EA responds to 'Worst Company in America' poll: 'We can do better. We will do better.' [update]
Electronic Arts' Chief Operating Officer Peter Moore has responded to the company's commanding wins (losses?) in The Consumerist's "Worst Company in America" online poll to say EA will do better, while standing strong on a couple issues it refuses to take heat over.
"Let me cut to the chase: it appears EA is going to 'win.' Like the Yankees, Lakers and Manchester United, EA is one of those organizations that is defined by both a legacy of success, and a legion of critics," wrote Moore in an official post on the EA site. "Are we really the 'Worst Company in America?' I'll be the first to admit that we've made plenty of mistakes."
He continued, "These include server shut downs too early, games that didn't meet expectations, missteps on new pricing models and most recently, severely fumbling the launch of SimCity. We owe gamers better performance than this."
Moore goes on that for all the knocks the company is taking, they won't accept the hits for claims that SimCity's always-on function is a DRM scheme, that Origin shouldn't try and compete with Steam or that free-to-play games and micro-transactions are a "pox on gaming." He also doesn't believe the company deserves the title because people disagreed with its choice of cover athlete for Madden NFL or for the company's stance on LGBT issues.
"In the past year, we have received thousands of emails and postcards protesting against EA for allowing players to create LGBT characters in our games. This week, we're seeing posts on conservative web sites urging people to protest our LGBT policy by voting EA the Worst Company in America." Moore goes on, "That last one is particularly telling. If that's what makes us the worst company, bring it on. Because we're not caving on that."
Moore concludes, "So here's my response to this poll: We can do better. We will do better. But I am damn proud of this company, the people around the globe who work at EA, the games we create and the people that play them."
EA will receive The Consumerist's "Golden Poo" for a second consecutive year if it wins.
Update: The Consumerist responds to EA post.
