AstylahAthrys]

Waitwaitwaitwait. I lawsuit story on the Escapist that... makes sense? Yeah, I kind of hope these guys win. There's actual justification behind this lawsuit and what EA did was super douchey. So, good luck, dudes. Good luck.

 

[FoolKiller]

I am no expert on law, but does the law even allow EA to deny class action lawsuits?

When it comes to Origin (their crappy version of steam) then yes they have the right because it is included with their EULA. However it is actually pretty specific about what kind of lawsuit is not allowed. You can still sue EA if they release a game on Origin and no one in the world can play it because you know you paid for a product, however something like this false advertising thing they just did they could get away with.

1. EULAs have been shown more than once to be full of holes in the justice system.

2. I actually question whether it is actually legal putting that in the EULA. There are many things that are put into contracts but cannot be held up in court. This seems like it could be one of them

 

[Irridium]

I am no expert on law, but does the law even allow EA to deny class action lawsuits?

I doubt it though.

And if it is, then the law must be changed asap.

I would doubt that any judge/court/whatever, if there was a case to be made, would throw it out simply because EA had said "you can't sue us so nuur". I know US law gets pretty mightily retarded in these sorts of areas, but I can't imagine it allowing them to go that far.

The US Supreme Court ruled a while ago that shit like this [http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/04/scotus-rules-att-can-force-arbitration-block-class-action-suits.ars] is enforceable. Only way it can be overruled is by Congress. It's pretty much why Sony and EA have added their own clauses forbiding class-action lawsuits over PSN and Origin. Because now they know they can legally do it.

So yeah, it's a pretty shitty situation.

 

[lockgar]

Yeah, this is blatant false advertisement 101. Don't promise what you can't deliver, is that so hard?

 

[Smooth Operator]

Oh EA you crack me up, your money hungry soul knows no bounds
The real kicker will be when they realize Microsoft already made a deal for early DLC and they can't offer that either, we may yet see a double decker lawsuit before this ends.

 

[Quellist]

EA really have to lose this case or its going to set a very dangerous precedent.

 

[DTWolfwood]

would it not be cheaper just to settle and say ok Free BF1943 for all PS3 BF3 players. What would that cost EA? $1000 of bandwidth? <.<

 

[F'Angus]

Good on them for actually challenging EA on this.