So... If you criticize Dragon Age 2 Bioware can disable your games and accont.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6459941/1#6460241

Here's the initial post:

"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."

Here's the post by the Bioware employee:

"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."

This is just unacceptable. Bioware has obviously gone down the drain, I for one, won't support them anymore, they released an unfinished game that completely craps over the fans of the first game and has a dozen of DLC on Day 0.

Im not really sure what to think of this tbh...

Its because of Ea. Am I reading that right?

They're like a facist government or something. speak out against them, and you're gone!

This seems more of a fault with EA's system.

EA has been doing this for years, it should be illegal

I'm sure if you single yourself out as a real D-bag on the forums you can get your account deactivated. I sincerely doubt that one individual sentence got him banned, despite whatever this guy claims.

The honest truth is that I as a software developer want your business, but there's a point where you are absolutely not worth the grief that you might be causing compared to the money I might make from you.

EDIT: Only a 72 hour ban? For a game that the poster clearly hates? What the heck is this guy crying about?

so bioware can dish out insults,but can't take them? lollawlessx

[QUOTE="lawlessx"]so bioware can dish out insults,but can't take them? lolGeneralShowzer

I'm sure if you single yourself out as a real D-bag on the forums you can get your account deactivated. I sincerely doubt that one individual sentence got him banned, despite whatever this guy claims.

The honest truth is that I as a software developer want your business, but there's a point where you are absolutely not worth the grief that you might be causing compared to the money I might make from you.

EDIT: Only a 72 hour ban? For a game that the poster clearly hates? What the heck is this guy crying about?

Dire_Weasel

nope for PC users who post anything bad on the forums WILL 99% of the time get you banned from playing the game you bought. it really takes 1 sentence, I've seen it before, its why I now stay away from EA forums.

You can ban him from the forum, sure. But why the games? He paid for them, they have absolutely no right.ampiva

Heh. Read the EULA some time. They absolutely have the right.

How does this prevent him from playing the game? I registered my Bioware games to an account, yet I play offline mostly... Obviously you wont get your precious DLC for a few days because you were a net-troll, but they can't really "ban you" from your games.

Unless your trying to redownload it or something. Not that I agree with the actions, but I don't see how this is working here. On the other hand this is another issue people have with Digital Distro, you think you "own" something but in fact servers could go down after a contracted period of time. Even OnLive only promises it's titles for so many years and then they are subject for "removal"

Yay...cloud?

[QUOTE="ampiva"]You can ban him from the forum, sure. But why the games? He paid for them, they have absolutely no right.Dire_Weasel

Heh. Read the EULA some time. They absolutely have the right.

If true, thats pretty pathetic.

Even OnLive only promises it's titles for so many years and then they are subject for "removal"

Yay...cloud?

Jynxzor

Really no Surprise considering some of the Devs have Pyramid/All Seeing Eye avatars on their forum.

Wow... that is just downright ridiculous.... how can they even do that? It's gotta be illegal, I'd persue it if I were you. Or at least spread it as much as you can via the interwebs, we are GAMERS! they have jobs because of US! We have every right to complain about a product we purchased if we feel it isn't of good value or quality.

Seriously, if what you say is true, then you need to not just let this go... for your sake and everyone else who are gamers as well. Fight the man!

It wouldn't surprise me if this is down to one over-zealous employee not using simple common sense in enforcing the rules.

But if this is actually standard policy, then well... I don't know what to say. Terrible behaviour on their part.

Really no Surprise considering some of the Devs have Pyramid/All Seeing Eye avatars on their forum.

Kandlegoat

love your sig, wish they kept that one going on HBO. Carnivale was sweet.

LOL like the secret police in Nazi Germany.

This has been going on for a while, one reason i stay clear of the US ea fourms. Its in the EULA and TOS, and as stupid as it may be they can do as they please.

if this continues i can see incoming lawsuits.

The EA Devil??? Whaaa?

You don't have to be logged into the EA servers to play DA2 and given the behavior I've witnessed with people on some forums, I'm pretty reluctant to feel bad for this dude. Especially since I don't know the full story. I've seen similar situations like this and it usually turns out that the person holding the pity party is full of crap.

It sounds like a tech support issue, not a whining on a game forums issue; which, by the way, he wouldn't be in this position right now if he didn't spend so much time doing the latter.

You don't walk in someone's home and insult them, there's a similar rule in place for company owned internet forums. WTF did he expect them to do?

I dont get it, how can it be "illegal" like some of you are calling it if the poster on the forums agreed to the TOS? Its in the TOS, I know we never read them but that prevents them from legally doing ANYTHING.

Dont be a jackass on the forums (omg thats hard) and dont criticize the Bioware employee, hes just doing his job. He probably gets those questions 123423434 times a day, so he is letting the guy know exactly why he was banned. And its not Biowares fault, its EA...Bioware just bans people from forums, EA restricts accounts from playing.

You don't walk in someone's home and insult them, there's a similar rule in place for company owned internet forums. WTF did he expect them to do?heretrix

Lol. There's really a s-storm going at bioware forums.

Still I don't know what is worse, the hate trolls or the dumbasses that say everything is fine.

You don't walk in someone's home and insult them, there's a similar rule in place for company owned internet forums. WTF did he expect them to do?

heretrix

" You don't like my product Fine I'm taking away functions away from it or smashing it all together"

It doesn't work like that........

Lol. There's really a s-storm going at bioware forums.

Still I don't know what is worse, the hate trolls or the dumbasses that say everything is fine.

Masculus

[QUOTE="heretrix"]You don't walk in someone's home and insult them, there's a similar rule in place for company owned internet forums. WTF did he expect them to do?110million

I don't agree with EA's policies, in fact I still refuse to this day to buy their Madden games becuae of the deal they have with the NFL. But that doesn't give me the right to log on their server and insult them. I work it out my own way. they don't owe me jack squat, even if I'm a potential customer. People abuse that WAY too often.

These are games we are talking about here. WTF is the big goddamn deal. People act like they are buying life saving medicine or something. Get a grip.

[QUOTE="110million"][QUOTE="heretrix"]You don't walk in someone's home and insult them, there's a similar rule in place for company owned internet forums. WTF did he expect them to do?heretrix

I don't agree with EA's policies, in fact I still refuse to this day to buy their Madden games becuae of the deal they have with the NFL. But that doesn't give me the right to log on their server and insult them. I work it out my own way. they don't owe me jack squat, even if I'm a potential customer. People abuse that WAY too often.

These are games we are talking about here. WTF is the big goddamn deal. People act like they are buying life saving medicine or something. Get a grip.

[QUOTE="110million"][QUOTE="heretrix"]You don't walk in someone's home and insult them, there's a similar rule in place for company owned internet forums. WTF did he expect them to do?heretrix

I don't agree with EA's policies, in fact I still refuse to this day to buy their Madden games becuae of the deal they have with the NFL. But that doesn't give me the right to log on their server and insult them. I work it out my own way. they don't owe me jack squat, even if I'm a potential customer. People abuse that WAY too often.

These are games we are talking about here. WTF is the big goddamn deal. People act like they are buying life saving medicine or something. Get a grip.

[QUOTE="heretrix"]You don't walk in someone's home and insult them, there's a similar rule in place for company owned internet forums. WTF did he expect them to do?

Shielder7

" You don't like my product Fine I'm taking away functions away from it or smashing it all together"

It doesn't work like that........

[QUOTE="heretrix"]

[QUOTE="110million"] No, but when they survive off of your patronage, criticism once in a while is quite justified. I think its a fully legitimate one too, Bioware has sold their soul to the EA devil, their franchises are completely unlike bioware of the past. You really think someone shouldn't be allowed to play for days for a perfectly reasonable criticism? This **** should be more illegal than pirating. Its so disgusting when people stand up for big corporations like EA when they are screwing their fellow gamer. Locutus_Picard

I don't agree with EA's policies, in fact I still refuse to this day to buy their Madden games becuae of the deal they have with the NFL. But that doesn't give me the right to log on their server and insult them. I work it out my own way. they don't owe me jack squat, even if I'm a potential customer. People abuse that WAY too often.

These are games we are talking about here. WTF is the big goddamn deal. People act like they are buying life saving medicine or something. Get a grip.

[QUOTE="heretrix"]

[QUOTE="110million"] No, but when they survive off of your patronage, criticism once in a while is quite justified. I think its a fully legitimate one too, Bioware has sold their soul to the EA devil, their franchises are completely unlike bioware of the past. You really think someone shouldn't be allowed to play for days for a perfectly reasonable criticism? This **** should be more illegal than pirating. Its so disgusting when people stand up for big corporations like EA when they are screwing their fellow gamer. Shielder7

I don't agree with EA's policies, in fact I still refuse to this day to buy their Madden games becuae of the deal they have with the NFL. But that doesn't give me the right to log on their server and insult them. I work it out my own way. they don't owe me jack squat, even if I'm a potential customer. People abuse that WAY too often.

These are games we are talking about here. WTF is the big goddamn deal. People act like they are buying life saving medicine or something. Get a grip.

[QUOTE="GeneralShowzer"][QUOTE="lawlessx"]so bioware can dish out insults,but can't take them? lollawlessx

Lol rememeber when they said that. SMT: Devil Survivor >>>> DA2. And the dude's right, Bioware have sold their soul. It's ashame, but they should have more self respect.

How does this prevent him from playing the game? I registered my Bioware games to an account, yet I play offline mostly... Obviously you wont get your precious DLC for a few days because you were a net-troll, but they can't really "ban you" from your games.

Unless your trying to redownload it or something. Not that I agree with the actions, but I don't see how this is working here. On the other hand this is another issue people have with Digital Distro, you think you "own" something but in fact servers could go down after a contracted period of time. Even OnLive only promises it's titles for so many years and then they are subject for "removal"

Yay...cloud?

Jynxzor

That might be the case with Onlive, but it's certainly not the case with Steam, or any over DD service.

Did I say EA-ass? I meant EA-pass :P

[QUOTE="Shielder7"][QUOTE="heretrix"]accusing some of having sold their souls to the devil isn't criticism, it's an insult. Regardless of what you think of them, some form of civility is the best way to go. The main problem with the internet is because of anonymity people always go overboard.

I don't agree with EA's policies, in fact I still refuse to this day to buy their Madden games becuae of the deal they have with the NFL. But that doesn't give me the right to log on their server and insult them. I work it out my own way. they don't owe me jack squat, even if I'm a potential customer. People abuse that WAY too often.

These are games we are talking about here. WTF is the big goddamn deal. People act like they are buying life saving medicine or something. Get a grip.

heretrix

[QUOTE="Locutus_Picard"][QUOTE="heretrix"]accusing some of having sold their souls to the devil isn't criticism, it's an insult. Regardless of what you think of them, some form of civility is the best way to go. The main problem with the internet is because of anonymity people always go overboard.

I don't agree with EA's policies, in fact I still refuse to this day to buy their Madden games becuae of the deal they have with the NFL. But that doesn't give me the right to log on their server and insult them. I work it out my own way. they don't owe me jack squat, even if I'm a potential customer. People abuse that WAY too often.

These are games we are talking about here. WTF is the big goddamn deal. People act like they are buying life saving medicine or something. Get a grip.

Shielder7

You guys spend all of this money on software not aware of the fact that you don't own anything. You are paying for a license. These companies can and will do anything to protect their investment. When you log into a company website you are in their domain. You don't have any rights except the ones they give you. It's amazing how people don't get this. You can be outrages all you want but I suggest you spend that energy reading those EULAs.