Despite the company’s best intentions, people still hate on EA. Burnt by disastrous launches for highly anticipated games like Sim City and Battlefield 4, and then incensed over cash-grabbing DLC and what some saw as the defiling of classic franchises.
And then of course there’s Origin itself, a service that many PC gamers regard as not just bloatware, but a sin against Lord Gaben.
EA wants to fix their image, and makes things right by PC gamers. EA Senior Marketing Director for Origin Peter O’Reilly spoke to trade magazine MCV saying that the publisher is on a “journey to regain the trust of the PC gamer.”
“Over the last couple of years we have focused on ensuring a great play experience from launch and bringing players a better experience on Origin with programs like the Great Game Guarantee, On the House, and now Origin Access. We’re excited about the progress we’ve made, but are always pushing ourselves to innovate on behalf of players.”
It’s a welcome message from the mega publisher, who have instituted great systems on Origin like a 7 day, no-questions-asked refund system, free games dished out through the “on the house” program and most recently the introduction of Origin Access.
Like EA Access on the Xbox One, it lets players pay a subscription fee for unrestricted access to a select library of new and not so new games, and also lets them get in on a few titles before they’re available. Unfortunately, it’s not yet available here in South Africa, but has just launched across Europe after initially being available to the North America and the UK.
EA really wants to ingratiate themselves to PC gamers – and why wouldn’t they? It is, after all, the world’s biggest gaming platform.
Say what you like about EA, but they make great games – and as much as you moan, you’ll probably all be buying Mass Effect: Andromeda anyway.
Last Updated: January 29, 2016
PoisonedBelial
January 29, 2016 at 08:06
LEL…
James Anderton
January 29, 2016 at 08:10
“you’ll probably all be buying Mass Effect: Andromeda anyway.”
*sigh*
It’s like their holding one of my children hostage. We’ll negotiate the terms soon I’m sure.
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 29, 2016 at 08:14
I hate the fact that you are correct
VampyreSquirrel
January 29, 2016 at 08:10
They need to try harder.
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:10
Oh I’ll be buying Mass Effect alright. A Second Hand copy.
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:44
No come on! Fuck EA. Do not be a hypocrite in your hate. Turn to the Dark Side!
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:46
Second hand means BT games gets the money not EA.
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:48
But you still derive the benefit. It’s like you banging a girl that likes you but you do not like.
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:50
It’s the principal for me. At least I’m not pirating the game
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 09:00
Are you also a compulsive trade in type ? As soon as I finish a game, BT games gets my copy for credit towards the next game.
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 09:18
Yes sir! Games are expensive!
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 09:23
One thing consoles offer. Game trades. Pity that PC games have no value once bought.
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 09:32
That’s why they buy their games during steam sales
Deceased
January 29, 2016 at 11:36
My “peasant-detector” is raging 😐
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 11:40
LOL
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
January 29, 2016 at 13:48
Listen to this man. he is wise and he lives on a mountain!
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 14:13
XD
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 29, 2016 at 08:14
*grooooot sug*
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 29, 2016 at 08:17
No, I won’t be buying ME: Andromeda. Just like I didn’t buy DA: Inquisition. I’m not running after the products of a company that doesn’t want my money.
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:27
I want your money.
Galbedir
January 29, 2016 at 08:43
Show me da money!
konfab
January 29, 2016 at 08:46
[HISS]
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:22
This is like trying to trust my house help again, yesterday she washed paper cups that we used on Wednesday evening, as in soaked them in the wash basin for a good 5 minutes, cleaned them, put them in the drying rack after they’d lost their cylindrical form, dried them off and tried to reshape them to their original form using a cup, before giving up completely and just chucking them all away… I stood in amazement…
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 29, 2016 at 08:24
O_O
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:34
That depicts my expression so perfectly…
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:27
And in all that time you stood in amazement you did not think: “Hey, let me help that poor soul by explaining to her it won’t work.”
One of life’s biggest fail is someone that can help that don’t help.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:30
I only discovered what she was doing after she tried to reshape them, having seen how drenched they still were from the water, was when I questioned her determination salvage disposable cups, it was at that time she realised that she was wasting hers, but bless her soul, she really tries her best at everything…
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:24
EA is like an abusive spouse. They beat you with a belt then they come back an apologize
http://www.lazygamer.net/ea/ea-doesnt-want-greedy-corporate-beast/ – Jan 21, 2016
http://www.lazygamer.net/genre/shooters/ea-admits-star-wars-battlefront-isnt-deep/ – Dec 7, 2015
http://www.lazygamer.net/industry-2/ea-admits-its-acquisition-history-has-been-spotty-at-best/ – Nov 18, 2015
http://www.lazygamer.xyz/ea/ea-doesnt-want-to-nickel-and-dime-its-customers/ – Nov 18, 2015
http://www.lazygamer.net/industry-2/ea-were-changing-honest/ – Jul 25, 2013
http://www.lazygamer.net/gaming-news/playstation/ps3/ea-believes-it-can-do-better/ – Apr 8, 2013
And so on and so forth. Why do people still support them!?
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 29, 2016 at 08:24
LOOK AT DETECTIVE STEYN!!!!!
NODDY BADGE!
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:29
Because I dunno, they have made a good few games that I rate as Games of My Life. Mass Effect, Sims and so on…
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:34
What about all the game series and studios that died under EA? Shall I type them out? What’s the max number of characters I can leave in the comments?
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:38
YEAH BRO.
FK EA
😀
VampyreSquirrel
January 29, 2016 at 08:39
Here… I don’t think this is all of them… looking for an image I used to have… and am battling.
http://siliconangle.com/files/2015/06/Studios-killed-by-EA.png
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:41
EA DID NOTHING WRONG
LEAVE EA ALONE
*crying face*
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:44
All gone.
fleshtwister
February 1, 2016 at 10:55
*sniff* Bullfrog *sniff* :'(
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:42
I got news for you son, just because somebody waves a thick wad of cash under your nose, does not mean you must shag the cat.
But see. This is exactly the problem: EA wants to do good by gamers, but gamers are the ones that will drag old cows out the ditch as sad reminders as to why things cannot work between EA and themselves.
This is immature reasoning. No relationship can survive it.
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:44
I wouldn’t mind so much if it was one or two cows but EA basically caused a genocide among the cows
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 29, 2016 at 08:46
Blind gamers only care about their cow pats.
Just like the Wizard of Oz said, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
VampyreSquirrel
January 29, 2016 at 08:45
I loved EA’s games, I still love some of them, but they’ve killed a lot of IP’s and Franchises for me.
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:49
Yeah, sadly they did, I cannot disagree with that.
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:47
Also your right in a way. My relationship with EA didn’t survive
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:48
With a company as big as EA, who shifted their focus from retail sales to downloadable content, it’s hard to make the shift back as they’ve become dependant on how much people support their DLC side, the biggest issue is that being that big decreases mobility, that’s why I hope Unravel is good… It might rejuvenate some hope for EA…
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:55
“just because somebody waves a thick wad of cash under your nose”
You could not have said it better yourself
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 29, 2016 at 08:41
Shiny-shinies!
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:24
Good on EA. Too bad they dealing with a segment of humanity famed for its bitching and unwillingness to make like Elsa and Let it Go, Let it Go….
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:25
I’ll spell it out in as few words as possible – FUCK EA
HairyEwok
January 29, 2016 at 09:26
Thing is and I’m sure there’s many who would agree. We gave EA numerous opportunities to redeem themselves and every time they go and shrug saying whoops, we’ll try again next time which then turns out as a rinse and repeat.
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 29, 2016 at 08:26
I don’t even feel bad for doing the ARRRRRRRRRR on ME3
THERE I SAID IT!
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:30
I’m not even mad, the fact that the day one DLC included one of the central characters was inexcusable.
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 29, 2016 at 08:40
Yip. Want to bet something like that happens again?
Dresden
January 31, 2016 at 00:16
I sadly only found that out a few weeks ago :/ , pisses me off that I played ME3 with so much of the story missing.
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:32
Filthy pirate.
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 29, 2016 at 09:11
When you pirate EA, it is not piracy, more like charity
Pieter Kruger
January 29, 2016 at 08:33
Hypocrites I tell you, everyone’s “hating” on EA because it’s the in thing to do, but Battlefront already sold 13 million or so copies?? Laughable! If all those forum fighters, justice jousters, #”insert cause”gate supporters etc. could only focus their energy on more pressing matters they’d change the world I tell you! ????
Jan Prins
January 29, 2016 at 08:37
Hold your horses! I agree with you on this!
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:38
? Are you drunk?
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:39
You don’t see what EA is doing? As you where then. I’ll just make sure your head is nice and buried under the sand
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:40
You see these responses, This is why DLC is still a thing..
Pieter Kruger
January 29, 2016 at 08:48
You don’t see that except for a very few exceptions most of the other big publishers/Corps you so dearly love and defend are doing exactly the same? I’ll make sure to save you a spot for your head next to mine……????
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:49
You don’t know who I love and who I don’t except for EA.
Pieter Kruger
January 29, 2016 at 09:04
We ALL do…….????????????
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 09:18
You know I love Sony so that’s one 😛
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 09:19
I bought another Xbox One. Viva gaming.
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 09:31
What happened to the the first?
HairyEwok
January 29, 2016 at 09:32
He had to get replacement parts huehuehue
Darren Peach
January 30, 2016 at 00:35
I was tight on cash and my pops had just passed, so I was not in the right place mentally. Sold it at the beginning of last year.
Pieter Kruger
January 29, 2016 at 09:43
I just need that Elite controller………????
Pieter Kruger
January 29, 2016 at 09:44
No need to actually name those flaws you spoke of earlier……????
The Sten
January 29, 2016 at 08:39
This hate EA stuff is a meme. An old one at that.
Dirty Hipsters the lot of them
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:41
But I’m a beer swilling, android loving, console playing, rugby loving monster 🙁
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 29, 2016 at 08:42
A rugby loving monster? Oh right, you’re a Bulls supporter. 😀
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:42
-5 points Steyn
D:<
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 08:44
We all have or flaws XD
Pieter Kruger
January 29, 2016 at 08:53
…….the Bulls have 15……????????????
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 29, 2016 at 08:59
lol. Zing!
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 09:19
Does three trophies do anything do negate that? XD
Pieter Kruger
January 29, 2016 at 09:42
Again we find you lingering in the past…….????????????
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 10:05
Maybe because the past is better than the present
Mossel
January 29, 2016 at 10:13
At least we can be proud of our past! The other teams would rather forget it…
Hammersteyn
January 29, 2016 at 10:39
XD
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 09:05
Thank goodness the Heini is gone.
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 29, 2016 at 09:11
We might not have been playing the best rugby, but it looked like we were heading in the right direction & playing more inventive, modern rugby. Then we lost to Argentina & he immediately reverted to old school 10-man rugby. That was when he pissed me off.
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 09:15
Yeah, Right up untill he took over, we beat NZ on a regular basiis. During his reign SA lost something. X factor ? We have such awesome young talent at the moment. Whoever takes over will have a great chance of building a World Cup winning side.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:40
You are 100% correct, and you’ll probably find that the people complaining were the ones supporting it as well…
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 08:40
The game Industry needs a Intervention. Maybe we should all write letters from the heart pointing out that although we love publishers for bringing us games, we are being hurt by their bad habits. They need to go to rehab and stop their destructive behavior or we will cut them off…..
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:41
I read cut them….
BakedBagel
January 29, 2016 at 08:42
No need to be violent dude. shit.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:43
That was my initial response…
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 08:43
This is a time for yough love…..
Galbedir
January 29, 2016 at 08:47
Honestly the only thing EA needs to do to get into my good books, is stop selling their games as season passes. I loved BF3, but gave up on the series when I had to start spending an extra R250 a month for the next pack, or get left behind in the now empty old maps. Their games are good, just noone likes having to keep forking out cash, after already spending R599-899 for the original game.
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:53
This^^! A full retail release of a game with support only patches is what gamers grew up with, not this Season pass horse poo that ends never being played because the first bit of DLC was a disappointment…
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 08:55
Would it be better if we had fast interwebz ?
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 08:56
Nope…
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 08:58
🙂 I always felt that DLC and slow internet created a negative feeling .
Greylingad[CNFRMD]
January 29, 2016 at 09:03
Hehe, The issue with DLC is that it should be something that is budgeted for during the development of a game, not something that should be capitalized on, if so, rather release it as proper expansions, the other thing I don’t like about it is that a lot of companies come out with statements like, “We developed the DLC content during the last roll out phases of our game” if that is the case, it is development that was included in your initial project in the first place anyway, it’s not like you’re going to have your art direction team leave a month or two before release? Anyway, rant galore…
Darren Peach
January 29, 2016 at 08:52
Hey, All publishers have their problems. EA reminds me of ESPN ( weird huh ? ) . Ubisoft has that whole French hipster thing going, Bethesda make very loooong games that are buggy but they do have Doom. If a game is worthy, the publisher becomes irrelevant. Viva gaming, Viva. Also, KG Rabada is my new hero.
Martin Human
January 29, 2016 at 09:06
Committing the oldest sins in the newest ways
Shan
January 29, 2016 at 09:07
All Hail Lord Gaben!
schitsophrenic-toothbrush
January 29, 2016 at 09:18
All I want from a games company is that when I purchase a game it is my own, I am not constrained by “drm or always on”, microtransactions or an incomplete game. If EA can provide me with that then I will not complain. Its as easy as that. I see that everyone is “Why is everyone hating on EA and all this hipster bullshit” but the fact of the matter is that EA has this rep because they were greedy, feel free to defend that.
HairyEwok
January 29, 2016 at 09:22
From not wanting to nickel and dime their customers, to we’re not corporate beasts to hey we want your trust back…. I see a pattern here, and I don’t like it since people are like cows that like to get milked.
Viking Of Science
January 29, 2016 at 10:02
Origin has gotten a lot better since launch….
chimera_85
January 29, 2016 at 10:34
Am I the only one who doesn’t hate EA? Origin is also not terrible for me haha
Remi Abrahams
January 29, 2016 at 10:59
LOL EA…
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
January 29, 2016 at 13:48
LOL EA!
Ryanza
January 29, 2016 at 14:11
want to show trust for PC gamers. Then stop DRM on all retail products.
I have not bought an EA game since Sim City 5.
Don’t Support DRM. Cyberpunk 2077 is coming.
Ghost In The Rift
January 29, 2016 at 20:26
EA CD Project Red wants their business plan back…