EA The Worst Company In The World? Absolutely Not

Last week EA was voted as being ‘the worst company in the world’ by readers of The Consumerist (and those just passing by). And definitely not just a bunch of Reddit users who got together to skew results.

And it’s caused some debate. And it’s caused some people to genuinely claim that EA is literally, actually, genuinely the worst company in the world. Mass Effect 3’s ending, Origin, DLC practices, Project $10, (formerly) dodgy working conditions – it all paints a dirty picture.

But really? The worst? Some perspective, please.

Is EA worse than a company like Paypal – one that arbitrarily and without warning destroys an entire avenue of funding for independent developers? Again? And again?

Is EA worse than a company like Bank Of America – one that doubles interest rates on customers in good standing for no reason and without warning? One that seizes properties it doesn’t actually have the right to seize? One that whistleblowing organisation Wikileaks has a 5GB hard drive dedicated to? (It’s doubtful Wikileaks has much on EA, let’s be honest)

Is EA worse than a company like Iams – one alleged to continue to carry out animal abuse in research centres in the name of developing better pet food (or something)?

Is EA worse than a company like Exxon Mobil – one with direct links to climate change deniers? One that illegally trades with foreign states and engages in bribery and corruption on the highest levels? One alleged to have involvement in human rights abuses?

Is EA worse than a company like Nestle – one that, at one point, dealt with Robert Mugabe’s wife to buy milk from illegally-seized farms? One that has been the subject of a 35-year ongoing boycott?

Is EA worse than a company like Pfizer – one alleged to have been involved in unethical and illegal testing of drugs on people who had not given their consent (many ended up dying as a direct result)? One that tried to interfere directly in the government of New Zealand in order to suit its business wants and needs? One directly involved with serious environmental pollution?

I could go on.

So is it any wonder when people actually react like Michael Pachter, calling gamers ‘whiny’? Now, I don’t normally agree with the man. In fact, I do much in my power to disagree with him.

But the vote for EA being the worst company in the world is nothing more than a petulant reaction from angry (ex-)fans. It’s understandable. In some ways it’s even right.

But no right-thinking member of any society, in the world we live in, could ever reasonably think Electronic Arts is the worst company in the world.

And frankly, if you do, you’re an idiot.