Remeber the Battlefield Bad Company Mashup "contest" that we had here at Gamespot a couple of months ago? I was just thinking about it because since then I've seen a rash of clones and it's starting to get my ire all over again.

In the Battlefield Mashup, you were "challenged" to come up with the best "commercial" built with a library of artwork / clips from the developer. Supposely, the "best" would be chosen by the company and would get this awsome prize. People could vote on their favorites (which was clearly explained had no impact) and they would get rated. There were insinuated incentives in the GUI that made you think that using the maximum amount of material would count towards getting a better chance at being picked.

So I, and others, sweated for days to create just the right mix. A focused message, the right material hare and there, editing sound just so, to get as perfect a mashup as can be. Being that I do have some filmatography background, I might have an advantage. Unfortunately, it turned out that all of our efforts were for squat.

EA made it's big splash that it had chosen a winner. When i went to see this winner, who wasn't me or any of the people who I knew did as good a job or better than I - I was blown away. The mashup they chose only used a few clips. It was incomplete. It said NOTHING. It didn't even have the GOOD CLIPS. It looked like someone was working on something, and accidently pressed the "Submit" button! It was among the WORST of all I had seen, something that a 2 year old could have made by banging it's diaper against the keyboard. I could not believe that I was looking at the one that was chosen over all of the other!

I was so angry I flew a hot email to EA AND Burger King (who of course never responded - why should they, I only own thousands of dollars worht of their products...). It was as if they purposely set out to insult the people who actually thought their efforts would count for something. Or maybe they were just lazy as hell and just chose anything! In any case, there was no regard whatsoever for the time and thought each contestant - whom 99% were better than the winner - put into the composition of their entries. It's like a person with no vocal chords winning American Idol.

Later I found out that, somewhere in the fine print we weren't allowed to see until after the "contest" for some strange reason, it was stated that it was not a contest - but rather a sweepstakes. I'd like to take the time to brow-beat Gamespot staff for helping to promote it as a contest - that's exactly what the article stated here. I don't enter sweepstakes, and if I were properly informed in advance I would not have wasted my effort. (Maybe when I move to the deep USA South and become a hick, I'll entersome sweepstakes - that seems to be a qualification for winning...). I hope in the future Gamespot will be more discriminate and not participate in or promote this kind of deceptive activity. It reflects on the site - you do not come out unscathed.

So from now on, I've learned that if there is no fine print, do not participate - and if there is, read it. since everyone's out for the scam - even big companies like EA, you've got to be triple careful these days...