It seems some have taken exception to Electronic Arts' actions, as Gamespot reports that a pair of gamers in Washington, DC and California have filed suit against the company for "blatantly anticompetitive conduct." The suit mentions the company's acquisition of the NFL license as well as the price hike of Madden 2006 the year following the acquisition. Furthermore, the suit notes EA's ongoing attempt to acquire of Take Two, which would "remove one of the few companies with the ability and expertise to compete in the market for interactive football software." That's assuming EA ever lost its hold on the NFL license, of course.
The plaintiffs seek "restitution and damages" for anyone that purchased an EA football game since August 2005 and "disgorgement of all profits made as a result of anticompetitive actions, and that the infringing agreements be declared null and void."
Update: The suit also makes note of EA's licensing agreements with NCAA Football and the Arena Football League. Along with the NFL, this gives EA the exclusive rights to "the only viable sports football associations in the United States."
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-12-2008 @ 2:37PM
Digital Limit said...
Whoa, big claims. I hope EA gets crushed. =]
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6-12-2008 @ 2:40PM
brytdavis said...
F*ck EA ... they suck
6-12-2008 @ 2:40PM
DM7000 said...
It's a monopoly on football games!!!
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6-12-2008 @ 2:41PM
Bravo6 said...
Would be awesome if it somehow made a difference, but I doubt it.
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6-12-2008 @ 2:51PM
SadisticHam said...
I suspect this wont get anywhere.
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6-12-2008 @ 2:52PM
andyg8180 said...
well i think its totally fair to charge an extra $20 for the "hit-stick" feature... This suit is black not...
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6-12-2008 @ 2:56PM
gotoman00 said...
looks like peter moore might get that 2k tattoo after all
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6-12-2008 @ 3:05PM
ljung8erg said...
Pretty much what EA has done with the Fifa franchise. Pro Evolution Soccer can merely pick up the scraps of individual licenses with regards to football (soccer) teams and competitions. Whereas EA's Fifa has everything... well everything except the better gameplay. (oh snap!)
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6-12-2008 @ 3:12PM
ccc said...
Well this is fucking sweet.
I salute these guys for making the effort and I hope the stick it to EA big time, right in thier big fat greedy smelly assholes.
2K football always owned the Madden Franchise.
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6-12-2008 @ 3:12PM
Jcarpio said...
While I applaud their efforts, they're missing another person to sue. The NFL. In being the money grabbers that they are, the league offered up the exclusive rights to the highest bidder.
Also, they shouldn't stop there. Sue EA for their NCAA exclusivity agreement as well.
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6-12-2008 @ 4:15PM
rob paek said...
Thank God someone pointed the finger at the NFL as well! It took too long for the comments to get to your post!!
I mean I enjoy EA Sports' titles, but it is totally unfair to the consumer to have exclusives. My question is why isn't an "exclusive agreement" (what EA has with NCAA/NFL and AT&T has with the iPhone, etc.) considered a monopoly? I'm sure there's plenty of reasons since they are legal and in existence, but I would like it if someone can answer me! Thanks in advance.
6-12-2008 @ 5:05PM
narek said...
My question is why isn't an "exclusive agreement" (what EA has with NCAA/NFL and AT&T has with the iPhone, etc.) considered a monopoly?
if At&t had the exclusive rights to all phones then it would be a monopoly... but the iPhone is apple's product. if they want to sell the exclusivity rights the highest bidder for crazy money, its their right to do so. the same with NFL i guess, anyone can make a football game, EA doesn't have the rights to the game "football"
6-12-2008 @ 8:57PM
Grimm said...
@narek
That is simple man...because the IPhone is a product. The NFL/NCAA/AFL are sports leagues...these are two completely different things. AT&T having the IPhone isn't even remotely a monopoly. Although EA owning exclusive rights to every football association in the world is pretty damn close. That's like owning exclusive rights to publish anything in the comic book realm. Maybe even have exclusive rights to publish any movie based games. Doing this is just wrong and kind of fucked up. It forces anyone who wants to play a football game to buy a game made by EA.
6-13-2008 @ 1:54AM
narek said...
its like having exclusive rights to publish all movie based games out of Hollywood.
6-12-2008 @ 3:35PM
Terror said...
How about just taking a stand and not buying their product? If enough people dont by the game the price will drop. We have power people, use it. You see how quick it dropped when 2K was 19.99. This will fail, the NFL sold the rights to the highest bidder, 2k had every right to outbid EA (like that was going to happen). I applaud the effort though.
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6-12-2008 @ 3:39PM
YoRone22 said...
That would work, but sadly the majority of people that buy Madden year after year do not read 360 fanboy or any other gaming website. They buy maybe one or two games a year and are very casual. If all the real hardcore gamers stopped buying Madden, but the casual audience continued EA would care less. In order for that to work, the casual audience will need to stop buying, but their is a fat chance in that happening.
6-12-2008 @ 5:28PM
Jcarpio said...
It's hard to tell Madden Zealots that their product of choice is substandard. They won't listen.
Best thing to do is to purchase the competitor's game.
Is there going to be an All-Pro 2k9?
6-12-2008 @ 3:54PM
OTAM said...
This won't go anywhere because America is a place where logic and reasoning mean nothing and money talks.
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6-12-2008 @ 4:01PM
Neuromancer said...
Unfortunately the invisible hand of the marketplace has spoken, and it said that lots of stupid people like Madden enough to buy it year after year instead of the competitors (back when there were competitors).
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6-12-2008 @ 6:41PM
blank964 said...
The only way gamers can make a difference is boycotting the game and their are too many people that buy Madden no matter how crappy it is. Its a shame that the 2K series was starting to really be legit and it also sucks that Take Two then got the exclusive third party rights to MLB when MVP was the best baseball game (in my opinion).
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