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EA again in running for Consumerist's Worst Company In America title

FIFA and Battlefield publisher the only game company in consumer affairs blog's annual tournament.

By Eddie Makuch on March 20, 2013 at 6:00AM PDT

Electronic Arts has again been included in The Consumerist's "Worst Company In America" annual community-voted tournament. Participants were chosen by reader nominations, which were then culled to 32 companies.

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The consumer affairs blog has EA in the first round squaring off against ABInBev, the multinational beverage company behind major beer brands like Corona, Stella Artois, and Budweiser, among others.

EA is the only game-specific company appearing in the bracket. Other companies in the running for 2013 Worst Company In America include Apple, Ticketmaster, Wal-Mart, and Bank of America.

If EA comes out on top in this year's tournament, it will be a repeat victory for the company. The Consumerist named EA the 2012 Worst Company In America, knocking out Bank of America in the final round to take home the "Golden Poo" award.

EA CEO John Riccitiello resigned this week, explaining that "EA's shareholders and employees expect better and I am accountable for the miss" in financial guidance. This came after a SimCity launch marred by server woes but also 1.1 million in total sales.

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Edited By GreggD

Oh, is it that time of year again? Great. Now all the anonymous assholes with an internet connection can upvote EA over any number of tangentially worse companies. Oh well. I'll be over here, still enjoying BF3 and not worrying about this nonsense.

Upvote • 12 years ago

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@GreggD Look mate, we get what your saying, but if the gaming community does not voice its concerns over EA's shoddy practices, it will not change its infectious practices. Thank Dice for BF3, not EA.

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@garysingh34 @GreggD I'll thank EA for continuing to employ DICE and let them have free rein over their franchise.

Upvote • 12 years ago

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I played this mission in Far Cry 3 the other day, where you had to burn off fields of weed. Were you standing in the smoke?

Upvote • 12 years ago

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@GreggD Proud to be shill. Good for you.

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@made_u_look @GreggD Not a shill, I just think this whole thing is fucking dumb. I only added the BF3 comment because it gave it an extra jab at all the haters. No big deal, really.

Upvote • 12 years ago

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Good, hopefully they win again, It will bring more attention to the issue

Regardless of who is the most "deserving"

Upvote • 12 years ago

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Good something we can all vote this company to win. Its about time they won something... nope could type that with a straight face :P

Upvote • 12 years ago

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Oh, it really doesn't matter at this point.

Upvote • 12 years ago

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Its really dumb people keep doing this and downplaying really bad companies who are legitimately screwing people and ruining the world (Such as banks).

I mean, I know its an online poll and really doesn't matter, but come on. Be realistic. Our hobby is not going to end the world. Banks endorsing terrorist activity under the table just might.

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Edited By OldKye

@cornbredx True but games are my relaxing escape from the other 22 hours a day i live in that real world lol and EA has continuously attack them.

So are they the worst? nope.

Would i vote for them over any of the others? yes yes i would.

There is no law you can make or company you can shut down to "fix" the world but as long as i have something fun like a game to fall back on after long days I'm willing to try to fix it.

As long as julius caesar keeps the gladiator matches going I won't complain about Rome's problems but if he starts screwing with those I'm revolting.

2 • 12 years ago

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Edited By arc_salvo

@cornbredx True enough. Banks do a lot worse than what EA does.

Upvote • 12 years ago

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@arc_salvo @cornbredx They change my loose change into notes??? EA's never done that. The bastards!

Upvote • 12 years ago

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deactivated-5e05ad978748a

@magicalclick "In 2002, The Sims became the top-selling PC game in history". Boy does that sound like a franchise that needed "turning around".

We have very different views of what EA did to Maxis, it seems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims_(video_game)#Reception

3 • 12 years ago

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deactivated-5e05ad978748a

@magicalclick @Patchezs Actually EA wanted to can the project because they didn't get it and saw it as a gamble - "barbie doll house" was their disparaging way of describing the concept, which they felt wouldn't work with gamers.

But they let Maxis finish and release the game, and it turned out to be a huge success, despite EA.

Since then most of the Maxis staff has been let go, and Maxis has only recently been "revived" as the label behind The Sims and the new SimCity, but without many of the same core people - most notably Will Wright. Ocean Quigley is probably the only core Maxis veteran left.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxis#Acquisition_by_EA

Upvote • 12 years ago

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Haha, great job, EA you deserve it.

Upvote • 12 years ago

MidNightStrikes

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MidNightStrikes

Well... I would say Apple is the worst of them all Bad Customer support service.

EA has really good support service (in Asia) and is one of the best -_-

But this poll is for American, so... i have no idea how much difference is it with US one

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Funny.

Upvote • 12 years ago

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WRONG ACTIVISION IS THE WORSE AND THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THE WORSE

Upvote • 12 years ago

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@shadowhunter0 FANBOY RAGEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

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@shadowhunter0 ARRRG NERD RAGE!!!

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Edited By FarQall

There to worried about keeping share holders happy instead of gamers

Upvote • 12 years ago

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It's stupid that companies like EA end up at the top of lists like this. In the grand scheme of things, video games are extremely trivial.

Wall Street banks and oil companies should be winning the award, not game publishers.

Upvote • 12 years ago

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@Spartan_418 And insurance companies. The biggest scam of them all.

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@GSGuy321 @Spartan_418 Very true, in every country. EA might influence some crappy games being made, but they don't con people that have lost their homes etc.

Not to mention extortionate car insurance fees, if you want to drive your car...

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@S4E @GSGuy321 @Spartan_418 bloody road tax and the cost of wiperblades... wa wa wa

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Things got really mad o.O

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Why is Kraptivision not nominated?

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-LE0ycgkBQ

Upvote • 12 years ago

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@Sudieken What that YouTube video said

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@Sudieken that was awesome.

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No chance for the others. EA ll Win

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Edited By Shielder7

Shouldn't their be an "AGAIN" at the end of this title.

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@Shielder7 read it again, more carefully.

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Edited By gmromero

I love how EA wants to shrug and say, "People just don't understand us and our business." However, when you routinely insult fans, destroy beloved franchises, milk games, produce the shoddiest game that fanboys will still buy (ahem, DA2 and ME3), and keep pushing a pay-to-win model, then of course gamers will hate you and other companies will accuse you of being out of touch. EA, you deserve it.

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Edited By Shielder7

@gmromero EA can say, "People just don't understand us and our business." All they want but eventually they're going to need to step back and say "Maybe it's us" Nobody's hating on other videogame publishers half as much.

FYI EA it is you.

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Golden Poo? Ahahaha! This made my day. I really hope they win again.

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Hopefully EA wins, otherwise they're just going to try harder next year.

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keep it up EA! Don't let other companies steal your golden poo award. :p

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Edited By SLjimbolian

I wouldn't be surprised if EA "wins" it again. Last year the whole Mass Effect 3 ending fiasco (though I still think it was way overblown) added fuel to the fire with everyone logging on to Consumerist and voting for them. With the whole mess with Sim City's launch and server issues, there's no doubt in my mind every one of you guys will log on and vote for EA.

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+1 vote

Upvote • 12 years ago

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I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with this matter, but I think it's a little unfair that EA is the only game company listed on the bracket.

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Edited By AvatarMan96

I personally think EA is better than Activision, I don't see why they're not on the list

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@AvatarMan96 No they're Not.

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@AvatarMan96 SimCity. Check and mate.

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@AvatarMan96 Origin alone makes EA worse. The other debacles just add to it. I mean Activision is bad too, don't get me wrong. They milk people out of money with dlc (EA does too) and lack innovation (again, ditto for EA), but outside of that, they aren't really that bad. Forcing PC gamers to use a steam wannabe service is what puts them over the top for me. I was irritated with Steam when it first came out, but I've grown used to it. I don't want another program for games on PC.

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Edited By Feedbackula

Go get'um EA! Keep on working so hard for grandness! You deserve it!

Upvote • 12 years ago

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Use your keyboard!

ESC

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