Over 120,000 People Sign Petition Asking EA To Officially Come Out Against SOPA

from the well,-they-should dept

Fri, Jan 13th 2012 7:05am — Mike Masnick

Recently, despite some internet reports to the contrary, we noted that EA had not taken a stance on SOPA -- and it seemed clear the company had no intention to do so. It seems that many EA and video gaming fans don't find that acceptable. They've created an online petition asking EA to actually take a stand on the bills:

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a tool that protects monopolists and targets sites relied on by small-time businesses, like indie game developers and artists, condoning disproportionate action against these sites for any evidence of copyright infringement from any of their users. If EA wants to protect their monopoly so badly, we need to let them know that they will lose far more business by supporting this bill than by allowing indie developers to operate unimpeded. It is obvious that this bill's primary use is to paint a big red bullseye on the main distributors of indie content, protecting the market shares of big-time businesses like Electronic Arts.

EA is a member of the Entertainment Software Association which supports SOPA. It's time for EA to stand up and publicly oppose SOPA. Don't mess with the internet, EA. You will regret it.

It's too bad they don't mention PIPA too, but... As I write this, there are already about 120,000 signatures, which is pretty impressive. Will EA listen?

It seems likely that the company doesn't want to take a stance either way, but as the petition notes, not saying something about this could be just as bad. And it doesn't even have to be anything big. Take, for example, how NVIDIA just came out against the bill. Despite also being a member of the ESA, NVIDIA notes that it disagrees with ESA and doesn't think this bill is the right approach:

NVIDIA wasn’t consulted by ESA in formulating their position on SOPA. Our position is this: we oppose piracy, as it hurts our game-developer partners. However, we do not support SOPA. We don’t believe it is the right solution to the problem. We remain committed to working to address this problem in a constructive and fair manner.

It seems like EA could do the same thing... assuming that it, too, did not work with ESA on its position. Of course, if it did... well... then things are complicated.

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Filed Under: petition, pipa, protect ip, sopa, video games
Companies: ea, esa, nvidia

27 Comments

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Mesonoxian Eve (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:12am

I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
I stopped supporting EA years ago when they went from being a small game developer to this monopolistic industry hell bent on screwing over customers and the secondary gaming market.

I may still play EA games, but I buy them used from Gamestop. Guess how much EA gets in that.

Screw them. When they return to being a game developer and not a shareholder placating machine, I return to supporting them

SOPA has nothing to do with this.
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MarksAngel (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:23am

Anymore the online PC games I play are MMO's..My husband was going to buy BF3 and he was very very excited about it, but their DRM stopped him in his tracks and he refuses to buy it. DRM has made PC game companies lose at least 2 customers right here.
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MarksAngel (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:25am

*since there is no edit button here is how my post should have read

Anymore the only online PC games I play are MMO's.My husband was going to buy BF3 and he was very very excited about it, but their DRM stopped him in his tracks & he refuses to buy it. DRM & has made PC game companies lose at least 2 customers right here.
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PaulT (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:28am

Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
EA have some terrible positions in other areas, have a bad reputation as an employer and have a somewhat spotty customer relations history. However, they're also a massive player in the videogame market - an industry that has benefited greatly from the internet.

Their coming out against the bill would be a major blow to people who still like to pretend that Google and pirates are the only opposition, and hopefully provide enough of an impetus to get other big names to speak out as well. Once multi-billion dollar companies in the very areas SOPA is pushed as protecting start publicly opposing the bill, it should start to cast doubt in the minds of politicians who have ignored the public thus far, whether through greed or ignorance.

Please, continue boycotting them in other ways, but I don't see how them opposing SOPA publicly could be a bad thing.
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:38am

Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
Or, you could not boycott them and just explain (loudly?) to people that after you buy an EA game the installation steps are as follows:
Download cracked version of game.
Install cracked version of game with legit purchased game key.
Enjoy!

(I can vouch for the efficacy of this process for Spore and Sim 3--two games which have horrid computer killing DRM otherwise.)
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Violated (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:39am

Insight
Electronic Arts should keep in mind that this is 120,000 plus people who will boycott buying their games should they be careless and say the wrong words.

"Not many like piracy but everyone hates SOPA"

I was quite impressed with the words of this petition when it takes a high degree of insight to realise that it is the Indie productions and distribution channels who are the real target and not the pirates. Follow the money trial and it soon becomes clear where the profit is to be found. Also all about protecting their monopoly.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:49am

Re: Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
Regarding Spore and especially the Sims games: both have user generated facets built into them, along with a system of sharing that user generated content with other players.

I'm more familiar with the Sims games, and the official EA channels for sharing user generated content are rife with what could be interpreted as copyright infringement (textures, artwork, logos, stories, characters, movies, etc. applied to game materials). Disney, as an example, could have a lawsuit field day with EA if it chose to, if EA was to be held responsible for what users upload to EA's own exchange system. EA has online exchanges in many different foreign countries as well, all of which are "visible" to US netizens.

Potentially very messy.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Jan 2012 @ 7:50am

EA and SOPA
"The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is a tool that protects monopolists and targets sites relied on by small-time businesses, like indie game developers..."

Gee, I wonder what EA could possibly have to gain from supporting SOPA. :-/
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Overcast (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 8:06am

Anymore the online PC games I play are MMO's..My husband was going to buy BF3 and he was very very excited about it, but their DRM stopped him in his tracks and he refuses to buy it. DRM has made PC game companies lose at least 2 customers right here.

Same here. I play mostly all MMOs now - but right before starting my most recent one, I started to play Fallout NV. We bought a copy, my son had already played, finished and uninstalled it. I went to install it - had issues with Steam. When I fired up the browser to go re-install Steam, yet AGAIN - I happened to notice an email giving me some free time... and signed back up.

So sorry Bethesda - if I would have played Fallout NV, I'm sure I would have bought some DLC's and probably went on and bought Skyrim later, but alas, I'm having too much fun with my MMO, so no need.
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PaulT (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 8:07am

Re: Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
Nah, that just gives them ammo to push DRM, region block, block 2nd hand sales and all the other crap these companies try. The best way to get their attention is:

- Buy from a competitor.
- Tell them loudly and clearly why you chose a competitor's product over theirs (bonus points for explaining that you though their game was better, but DRM/whatever made it less valuable).
- Equally loudly, encourage others to do the same.

In other words, don't make them think that you just wanted the game but couldn't be bothered to pay for it. Make them fully aware that you wanted the title, but your money went to a competitor as a direct result of EA's own actions. You might have to go without some games you'd love to play for a while, but they'll get the message more quickly than any level of playing cracked games would ever achieve.
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onyxmicro (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 8:15am

Re: Insight
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
Isoroku Yamamoto

Are you listening EA?
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Besieged, 13 Jan 2012 @ 8:20am

Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
I think of Gamestop in very much the same way. They bought virtually every free standing game store franchise to have near absolute control of video game sales.
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Loki, 13 Jan 2012 @ 8:41am

Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
Well, anyone who thinks Google is the only opposition clearly hasn't been here (of course not everyone on that list is in total opposition to the bill, some just have serious concerns - specific concerns, despite "The Great Lamar's" cluelessness - to at least certain parts of the bill(s).

That's not even counting Adam Savage, MC Hammer, Ashton Kutcher, Karen Alloy (unfortunately some of her facts in this clip are incorrect, but nowhere near some of the "incorrect fact" of the some of the bigger SOPA supporters, and yes that Emmy is really hers, Red 5 Studios (who will be joining the January 18th blackout, and speaking of blackout, while Youtube isn't officially joining the blackout - and I can understand why, to a degree - a coalition of Youtube channels are discussing plans to at least black out their corners of Youtube).

One of the reasons there isn't even more opposition (or at least growing as fast) is a lot of older (read over 40ish) people (and often not so internet savvy in a lot of cases) are/have been more focused on the financial trouble of the last few years (I know more than a handful who have lost thousands, in some cases tens of thousands, of dollars in investments, 401Ks, savings.

The Declaration of Independence says this:

and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

The politicians and corporate interests are starting to push themselves beyond the point of what is sufferable to a growing number of people.
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AzureSky (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 9:05am

shared this
shared this with everybody I know, including a guy I know who works for EA, doubt he would have the balls to sign it and risk his job but.....at least he now knows about it....
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Jan 2012 @ 9:06am

I am inclined to start a petition demanding that McDonalds and Burger King formally go on record that they too are opposed to the legislation.

But why stop there? Extend the petition to every company and organization that interface with the public. For example, I would like to know where the ASPCA stands.

After all, their collective hearts will be ripped out if legislation such as this passes in Congress.
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Mesonoxian Eve (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 9:32am

Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
"Please, continue boycotting them in other ways, but I don't see how them opposing SOPA publicly could be a bad thing."
I derailed the conversation right off the bat, didn't I. Sorry about that.

Personally, I wish EA would come out in support. However, this is not a stupid company, even though they make stupid decisions.

EA will keep quiet, if only to give them arsenal needed in the future. My predictions:

Against SOPA:
"Those who felt we opposed SOPA continue to pirate our wares and now we actively regret our decision to stop the threat of our business."

For SOPA:
"Our support in SOPA was appreciative we could combat piracy, but since it appears it's not working, we shall continue with DRM and crafting ways to circumvent the secondary gaming market."

Rock, meet they hard place. As gamers, when do we get our support.
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gorehound (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 10:24am

I have signed the Petition and made sure I put a reason there.
SCREW SOPA/PIPA/OPEN
We do not want our lives to be Censored and those who try to do it will end up in a sorry state.
We are Americans and they do not own us.
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Chosen Reject (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 10:44am

Re:
I was an avid game player several years ago, but DRM got so ridiculous that I've mostly stopped playing new games. I still have yet to play BioShock due to the DRM fiasco that was, and I've completely stopped playing TrackMania (despite how much I love the game) simply because Nadeo used StarForce.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 11:23am

Re: Re: Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
Block 'em, Shut 'em down now! Go get them in their offshore hideaways so good Americans can find jobs!

What? There were no jobs? Oh heck. Just go get 'em anyway. We just can't have this going on!

So saith the RIAA, MPAA and ESA.

Here endeth the lesson.

/sarcasm

maybe
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Ron Mangroe, 13 Jan 2012 @ 11:41am

Stop buying new released games. EA is one of the biggest Video Game Cartels and dont believe for a second they dont support SOPA.

Stop buying EA new released games. Stop buying all new released video games until these game cartels start dropping their ESA membership and support for SOPA.

The video game industry is making more money now than Hollywood movies. The video game industry is not being affected by piracy. So then why are they supporting SOPA??

Its all about control. So lets take away that control with one simple thing- Stop buying new released video games!!
We know where to find the new games now dont we...

Utill then, Stop buying new release video games!!
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Bob Marley, 13 Jan 2012 @ 12:16pm

Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
Scumbag Mesonoxian; rages about EA screwing over customers, supports GameStop by buying games there instead. Derp.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Jan 2012 @ 12:35pm

Re:
You really are willfully stupid.
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MahaliaShere (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 2:24pm

I don't even buy games (no, I don't download unauthorized copies either), and I signed.
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Mesonoxian Eve (profile), 13 Jan 2012 @ 4:56pm

Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
While I do buy used games frequently, as with many gamers, I will buy those games from studios I really enjoy and who don't seem hell bent on charging me $80 for the 1/3 the game, $120 for the DLC to complete the game, then an access code (to be charged to the next buyer) to play the game.

If you think this is justified to do to people WHO ARE BUYING THE GAME, then we're going to meet at an impasse.

Checkmate.
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FM Hilton, 13 Jan 2012 @ 6:28pm

EA doesn't care that much about gamers
They're more concerned with their stockholders, who are probably in favor of SOPA, while EA plays fence-sitting.

Gamers don't matter to EA. Profits do, and if SOPA brings in more profits, EA's fine with that.

Money doesn't talk-it screams.
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Jan 2012 @ 8:40pm

Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
Is looking for legal, alternative sources of procuring legitimate goods illegal, now?

Scumbag derp.
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PaulT (profile), 14 Jan 2012 @ 4:39am

Re: Re: Re: I don't need EA to refuse support for SOPA.
It's the old saying, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". Whatever your opinion of EA, their coming out against SOPA can't really be a problem. Even if they try to twist things later on, nothing they can do will be as harmful to consumers and companies alike as SOPA. Then, when the dust has settled, give your money to companies who treat gamers correctly, not EA.
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