Boycott Electronic Arts

[menace]

The japanese have a saying--the only good competition is no competition.  I see this whole thing playing out in a year or two as their 1 billion dollars is gradually eaten away by diminishing returns UNLESS they release a product that is a "good game", in that case they will have cornered the market and eliminated competition--business is ugly but its been this way for a long time. 

[GGKoul]

who cares as long as EA continue improving Fifa football

Coming from UK i dont care about their American Football/Basketball/Ice Hockey games.

what value does having the licence to a league make anyway?

If i was sega i would develop a technically superior products with fictious player/team names. Sonic football anyone?

I think EA owns the rights to FIFA also.  So Sega can't make a "Sonic Football" game. 

Regardless, the Winning Eleven Series is a much better soccer game then EA's FIFA game.

[GGKoul]

The japanese have a saying--the only good competition is no competition.

[fredster]

Shmokes,

Okay, I bow to your superior intellect.

I'll check for the fall of EA due to your boycott 

[shmokes]

If the product isn't worth to somebody the price that is being asked, then it won't sell. That's capitalism.

Fredster, I'm sorry for being short (actually that's more a figure of speach than an apology), but you drive me to it.

You make comments like that, and then turn around and suggest that boycotting a product or company is useless.  My point in the original post was to increase awareness of the price that is being asked to do business with EA.  There are other costs of doing business besides the price of a product.  Economists call them externalities -- in this case negative externalities (the common example would be polution created by a factory being a cost to the community, in addition to supply and demand for jobs and whatnot).  The cost of supporting EA includes risking the loss of other quality companies you care about, not due to competition in a free market, but due to the wielding of monopolistic power.  This is bad for consumers.  It's bad for the companies that get squashed under EA's wallet and it's bad for the quality of EA's games.

So many of you say, "I don't see what the big deal is as long as EA continues to release good products."  If you believe in capitalism than you believe that EA CANNOT be as effective at game development without competition.  Of course EA is not going to set the price of their games higher than the laws of supply and demand will allow, but where do y'all get the idea that the supply or demand curve are static for any given product? 

There are an infinite number of demand curves for any given product -- one curve for any given price.  When Sega released ESPN NFL 2K for $20, the demand for Madden at the pricepoint of $50 went down to a degree that it became more profitable to sell the game at the $30 pricepoint.  Any company finds the optimum pricepoint for their product.  EA could make more money per unit by selling Madden for $100 a copy, but it would sell fewer copies.  They could sell WAY more copies if they lowered the price to $5 per copy, but they would make so little on each sale that the overall profit would be lower.  A company finds the pricepoint that will maximize profits.  It was $50 for Madden until Sega released a viable alternative at a much lower price point.  Now fewer people were willing to spend $50 for Madden so the demand dropped at that pricepoint and the beancounters determined that the new pricepoint for maximizing profits was $30. 

This is all talking about the benefits of competition on price alone.  Obviously similar rules apply to product quality.

It's your preaching to me about supply and demand and capitalism (with a subtext of "you're just a liberal so you hate business"), and then turning around a taking a whiz on supply and demand and capitalism that I find obnoxious.  Don't get high and mighty about the virtues of conservative economics if you think all there is to supply and demand is, "the market supplies as much as the public demands."  It's slightly more nuanced than that.  The world that you advocate, where a consumer has no choices because the only option is controlled by one entity, a monopoly or a government, is decidedly NOT capitalism.

[DrewKaree]

All that and absolutely NO commentary on my use of the word axiom?  That's some top-drawer stuff there...well, actually, it's more "third drawer under the handkerchiefs but on top of the "research literature" stored there in case of emergency".

I for one will, indeed boycott EA, although more because I no longer play them.....to be quite honest, I've simply read this thread to see where I could interject some comedy.  I had NO idea people took gaming this seriously, and I may re-read this in order to suss out where I stand.  But I AM indirectly supporting your stance, shmokes.  You were right on the ramen, perhaps there's life in the boycott.

I can SERIOUSLY feel the drugs starting to take effect (I'm ill) and it'll be a few days before I reply soon enugh.

[shmokes]

Ramen is an inferior good.  That means it almost creates a paradox in that the less money you have, the more of it you buy and the more disposable income you have, the less of it you buy.

 

Sorry about not commenting on axiom.  I was totally going to, but then read a few more posts and got all caught up in my soap box.  Your use of axiom was as funny as Fred's, admittedly for totally different reasons.

[GGKoul]

Sega could sell there game at a lower price point because they did not spend the same amount of money developing and marketing the game as EA did.

[GGKoul]

All that and absolutely NO commentary on my use of the word axiom?

Axiom makes some of the best speakers in the world.  I'm buying some next Christmas.

http://www.axiomaudio.com/

[Luxury]

All taken from Gamerankings.com.

[fredster]

Shmokes,

I am so glad we have you to shine with your well learned opinions.

[GGKoul]

All taken from Gamerankings.com.

[shmokes]

Shmokes,

I am so glad we have you to shine with your well learned opinions.

Thanks.  I'm here to help.

[shmokes]

Also, since Sega know longer has to pay for a NFL/NFLPA license, they can sell the game for a even lower price or spend that extra money making their other products better.  So even though they won't compete head-to-head with madden anymore.  Sega can still take money out of EA's pocket by improving their Hockey, Basketball series and/or create a Baseball series.

To me this is meaningless.  They were doing a great job.  Imagine that we are both greeters at the local Wal-Mart and due to economic constraints they need to lay one of us off.  You have proven to be a much more valuable employee, but I just got a big inheritence and really want this job, so I pay the manager $1,000 and buy him a lapdance at the local bar so he gives me the job instead.  Your argument is that basically, "that's life, and hey, now you will have more time and resources to improve other areas of your life so who cares if you got screwed in this one area?"  It doesn't wash.

[fredster]

GGKoul,

You have to bend to Shmoke's arguements.  After all, he's right! Just ask him.

He works for the government, so he must be right!

[shmokes]

I am always right, but it's not because I work for the govenrment.  It's because I'm god.

[Gunstar Hero]

There is a ESPN NFL 2K5 commercial.

Plus it was promoted HEAVILY on ESPN last year. Not just a press release.

EA didn't even pony up for a in store Madden standee this year. They did do a nice collectors edition, which sold semi-well for $59.99.

[DrewKaree]

Shmokes, is that Wal-Mart you spoke of doing any hiring?  I'm sure I could quickly become hiring manager for the greeters.....soooooooooo 

[shmokes]

Hook me up and there could be a lap dance in your future....

[GGKoul]

I just got a big inheritence and really want this job, so I pay the manager $1,000 and buy him a lapdance at the local bar so he gives me the job instead.

If I just got an inheritance, why would I want to continue to work at Walmart?

Also, if the REAL WORLD, regardless if you bought off the manager, this person is still a poor employee and they will be fired in the end.

And if you want to talk about "boycotting" a company, Walmart should be number 1 on your list of companies to boycott.

[DrewKaree]

If I just got an inheritence, why would I want to continue to work at Walmart?

Because you're a human being with a need for some "purpose" in life.  While Wal-Mart is kinda setting your sights low, it's an easier goal to hit.  If I were to hit the lottery, I'd still keep doing my job.  Not full time, mind you, but still, I'd keep working.

Also, if the REAL WORLD, regardless if you bought off the manager, the person is still a poor employee and they will be fired in the end.

Shmokes never said how large the inheritance was 

[GGKoul]

There is a ESPN NFL 2K5 commercial.

Plus it was promoted HEAVILY on ESPN last year. Not just a press release.

EA didn't even pony up for a in store Madden standee this year. They did do a nice collectors edition, which sold semi-well for $59.99.

In comparison to Madden, ESPN's marketing budget was minimal.

[GGKoul]

If I just got an inheritence, why would I want to continue to work at Walmart?

Because you're a human being with a need for some "purpose" in life.

[DrewKaree]

Sorry....it was just the oregano talking.

I've started to cut it with a little basil so it's harder to detect.  Oh, and it tastes better in spaghetti 

[shmokes]

And if you want to talk about "boycotting" a company, Walmart should be number 1 on your list of companies to boycott.

 
OMG.....ROFLMAO

GGKoul.....in case you didn't know, you and I don't really work at Wal-Mart.  I made that bit up.  God, that's the highlight of my week.  Thank you.  LOL.

[SOAPboy]

ESPN NFL 2k was the superior football game of 2004.

[RacerX]

Lies..

Madden 2005, you can STILL throw the ball, while running, on your off foot, and nail your receiver.. which is gay..

Huh???  Reggie McNeal (http://www.aggieathletics.com/bios.php?SID=MFB&PID=111&YOS=2004) can do that!  It's possible!   

[GGKoul]

And if you want to talk about "boycotting" a company, Walmart should be number 1 on your list of companies to boycott.

 
OMG.....ROFLMAO

GGKoul.....in case you didn't know, you and I don't really work at Wal-Mart.

[GGKoul]

ESPN NFL 2k was the superior football game of 2004.

[shmokes]

Where did I imply that you worked at Walmart?  For me to imply that, I would have to assume you "HAVE" a job.   

Walmart is an excellent candidate for a boycott.  You should begin by not buying EA games there.

[DrewKaree]

Lies..

Madden 2005, you can STILL throw the ball, while running, on your off foot, and nail your receiver.. which is gay..

I suggest playing with a different quarterback than Brett Favre, then.  Don't hate the player, hate the game.  I like the guy too, but you can't base your whole assessment of a game on how accurately they get Favre's persona.....what you just described happens at every Packers practice and twice on Sunday!

                               

[GGKoul]

Where did I imply that you worked at Walmart?

[shmokes]

If I just got an inheritance, why would I want to continue to work at Walmart?

Also, if the REAL WORLD, regardless if you bought off the manager, this person is still a poor employee and they will be fired in the end.

And if you want to talk about "boycotting" a company, Walmart should be number 1 on your list of companies to boycott.  As they have done more to harm the North American Society then EA buying NFL & ESPN rights will ever do.

Well...it just seemed that the topic was straying dangerously.  For example, you're asking me questions like, "If I just got an inheritence, why would I want to continue working at Wal-Mart?"  To which the answer is, "I don't know, maybe I'm casing the place for a major heist."

Also, in the REAL WORLD, when I'm eventually fired for being a bad employee it does nothing to erase the injustice YOU suffered when you were fired to begin with.  And, HOPEFULLY, you and your family and friends and people who care about you ARE boycotting Wal-Mart, or at least that particular Wal-Mart for delivering said injustice (and the child slave-labor and small town economic destruction and crappy treatment of employees, of course).

And finally, I don't see how Wal-Mart's boycottability should inform your decision as to whether to boycott EA Games.  I think Wal-Mart is a store that one should avoid shopping at.  Even if you don't care about all the evil things about Wal-Mart, just consider the fact that the moment you walk through the doors you're suddenly in a bad mood and in a hurry and coming down with a slight throbbing headache just behind your eye.  It's like they've developed some kind of "bad mood field" which they installed at the entrances.   But I digress....

Boycott Wal-Mart.  That's great.  But it's not really the subject of this thread.  If it helps I could restate my story and have us work as street sweepers or maybe we could work in a community health clinic.  I just thought that the greeter thing was funny.  I honestly did not intend for "Wal-mart is bad too" to be the main point you took from that story.

[GGKoul]

Shmokes, I'll give 2.5/10 in trying to pull a Floyd.

1st)

[saint]

EA's business practices offend me similarly to the way Microsoft's do. I may not  exercise a full fledged boycott, but today I was trying to choose between Quicken and Microsoft Money. The features seemed the same, so I bought Quicken because I don't like Microsoft. Note - I'm an MCSE.

Both the way they treat their employees and the monopolistic actions they've taken of late have made it extremely unlikely that I'll be buying an EA product anytime soon. I took economics and other business classes in high school and college, and know that monopolies are one of the possibilities of a capitalistic system that are generally a negative and bad for competition.  If I do buy an EA product (if they ever come out with a good NFS Porsche Unleashed sequel!) then I'll make a point of buying a used copy.

I'm with Shmokes on this one. Even if his avatar gives me the willies.

--- saint

[DrewKaree]

Even if his avatar gives me the willies.

You just HAD to go and show off his new title, didn't ya? 

How come nobody counted my vote?  I wasn't even in Ohio....wait....I'm in WI.....different thread too....carry on 

[iwillfearnoevil]

i'll be sure to buy extra copies of ea games for gifts to make up for all you anti-capitalists out there.

[saint]

Anti-capitalists - you mean those of us consumers voting with our dollars, in this case against a particular company -- the practice that is at the heart of capitalism?


http://www.investorwords.com/713/capitalism.html

capitalism

Economic system characterized by the following: private property ownership exists; individuals and companies are allowed to compete for their own economic gain; and free market forces determine the prices of goods and services. Such a system is based on the premise of separating the state and business activities. Capitalists believe that markets are efficient and should thus function without interference, and the role of the state is to regulate and protect.

Don't agree that EA is an evil empire? Fine. But calling consumers who choose to boycott EA anti-capitalists? Sorry, that's just silly

--- saint

i'll be sure to buy extra copies of ea games for gifts to make up for all you anti-capitalists out there.

[fredster]

Yep, Capitalism.

Good things and bad things in every system.

Yep.

[shmokes]

Don't agree that EA is an evil empire? Fine. But calling consumers who choose to boycott EA anti-capitalists? Sorry, that's just silly

--- saint

Plus, even Ronald Reagan characterized EA as an evil empire.

...I think