Can you imagine a world *without* EA?
- Thread starter Emiscary
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I look back five or so years and I didn't care as much as I do now about who publishes a game. Now if it's an EA published game I don't bother with it, and while big publishers try to get in between myself and the game I want to play (with EULAs, DRM, and spyware crap like Origin) then my money will be spent elsewhere.
EA might be raking in the money, but they're hardly making a profit. I think they'd make more money than they do now if they just stuck to sports games (which I'm told they are good at.) That would be enough to keep me happy.
EA might be raking in the money, but they're hardly making a profit. I think they'd make more money than they do now if they just stuck to sports games (which I'm told they are good at.) That would be enough to keep me happy.
EA made a halfhearted attempt to "suck less" but eventually decided their reputation was ruined beyond repair and rolled with it. They made and make a lot of Money despite being seen as "evil" by most People who bother to follow gaming News.
They might even be performing some sort of twisted "Service" for the other Companies, EA will try out new barely legal or blatantly illegal Schemes to rip off Money and everyone can see what they can get away with.
This might (hopefully) backfire eventually in a hilarious Way when People eventually stop buying Games. The PC Market is not very lively right now (though i don't think it will die, it kept "dying" since around 1986) and its mostly because of Copyprotection. Which may very well cause your Game not to work at all.
The Console Market might be looking at some dark times as well when the Percentage of Gamers feeling ripped off with every other Game they buy will rise.
The Medium would be better off if EA where to go away. If only People stopped buying their Product, we might be looking at a Future where even EA's pile of Money runs out. And then we only have Ubisoft and Activison to content with...
They might even be performing some sort of twisted "Service" for the other Companies, EA will try out new barely legal or blatantly illegal Schemes to rip off Money and everyone can see what they can get away with.
This might (hopefully) backfire eventually in a hilarious Way when People eventually stop buying Games. The PC Market is not very lively right now (though i don't think it will die, it kept "dying" since around 1986) and its mostly because of Copyprotection. Which may very well cause your Game not to work at all.
The Console Market might be looking at some dark times as well when the Percentage of Gamers feeling ripped off with every other Game they buy will rise.
The Medium would be better off if EA where to go away. If only People stopped buying their Product, we might be looking at a Future where even EA's pile of Money runs out. And then we only have Ubisoft and Activison to content with...
tippy2k2 said:
I looked through that the entire list of EA's games and there is not a single one on that list that stands out as a favorite or loved game. I think other than a couple of the NFS games (underground series for ps2) that I actually finished.
So go ahead you can join the I hate EA ranks.
98% of the games on EA's roster are complete shit. EA puts out shit that's safe for them. Over and over and over they release a new version of the same game with a couple minor changes charge 60 bucks for it instead of releasing the new content as DLC. I mean they have 38 different FIFA titles for Christ's sake! The remaining 2% of the games that don't suck ass have brought virtually nothing to the table that could be considered revolutionary or even contain a shred of risk.
A world without EA for me would be a world of immense gaming possibilities where developers are free to try new things and give us the gaming community some truly wonderful experiences. Instead we have rehashed shit for years with little to no actual innovation, all thanks to EA.
Yes I can, the gaming world was a much better place before the recent generations and these new mischievous and shoddy business practices.
I could just imagine some of the headlines if EA never existed...
'Bullfrog announces Dungeon Keeper 3 following the success of new Syndicate game'
'Mass Effect fans find secret thanks for your support message from Bioware in game files plus a special surprise'
'FIFA series to drop yearly releases for cheaper rooster/kit expansions instead. "It just makes more sense to not expect our fans to fork out £40 a year for a game with only minimal improvements," say lead designer.'
'Activision wins most hated company award'
'Game studio closures at an all time low says industry expert'
'Latest survey says internet users complain the least'
Oh if only we lived in such a world...
'Bullfrog announces Dungeon Keeper 3 following the success of new Syndicate game'
'Mass Effect fans find secret thanks for your support message from Bioware in game files plus a special surprise'
'FIFA series to drop yearly releases for cheaper rooster/kit expansions instead. "It just makes more sense to not expect our fans to fork out £40 a year for a game with only minimal improvements," say lead designer.'
'Activision wins most hated company award'
'Game studio closures at an all time low says industry expert'
'Latest survey says internet users complain the least'
Oh if only we lived in such a world...
I would not have Battlefield Bad Company 2 on my top ten games list. Or Dead Space 1 and 2
As much as EA has been a massive dick, we need it to exist
As much as EA has been a massive dick, we need it to exist
Yes, i for one, would not be able to Challenge everything.
Seriously, while it is easy to rag on the fact that EA's business practices are horrific, and that (in my own HIGHLY subjective opinion) they seem to have taken Bioware strictly to the bones of being a commercialized business macine, they are a company.
Yes, they are a company who went into the games business making simple games and then built on this to expand their business. But it is my sincere conviction that they saw a market that could generate money, increase stockholder value and make money by the car load lots.
They're not the first company to do this, hell Westwood started down that road, but they floundered with subpar products. I believe, that in this opposite universe where there is no EA-. There will be another company that is equally big and have the same business habits, but under a different name. Gaming entry into mainstream society meant somebody would realize the commercial opportunity, could it be done with better business practices? Definetly. Do i abhor EA in certain respects, oh yes.
but if you truly hate EA and want it to fail. Support other studios, go indie, consolidate some other gamers assets and try to buy stock in EA, change it from within. Because unless somebody tries to change the way the game is played. EA will keep raking it in.
sorry if i went on a rant here, not trying to be critical, just trying to get some ideas rolling on a constructive note here
Seriously, while it is easy to rag on the fact that EA's business practices are horrific, and that (in my own HIGHLY subjective opinion) they seem to have taken Bioware strictly to the bones of being a commercialized business macine, they are a company.
Yes, they are a company who went into the games business making simple games and then built on this to expand their business. But it is my sincere conviction that they saw a market that could generate money, increase stockholder value and make money by the car load lots.
They're not the first company to do this, hell Westwood started down that road, but they floundered with subpar products. I believe, that in this opposite universe where there is no EA-. There will be another company that is equally big and have the same business habits, but under a different name. Gaming entry into mainstream society meant somebody would realize the commercial opportunity, could it be done with better business practices? Definetly. Do i abhor EA in certain respects, oh yes.
but if you truly hate EA and want it to fail. Support other studios, go indie, consolidate some other gamers assets and try to buy stock in EA, change it from within. Because unless somebody tries to change the way the game is played. EA will keep raking it in.
sorry if i went on a rant here, not trying to be critical, just trying to get some ideas rolling on a constructive note here
Can I? well sure and its a much happier place at least for me no other company has earned as much hatred from me as EA I dont know why but I have really detested them for as long as I can remember I have bought EA published games (rarely) because they have occasionally published great games usually from studios they are just about to destroy but it would have been a lot better for another publisher to pick up these titles.
You dont gain such an ill reputation without pissing off quite a lot of people and generally being a grade SS dick.
You dont gain such an ill reputation without pissing off quite a lot of people and generally being a grade SS dick.
I stated this to Smash earlier and I'll just say it again: The point isn't that these games are good or bad. The point is that EA is one of the few big companies willing to take risks. I think most of us would agree that at the very least, Spore, Skate, and Mirror's Edge were pretty big risks.Lunar Templar said:
That's a fair point but most developers don't take risks and pump out the same series over and over and they don't get any flak for it.SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
For fun, here's a few more developers and their five year original IP creation
Activision: Prototype, Blur, Singularity
Blizzard: Uh...goose egg (0)
Valve: Portal, Left 4 Dead
I'm sure there are other studios with lists as good as EA but I went with the other big dog and two "Escapist Loved Developers". These three big studios combined don't equal the original IPs that EA has released (again, five year window used).
The most important thing here is that gamers have demonstrated that they want the games that EA creates. People can complain and whine all they want but there is only one vote that matters to anyone: Did it sell? You personally may not have bought it but it's been demonstrated by sales charts that THESE are indeed the games that gamers want. Gamers have demonstrated that they WANT these big, AAA games. A big studio really is the only one who can deliver these types of games.
Lastly, just remember all the money that EA is pumping into gaming. You eliminate big companies like EA, you are eliminating a TON of jobs and money being pumped into gaming.
please, the only 'risk' on the list was Mirror's Edge, every thing else was a far safer bet.tippy2k2 said:
even Dante's Inferno.
I edited the post you're quoting (I do that a lot as I think of more things) after you posted this so I'll list them here:Lunar Templar said:
Spore was a big risk. This was one of the strangest games that have been released by EA with a big, expansive idea behind it (the multiple player-generated planets and user connectivity). Has there ever been a game like Spore before (or even a game like it after it was released)?
Skate was a risk (not a big risk but a risk none the less). A hardcore skating simulation that is only going to sell to niche audiences. This is the kind of game Atlus would pump out (EDIT: To be clear, I meant a niche title, not Skate specifically; I realize now looking at it that I wasn't being very clear), not a big machine like EA.
Mirror's Edge was a HUGE risk. There really had not been a game like Mirror's Edge before this (or at least not a big game, maybe on the indie scene).
With just these three we can see some big risks but ANY time a company pumps out a new IP, they're taking a risk. EA seems to be one of the few companies consistently pumping out new IPs. I'm sure others are at the same rate but off the top of my head, EA is the only one that comes to mind.
Yes. There are much better companies that publish games out there. Do I want EA to go away? Not really, just taken down an incredibly large notch.
Oh we definitely need more of those guys...Emiscary said:
But I think a world without EA would be pretty shit to be honest. Then I wouldn't have been able to play Skate, Dead Space or Mirrors Edge. And I think they are all fantastic games.Even with the terrible direction the company is now taking they still have the money to publish some of my favourite games so I think that justifies their existence, by a bit at least.
And as for dismissing Mirrors Edge so offhandedly, it may not have been a commercial success but it did get decent review and was highly praised or the art style, visuals and level design. And I'm sure people still occasionally play it today... Just saying.