8 replies to this topic

[Orz]

I like some EA games but they are sure taking the Golden Poo pretty hard: http://www.sacbee.co...-the-title.html

NEW YORK, April 4, 2012 -- Tournament Rookie Eliminates Bracket Juggernaut, Bank of America, to Claim Victory in Consumerist.com's Annual Bracket-Style Contest

NEW YORK, April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Electronic Arts, which made its inaugural appearance in Consumerist.com's Worst Company In America tournament this year, has defeated bracket veteran Bank of America to claim the 2012 Grand Championship title, setting a tournament record for the most votes cast in a single round with 50,575 total submissions. While last year's winner, BP, narrowly beat out rival Bank of America in 2011, this year EA easily claimed the prestigious Golden Poo Award, a statuette modeled after a pile of poo, with 64 percent of the votes.

Over its three-week run, the seventh annual Worst Company In America tournament drew more than 260,000 total votes, setting yet another contest record, from people fed up with the poor consumer policies of the 32 companies nominated from a range of industries, including airlines, telecommunications, retailers, financial institutes and more. EA overtook Sony, Best Buy, Comcast and finally Bank of America to claim the Worst Company In America crown.

While both Bank of America and EA drew consumer ire for their poorly-received practices of swallowing up smaller competitors and nickel-and-diming customers with up-charges and fees, EA's success in this year's tournament shines a spotlight on an industry that is often considered ignored by regulators, courts and the mainstream media.

"Some may look down their noses at the idea of voters picking a video game publisher as the Worst Company In America, but that is the exact kind of attitude that has allowed EA and its ilk to nickel and dime devoted customers for a decade," said Chris Morran, Deputy Editor of Consumerist.com. "This is not just a few people complaining about bad games; this vote represents a large group of consumers who have grown sick and tired of being ignored and taken advantage of."

Although Bank of America wasn't able to clinch the top honor in this year's competition, it did earn its second consecutive Silver Poo Award. This year, Consumerist.com also awarded its first-ever Bronze Poo Award to AT&T, which beat out Walmart for the third-place spot in the tournament.

As a way of saying thanks for all the participation in this year's tournament, Consumerist.com is also giving out an honorary Golden Poo Award to one lucky fan through its "Worst Company In America Beat the Bracket Sweepstakes." The Grand Prize winner will receive a Consumerist.com prize package including their very own Golden Poo statue while four runners up will also receive a prize package from Consumerist.com.

While the Worst Company In America tournament may be over, be sure to check out Consumerist.com throughout the year for consumer-driven advice about dealing with everything from non-existent customer service to onerous cell-phone contracts to ever-shrinking (and ever-more-expensive) grocery products.

About Consumerist.com The Consumerist empowers consumers by informing and entertaining them about the top consumer issues of the day. We are a leading online resource for consumer-driven advice about dealing with everything from non-existent customer service to onerous cell-phone contracts to ever-shrinking (and ever-more-expensive) grocery products. The Consumerist is published by Consumer Media LLC, a not-for-profit subsidiary of Consumer Reports, and takes no outside advertising.

About Consumer Media LLC The Consumerist's parent company, Consumer Media LLC, is a subsidiary of Consumer Reports, the nation's leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organization. Since its founding in 1936, Consumer Reports has fought for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To maintain independence and impartiality, CR accepts neither outside advertising nor free samples. It employs a staff of "mystery shoppers" who buy products in retail stores around the country, just as any other buyer would, and then ship them to the Consumer Reports labs, where technical experts test some 3,000 products yearly.

SOURCE The Consumerist

[Sagasu]

Feels good man, unfortunately this doesn't matter because the only way to put them out of business is with wallets.

[Orz]

Well my goal in this wasn't so much to put them out of business but it does prove a point many gamers have been trying to make: the company has issues with backing games that look great at first then end up in one debacle after another. This gives it more widespread notice that it needs to improve.

[Pippi Longstocking]

I hate EA as much as the next guy, but they do not deserve first place. A lot of the other companies on that list are easily much worse.

[Sagasu]

I'm all for them being out of business. They buy up small companies that make interesting games then bog them down with deadlines and rush out unpolished, unfinished games. Push for retarded DLC that should be(already is) in the game. Having god awful support and shit all over game fans for a nickel.

In my head I rank them right up there with Chinese child labor companies.... and Apple. I can't remember the last time I bought a game from EA and I consider that a personal accomplishment.

[Novem]

After ME3 (which I thought was good enough to be game of the year just for the storyline, except for the last 2 missions & ending), I could see how EA took something that had millions of fans for over 5 years and slap them in the face with a money wallet. EA may not deserve the placing compared with other companies that have had serious damages to the economy and such, but if they managed to win through the voting, its nice to see EA get a kick in the ass as a wakeup call (even if they're just going to ignore it in the end and still stick everybody with DLC content that should have been in the game originally).

[Dropbear]

I'll be honest, I am actively avoiding EA games right now basically due to how they handle everything right now. $10 DLC on launch that was originally part of the game, pretty much destroying Bioware, buying and then closing down enough good game companies to count, the list goes on. I like Mass Effect, but I sure as hell not even going to buy Mass Effect 3, or anything else now being made by EA.

[Sagasu]

It is really too bad about Bioware, I loved their earlier games so much. However because of EA they have been getting progressively worse as a game developer. For Mass effect 3 they literally had day one DLC in the form of a companion who was already in the game (seriously you could edit game files and add him as a fully functional companion) and I'm not even going to talk about the ending. You are better off not playing it, it had mostly enjoyable combat and not all the dialogue was boring clichéd shit but the few pros don't make up for the list of cons. Go play any other cover based third person shooter, punch yourself in the face every time someone speaks, and for the ending ask all your friends and family to beat the shit out of you. You've just experienced Mass effect 3.

[Naido]

Every time EA gets its hands on something, it begins to die a slow, painful death.

I would try to save Bioware, but I'm sure it's already too late...