First off, I'm an old shool RTS fan, so don't you dare to even mention Command & Conquer when listing reasons that EA are good. I don't care how much money they are pouring into their next misguided attempt at desacrating Westwood's corpse, that franchise will never be "quality" again.

About the work force, have you seen the glass door reviews of EA? It seems like a terrible place to work. If EA went under, those people would probably end up in better-structured companies where they can actually have a positive impact on gaming.

My hate for EA doesn't come from the "media" it comes from sentances in the Wikipedia pages of some of my favourite game companies explaining why they no longer make games.

I give you battlefield that's one franchise with some classic games and not "many". Every other franchise and game you mentioned is either not special in any way or originally made by an actually talented company that EA bought. And with what is happening to Bioware's games as of late (remember the ME3 fiasco and SW:TOR?), their fate will come as no surprise to someone like me, who have seen the pattern over and over.

Also, what is with every EA defender that has to menation "quality games, quality franchises" every time? You sound like you're marketing gardening tools or food. Is every EA fan so apathetic about gaming that they don't see "fun" or "classic" games but only sees "quality"? Also, it's always the same attacking the messenger with calling out an ignorance of the industry, etc etc. I bet I know more about the industry and its history than most of you guys,

The companies in my sig are not just memories, I still play and have fun with their classics to this day, every company should aspire to make games that can entertain like that.

You call me a snob, but you're worse. Easily manipulated gamers like you are the reason why EA can keep ruining gaming without going bankrupt. You don't deserve the epic sequels to Ultima VII, Dungeon Keeper, and Tiberian Sun that we never got, and becasue of people like you who buy EA's games, people who actually like good games aren't getting them either.

1. A job is a job and puts food in peoples mouth.

2. No matter if a studio is bought by EA. Now its EA, deal with it.

3. C&C:RA2 is my favorite RTS of all time, yet the new Generals looks amazing, so deal with that too. Just because you cannot see a quality game, bc of pure hatered towards a company, is you own god damn fault.

4. I have not purchased an EA released game for a while. I only buy 1st party games for the consoles I won, and I sometimes share/trade with my friends.. I think since Burnout Dominator, EA has not seen a penny from me, so no, the marketting thing is not working on me m8

5. Also, snap out of it. Most games I have listed are far superior to yours. I have played every one of them, and Im objective enough, that I can see evolution, and dont be blinded by studio loyalty and nostalgia.You play old games way to much, get with the times, and be amazed just how much the industry had grown. Change is not allways a bad thing, and there are plenty of quality games released since Crazy Taxi

6 and final point: you know a lot about the industry? Go and brag somewhere else about it, this is a gaming forum, most of us know a damn lot about it, and seeing that Im playing for almost 2 decades now, constantly, believe me, I have my fare share of info. You are not special on the gaming forums, you are just a plain, 21 year old hipster, who liked games before they where cool, and now you feel that your special place in this world was stolen by the new industry and fanbase. Grow up, sweedish boy

Really? You go from flame baiting by trying to insult the companies in my sig to dragging my age and nationality into this? While you yourself is only two years older than me....  And when I counter your unfounded accusations about me being ignorant, suddenly I'm bragging?. What is this? elementary school?

A shitty job is a shitty job and a fun and stimulating job is a fun and stimulating job. I'm convinced that devs would have it better in the long run if companies like EA went bust.

Good games are good games, regardless of how new or old they are. If you think that something like Dragon Age will age better than Ultima VII (which still isn't surpassed in scope and interactivity), or that that poor excuse for a new C&C game will be more fun to play or more timeless than say Warcraft 3, then I just feel sorry for you.

Real evolution has come to gaming from companies like The Creative Assembly and Arenanet, but it sure as hell hasn't come from EA.

You are the one who is mocking people for just liking EA games. No matter what you may think, publishers, especially big ones, make their games based on what they think the customers want. And considering EA is the number one publisher this year, clearly they made the games the customers want. Who are you to say your tastes are better than anyone elses. These games are what is popular right now. Just like Warcraft III, and sonic the hedgehog were what was popular in the past. If you don't like the direction big games are headed, lucky for you indie gaming has become bigger than ever. 

Yes some franchises have been ruined, but name a big dev that hasn't done that. You sure as heck can't name Sega, Blizzard, or Nintendo. And you clearly don't seem to mind playing old games, so whats the problem with enjoying all the classics that EA has published. They have plenty.

Sigh...

Do you think Bioware's new games failing and the studio eventually being closed down is going to make gaming better? Because I can guarantee you, it is going to happen. It's what has always happened when EA does buyouts. And fans of Dragon Age and Mass Effect, and the Bioware classics are going to be just as bitter about it as I am. I for one think gaming would be a little bit worse if that happened.

The games that made EA the top publisher were these:

Need For Speed something

FIFA

Mass Effect 3

and Battlefield 3

Their popularity aside, let's go through them. I'm sure good sports games and racing games could never exist without EA *sarcasm* Mass Effect 3 is selling well, but look at the fan reaction. Many people who bought it were dissapointed. This is always the first symptom when a series ends up under EA I'll bet money that it's going to decline. Battlefield 3 is universally acclaimed, but is being used to force a Steam clone noone wants down gamer's throats. So the games that gets them to the top are either bound to sell well for whoever makes it (FIFA), (NFS), or suffering from the classic EA takeover franchise decline (Mass Effect) or is involved in anti-cutomer behavior (BF3).

You know, I'm dissapointed with lots of recent games from Blizzard and Nintendo, and I'm not a fan at all of modern Sega after how they ruined Sonic. But at least those companies aren't predators that destroy good things that others make.

A long, long time ago, EA actually made some classics, like Archon, in the company's infancy. But most of "their" classics, they got by assimilating talented companies, and eventually destroying the classic series. Even Maxis, the company that lasted the longest under EA, with games like Sim City and the Sims is no more. The classics might belong to EA now, but they weren't made by them.

And you know what, there are new big games that I like. I love the total war series, and I love Guild Wars 2, Oblivion, Skyrim, and the Halo games. So I'm not some hipster that only plays old games because it's cool.

So you like Oblivion and Skyrim, yet EA never has anything new or evolutionary. My case is closed. Its obvious that we two have entirely different views of what is a quality title, and towards what gaming as a medium should evolve.

Seeing the new Generals it will probably be a good game, while TW fades in obscurity. lets be honest, since Rome they didnt release anything noteworthy ( at least none of them managed to keep me hooked to my PC for over 2 months in a row). Maybe Rome 2 will be decent, who know... You see, its called taste, and everybody has one.For example, you might not like the idea, but FIFA is hands down the best sports simulator, and proof that yearly releases are doing well, if managed correctly. You dont like it, thats one think, but critics are eating it up and praising it, even in the US, where soccer is still an infant sport.

And in the case of EA. Its too big, it would be a massive job void if it would fall, but for you, getting a niche, old IP out of the clutches of evil seems to be more important than the job of 10k people. Good for you kid, they raised you well