Friday, March 23, 2012

I'm disgusted at EA and Bioware


Ray Muzyka has the audacity to tell CUSTOMERS that 'they will not respond to *destructive* commentary.'

I'm studying management, and when I told my class that an executive said that negative comment on his product was unacceptable they all burst out laughing.

Chris Priestly, Bioware 'Community Coordinator' has the audacity to shut down a 400 page forum thread criticizing EA and Bioware's complete lack of respect for its user base (as shown by their constant PR nonsense), on the grounds that suggesting they buy reviews from media outlets is ABUSE.

Aside from the fact they have bought advertising space on most major websites (therefore paying for reviews, indirectly or not), it is not an unreasonable speculation considering the current video-game 'journalism' climate.

We, the consumer, are being told by this COMPANY that our negative reaction to their product is abuse, and that our negative reaction to the way they treat their customers is abuse.

EA AND BIOWARE ARE NOT THE VICTIM HERE, WE ARE. They used false advertisement to sucker in fans of a five year franchise into a 'finale' riddled with bugs, where no choices matter, and they taunt us with screen of text saying that they'll happily take more money off us. False advertisement is against the law, and speaking out on it is your right, protected by law.

I'm afraid now to post my legitimate concerns over this title on their website for fear I will be banned from their 'social network' for abuse, when all I want is what I deserve under the laws of business transactions in most countries.

The video-game industry, and the video-game media, are just as accountable as any other industry or media. They have the same responsibilities.

Instead, they take advantage of us. They take advantage of the fact that the video-game medium is seen as an immature joke by the popular media, and too immature in their attitudes to DEFEND THEMSELVES. They milk us for all we're worth, presenting us with false advertisement, trying to manipulate our opinions through their PR spin, bought reviews and reviewers, and selling us broken products, then telling us to shut up and deal when we complain (I'm sure they are also using other PR tricks like whisper marketing, but I guess saying that would be abuse too?).

I'm tired of it. I knew it was just a matter of time, when I heard about EA's acquisition of Bioware. It seems that time has come.

I'm sorry.
I'm sorry I bought into the hype and promise of an epic, golden age, science-fiction, space opera, RPG, trilogy where your choices mattered.
I'm sorry that what was delivered to me was an unfit for purpose, modern action sci-fi, reality tv show in space, 3rd person shooter, railroad to a nonsensical cookie cutter ending.

I'm certainly not sorry for all the 'abuse' you copped for it, or the revenue you lost.

'Art' is not a licence to violate the law, the contract between a customer and a business, or the faith that you built up with no intention of following through.

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