EA is “methodically destroying” gaming, says Notch

[Chaochamp]

If you were inclined to feel pity for international megacorporations, you might just set your sympathetic gaze on Electronic Arts – because at the moment, no one else is. After EA released a new batch of “indie” games on the PC gaming distribution network Steam, the developer of the incredibly popular Minecraft series had some choice words for the multi-billion-dollar company. Markus “Notch” Persson has become something of a gaming demagogue since Minecraft exploded onto the independent scene, and he made it clear in no uncertain terms that EA was pushing into an area where it doesn’t belong.

Here are Notch’s thoughts, from his Twitter account:

"EA releases an “indie bundle”? That’s not how that works, EA. Stop attempting to ruin everything, you bunch of cynical bastards… Indies are saving gaming. EA is methodically destroying it… The games in the bundle are good, I’m not questioning them. I’m questioning EA."

Technically the games in the bundle – DeathSpank, DeathSpank 2: Thongs of Virtue, Gatling Gears, Shank, Shank 2, and Warp – could be thought of as “indie”, since they’re created by small teams of developers for a tiny fraction of the cost of a major gaming blockbuster like Mass Effect 3. But since they’re being published by EA, far and away the largest gaming company on the planet, Notch felt that labeling them as “indie” next to games from truly independent developers was somewhat disingenuous. Obviously, he used some stronger language.

Developers aren’t the only ones that EA is upsetting. After the company planned to shut off access to its iOS Rock Band game to focus on other projects, a massive outcry from those who had purchased the $5 game forced them to backtrack. PC gamers have an especially vitriolic relationship with EA, since it’s begun to limit its major releases like Mass Effect 3 and Battlefield 3 to its Origin platform (which itself has considerable performance and privacy issues) and denying the games and the shared revenue to Valve’s Steam platform. These and many other anti-consumer issues have given EA the infamy of being Consumerist’s Worst Company in America for 2012.

Source

So what do you guys think? Do you agree with Notch's opinion on EA's decision?

Personally, I agree. EA has no business to stick its grubby hands into the indie game scene.

[Twiddly]

Deathspank 2: thongs of virtue? Is that a real thing or am I getting trolled?


I have no idea who notch is, but I think EA has lost there way in general.

[obdigore]

I don't understand why people think Notch is so awesome. I enjoy minecraft to this day, and am excited about his next project, but it isn't as if he is the gaming messiah or something.

Anyway, I might just buy that bundle, I was unaware it was out. DeathSpank was hilariously fun.

It also bugs me when people bring up that idiotic 'Consumerist' poll. Spoiled middle class kids that only care about video games decided that EA is the worst company in America? Clearly a poll we should take seriously.

Bah.

[IIamaKing]

It is certainly LOL worthy for EA to release an "indie" bundle.

[pickley]

Deathspank 2: thongs of virtue? Is that a real thing or am I getting trolled?


I have no idea who notch is, but I think EA has lost there way in general.

Its real
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeathSp...ongs_of_Virtue

[Nalnik]

I hope someone else can word this more elegantly, but there is just a wrongness to EA publishing a game pack and calling it "Indie". They are at the least doing a disservice to the gaming market and at worst destroying it and it's mind boggling to see this.

I realize it's probably someone in Marketing saw some Indie games were getting good reviews and this got put out because of it, but ugh. Now, good night to you all.

[Kaiser499]

Fuck EA, they are just one of the vermin destroying gaming.

[mistuhbull]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/epi...o-ea-marketing

Watch the whole thing or just skip to 5 minutes in

[Dirgon]

Every major video game company pushes bullshit games, though, not just EA. Bioware since being bought by EA has jumped on the "Let's make shitty games now!" wagon with Mass Effect 3 being AWFUL compared to two (and SW:TOR being..... just shit. Absolute shit.)

Ubisoft made two great Assassin's Creed games, then shoved out two piece of shit fillers that just rehashed 2 with a new "feature" here or there but absolutely terrible "side missions" and a convoluted plot.

Literally every single major video game developer makes games that are designed to sell the brand and make themselves money. There's a reason I no longer want to call myself a gamer. Not enough games are art anymore, and all the great companies are being bought up and/or forced to go under. SquareEnix turned into a piece of shit after their merger, and due to the dying J-RPG market in America Mistwalker never had a chance to bring back the magic of Squaresoft. I can go on and on about this.

Video games today suck.

[I stand in fire]

it's amazing, since EA released mass effect 3 everyone forgot about activision.

[PizzaSHARK]

I think it's highly amusing Notch is raging at EA for publishing indie games when he just plagiarizes whatever game he happens to find fun and makes money off of it.

EA actually needs to do more of this - help fund indie outfits so that they have more funding for their game, in exchange EA gets to see if a radical and/or innovative title will be financially successful.

It's a win-win situation if it's done properly; watch the Extra Credits episode Mistuhbull linked above.

[Horrid Crow]

"Destroying gaming", that phrase makes me cringe anytime I read it.
You must be a complete ***** to actually use it and have such mindset.

[Kneegaplz]

Notch is a fucking moron to think this, and anyone who actually thinks that is destroying gaming is a fucking moron

[PACOX]

Say what you want about EA but who does Notch think he is? Outside of his die hard fanbase, to anyone else he is a guy who made bank by getting people to buy his virtual Lego game. If EA had used his business model on one of their games, sell access to your beta but still not 'release' the game for x number of years, people would have called EA all sorts of corrupt. Its people's rose tented glasses for 'indie' games that stop them from calling Notch out on his own BS.

[obdigore]

Say what you want about EA but who does Notch think he is? Outside of his die hard fanbase, to anyone else he is a guy who made bank by getting people to buy his virtual Lego game. If EA had used his business model on one of their games, sell access to your beta but still not 'release' the game for x number of years, people would have called EA all sorts of corrupt. Its people's rose tented glasses for 'indie' games that stop them from calling Notch out on his own BS.

I agree with this. Also, those games ARE an Indy Bundle. Afaik they were all made and previously released by indy studios, now EA is bundling them for cheap. Should reflect more sales for this, which means more money for the indy devs and some money for the publisher EA. Why is this such a big deal?

[cFortyfive]

Don't really disagree that ea sucks royally and the term indie games also feels wrong with ea on the same package but well that post sounds a bit ridiculous.

[PizzaSHARK]

I agree with this. Also, those games ARE an Indy Bundle. Afaik they were all made and previously released by indy studios, now EA is bundling them for cheap. Should reflect more sales for this, which means more money for the indy devs and some money for the publisher EA. Why is this such a big deal?

Because it's cool to hate EA.

They're not considering that a big-name publisher like EA publishing their games will also get their games more recognition - this means more people will be looking into these indie developers.

Again, it's a win-win situation. Notch is just jealous he has no real impact on the industry outside his own fanbase :P

[cFortyfive]

Again, it's a win-win situation. Notch is just jealous he has no real impact on the industry outside his own fanbase :P

I somewhat doubt that considering how ridiculously much money he made with minecraft.

[PizzaSHARK]

I somewhat doubt that considering how ridiculously much money he made with minecraft.

No one takes him seriously outside his fanbase. The idea of Minecraft wasn't even his - he just stole the concept for Infiniminer pretty much verbatim, threw it into Java, and occasionally added some things here and there. Then he finally got bored of it, "released" it, and immediately went off to co-opt someone else's idea into another game.

When someone like Gabe Newell or John Carmack speaks, people listen. They know the man knows what he's talking about. When Notch speaks, people outside of his fanbase generally respond with "Who?"

[Wells]

Given that minecraft in no way resembled infiniminer at even a really early date I doubt you can call it anything more than inspiration.