So I was doing my daily routine of checking my favourite websites when I happened across a link to a new IGN article entitled “Why Do People ‘Hate’ EA?“. Now I’m not a big fan of IGN and I rarely check out their articles or reviews which I have found by and large to be unhelpful, biased or for the largest part missing the point entirely. People will throw accusations of bribery around, but I don’t know if there’s truth to those claims.
“It’s in the game, but you still have to pay for it.”
In any case my curiosity got the better of me and I checked out the article, which immediately got my back up with a somewhat sniveling apology for an attention-seeking title. Word to the wise: if you’re going to draw in people with a title, never apologise for it. You know you did it, your readers know you did it, and to go back on your word is even more of a disappointment than discovering that the numerous “Justin Bieber is Dead” articles merely refer to death threats and hoaxes. People do hate EA, vehemently and deeply. It’s not a fad, and it’s unlikely to disappear with the phrase “some people, some of the time — a minority”.
But I digress. I would like to point out at this point that for the longest time I didn’t have a major issue with EA. When I thought of EA I thought of them as a publisher of substandard games, mostly in the sports genre of which I did not play anyway. They, like the problems of some distant country, seemed very far away and inconsequential to my gaming life. How wrong I would be.
Since those naive days of youth I have watched in terror as EA’s million-toothed maw clamped down on hapless publishers lured into an unholy pact with the Beast in hopes of success. I can understand why they did it, I really can, and I’m sure there are situations where this kind of thing works out to the benefit of both partners, but I look at BioWare’s re-animated carcass, and I cannot help but wonder at the mentality behind games like Dragon Age 2, ME3 and even TOR. EA’s wanton destruction of the video game industry, while doubtlessly unintentional, has become a punchline online.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with EA’s numerous sins, I have collected a number of videos and images, humourous in nature, and scathing in purpose that may help to educate you. Personally speaking I have been boycotting EA for a while now. I’ve recently cancelled my TOR subscription (more on that in another post). I’m finding myself more at odds with the games I used to look forward to as I see them turned from works of art into soulless abominations. It’s hard to see the company that wanted games recognised as a form of art in the same light.
I may however play ME3, though the thought of having Origin installed on my computer makes my skin crawl. A lot of people have said to me that the ending is awful, but having invested so much time in the first two games I think it is only fair to give it the benefit of the doubt.
After that however? Valve is my eternal master, and a beneficent one that. I may be waiting until the end of time for the release of the fabled Episode 3, but at least I’ll be having fun, saving money, and generally feeling like I, as a customer, am appreciated.
But please, don’t take my word for it. Check out the videos, check out the articles, and see for yourself. It really is OK to hate EA!
The Darkest Blog 
