While it's difficult as it is to actually make that title come across seriously... I make a helluva point comparing those two kinds.
Both are greedy. "If I don't get your creditcard now, I know where to find it...!"
Both are 'in command'. "I rule this kitchen, damnit! Get your food elsewhere!"
Both are incredibly bad at excuses. "Oh I wasn't staying with your brother last night... There was this 'As the World Turns' all-nighter going on."
Both are in desperate need of brands™. "Did I tell you to get Nike outdoors sneakers? Did I tell you that!? I said specifically, PUMA!".
Both waste money as if they're burning it. "Ohh, Erica... I wish I could show you this beautifull 273$ set of Cla.ssic Tupperware Dishes... What? If I'm actually gonna use them? What do you think? Hell no!".
In EA's case... The awnsers would be:
- Westwood Studios, Pandmedic Studios, Maxis, BioWare, Criterion etc...
- ...Thanks to "financial decisions", a double-digit number of companies currently live 6ft under.
- "But we loooovvveeee GTA... Did we want to monopolize the Sports market by buying 2K Sports? Who do you think we are!? God, I am so insulted."
- Need For Speed: ProStreet, 'nuff said.
- Avril ****ing Lavinge!? Being wasted to the point you get accute-liver poisoning wouldn't even cause Aveil's craptastic music to appear on ANY soundtrack.
Is there anything good left to say about Electronic Arts? In my opinion. No. But, before I get dubbed as one of those typical "EA Haters"... I got my valid points. EA's playing a game of Monopoly. Buy out your competition, and pass Start while you're at it. While I do work for EA nowadays, that doesn't change the fact that it's CEO and friends are the biggest bunch of jackasses I've ever seen in my life.
John Riccitiello... This man personally wrote a letter to Take-Two Interactive's Board Chief Strauss Zelnick showing his interest into Take-Two Interactive. Now, the best of all is. EA's not afraid to show it's deeds, and damn right they are. But what amazes me is that half of the text is written as if EA's got the cat in the bag.
And when Zelnick refuses. Riccitiello tops just about everything. Since the shareholders are the ones that are practically turning the tides... Riccitiello tops the current price of the shares in Take-Two by 64%. Which can only end up in the shareholder making big bucks if he cashes them in now. Which is done, by selling them directly to EA.
It currently is a rope-yanking situation. With Zelnick sitting on his knees begging the shareholders not to budge, EA's remaining to drop freightloads of cherries ontop of the cake. Not only is the bid extended 'til April 16th, which is when Zelnick, Riccitiello and the Board of We-Can't-Decide-Dammit are going to sit around the table to get an extra fierce "NO GODDAMNIT, NO!" from Zelnick in person - You can almost bet your life on it that EA will only further increase the bid on Take2's shares.
POWWARRRRS!... If there's something that sickens me. Is that the U.S Government is allowing Electronic Arts to monopolize the Gaming Industries. And the thing is, there's not a single thing the U.S Government can do for as long as EA brings on the "What did we do...? We only love their games. And we want to have them... That's not wrong, now is it?" excuses.
They are so damn obvious in their goals. And there's not a single person that can stop them.
Buy out the competition. At the right times, like right before a major release. And if they won't accept, we just drown the shareholders in money. If not, the CEO itself.
Money, money, money... Not only are they planning, and actually are busy buying out the competition to use for their own advantage. They're also milking all current franchises. Need for Speed, Burnout, Mass Effect, NHL, NBA, NFL, etc.
Annual releases, massive ingame advertising that actually interfears gameplay, pay-to-cheat options, ingame content being locked off just to become DLC later on for a fierce price. And all of this; At the full price of 64.95$. When you buy a EA-created and EA-published game, you buy a skeleton you slowly have to fill.
I Am In COMMAND... What has driven Westwood Studio's into the ground turned out to be a "Little mistake". A "test". EA wanted to see if they could control the value of a game. If CEO's could impact the game's future. And hell yeah that it did. Command & Conquer Studio "Westwood" was victim of their "Way to go".
Current day "tests" are In-game advertising, for instance Burnout Paradise's "Diesel" and "Gilette" vans. Special unlockables for Need for Speed ProStreet, like vehicles and such with advertisments. Most things that affect gameplay, wether it's a little, or a helluvalot... It's going to be another test if the gamer responses are positive or negative.
Service... In a few words; Their customer service is pretty much alike to Microsoft's Call Centre. Their online servers are dating back from '94. Marketplace Items are overpriced, 160MS Points for a theme that others sell for 100MS Points. Roster updates for Sports games come randomly. Their website's as difficult to navigate as a Maze.
And it goes on and on.
Honestly. Working for Electronic Arts isn't gonna make me change the way I think about them. Sometimes nearly gives me a feeling that I'm just feeding a beast.