EA says it wants to do better, but why should we believe?

"EA is evil," or then the meme goes. You need simply look at whatever prominent gaming community during a word of Electronic Arts to get a sense of the feelings surrounding this company. EA dismantles and destroys beloved franchises, EA runs pop studios into the footing afterward buying them out, and EA is at present known for some of the scummiest microtransaction features in industry history.

Recently, however, the company's new design chief spoke to The Verge, saying that they need to "be meliorate." But EA, we've been here before... why should we believe yous this time?

"The worst company in America"

Battlefront II's pay to win systems were a hot topic last year.

EA has twice earned the dubious honor of being the "worst company in America", equally voted for by users of The Consumerist. These were not recent "honors" either. EA has spent the better part of its contempo history pissing off gamers in various means.

The truth is, for EA, none of this bad blood seems to accept mattered a bully deal. It continues to mail service astronomical annual profits, buoyed by its sports gaming license monopoly, predatory pay2win mobile games, and the sheer talent of its developers, artists, and writers. Perhaps that's the virtually heart-breaking matter well-nigh EA: it has some of the most incredible developers under its proper noun, with companies like Dice, building some of the best shooters in history, and BioWare, building manufacture-leading RPGs. Both studios accept suffered under EA, non due to the quality of their games, but due to the terrible decisions of upper management, who apparently care just virtually brusk term cash.

Mass Effect is now on hiatus due to the poor performance of its virtually recent outing "Andromeda."

BioWare must take known Mass Event Andromeda was nowhere near the level fans of the series deserved, and DICE must have known how its pay2win progression organisation in the $lx Star Wars Battlefront II was going to be received. It's on EA for ploughing alee with both of these recent failings, both of which the mega-publisher emphatically "apologized" for.

I wish we could accept EA's comments at face value, truly, I do. Merely we've been here several times earlier.

Speaking to The Verge, EA'south new design chief and long-fourth dimension exec Patrick Söderlund discussed the loot crate controversy, saying the following:

"I'd exist lying to you if I said that what's happened with Battlefront and what's happened with everything surrounding loot boxes and these things haven't had an issue on EA every bit a company and an effect on us as management. Nosotros can shy away from it and pretend similar information technology didn't happen, or we can human activity responsibly and realize that we made some mistakes, and try to rectify those mistakes and learn from them."

Additionally, BioWare's Casey Hudson recently addressed Mass Upshot Andromeda, noting how the studio had left the game effectively unfinished and unresolved, with plot lines that will never see closure. Mass Effect has earned some of the most passionate fans in the world, attributable to the franchise's stellar character writing.

I wish we could take EA's comments at face value, truly, I do. But we've been hither several times before, and EA's repeated disregard is indicative of how little it cares most earning its fans.

The publisher who cried wolf

EA finer killed Sim City and Maxis with its aggressive and needless online restrictions.

We shouldn't be fix or willing to forgive EA, because we've been here before, several times. EA just seems to be a company that likes apologizing. The company says it wants to do improve, but it has been saying that for years, and very little has inverse.

This is but a taste of how poorly EA has listened to its fans.

EA apologized in 2022 for the utterly botched launch of Sim Urban center, which led to the closure of Maxis, one of the industry's most legendary studios. EA said information technology wanted to better back in 2008 too, citing poor reception of flagship titles. Every bit recently every bit 2022, EA said information technology wanted to put players first, which is frankly hilarious.

Putting players first would have meant listening to early on feedback nearly Battlefront II'south systems from its extensive beta tests. Putting players first would mean finishing off Andromeda'due south storyline rather than leaving the franchise in a decapitated land.

This is just a taste of how poorly EA has listened to its fans, and treated its franchises over the years, why should nosotros believe it tin can change at present?

Can companies change? Aye, says Ubisoft

Rather than groveling and seeking pity when it began falling out of favor, Ubisoft simply changed its concern practices, and we're now seeing the fruits of those labors. With fairness to Ubisoft, it has never plunged the depths of murky practices to the extent EA does, though.

Rather than abandoning ill-received products, Ubisoft stuck with them, aggressively, turning them around. Rainbow Vi Siege which didn't exactly light the earth on fire at launch, now enjoys an incredibly healthy player base owing to repeated free updates. For Honor joined Rainbow Six Siege in receiving dedicated servers, designed to improve the online experience. Even The Segmentation, which felt like a far cry from what was originally revealed, has too received piles of new content and other additions, making it worthy of histrion's expectations all those years agone. Ubisoft took Assassinator'due south Creed dorsum to the cartoon board after its weak effort at annualization, eventually delivering Origins, arguably the best in the unabridged series. Ubisoft has also been hard at work delivering Xbox One X 4K updates for its older titles too. Have we seen the aforementioned turn effectually in any EA game of late?

Ubisoft worked hard to ameliorate its recent games long after launch, supporting them with free updates and graphical improvements.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 is an incredible game when yous disregard the hell EA put its players through during its launch period, and DICE is working to rectify the game's biggest failings. Microtransactions will at present be cosmetic only, with player power progression to more than traditionally reward fourth dimension investment, rather than cash investment. Battlefield 1 has received tons of updates, though they've been paid updates that accept split the playerbase between those who have the maps and those who don't. EA as well never bothered to update the game for the Xbox I X, despite continuing to sell maps.

EA: terminate apologizing and prove yourself

Söderlund himself says that words aren't enough and that EA needs to take activeness to fix public perception, but the company has had decades to "larn" and "get things right," nevertheless here we are, time and time over again.

"Nosotros take to have activity and show people that nosotros're serious about edifice the best possible products, that we're serious about treating the players fair, and we're hither to brand the best possible entertainment that nosotros can."

EA is responsible for some of my favorite game franchises of all time, just it feels like the company has done everything in its power to make me hate information technology. I've given up having whatever organized religion in this company'south words, because as information technology shows time and time again, actions speak louder.

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Business Insider has today published a follow-upwardly study with more details about Microsoft'southward canceled HoloLens 3 augmented reality headset. The partnership with Samsung is said to include a headset with a set of screens inside, powered by a Samsung phone in your pocket.

Keeping it affordable

Review: Surface Laptop SE is the new standard for Thousand-8 Windows PCs

Starting at just $250, Microsoft'southward first foray into affordable laptops for the education market is a winner. With a gorgeous design, excellent thermals, and a fantastic typing experience, Microsoft would practise correct to sell this direct to consumers likewise. Let'southward merely promise Intel can make a better CPU.

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Our peak picks for Xbox headsets below $100

Practise you fancy a new Xbox 1 headset? Do you fancy not spending more than $100? Let the states aid! There's a big range of solid audio options without breaking your budget. And here are our top picks that we've personally used.

Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/ea-says-it-wants-do-better-you-shouldnt-believe-it

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