For the past two years running, EA’s managed to “win” the award for the “Worst Company in America.” Because of its practices regarding DLC, online passes and micro-transactions. It beat out companies like the Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and Walmart to win the rather uncoveted Golden Poo. EA’s reign has come to an end.
They’ve been knocked out of the running in the very first round, losing out to communications giant Time Warner Cable – but only just.
“Despite its cock-up of the Battlefield 4 and Titanfall releases, EA just didn’t have the all-out support that it had received in the previous two tournaments,” says the Consumerist. “And while Time Warner Cable has always merited a spot in the WCIA brackets, the company’s pending merger with former WCIA champ Comcast undoubtedly played into readers’ voting decisions.”
Honestly though, I’ve always felt that the entire award was stupid, and the only reason EA won the dubious accolade before was because of a vocal minority on the internet. Pitting a company that provides entertainment as an optional, luxury item against larger, greedier and immoral corporations that impede people’s human rights, abuse animals, engage in child labour and screw people out of their homes and life savings is an indictment on how shallow internet culture is, and just how entitled many gamers have become.
I’m the first to call EA out for being stupid and having shady practices, but there are real problems in the world beyond server crashes, micro-transactions, and DLC.
“This is the same poll that last year judged us as worse than companies responsible for the biggest oil spill in history, the mortgage crisis, and bank bailouts that cost millions of taxpayer dollars,” EA’s Peter Moore said of the award last year.
And he’s right. A little perspective goes a long way.
Last Updated: March 25, 2014
Umar hearts Grandia
March 25, 2014 at 12:01
“Pitting a company that provides entertainment as an optional, luxury item against larger, greedier and immoral corporations that impede people’s human rights, abuse animals, engage in child labour and screw people out of their homes and life savings is an indictment on how shallow internet culture has become, and just how entitled many gamers have become.”
^This X 9000
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:04
Yup, but again, only gamers are being sold products that are broken,incomplete and untested. Also one doesn’t normally eat a meal at a restaurant and get charged extra for chips and salad,
Sk3tz0
March 25, 2014 at 12:05
Objection.. U get charge extra for a side salad lol, they even wanna charge u extra for a slice of bacon on ur burger.. rat bastards
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:06
Sorry I meant the garnishing.
Umar hearts Grandia
March 25, 2014 at 12:05
True, but we still have the luxury of food lol But I get your point though
Rince
March 25, 2014 at 12:25
You haven’t been to Hudson’s have you 😛
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:29
Nope, we have a spur and panarottis though
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 25, 2014 at 12:38
and then you get told the awesome movie you watched is boring.
Rince
March 25, 2014 at 12:39
I saw her again on Friday last week. She tried making conversation but because I was sitting with a woman she didn’t know what to do… Nor did I, I mean, with the woman that is.. 0_O
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 25, 2014 at 12:45
…and then you woke up in a cold sweat & realised it was all a bad dream?
Rince
March 25, 2014 at 13:11
YETH! Actually, that was when the bill arrived, FOR THE LUNCH you dirty boy.
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 25, 2014 at 13:48
I don’t know what you mean. Is there some kind of innuendo there? I’m far too innocent for this world.
Mark Treloar
March 25, 2014 at 12:25
E-tolls?
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:28
Feels for Gautengers.
Admiral Chief of Auraxis
March 25, 2014 at 12:29
Heh, I already pay toll, screw the eToll, not paying twice!
ZumaIsPoes
March 25, 2014 at 12:29
ha ha made my day thank you
Mark Treloar
March 25, 2014 at 12:32
Another one. My ADSL gets disconnect for the second time in 2 weeks, and only minutes later I get an SMS from Telkom wishing me a happy Birthday.
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 13:02
Hahaha
Admiral Chief of Auraxis
March 25, 2014 at 13:13
HAPPY BERFSDAY!!!
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:06
There are far worst companies, but EA would win worst gaming company every year hands down.
VampyreSquirrel
March 25, 2014 at 12:10
worse*
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:14
It’s what happens when I type a comment and edit it mid sentence.
VampyreSquirrel
March 25, 2014 at 13:25
Yeah, I have the same problem sometimes.
Willem Swanepoel
March 25, 2014 at 14:53
They wont win worst gaming award. Worst publisher, hell yeah. There are far more crappy gaming companies out there.
Willem Swanepoel
March 25, 2014 at 14:54
Good example is Gearbox will win the poo award in my book for blatantly lying to us about Aliens: Colonial Marines and releasing a piece of garbage
Sk3tz0
March 25, 2014 at 12:07
You know why EA can do what they do.. because ppl still buy it. I swear they could release a game that the consumer would need to code themself to be able to play and ppl will pay for it.. look at Dayz.. People are actually buying a game thats in Alpha.. APLHA FFS!!!!
Unavengedavo(aka. Bilbo)
March 25, 2014 at 12:10
What about kickstarter campaigns? People pay for some concept that might one day exist.
Kromas
March 25, 2014 at 12:22
That is why I prefer early access (to a degree)
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:32
To me they’re the same thing. Both are hinged on promises that may or may not be fulfilled. I won’t spend a cent until the game is finished.
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:12
How I imagine an EA corporate meeting
http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/amXpoed_460sa.gif
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 18:50
Weird… there’s Peter Moore in the back.
Hammersteyn
March 26, 2014 at 07:41
LOL
Kromas
March 25, 2014 at 12:13
DayZ however has several warning all over the store page and even the game and they would have had more issues had they not release the alpha cause of impatient little bastards … like me 😛
Edit: That being said I love DayZ even with all its alpha faults.
Sk3tz0
March 25, 2014 at 12:15
There are warning packs on Cigarettes and I still smoke a pack a day.. ?? just cuz there are warnign sign doesnt make it right to sell a game thats not even finished.. had EA put up a sign SIMCITY is glitchy u saying it would of made it more acceptable
Kromas
March 25, 2014 at 12:21
Apples and Oranges there. AAA titles should never be released as an Alpha because they have capitol whereas indie titles have to get money somewhere and rather do an alpha build than crowdsource it I say. You really can not compare indie titles to AAA games ever. DayZ however I must admit falls sorta in-between the two but yeah that’s an exception to the rule.
Johan du Preez
March 25, 2014 at 12:28
Yup look at the Titanfall season pass people gobble it up but dont even know whats included in the season pass.
HvR
March 25, 2014 at 12:11
Aren’t they confusing Evil and Bad.
BP evil, still got the oil and the moola.
Banks of America evil costing the people their homes, jobs and savings, still got the government to pay their debts.
Nike evil use toddlers in factories, still got the best and smallest seems and the best price.
EA sell their products, then don’t allow them to use it and then pretends they are all retards and tell them they are better off.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:12
Aaawwww that’s too bad. At least Microsoft is still in the running. But I think this year is going to be all about the communication companies, especially with the Comcast-Time Warner merger freaking the Americans out.
Norm the Horrible
March 25, 2014 at 12:15
I agree 100% with Geoff. If there was a Video/PC gaming category then fine. Can’t really compare companies from different industries.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:19
As valid as Peter Moore’s rebuttal is, it still doesn’t change the fact that he’s a massive cockbite. 😛
Kromas
March 25, 2014 at 12:23
You got the Stamp of approval.
Admiral Chief of Auraxis
March 25, 2014 at 12:28
Hahaha “cockbite”
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:37
RoosterTeeth baby!
DrKiller
March 25, 2014 at 12:22
Maybe the Origin and Popcap Humble Bundle changed this… thoughts?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:27
Nah, It was Titanhype. Everyone is still in the post-coital glow of Titanhype – with the last year’s worth of “EA fail” long forgotten.
If this poll was active a month before, EA would have won. If it was happening in a month or two’s time… EA would have won.
DrKiller
March 25, 2014 at 12:31
Can’t be Titanfall – It was not released in SA so they are still the worst company!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:33
But, Africa doesn’t matter. It’s that place Bono goes to. Apparently it’s filled with giraffes, lions and wars.
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:34
And starving skeletons that move.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:36
Mmmm you mean fly catchers. It always amazed me with Unicef ads, how folks would just sit with those flies buzzing around their eyes and mouths.
Yes, I hate Unicef ads. I’m a bad person.
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:43
The main problem is that the steriotype of Africa is based on those ads, essentially. We in SA don’t live under those conditions – nor does Botswana or Namibia, and we’re all 100% African. I can’t speak for northern Africa, because I really know nothing about that. But even then, Egypt is part of Africa. They have their own problems, of course, but its not the skeletal fly catchers that Unicef ads like to show off.
DrKiller
March 25, 2014 at 12:44
So we are not getting Kinectimals 2?? Nooooooooo
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 25, 2014 at 12:46
and poor people-shaped things. You forgot the poors!
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:47
That part is true though. The rich people in Africa are either from overseas, or in government.
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:33
Did everyone forget the Dungeon Keeper fiasco?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:35
Titanhype! It made it all better. Yeah, I would have sworn Dungeon Keeper would have secured them a poo, but then you also have to remember that the Comcast-Time Warner merger has caused a lot of heartache. People are worried about to what extent that behemoth will monetise the web in the states. And believe me, they’ve gone backwards, from uncapped internet to moderated capped internet (with the fall of net neutrality).
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:44
Ok, that’s valid. To be honest though, I’m not surprised. The US government is all about secrecy. The internet is very anti-secrecy, so you do the math.
Rince
March 25, 2014 at 12:24
Oh well…
Hammersteyn
March 25, 2014 at 12:26
hahahahaha
Alien Emperor Trevor
March 25, 2014 at 12:26
You’re quite right Peter Moore, and people STILL voted you as worse than them. Did you ever wonder why, or did you write it off as the peasants being ignorant?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:30
Nah, just gamers being “entitled”, because “real world is worse and stuff”.
EA learnt nothing from it, and it’s sad because it was really the only way for gamers to voice their displeasure en masse. You can’t complain on EA’s forums, because then they just ban you and lock you out of your origin account, nor can you complain on other websites because… well then you’re just entitled, because “real world is worse and stuff”. :/
Rince
March 25, 2014 at 12:26
Agreed. Need categories.
InsanityFlea
March 25, 2014 at 12:29
They still get the turd in my book. In fact the entire sewerage farm.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:30
Hell yeah!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
March 25, 2014 at 12:39
Lazygamer should actually host a poll for the worst company in South Africa. I’m nominating Telkom, Eskom and Kalahari.net
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:40
It’d be a tie between Telkom, Eskom and the ANC.
Admiral Chief of Auraxis
March 25, 2014 at 12:45
Is ANC a company?
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:48
I’d regard them as one, yeah. They make profits through their business model: ripping off the people of the country with undelivered promises and laughter.
Admiral Chief of Auraxis
March 25, 2014 at 12:54
Agreed
Sk3tz0
March 25, 2014 at 13:33
They more a Family of Mobsters…
CAE9872
March 25, 2014 at 13:47
Eskom gets my vote.
Telkom I do believe really trying to change. Yes still monopoly but nowhere as heinous as they use to/could be.
ANC – eish! But then all parties deserve them as little power = heads = unkept promises. That happens world over.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
March 25, 2014 at 12:40
SANRAL.
Sk3tz0
March 25, 2014 at 12:41
kalahari not that bad they send me my games day before release 😛
ToshZA
March 25, 2014 at 12:44
I’ll have to agree. Every time I’ve bought from them, never had any issues.
RobertHoun
March 25, 2014 at 13:25
lol wut??? i want that trophee! I’m the first to call EA out for being stupid and having shady practices, but there are real problems in the world beyond server crashes, micro-transactions, and DLC http://dr.tl/771
CAE9872
March 25, 2014 at 13:44
Agreed Geoff – stupid award to give to a company like EA when there are WAY better (?) organisations deserving of being named! And shamed…
Rags
March 25, 2014 at 13:50
Good to see, gamers have either grown some brains or have grown tired of forums being spammed with the vote for EA call to arms bs.