Electronic Arts couldn't have asked for a better enemy in Zynga. The social game kingpin is not only in financial trouble, it's also one of the most despised companies in the industry. EA must realize this, and has started sucking up to a game community that's not been too fond of either publisher. 

"Last week I posted a note to explain why I felt the need to pursue legal action against Zynga for their blatant copying of The Sims Social. The complaint is now on file in United States District Court in San Francisco," said EA's Maxis manager, Lucy Bradshaw. "This action definitely touched a nerve in the gaming community. The response from peers within the industry, EA and Maxis employees and players of not only The Sims but all games in support of EA’s action was amazing and fast.

"So here’s another post to simply say Thank You. Your kind words and emotional support add strength to my conviction that we’re doing the right thing."

Call me a cynic, but I get a sense that EA's worked out it can regain some love from an angry community simply by picking on a worse enemy. Frankly, I'm not falling for it -- I certainly don't respect EA more just because its latest little fight is against Zynga.

And after EA kept its mouth shut up in the SOPA battle, forgive me for not rushing to its defense now.

Legacy Comments (will be imported soon)

Soulcage

Oh boy. Incoming shitstorm of replies.

rsqviper

Someone please direct me at this non-existent 'support' EA is getting. If anything, it's just Sims lovers thinking they are somehow getting attacked. This is a stupid suit between two despicable parties. May God have mercy on their souls.

xStahl

No support here, I would like to see them both go away for good.

Ursu

Surely instead of AVP it should just be Weyland-Utani fighting a different coloured Weyland Utani?

Grimner

Awesome choice of photo. That is all.

Draxxlith

@Usru
No, it's appropriate, "Whoever wins, we lose"

SephirothX

To be perfectly honest, I think the only areas of the game community that really 'hate' EA are the internet bandwagon jumpers and Mass Effect fans.

Adrian Smith

@SephirothX EA has done a lot more stuff to piss off gamers than mass effect.

Shinta

EA's lawyers have done some good. They took down that Edge trademark bastard, and if they knock down Zynga a peg they'll earn some of my gratitude for sure. They have the means to take them down when lots of indie devs who Zynga copies don't.

There's nothing to fall for. This is a good thing.

Joe Ess

I think it might be a stretch that this some how a PR stunt, if it is then EA is in much much much more trouble from a managerial stand point than anything.

CelicaCrazed

I'd be more impressed if EA went after a fan favourite. "Criterion? They make shit racers. You should see out new Need For Speed made by Cri- OH FUCK!"

T1 Virus

Someone should tell her that stock photo fake face book accounts are not real people regardless whom they support.

UltorOscariot

No support here. Both are tumors in the ass of this industry.

Machine Gun Tommy

There has never been a more appropriate time to say "Whoever wins, we lose." Glad I'm not the only one who thought of that.

Cornelius Klein

Whoever wins, where is the Fifa 13 demo? ;)

Freakydemon

@SephirothX
Well you have the old fans of Bioware, Origin, Westwood, Pandemic, Maxis, Bullfrog, Blackbox, Dice, Visceral, etc. Every studio they touch is ruined, every franchise they publish gets destroyed and a lot of people in support and other behind the scene roles have had terrible job experiences. So yeah, there are a lot of people who hate EA.

Benjoman

I hope they kill each other off lol

Shane Saiyan

I support EA in this.

I support EA's studios in the amazing games they try to make in spite of the mandates that EA forces upon them.

That about covers the extent of my support for EA.

Tristrix

I like to play good video games. EA occasionally publishes good video games. Therefore I like EA when they publish good video games. If that counts as support, fantastic! If not, that's fine too.

WaddleWave

A lot of replies of how people are going to reply!

Gamernerd101

BUSINESS BETCH

RaginDude

Some people are so give to forget and forgive.

Like Jim said, remember SOPA ffs!

Chongomaster

Guys, guys. What if, like, EA and Zynga wipe each other out. And then Activision buys them?

Occams electric toothbrush

This could be another episode in the never ending saga of white people.

Scrustle

EA, you're not fooling anyone. People aren't going to love you just because you say they do, and we don't believe people even do. You should be making this announcement to yourself if you really want anyone to believe it.

TheGoldenMonkey

Now if only EA sued themselves. Then we'd be happy.

say0ri

It's because Mass Effect is a blatant copying of Star Control 3.
Being copied doesn't taste good, BiowarEA?

ctg867

LMFAO. That's hysterical. Probably the only thing I dislike more in this industry than casual games on social and mobile platforms designed to take as much money as they can from people with the least amount of actual enjoyment is EA's anti-consumer business practices.

At least Zynga exists in a gaming sphere that realistically has little impact on what I play. EA has directly shat all over the games I love. The Bioware buyout is probably the best example of that.

Alan Argentina

Meh, one is as bad as the other so let them duke it out. Both are creativity stifling gamefactories more concerned with their metrics than anything else.

acetated

Jonathan Stoffregen

i deeply hate both of them

Tabarnaco

this entire post is pointless and only meant to say "hey guys i still hate ea".

The Random One

I try to defend EA when people are unreasonably critical of them. This time, I'll criticize those who are unreasonably defensive of them. This is a cheap legal manouver, and one that can have devastating legal effects on already insane copyright law.

king kong five

in the past, Lucy Bradshaw always seemed like a cool, down-to-earth person to me. like Will Wright's little protegee. it's sad to see that she now spends her time representing the worst of the industry.

Tabarnaco

hey guys let's still bash ea when they do good things so that they have absolutely no reason not to change ever

Themuad

Just means Zynga is more of a cunt than EA. Which is a rather impressive achievement

Jack Dandy

Shit companies, both of them.

Let them burn.

StonerPimp

@Tabarnaco

Pretty much, EA simply can't win. They do things bad they get bashed, they do things good they get bashed, they do nothing they get bashed - basically no matter what they get bashed.

How will they ever learn what to do when anything they do gets bashed regardless.

Dr Light ate your Magicite

Of course one evil behemoth bullying another is something any bystander would support - it means they'll have less time to do terrible things. I really don't care about who attacks who anyway, I just don't want another EA Christmas Carol.

Spaz

Not getting any support from me.

@StonerPimp: I actually can't remember the last time EA actually did a good thing. Both companies shamelessly rip-off each other, so who the fuck cares who wins this legal battle.

kid23455

I suppose EA is a slightly less awful company considering they actually publish some hardcore (see: real) games instead of those godawful casual money-grabs.

Still, I hope both companies lose a shitload of money and get nowhere. That'd be a win for me.

LiquidBear

We don't want your thanks, EA.

Fear No Darkness

LOL.
Go fuck yourself EA.

Captain of the Zanarkand Abes

Why your welcome EA, always a pleas-Wait a minute!

arkane9

Isn't is Maxis and not EA we support?

Excel-2011

That they get any support at all speaks to the failure of gamers overall to understand the concepts of boycotting and democracy as they view it in the gaming industry.

Smo5000

I really dont get why Zynga is considered evil, dont they have all those boring f2p social games that only idiots buy digital clothes/furniture from? I dont see how masses of idiots buying a digital couch for a Zynga game is any different than masses of idiots buying a digital couch in Playstation Home or digital armor for an xbox avatar. Do they steal peoples money through accounts or something? Im geniunely confused when it comes to this topic.

Im indifferent towards the whole legal battle, I couldnt care less who wins after throwing copius amounts of money at lawyers. Just curious as to why one would be more scumbaggy than the other.

Scuffles

I'll support EA as soon as they
-Stop with the bullshit DRM
-Drop Origin like a hot potato
-Stop buying and killing developers

.... I think that's about my list, until then they deserve to burn as much as Zynga does.

Scuffles

Neither EA nor Zynga has an original bone in their body.

The only difference is EA buys up and subsequently butchers developers and IPs. While Zynga just sees something they like and copies it.

Both of them are slimy scum, neither deserve support. The industry as a whole will be better off when they are both gone.

BrowneyeWinkin