EA buys into Mythic..

[Sharkith]

Of course it's not exactly slave labour, but the working practices that EA enforces are illegal and they have been taken to court over it on a few occasions. It's really no better than companies using child labour and such in 3rd world nations - that's not something that should be supported. Note that EA will often push developers to work almost twice as long as the legal maximum European working hour week, are you suggesting that's not something to be bothered or concerned about? Those limits exist for a reason.

Xest,

I am in no way condoning what EA do in fact I find it repugnant.

This however does not equate to ownership of persons because they are considered not to be human. Not only that equating what they are doing to the historical fact of slavery in some circles would be found deeply offensive. I think it makes more sense to call this what it is rather than confusing the issue by making reference to the historical fact of slavery.

What is more significant from the discussion is whether or not we find it personally ethical to actually play games that have been produced through such exploitation. Thats an infinitely more difficult question. If it is so repugnant why don't we quit our dues to Mythic for a set period in protest, or are we just going to admit that when it comes to these things we do not in fact give a shit?

That is what is difficult about this.

Sharkith

[Xest]

Piracy is the ultimate solution imo. Means you get to play the game without funding the evil practices behind it! Doesn't work for MMOs tho unfortunately

Can I say piracy? is that offensive to some circles too? Perhaps I should've said intellectual property theft

[Sharkith]

whether people are offended or not is a sideshow, whats harder is when we bring up objections like that and then have to consaider the consequences of buying into and sponsoring them.

[Bebop]

Can I say piracy? is that offensive to some circles too? Perhaps I should've said intellectual property theft

Nah, just use the term..

Bye now, Pay never

[Bartokaj]

Well imo Mystic killed DAoC (ToA .. christ!!) them self, lets hope they will reinvent RVR in Warhammer like in DAoC (SI patch)..

[Gahn]

[quote="Cromcruaich"]ofc. ]

No way EA bought Mythic for the income of Daoc mate lol; they bought it to invest on War and try to compete with Blizzard in the MMO market.

[Gahn]

Alex remember that Mythic dont get subs from EU where the numbers are as you say, but from the US subs, and they got a bigger crowd of regular player base/day.

So it is a cash cow for Mythic, maybe not a big one, but still enough to get EA interested.

Err actually EU got a larger playerbase than US from some time tbh.

[Cromcruaich]

They'll suck the milk from that cash cow 'till it's a bull, then they'll suck some more.

[Ovi]

They'll suck the milk from that cash cow 'till it's a bull, then they'll suck some more.

It's already a bull that's been sucked some more!

I suspect that the deal cost EA more than they will ever make from the life left in DAoC.

Once WAR is released I give DAoC 6 months Max, before the servers are turned off.

I always expected WAR to be the final nail in the coffin for DAoC, EA will be the hammer to nail it in as fast as possible.

[Grymligast]

It's already a bull that's been sucked some more!

I suspect that the deal cost EA more than they will ever make from the life left in DAoC.

Once WAR is released I give DAoC 6 months Max, before the servers are turned off.

I always expected WAR to be the final nail in the coffin for DAoC, EA will be the hammer to nail it in as fast as possible.

I don´t think it will be closed down. I do however think we will not see any expansions nor any real patches after W.A.R is released.

Will have 1 person to keep an eye on daoc and fix a thing here and there and nothing more.