{"id":57,"date":"2021-01-30T21:57:35","date_gmt":"2021-01-30T21:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/?p=57"},"modified":"2021-01-30T21:57:35","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T21:57:35","slug":"the-end-is-nigh-because-of-the-ea-circus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/2021\/01\/30\/the-end-is-nigh-because-of-the-ea-circus\/","title":{"rendered":"The End is Nigh … because of the EA Circus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This article originally ran under a different banner\/website in July of 2018 and is now being here re-uploaded for purposes of convenience and consolidation. Please enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ROLL UP!!! ROLL UP!!!\u00a0 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! BOYS AND GIRLS!!! DO I HAVE A TREAT FOR YOU!!! I, THE VIDEO GAME DOOMSAYER, AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE MY NEW OCCUPATION!!!\u00a0 Yes, no longer will I be standing on a soapbox shouting at all of you.\u00a0 No, I am now the RINGLEADER OF THE EA CIRCUS!!! \u00a0 In an attempt to shed the corporate overlord image, EA has rebranded itself as a fun family-friendly circus.\u00a0 Of course, who better to spread the excitement of the EA Circus, than someone who has criticized the company for their past anti-consumer practices.\u00a0 If EA can turn over a new leaf, why shouldn\u2019t I be able to change my stance on them?\u00a0 I have retired my ratty Doomsayer rags and embraced the new wardrobe consisting of a stylish red jacket and top hat.\u00a0 As Ringleader, I will be at the helm of the marvelous spectacles EA has to offer.\u00a0 With that in mind, I have wonderful news for YOU!!! YES YOU!!!\u00a0 The EA Circus will be making its first stop directly in your town.\u00a0 How wonderfully convenient for you sketipal viewers.\u00a0 Please, I invite you to come on down to the big top and let all your cares float freely away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re just in time folks.\u00a0 The BIoware acrobats are about to do death defying stunts for your entertainment.\u00a0 We, at the EA Circus, demand these developers work tirelessly day and night to perfect these tricks, especially their newest trick, Anthem<\/em>.\u00a0 We wouldn’t want these developers to end up like the Visceral necromorph trainers, now would we?\u00a0 What do we have here?\u00a0 One of the Bioware acrobats is here to say a couple of words to us.\u00a0 What is that, my high diving acrobatic friend; you don\u2019t think Mass Effect: Andromeda <\/em>got a fair shot having to compete with Nier, Nioh, Horizon Zero Dawn<\/em>, and Zelda: Breath of the Wild<\/em>?\u00a0 Some worthy competition indeed, Mr. Acrobat, but I would argue, with the exception of Zelda<\/em>, the Mass Effect<\/em> name carries a lot of weight.\u00a0 If Mass Effect: Andromeda <\/em>was a brilliant game, players would have flocked to that game; MUCH LIKE PEOPLE FLOCK TO THE EA CIRCUS.\u00a0 No, standards for Mass Effect <\/em>writing and animations were clearly not met, and critics and gamers made that clear.\u00a0 What confuses me is if the release window for Mass Effect Andromeda<\/em> was so tight, why not delay its release?\u00a0 The shareholders won\u2019t be happy?\u00a0 Wait a minute… that\u2019s not something an acrobat would say.\u00a0 I think what we have here is a clown in disguised.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of clowns, here comes the leader of the clowns, Patrick S\u00f6derlund.\u00a0 I have been hearing you make some ridiculous claims.\u00a0 Especially ones about Command and Conquer<\/em> fans not knowing what they truly want.\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a look at what you said Mr. S\u00f6derlund:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor us, I think people make the mistake of saying, ‘This is what you really want.’\u00a0 Mobile is the biggest gaming platform on the planet today. When the team came up with the construct of the game and we realized that there was a great fit for the C&C brand and we could make the game better as a result, that just felt like the next natural step. RTS games are still relevant in the market and for the most part PC-based, but if you can get a successful multiplayer, competitive-type RTS game to work well on mobile, we believe that could reach hundreds of millions of players in the world. That’s what motivates us to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, how rich!\u00a0 Like a custard pie full of nails to the face.\u00a0 Maybe nobody is laughing for a couple of reasons.\u00a0 One, everyone remembers how EA treated Dungeon Keeper Mobile<\/em>, a shell of Bullfrog Production\u2019s old strategy game that told players to pay up or wait 24 hours to mine out one square.\u00a0 Maybe, Command and Conquer <\/em>fans know that you have sat on the license for six years only to slap it onto another mobile game design to milk consumer\u2019s wallet\u2019s dry similar to what Dungeon Keeper Mobile <\/em>did.\u00a0 The legendary Command and Conquer<\/em>, once a mighty lion in the RTS market, not defang and forced to become a copycat.\u00a0 Oh how the mighty have fallen.\u00a0 Second, you even admit it in your statement, that RTS games are at home on the PC, but you willingly put it on mobile just to get it in front of more players.\u00a0 Possibly hoping to catch a few whales Mr. S\u00f6derlund?\u00a0 It is the only reason I could think to a genre generally known for strict micromanaging and throw it onto a platform with the worst method of control: the touch screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh why the long face Mr. S\u00f6derlund, you don\u2019t like being the sad clown?\u00a0 You don\u2019t think we are being fair to you Mr. S\u00f6derlund?\u00a0 You think we should be fair to Command and Conquer Rivals<\/em>?\u00a0 I don\u2019t think you were very fair to Dungeon Keeper <\/em>fans when you turned their beloved series into a pay-to-win mobile game to chase the Clash of Clans <\/em>trend infesting the mobile market.\u00a0 Oh what is that Mr. S\u00f6derlund?\u00a0 You have a comment on fairness in games.\u00a0 The stage is yours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“You have to look at it from the perspective of what’s fair. Fair is the number one thing. When you buy a product from us, you should get full value for the money you spend. There should be a fair game economy in the game so you can’t pay to win. We don’t want you to be able to pay your way to be better than others. That’s important to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interesting thought Mr. S\u00f6derlund.\u00a0 So, that means that you are removing the Ultimate Team Mode from FIFA 19<\/em> or Madden 19<\/em>.\u00a0 No?\u00a0 You feel like partaking in those moods is player choice.\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t it seem a bit hypocritical to say your against pay-to-win if it continues to persist in your games.\u00a0 I guess it isn\u2019t when you make $650 million dollars from Ultimate Team Modes.\u00a0 Maybe it is time I demote Mr. S\u00f6derlund from clown to carnie.\u00a0 He can run all the rigged carnival games designed to steal children\u2019s money.\u00a0 That sure seems fitting.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh who am I kidding.\u00a0 EA won\u2019t change.\u00a0 A tiger can never change its stripes, just like a corporation can\u2019t stop it\u2019s greed driven ways.\u00a0 Is EA learning from their mistakes with Mass Effect Andromeda and Battlefront 2 or can they only think about all the money from the whales?\u00a0 \u00a0 They can take away all the loot boxes from Battlefield and Anthem all they want, but they will never remove them from their mobile or sports games.\u00a0 Did they only remove the loot boxes from Battlefield and Anthem cause they know gamers wouldn\u2019t stand for it?\u00a0 With Bioware employees, like 22 year veteran James Ohlen, leaving the studio, I don\u2019t think EA has learned to stop pushing the envelope with their studios or customers.\u00a0 Maybe I should take EA\u2019s unwillingness to change as a sign.\u00a0 If they aren\u2019t willing to stop their greed fueled rampage; why should I stop railing against them?\u00a0 Much like the candy, popcorn, and big top tent, this is all a sham.\u00a0 A front to keep customers content as they drain their wallets.\u00a0 This suit, this ringleader suit. \u00a0 It is part of that lie.\u00a0 A lie that I can no longer be a part of.\u00a0 As of today, I resign as the Ringleader of the EA Circus, and will return to my soapbox immediately.\u00a0 To you, carnival patrons, I bid you a good day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, one last thing: Don\u2019t Preorder Anthem<\/em>!!!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinclair, Brendan. \u201cFor EA and Loot Boxes, \u2018Fair Is the Number One Thing.\u2019\u201d Games Industry Biz<\/em>, 21 June 2018, https:\/\/www.gamesindustry.biz\/articles\/2018-06-21-for-ea-and-loot-boxes-fair-is-the-number-one-thing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sinclair, Brendan. \u201c\u2018People Make the Mistake of Saying, ‘This Is What You Really Want'”.\u201d Games Industry Biz<\/em>, www.gamesindustry.biz\/articles\/2018-06-25-people-make-the-mistake-of-saying-this-is-what-you-really-want<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This article originally ran under a different banner\/website in July of 2018 and is now being here re-uploaded for purposes of convenience and consolidation. Please enjoy. ROLL UP!!! ROLL UP!!!\u00a0 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! BOYS AND GIRLS!!! DO I HAVE A TREAT FOR YOU!!! I, THE VIDEO GAME DOOMSAYER, AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE MY NEW OCCUPATION!!!\u00a0… Continue reading The End is Nigh … because of the EA Circus<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":58,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-opinion","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57\/revisions\/60"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gatecitygaming.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}