Electronic Arts: The Human Story White Collar Slave Drivers?

[Mastermund 0]

If you play video games there is a high chance you have bought a game published by Electronic Arts (EA). All of you who owns The Sims, raise your hand. Anyone who owns Battlefield (1942 or Vietnam, and soon to be Battlefield 2; also note that the series is developed by Swedish-based Digital Illusions CE, which EA is attempting to buy), you can raise your hand as well. Oh, and anyone who has one of the Madden football series -- go ahead. There are also various games published by EA, but that's not the main point. Read this journal (preferrably the main article and its comments) and be potentially shocked by what goes down at EA offices:

http://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/

Some other companies practice a less drastic version of EA's policies, but EA generally remains the main offender.

Read and spread the word.

[OpaQue 15]

EA is F**Cking Cruel and Insane!I thought it is a privelage to work with such a great company.. but not any more..! Members. Read this above link and Spread it! I am pinning this TopiC!

[Darren1405241470 0]

I do indeed have many of EA's games one of my favourites being Fifa 2004. Lucky for me however I haven't paid for any of them, I have a burner and the internet so I can just get them of a p2p program like Limewire. I do the same with alot of MS products (not that they're actually much good just popular).I find it amazing that EA have managed to get away with this for as long as they have. Don't they have some kind of union or something?

[MajesticTreeFrog 0]

No, programmers arent unionized. It doesn't help that many(or at least almost all the ones I know) are libertarians. My view is that they, as white collar workers, don't want to unionize because that would mean their skills are a commodity instead of being a part of some elite club. Its too bad too, since they could really use a union right now.

[Space Orangutan #2 0]

I heard about this story a while back. It's interesting to hear a story like this about a big company that produces some of the most critically acclaimed games yet does something dirty in the background. This reminds me when I first learned about the whole Nike sweatshop thing. It it similar except for the fact it involves us locally making the product. It's still a wonder to me why these types of things aren't caught and stopped in the beginning.

[tattoopunk 0]

That is so terrible, why would they treat their employees like that? Its just bad, no more buying from EA for me. So that brings the list to...Nike...sadly including ConversePhilip Morris... that includes KraftEAMicrosoft

[talse 0]

it's not like it'll be that hard to avoid ea games. i mean mostly they did sports games, and those weren't very good, and with this new monoply deal, they'll have no reason to improve them in any tangible way except make them prettier. big whoop, i can get realistic football by getting my ball out and playing it.i only have one ea game, thats lotr third age.

[tattoopunk 0]

Need For Speed

[ariolander 0]

Myself I am thinking of never buying an EA developed (sports) game myself. I read much of that blog before particularly when they actually had some info in it in my Electronics Gaming Monthly magazine.Right now though EA is not doing very well relations wise because after that latest (semi-)exclusivity deals they have in their sports games it has not been taken very well. Especially for thsoe that were looking forward to a half decent $25 football game *cough cough*

[-M60- 0]

Stranger's Wrath was awesome!

[ultimategamers 0]

Thanks for the story it was a great read. It doesn't give me much insurance as to the type of career I myself am planing on venturing into. I'm currently going to DeVry University where I'm learning CIS (Computer Information Systems - big fancy way of saying computer programer in general). I plan on going down a promised "Software Development Track" at DeVry and I want to join a software development company someday. Of course I'd love to go outside the industry and manage my own company but that isn't the easiest thing to do in the world (probably as hard as a highschool football player becoming NFL). In any case these situations are not right. I know of crunches and how they will be, but, I never heard of such a harsh work week in my life.

[Jeigh1405241495 0]

Yea I had read about this elsewhere awhile ago... and frankly it sucks but I don't see it changing unless people more directly involved act. Not only will people keep buying their games...if you like games you WILL eventually probably buy one of theirs. EA has their hands in alot more products then most people think. Saying its only sports is so far from true its not even funny. Just think how many games have that wonderfuly annoying logo at the first... I would like to see this change but at the same time I know I won't stop buying/playing their games since...as the article said... the big game companies are buying up the smaller ones at a fast rate. Soon there will be none OTHER then the big names meaning if u don't buy their stuff, eventually you'll only be getting open source basic games, none of the high rollers.

[initial 0]

Really big shock to read this from such a huge company such as EA. I've always enjoyed playing their games. But what big company doesn't have dirty secrets that they don't want anyone knowing. Fast food companies are horrible, brand name clothing stores have slave labor.... theres always something out there for there to be a shocker. It is too bad to hear this though.