Is EA losing its swagger?

April 2012 a social media poll of 250,000 voters has listed EA (Electronic Arts) as the Worst Company In America Today beating out 32 other high end companies for this distinction in a March Madness style tournament (Bank of America, PayPal, Facebook, Google, Apple, Sony and Phone Giants Verizon and AT&T). Content like privacy flaps, poor customer service, greed, and giving us the same old crap has annoyed the consumer. While over the last few years EA has lost some of its market to 2K Sports franchises it still maintained being the leader by a slim margins. EA went into E3 gaming expo 2012 with a chip on its shoulder to prove the critic’s wrong. I think they have only just beginning once again!

Years ago the game you bought was the game you got. Now the game has evolved into a game of ever expanding content journey/experience of content to further your gaming experience. Making it the epic experience you paid for! During the Download 2012 showcase, EA previewed demos of franchise titles like Dead Space 3, Battlefield 3, Knights of the Old Republic, Metal of Honor, Need For Speed and Crysis 3.

The revitalization of Sim City franchise starting with Sim City Social taking control back from the “whatevervilles” of the world that many of us have become so addicted to on social media sites Facebook and MySpace over the years. EA has also rereleased a current version of the original series Sim City. Sim City will be a released title for your PC. It will allow you to play among friends and family as coexisting cities or individual player.  Sim City will allow you to build your city whatever you way want, giving you full control over how its build. Game achievements, multiplayer functionality, natural disasters and the ability to control your cities growth EA has given the user true experiences that every major city experiences in the world. Although the idea brings me back to a time as a child in middle school I just hope they still maintained the monster mode that amused me so long ago!

EA’s bread and butter have always been its sports games. While EA does not have licensing to create a Major League Baseball title and loses a large chunk market of potential customers to 2K Sports excusive rights, EA has built their footprint with marquee titles like Madden 2013, NHL 2013, FIFA 2013 (Soccer), Tiger Woods 2013 (golf) and now UFC merger. EA has added the Infinity Engine that creates scenarios that will change the games outcome in every single play. Infinity Engine means a player being bumped, an arm being held, or pushing a player off balance will have to scramble to regain balance; this will guarantee different game play with every play.

With the addition of true player interaction, story mode, and virtual twitter feeds during story modes, deeper game play progression, syncing accomplishments over social media via Facebook and twitter, iPhone, iPad, Android, will give the player a complete experience, an individual ID across platforms not just a gamer tag and possibility of bragging rights among family and friends. Additional features like player drop in, drop out ability, voice commands and touch screen interface with tablets and SmartGlass allow the changes of the game on the fly. All these features will allow the consumer to eat, breathe and live EA SPORTS!

EA also announced the Merger with UFC. UFC President Dana White personally was on hand to announce the news saying, “We finally made it.” Once there was a time where EA wanted nothing to do with MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and declared it not a sport. EA took notices with UFC and THQ merger and produced its own in 2011 released flop MMA. With out the supporting cast fans just did not buy it. EA is finally redeeming its head of the class attitude and teamed up with the UFC to make the next installment to create the pinnacle MMA game!

EA’s slogan “If It’s In The Game, It’s In The Game” has never been truer with the new additions and game play. Maybe with these additions and giving the fans their dollar value they will shake the label of being “The Worst Company In America”