EA bans player from playing Dragon Age 2 for calling them “Devil”

[Chaos Raiden]

In what appears to be a tottaly unfair practice, it appears EA are banning people from accessing their legally purchased copies of Dragon Age 2 if they were vocal about their displeasure regarding the game over at the official Bioware forums.
One particular case in point is of VWARE, a user who got banned for accusing Bioware of “selling their souls to the EA devil”. He agreed that it was fair to ban him from the forums for 72 hours, however was shocked when he realized that he can’t access his Bioware social account and activate his recently purchased copy of Dragon Age 2.
Here’s the complaint he posted as a result of that:

So.

My other account got suspended yesterday for 72 hours. My suspended v_ware account has all my Bioware games registered to it. My other games are Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Origins and Awakening. I have played every game off Bioware since KOTOR, which is my favourite game of all time.​

Since I have these other games and off course have played the DA2 demo, my previously unlocked DA2 content is assigned to this account.​

When I got the mail I was curieus. I wanted to know what I did that was offensive. The mail stated that I was suspended for inappropriate content. There was no further explenation to what the particular reason was.​

On EA Live Chat they told me that that I said: “Have you sold your souls to the EA devil?” (This is a quote, don’t suspend me again)​

Now, those are the words I said, you can’t argue with that. I’m not going to try and sugarcoat that, let me just say in my defense, I have always been a pretty reasonable person on this forum. So I agree that you guys suspended my account from the forums for 72 hours. Btw, this is the first time I got suspended.​

What I don’t agree with is that I can’t activate my new DA2 game.​

This is the deal. I just got my Bioware Signature Edition from the store. I allready knew I was going to play it without the extra content since I can’t activate my extra codes. What I did not know was that I needed to activate the game before being abble to play it. So now I’ve got a dead game for 50 euros. Pity.​

So for your consideration. Please let someone who payed for his game at least play it.​

​

In response, a Bioware mod said the following:

Please review the EA Community Terms of Service, particularly sections #9 and
#11. There are two levels of enforcement here:

1. BioWare community bans are forum-only and can be for as little as 24 hours. These bans should have no effect on your game, only your ability to use all the features of this website/community. these bans are handed out by BioWare Moderators as the result of our travels around the forum and/or issues reported by fellow community members.​

2. EA Community bans come down from a different department and are the result of someone hitting the REPORT POST button. These bans can affect access to your game and/or DLC.​

Because the BioWare community now operates under the same umbrella as all EA Communities, community members here have all explicitly agreed to abide by and be governed by both sets of rules. Consider it an added incentive to follow the rules you say you’re going to follow.​

If there are further questions or concerns, please send them to me via private message. Thank you.​

End of line.​

​

As you can see, they admitted that the forum ban had resulted in not being able to activate his copy of Dragon Age 2. We think this is a unfair practice on EA’s part as banning someone from accessing the game just because he didn’t think too kindly of them isn’t the right thing to do.
We hope the ban gets lifted soon and the user can finally play the game he paid money for.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below?

Source: http://gamingbolt.com/ea-bans-player-from-playing-dragon-age-2-for-calling-them-devil

 

[DeviRyuuD]

Well, compared to DA Origins, DA2 is an epic failure. Sucks that it`s bad to have an opinion..

 

[Klawed Flaw]

*falls off bed laughing* Seriously. This. This. This is how the company is acting towards opinions? Okay, that is immaturity at its peak.

 

[Angelo Credo]

Grats EA, way to solidify your image even further.
I swear to god the heads of EA are regressing to the mental state of some ungrateful child.
They used to be at the forefront of the industry, willing to push boundaries to make something great, now they just churn out cookie cutter sequels with ad campaigns and marketing that put the industry about 10 years back in terms of being respected by the masses.

Brilliant, locking someone out of their legitimately purchased copy of a game just because they voiced a bad opinion about you. See, now I'm just assuming that the company is run by damn five year old children with too much power if this is their approach to things. "But mummy, he said mean things about me!"

Sad to see a company that started so full of life, innovation, bright ideas and commitment to reduced to...This...

 

[Klawed Flaw]

Grats EA, way to solidify your image even further.
I swear to god the heads of EA are regressing to the mental state of some ungrateful child.
They used to be at the forefront of the industry, willing to push boundaries to make something great, now they just churn out cookie cutter sequels with ad campaigns and marketing that put the industry about 10 years back in terms of being respected by the masses.

Brilliant, locking someone out of their legitimately purchased copy of a game just because they voiced a bad opinion about you. See, now I'm just assuming that the company is run by damn five year old children with too much power if this is their approach to things. "But mummy, he said mean things about me!"

Sad to see a company that started so full of life, innovation, bright ideas and commitment to reduced to...This...

They did refuse to sell the rights to Thrill Kill, so... They kinda have the blood of the man who thought Thrill Kill was too violent for a mature audience running in them...

 

[Meg]

Oh wow. That's just...what?

I hope Capcom doesn't get any ideas.

 

[Richtofen]

*Facepalm* Just wow, if you want to keep up apperances and a good reputation this is definately one way it's not going to happen. The guy said he understood his mistake and said he understands why they got offeneded but just to ban him from his DA2 game? That's just fkn stupid on the companies part, he paid for it so let him play!

 

[Vergil'sBitch]

I agree with Meg.
One word... butt-hurt.
I won't be getting DA2. Why should i support a company who treats its honest gamers like cr@p... oh wait.

 

[Sparda's rejected son]

EA's actions were just down right silly, the user who called them the "devil" is silly too. Yes he admitted his fault which was good, but what made him say such a "wild" thing in the first place? I think both sides crossed the line. The user for his odd comment and the company banning him from the game. Nonsense.

 

[Meg]

EA's actions were just down right silly, the user who called them the "devil" is silly too. Yes he admitted his fault which was good, but what made him say such a "wild" thing in the first place? I think both sides crossed the line. The user for his odd comment and the company banning him from the game. Nonsense.

To be entirely honest I don't think the comment made by the user was really that bad. Sure, what he said wasn't nice, but this is the internet. No one is going to be nice 100% of the time. Its not like he cursed them out, or made other derogatory comments. I really don't consider what he said as being "that bad." Now was it necessary? Not in the slightest.

 

[Sparda's rejected son]

To be entirely honest I don't think the comment made by the user was really that bad. Sure, what he said wasn't nice, but this is the internet. No one is going to be nice 100% of the time. Its not like he cursed them out, or made other derogatory comments. I really don't consider what he said as being "that bad." Now was it necessary? Not in the slightest.

Agreed. It wasn't that it was bad, (I should re say that) it was odd. Does anyone know why he said that? Why is EA the "devil?" :lol:

 

[Meg]

Agreed. It wasn't that it was bad, (I should re say that) it was odd. Does anyone know why he said that? Why is EA the "devil?" :lol:

Because this is the internet and people are always making comments like that.

 

[Vergil'sBitch]

Wait... you have to be online just to get the game to work in the first place? That's just mad!

 

[Angelo Credo]

Wait... you have to be online just to get the game to work in the first place? That's just mad!

Every installation requires online verification, but beyond that you don't need to be logged into your EA online account 100% of the time, it'll do periodic log in checks after a "select" period of days.
It's basically a really watered down "not-quite-so-bad-but-still-pretty-crappy" version of Ubisoft's old Always-On DRM system, just it's more On-Now-And-Again.

 

[Sparda's rejected son]

Wait... you have to be online just to get the game to work in the first place? That's just mad!

I thought the same thing. And people need to stop being mean on the internet :lol:

 

[Vergil'sBitch]

Thanks Mr. Credo for explaining that.
Heh, i definitely won't be getting the game now.
Devil, it could've been worse, he could have called them Nazis.

 

[Dark Drakan]

A shame that certain parties in EA have acted this way and banned people for an opinion as i was once an EA critic and they have done well over the years to change my opinion. Activision took over the mantle as the devil in the games industry some time ago but EA need to let people speak their mind too, they have for the most part over the last year which has helped them immensely but this doesnt help their image at all.

 

[DreadnoughtDT]

Hmph. Typical gaming company, being butthurt over stupid crap.

Dragon Age is pretty meh anyways... Press one button and watch your characters fight for half an hour. Oh joy. >.>

 

[Reanbell]

Press one button and watch your characters fight for half an hour. Oh joy. >.>

Lol, this is the definition of any RPG. xD Jk, seriously I love Dragon Age, it's ridiculously fun and I was addicted to it for hours when I first played it. (Have yet to get the second) But the way this person was handled is down right ridiculous. He paid for the game, he should be able to play. Not everything about a company is going to be perfect, and it's good that *some* opposing opinions exist. Maybe they should have delved into why he said the comment, instead of restricting him and abusing their power. Besides, what he said wasn't even that bad. There a lot worse comments than that all over the internet.

 

[Richtofen]

There is, and it was this first persons offense...there should be a warning but not a ban. EA handled it very poorly like everyone else is saying.