Banned from Origin forums, Lose Games

oasis789

Junior Member
Dec 17, 2010
17
0
61
From Rock Paper Shotgun:



I’m building up quite the portfolio of affected gamers, who find after a forum violation they’re unable to access their Origin games. And within this is a more disturbing trend – those who are finding that their forum bans are, without explanation, becoming permanent bans. Permanent bans from accessing their Origin accounts, their Battlelog accounts, and therefore downloading purchased games, and playing online. Something which obviously raises serious questions about consumer rights, which is of course another angle we’re currently investigating.

Most exceptional perhaps is Aaron, who after receiving a 72 hour ban was told by EA support they couldn’t help because “the game developers control this”. Pardon? His crime? Someone else swearing on the forum, with his username in their post. Trying the live chat support instead, he was then informed that his account was permanently banned, and that “all property, items, and characters associated currently are or will soon be deleted.” Followed by, “Is there anything else I can do for you?” Aaron tried again, pointing out that forum bans shouldn’t affect games. And then came this incredible reply:

“Please be informed that your account not only suspended, But it is also Banned, So you will no longer to play the game in single player.”


If you use Origin, don't post on the forums. Or don't use Origin.
 

KaOTiK

Lifer
Feb 5, 2001
10,877
8
81
Don't get banned?

Read the article. People have gotten banned for quoting people and responding to them on the forums (the person who they would quote would be banned as well, usually for language). Others have been banned for simply complaining about cheaters online.
 

skipsneeky2

Diamond Member
May 21, 2011
5,035
1
71
Any warning prior to the ban ?

These forums on anandtech a moderator warns you if you get out of line.

I could see origin wanting to ban you from the forums only if they warned you multiple times just like a moderator in this forum would do to you...but banning you from playing your purchased games is a load of bs and at this point you mind as well be controlled by skynet.

Now if they banned you without warning then its a whole other matter and i would avoid origin forums like a plague i tell you.
 

AFurryReptile

Golden Member
Nov 5, 2006
1,998
1
76
I'll probably buy ME3.

Other than that, I haven't supported EA in a long time. I wish that mattered.
 

maniacalpha1-1

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2010
3,562
14
81
There should be absolutely NO relationship between forum access and access to your games.

Hopefully we will see either apologies from EA or a successful class action lawsuit with serious punitive damages.

Here's a thought. Let's say EA bans you for something on a forum, and you lose access to $300 of games. Couldn't you take EA to small claims court for the $300 and they will either have to show up and defend themselves, or be ordered to pay?
 
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KaOTiK

Lifer
Feb 5, 2001
10,877
8
81

If you follow through the RPS link and the whole saga they have with this you will see things are not as they seem just from thread titles.

The old thread you linked too, yes people were being banned, EA said this was a mistake and would fix it, this was back in March iirc. Fast forward now and it is still happening and seems to be straight up policy now from the chat with the customer service reps that the log shows.
 
Mar 10, 2005
14,647
2
0
There should be absolutely NO relationship between forum access and access to your games.

Hopefully we will see either apologies from EA or a successful class action lawsuit with serious punitive damages.

Here's a thought. Let's say EA bans you for something on a forum, and you lose access to $300 of games. Couldn't you take EA to small claims court for the $300 and they will either have to show up and defend themselves, or be ordered to pay?

a class-action suit might be preferable.
 

airdata

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2010
4,987
0
0
Amazon refunded my money for BF3 since it crashes over and over...

Tried to play the other day and my game is still active, but it crashed twice before loading anything. I decided wasting 5 minutes trying to play it was enough to move on.
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Don't get banned?

Simple enough, but that is complete and utter bullshit.

I pay for a game, there should be absolutely no f'in way a company can then take it back from me. They aren't the police where they can confiscate private property.
 

rivethead

Platinum Member
Jan 16, 2005
2,635
106
106
Simple enough, but that is complete and utter bullshit.

I pay for a game, there should be absolutely no f'in way a company can then take it back from me. They aren't the police where they can confiscate private property.

But.....when you "buy" a game from Origin, you're not really buying the game....you're buying a license to run the software on your machine(s). You violate the terms of the license, you lose the license and rights associated with it.

I'm not saying it's right. I'm just saying that's probably how EA views it.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
But.....when you "buy" a game from Origin, you're not really buying the game....you're buying a license to run the software on your machine(s). You violate the terms of the license, you lose the license and rights associated with it.

I'm not saying it's right. I'm just saying that's probably how EA views it.

And I do believe it's in the EULA. :(

However, last I checked, it sounded like EA was taking measures to ensure forum issues would no longer impact content access rights.
 

maniacalpha1-1

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2010
3,562
14
81
And I do believe it's in the EULA. :(

However, last I checked, it sounded like EA was taking measures to ensure forum issues would no longer impact content access rights.

You know, digital downloading of games is a somewhat new thing that government may not have looked at. We need laws to protect consumers against this. This is something that should definitely be illegal for a company to do. If it's in the EULA, it should be voided by law.
 

Bryf50

Golden Member
Nov 11, 2006
1,429
51
91
Amazon refunded my money for BF3 since it crashes over and over...

Tried to play the other day and my game is still active, but it crashed twice before loading anything. I decided wasting 5 minutes trying to play it was enough to move on.
Seems pretty obvious that the problem is on your end... Turn back all overclocks, stress test every component, maybe reformat to start with fresh drivers
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
This isn't anything new. Just remember it next time it comes time to open the wallet for an EA product.
 

Dankk

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2008
5,558
25
91
Good thing Aandtech Forums isn't linked to games.

In case EA's current actions aren't retarded enough: Imagine them going to other, 3rd-party discussion boards outside of their own forums. People have already been permanently banned from their entire Origin libraries from posting anti-EA comments on their site; why stop there? What if they did it on other forums, too? They could cross-reference your usernames and all of your personal info. "Hey, someone with the username of 'KentState' on the Anandtech Forums posted a hateful comment about EA. We've found his EA/Origin account. Let's ban him."

Sounds ridiculous, but it's not that much more ridiculous than what they're already doing. :colbert:
 

maniacalpha1-1

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2010
3,562
14
81
In case EA's current actions aren't retarded enough: Imagine them going to other, 3rd-party discussion boards outside of their own forums. People have already been permanently banned from their entire Origin libraries from posting anti-EA comments on their site; why stop there? What if they did it on other forums, too? They could cross-reference your usernames and all of your personal info. "Hey, someone with the username of 'KentState' on the Anandtech Forums posted a hateful comment about EA. We've found his EA/Origin account. Let's ban him."

Sounds ridiculous, but it's not that much more ridiculous than what they're already doing. :colbert:

You know, I'm really not sure I can think of ANYTHING that you could possibly do or say on a forum that justifies banning from the games. Maybe if you admitted to hacking, or were trying to promote a hack website, they could ban you from an online game, but to ban someone from their entire Origin account and thus all of their single player games as well? I don't think so.