Imagine you’re playing a game of Worst Company In America Online, Game of the Year Collectors’ Signature Edition 2012 with your pals. You’ve paid hundreds of dollars for the game and all the downloadable tricked-out corporate logos, bloody finishing moves and deluxe cat photos and you’re about to head into the Final Death Match. Then your cable company decides you’ve gone over your data limit and the game grinds to a halt. And when you finally get it back up, the game’s servers have been pulled offline by the publisher. Which company do you end up hating more? [More]
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The 8 Remaining Worst Company In America Contenders Sure Are An Elite Bunch!
By 3.27.12
Two weeks ago, 32 of the nation’s worst businesses entered the Worst Company In America Battledome Nonagon, hoping to prove they could out-twit, overcharge and outlast the others to ultimately be named the Worst Company In America 2012. Two dozen companies have since been fed to the shark-eating robot piranhas and only eight remain with a chance to be crowned with the Golden Poo. [More]
Peeved Mass Effect 3 Fans Might Actually Get The Ending They Want
By 3.22.12
For several years, a growing number of people have enjoyed beating the hell out of Geth, mastering head-shots on husks and trying to save the entire, expanding universe as Commander Shepherd in the Mass Effect series of video games. But without giving too much away, a lot of those same fans are not pleased with how the series finally wrapped up in Mass Effect 3. [More]
Which Worst Company Contenders Force Customers Into Mandatory Arbitration?
By 3.21.12
As we sifted through the mountain of nominations for this year’s Worst Company In America tournament, we noticed a trend of readers who cited companies’ mandatory binding arbitration clauses as a reason for nominating. And while it’s businesses like AT&T and Sony that have made all the headlines for effectively banning class action lawsuits, there are a lot of other WCIA contenders who are forcing customers into signing away their rights. [More]
Worst Company In America Sweet 16: Best Buy Vs. EA
By 3.21.12
The opening bout of this year’s Sweet 16 should result in some sparks, as the video game company everyone seems to hate (but whose games people keep buying) squares off against the electronics retailer most of us would rather not shop at (but still do when we don’t have time to wait for an Amazon order). [More]
Please Join Us In Welcoming Your Worst Company In America 2012 Sweet 16!
By 3.21.12
The floor of the Worst Company In America BattleDome is stained with the blood of the vanquished. But only one company can earn the privilege of placing the WCIA Golden Poo in its trophy case, so the violence must continue. [More]
Mentioning Worst Company In America In EA Forum Is Apparently A Terms Of Service Violation
By 3.16.12
Last night, Electronic Arts beat up Sony in their first-round Worst Company In America fight, much in the same way your average 9-year-old makes me look silly playing Madden NFL. But one reader says that his post in a Sims forum about EA’s involvement in WCIA got him a warning slap from the company. [More]
Worst Company In America Round One: EA Vs. Sony
By 3.14.12
If this particular WCIA bout were a video game, we’d charge you $59.99 to play the most basic version, another $20 or so to play the full version, and then we’d still nickel and dime you for extras… But not before your account data is compromised by hackers. [More]
Judge Dismisses College Athletes' Case Against EA
By 5.5.11
As far as the justice system is concerned, EA Sports is allowed to continue using rough approximations of player likenesses in its college sports games. [More]
Original Madden Video Game Creator Sues EA For Billions
By 4.4.11
Sports simulation games take strides to replicate their real-life counterparts, but Madden NFL game publisher EA would rather not be facing a legal dispute that somewhat echoes the NFL’s labor troubles. [More]
Gamer: I Was Banned From Playing Dragon Age 2 For Calling Publisher 'Devil' Due To 'Glitch'
By 3.14.11
After a player referred to Electronic Arts as “the devil” in a forum posting, he found himself blocked from playing Dragon Age 2 on PC. Following a 72-hour ban for “profanity,” developer BioWare declared the action was due to an error and restored his access to the game. [More]
EA To Tiger: Start Winning Or We'll Pull Your Name Off Golf Game
By 12.2.10
Just as comments that begin with “no offense, but…” are always offensive, Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitello’s ultimatum to Tiger Woods that begins “This is no threat against Tiger” is most definitely a threat against Tiger. Speaking at a media summit in New York, the CEO said the Tiger Woods PGA Tour line of video games will lose Tiger’s name if he continues his slump. [More]
GameStop Pulls 'Medal Of Honor' From Stores On Military Bases Because Of Playable Taliban Characters
By 9.2.10
If you live on a military base and really want to buy the new Electronic Arts military shoot-em-up Medal of Honor, which has stirred up controversy by allowing players to play as Taliban members, you’re going to be out of luck shopping at the GameStop on the base.
FTC Catches Rock Band Game's PR Agency Faking Reviews
By 8.27.10
The PR outfit that publicizes the Rock Band video game franchise settled with the Federal Trade Commission, which caught agency employees posing as customers to post positive reviews on the iTunes App store. [More]
NFL Retirees Blitz EA With Madden Lawsuit
By 8.4.10
NFL retirees are unhappy that Electronic Arts used their likenesses and stats in Madden NFL 09 without paying for the rights to do so. The game didn’t include the old-timer’s names in order to run the end around on licensing fees, the class-action lawsuit alleges. EA also changed the players’ numbers for an extra layer of protection. [More]
Old Spice Hits New Low, Sponsors "Swagger" Stat In Madden NFL Game
By 6.29.10
A couple weeks back, we discussed the growing trend of in-game ads in video games. And while it’s nothing new for sports games to feature sponsors in the background, the ad folks at Old Spice are breaking new ground, not just sponsoring a portion of the game, but completely fabricating a new statistic — swagger — to slap their name on. [More]
Pay Monthly To Be Bombarded With In-Game Audio Ads
By 6.29.10
A would-be challenger to the massively multiplayer online game kingdom ruled by World of Warcraft, All Points Bulletin has already got the market leader beat in one department: annoying advertising. [More]
