6 ms·

It's frustrating to me that people put up with this instead of boycotting the game FOREVER! I was thinking of buying having seen the early reviews. Now I won't

It's frustrating to me that people put up with this instead of boycotting the game FOREVER! I was thinking of buying having seen the early reviews. Now I won't, EVER. I've got plenty of other games to play. I don't need this one.

qompiler 14y ago
What's more amusing is people keep returning! It's Command & Conquer 4 all over again and I will never forget that.
- johnward 14y ago
  This is the bigger issue. Gamers will complain about DRM and games being unplayable. Then they will be camping out for the next DRM ruined game. They will complain about it for a few weeks. Rinse. Repeat.
  - jerf 14y ago
    There's no reason to believe "gamers who complain about DRM" and "gamers camping out for the next DRM ruined game" are the same people. I'm in the first set and not the second, for instance. And the second set generally outnumbers the first, until the companies go a bit too far like this.
    - johnward 14y ago
      There is some overlap of those people. Some gamers will stick to it, but most wont. Look at all of the COD boycots. Once everyone's fiends started giving in then they wanted to play with them. I won't ever buy a COD game again. I'm thinking of swearing off all EA games. It doesn't matter though because millions of people will buy the new sports games and shooters every year.
johnward 14y ago
Here's the thing. If people don't buy the game because of DRM then EA execs see this as "no one will ever buy a city sim". So a bunch of people who did buy the game doing chargebacks seems like it sends a better message. It says "I wanted this game for so long I pre-ordered. After I couldn't play due to DRM I wanted a refund."
- projectmayhem 14y ago
  Yup. People who preordered (like myself) want to play this. The DRM is restrictive and sucks, but I was hoping EA learned from Blizzard in this instance. If you just don't buy it, EA will assume everyone pirated the game and cancel any future SimCity games... then we end up stuck in a DRM-filled loop forever. Requesting a refund is far more productive from a feedback perspective.
  - numo16 14y ago
    If the game is as they say it is and can't be played without the server, due to critical game logic being done there, I don't think they can get away with the pirating excuse as easily this time.
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
  - derefr 14y ago
    What seems like the obvious solution to me: let EA stop making city sims if they're bad at it, and fire all the ex-Maxis staff who they put on them. And then, let some other company get into the city-sim market if they think there's demand, and then hire all those same staff for their expertise. Or does EA now hold all the patents on drawing roads and zoning buildings onto an isometric tilemap? :)
- aviraldg 14y ago
  They can't do that for all their games.
- deleted 14y ago
hobs 14y ago
If you don't have an EA horror story at this point, you don't regularly play video games. After BF3 and Diablo 3 I learned my lesson, and I will not be fooled into thinking "now its better" by the newest hottest game. My general advice is to ignore all EA games until they either change their ways(lol ya rite) or die. Also remember that not only do they love to fuck up a launch, but they also love to discontinue games with online components to screw everyone who bought them, and a lot of these games are on current platforms (360) or feature somewhat recent IP (some bf3 item in there). http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:0L266uiy59kJ:www.ea.com/1/service-updates+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:0L266ui...
- ajuc 14y ago
  Is Diablo 3 EA game?
  - hobs 14y ago
    No it is not. I was just using their terrible launch as an example of games with terrible launches.
- chc 14y ago
  Sims 3 (an EA game) is also known to be hampered by its DRM, though it's not in the "always online" category. It's one of those games where pirated copies with the DRM code deactivated run better than the version you get on the disc.
touristtam 14y ago
EA is such a bad publisher with really bad attempt to tight up their customer base through various DRM scheme that it is surprising it is not a academical example of a business not deserving their market share. Although Ubisoft seems to be a serious contender for the first place, in this league. Personally I have refused to use their Origin market place from the start, as I do not support market fragmentation when it comes to electronic delivery service on a single plateform (Windows PC in this case). This and the really poor customer experience I have had with them in the last 10 years.
- jiggy2011 14y ago
  You believe that Valve should have a monopoly on electronically distributing PC games?
  - CamperBob2 14y ago
    That's not his call, or anyone else's, but that of the market as a whole. There are few if any artificial barriers to success for a prospective competitor, except for their own unbridled greed and indifference to customer service. In the technology sector, the greatest success stories have emerged not when one company executes flawlessly, but when one company executes competently in an environment where all of the other competitors act like barking idiots. You can't even count the number of times this has happened, but citing Microsoft, Google, and Apple should be enough to get the point across. That's what's happening with Valve, IMHO. It's not that they are perfect... but when your competition is Electronic Arts, it's hard not to look good.
  - touristtam 14y ago
    When I am talking about market fragmentation, I was referring to the electronic distribution market: I mean that a distribution platform that has a lesser offer but has exclusive (permanent one) because of a tied up with a specific publisher is very restrictive. I wouldn't have problem if, in this case, Valve and EA could agree to allow reselling of title through their respective distribution system. Imaging that, going to your local super market (ASDA for an example) you could not find a major brand of cereals (Kellogs for the sake of argumentation). And that you would have to go to a direct competitor to find it (Tesco in this case). This is a fairly strait forward hurdle against a free market.
maxerickson 14y ago
Someone who buys their games based on the principle that they should get their moneys worth within a few months of the purchase could easily overlook some bugs at the beginning. People that spend $20 or $40 to go to a movie for 2 hours can't be that worried about maximizing the value they extract from a $60 game. I do look at it from the standpoint of not wanting games to work like this, but I can see how someone might not care much, especially if things smooth out soon.
goostavos 14y ago
I tend to agree. I haven't purchased an EA title in, well, years. It's almost a little hard to sympathize with these people that preorder the games. I mean, reading that transcript made me angry, yes, and I may be employing a faulty "blame the victim" mentality right now, but jesus, this cycle happens during every EA release. People should vote with their wallets. They know EA will treat them poorly, and yet they enter that relationship over and over again. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm getting older, but I will happily choose spite over entertainment. I disagree with the companies practices, than that is that. No sale. This goes for all things. Honestly, I'm even getting a little wary of Steam. They too share EAs account banning or a chargeback. Where else do we allow a company to destroy our goods by exercising our rights as consumers? It's maddness! Some people's steam libraries are easily worth a $1k or more. What gives them the right to take away what we've paid for? I just don't know if it's worth supporting this kind of business model anymore. Even if that means I just don't get to play the games I want to anymore. Following the steam example, Gabe is getting up there in years. He's not going around forever. When the new CEO comes in, are they going to stay a private enterprise, will they still "focus on the customer first?" If any of that changes, you suddenly have a massive investment teetering on the goodwill of a company.
- Semaphor 14y ago
  > It's almost a little hard to sympathize with these people that preorder the games. Why almost? EA as publisher is a big warning sign and in combination with the DRM what's happening now is exactly the expected outcome.
  - vacri 14y ago
    Not everyone keeps up with the politics of the gaming industry.
    - Semaphor 14y ago
      I'd think people still read about a game before they buy/preorder it?
dclowd9901 14y ago
The market is certainly full of good titles that don't require this kind of BS. I'm currently backlogged to shit with enough titles to last me several years.

qompiler 14y ago

What's more amusing is people keep returning! It's Command & Conquer 4 all over again and I will never forget that.

johnward 14y ago
This is the bigger issue. Gamers will complain about DRM and games being unplayable. Then they will be camping out for the next DRM ruined game. They will complain about it for a few weeks. Rinse. Repeat.
- jerf 14y ago
  There's no reason to believe "gamers who complain about DRM" and "gamers camping out for the next DRM ruined game" are the same people. I'm in the first set and not the second, for instance. And the second set generally outnumbers the first, until the companies go a bit too far like this.
  - johnward 14y ago
    There is some overlap of those people. Some gamers will stick to it, but most wont. Look at all of the COD boycots. Once everyone's fiends started giving in then they wanted to play with them. I won't ever buy a COD game again. I'm thinking of swearing off all EA games. It doesn't matter though because millions of people will buy the new sports games and shooters every year.

johnward 14y ago

Here's the thing. If people don't buy the game because of DRM then EA execs see this as "no one will ever buy a city sim". So a bunch of people who did buy the game doing chargebacks seems like it sends a better message. It says "I wanted this game for so long I pre-ordered. After I couldn't play due to DRM I wanted a refund."

projectmayhem 14y ago
Yup. People who preordered (like myself) want to play this. The DRM is restrictive and sucks, but I was hoping EA learned from Blizzard in this instance. If you just don't buy it, EA will assume everyone pirated the game and cancel any future SimCity games... then we end up stuck in a DRM-filled loop forever. Requesting a refund is far more productive from a feedback perspective.
- numo16 14y ago
  If the game is as they say it is and can't be played without the server, due to critical game logic being done there, I don't think they can get away with the pirating excuse as easily this time.
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]
- derefr 14y ago
  What seems like the obvious solution to me: let EA stop making city sims if they're bad at it, and fire all the ex-Maxis staff who they put on them. And then, let some other company get into the city-sim market if they think there's demand, and then hire all those same staff for their expertise. Or does EA now hold all the patents on drawing roads and zoning buildings onto an isometric tilemap? :)
aviraldg 14y ago
They can't do that for all their games.
deleted 14y ago

hobs 14y ago

If you don't have an EA horror story at this point, you don't regularly play video games. After BF3 and Diablo 3 I learned my lesson, and I will not be fooled into thinking "now its better" by the newest hottest game. My general advice is to ignore all EA games until they either change their ways(lol ya rite) or die. Also remember that not only do they love to fuck up a launch, but they also love to discontinue games with online components to screw everyone who bought them, and a lot of these games are on current platforms (360) or feature somewhat recent IP (some bf3 item in there). http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:0L266uiy59kJ:www.ea.com/1/service-updates+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:0L266ui...

ajuc 14y ago
Is Diablo 3 EA game?
- hobs 14y ago
  No it is not. I was just using their terrible launch as an example of games with terrible launches.
chc 14y ago
Sims 3 (an EA game) is also known to be hampered by its DRM, though it's not in the "always online" category. It's one of those games where pirated copies with the DRM code deactivated run better than the version you get on the disc.

touristtam 14y ago

EA is such a bad publisher with really bad attempt to tight up their customer base through various DRM scheme that it is surprising it is not a academical example of a business not deserving their market share. Although Ubisoft seems to be a serious contender for the first place, in this league. Personally I have refused to use their Origin market place from the start, as I do not support market fragmentation when it comes to electronic delivery service on a single plateform (Windows PC in this case). This and the really poor customer experience I have had with them in the last 10 years.

jiggy2011 14y ago
You believe that Valve should have a monopoly on electronically distributing PC games?
- CamperBob2 14y ago
  That's not his call, or anyone else's, but that of the market as a whole. There are few if any artificial barriers to success for a prospective competitor, except for their own unbridled greed and indifference to customer service. In the technology sector, the greatest success stories have emerged not when one company executes flawlessly, but when one company executes competently in an environment where all of the other competitors act like barking idiots. You can't even count the number of times this has happened, but citing Microsoft, Google, and Apple should be enough to get the point across. That's what's happening with Valve, IMHO. It's not that they are perfect... but when your competition is Electronic Arts, it's hard not to look good.
- touristtam 14y ago
  When I am talking about market fragmentation, I was referring to the electronic distribution market: I mean that a distribution platform that has a lesser offer but has exclusive (permanent one) because of a tied up with a specific publisher is very restrictive. I wouldn't have problem if, in this case, Valve and EA could agree to allow reselling of title through their respective distribution system. Imaging that, going to your local super market (ASDA for an example) you could not find a major brand of cereals (Kellogs for the sake of argumentation). And that you would have to go to a direct competitor to find it (Tesco in this case). This is a fairly strait forward hurdle against a free market.

maxerickson 14y ago

Someone who buys their games based on the principle that they should get their moneys worth within a few months of the purchase could easily overlook some bugs at the beginning. People that spend $20 or $40 to go to a movie for 2 hours can't be that worried about maximizing the value they extract from a $60 game. I do look at it from the standpoint of not wanting games to work like this, but I can see how someone might not care much, especially if things smooth out soon.

goostavos 14y ago

I tend to agree. I haven't purchased an EA title in, well, years. It's almost a little hard to sympathize with these people that preorder the games. I mean, reading that transcript made me angry, yes, and I may be employing a faulty "blame the victim" mentality right now, but jesus, this cycle happens during every EA release. People should vote with their wallets. They know EA will treat them poorly, and yet they enter that relationship over and over again. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm getting older, but I will happily choose spite over entertainment. I disagree with the companies practices, than that is that. No sale. This goes for all things. Honestly, I'm even getting a little wary of Steam. They too share EAs account banning or a chargeback. Where else do we allow a company to destroy our goods by exercising our rights as consumers? It's maddness! Some people's steam libraries are easily worth a $1k or more. What gives them the right to take away what we've paid for? I just don't know if it's worth supporting this kind of business model anymore. Even if that means I just don't get to play the games I want to anymore. Following the steam example, Gabe is getting up there in years. He's not going around forever. When the new CEO comes in, are they going to stay a private enterprise, will they still "focus on the customer first?" If any of that changes, you suddenly have a massive investment teetering on the goodwill of a company.

Semaphor 14y ago
> It's almost a little hard to sympathize with these people that preorder the games. Why almost? EA as publisher is a big warning sign and in combination with the DRM what's happening now is exactly the expected outcome.
- vacri 14y ago
  Not everyone keeps up with the politics of the gaming industry.
  - Semaphor 14y ago
    I'd think people still read about a game before they buy/preorder it?

dclowd9901 14y ago

The market is certainly full of good titles that don't require this kind of BS. I'm currently backlogged to shit with enough titles to last me several years.