Is EA the worst video game company in America?

I had a discussion with my friend over the subject of EA being awarded the Golden Poo Award for being voted as the Worst Company in America. He argued that EA is not the worst company in American in comparison against Wal-Mart and Bank of America, but it's certainly the worst video game company in America.

So do you think EA is the worst video game company in America or does it top every other company in America as the worst?

How people can claim EA is the worst video game company in a world where Activision exists is beyond me.

@Tim_the_Corsair said:

How people can claim EA is the worst video game company in a world where Activision exists is beyond me.

Word. I`m not saying you have to fucking praise them but look at the games EA has published this gen and look at the games Activision has.

Well, I like the majority of EA's games, they gave me Mirror's Edge (<3) and I don't have that many issues with them. So no, I don't think they are.

I think that Activision is pretty easily worse. EA's probably second, though.

@Tim_the_Corsair said:

How people can claim EA is the worst video game company in a world where Activision exists is beyond me.

Exactly. They grind promising studios and franchises into dust. Activision is by far the worst.

EA doesn't really seem that bad anymore, a while back they might've done some pretty horrible stuff, but now they seem ok. They did screw up quite a few franchises though, but not in the way Activision did/does with their yearly releases. EA just....seems to try to change things and makes them really bad. Of course this isn't including all their sports games, but the people who play those don't care about that anyway.

EA is pretty bad, but noone can really beat out Activision. Hell, I would even put Zynga ahead of EA. But it certainly goes Activision, Zynga, EA. EA might be shitty, but at least they don't treat developers like expendable commodities.

Worst videogame company tied with Activison yes.

The EA hate is getting pretty stale. Because they had this outrageous idea to open their own digital distribution channel and pull all future releases from Steam they suck? Why EA gets hated on the most while Ubi Soft pushes their oppressive, overreaching DRM scheme is beyond my comprehension. And I might be misinformed on this, but wasn't Capcom the publisher that gave us on-disc DLC?

EA is the villain that's not as bad as the worse villain, Activision. As soon as Activision's out of the way, expect EA to hurry right to that "asshole of the world" spot.

I came to say that Activision is, but you guys obviously had the right idea. Really not a fan of their business practices, and I'm not really a fan of their games.

You are not very good at counter arguments, are you?

I never understood how people can get that upset over a video game company. What has EA or Activision done to you?

It blows my mind that so many people think Activision is worse than EA. 5 years ago, maybe, but EA started online passes and season passes. They insist on running their own servers which in turn they shut down making some older games unplayable online. EA hounds you for your email address every time you start a new game. They are one of the leaders in in-game ads and they pioneered the art of taking out pieces of games and charging extra for it (look at courses in tiger woods 12.) They look for any way to nickel and dime you. ( NCAA football 13 includes a uniform store. They are charging real money for uniforms.) The only thing "wrong" i can see that Activision does, besides close down studios ( Microsoft and Sony do plenty of that too) is run franchises into the ground. Of course, EA does that now to ( Battlefield 4 anyone? Mass Effect?) Yeah, I'll take Activision over EA any day of the week.

Sir Clive Woodward could come up with better counter arguments, you shit stirrer.

EDIT: oh your username is CouncilorChief? Bet it took you all but ten seconds to come up with that username.

They make some good games, as does activision-blizzard. So no they are not the worst.

I still have a hard time with the fact that they bought Origin Systems, Westwood Studios, Maxis, Bullfrog, & Pandemic and then let the main franchises from each stagnate and die. But I guess people tend to focus on the present with BioWare and Origin (the download service) and many don't care as much about that.

Activision just makes really well selling games and pushes for annual releases. Their only sin is being so successful that other companies try and turn their franchises into the same model, ultimately without success.

EA is without a doubt the worst company because along with their awful business practices, they also make terrible, bland, boring video games. Activision at least makes some decent games.

@flushpockets said:

is run franchises into the ground. Of course, EA does that now to ( Battlefield 4 anyone? Mass Effect?)

How did EA run Mass Effect into the ground? I must have missed that news story somewhere.

Activision is way worse with how, even with their more unheard of games like Singulairity, they just don't market at all compared to EA which really does try and market their games pretty massively. I mean, fuck, they did put the damn Brutal Legend cover on the E3 banner!

But, I will say, EA have been sucking BAD for the past couple of years. Ever since Origin they have pretty much given up being good to their customers like they were trying to beforehand. But... they don't seem to have long to live anyways. I mean, have you guys SEEN their stock prices!? Any major PR bullshit happening in the next year along with not selling enough games to go over their marketing budget will kill them. Sad to say but true.

@CookieMonster said:

Sir Clive Woodward could come up with better counter arguments, you shit stirrer.

EDIT: oh your username is CouncilorChief? Bet it took you all but ten seconds to come up with that username.

Jesus, you're a blatant troll if I've ever seen one. I didn't even say that I argued with anybody or whatnot. I'm on neutral position by just simply asking a question based over what my friend said. At least contribute something to the friend other than this awful attempt at trolling.

And yes, I'm well aware of how bad my username is.

Yep in the past year EA's stock has dropped from nearly $26 to the $11 it currently sits at. Lol.

@QuistisTrepe: Perhaps its more of my opinion, but I think EA is partly responsible for the out come of Mass Effect 3. They forced Bioware to make a more mainstream and accessible product that included mutilplayer. This is just my opinion, but ME3 is a shell of the potential that ME1 showed.

If "Worst Video Game Company in America" is defined as putting out a bunch of awesome games and allowing independent developers to maintain control of their own IPs, then they suck big time.

EA and activion are the worst video game company out there.

@flushpockets said:

@QuistisTrepe: Perhaps its more of my opinion, but I think EA is partly responsible for the out come of Mass Effect 3. They forced Bioware to make a more mainstream and accessible product that included mutilplayer. This is just my opinion, but ME3 is a shell of the potential that ME1 showed.

Well, I won't rap you over the knuckles for a strong opinion on ME3. I haven't played it yet, but I'm a bit turned off that single player up to and including the progress toward the ending is dictated in some part by multiplayer mode. If that is true, then not cool, not cool at all.

its cool to hate on EA these days.

pretty much everything people complain about EA, other companies do too.

When it comes to their policies, maybe, but they've made plenty of games that I've played an enjoyed. I'd pick EA over one of those developers that makes shitty knock-offs for the iPhone any day.

Haven't we already gone through this before?

http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/general-discussion/30/ea-voted-worst-company-of-2012/542607/

http://www.giantbomb.com/electronic-arts/65-1/everybody-hates-ea-apparently/35-542051/#554

Pretty sure we don't need more flamebait on these forums.