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EA Encouraging Playing Hooky from Work?

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the remember-that-gamers-work-two-jobs dept.

WebGangsta writes "Electronic Arts has proclaimed August 10th to be National Madden Vacation Day. Why? That's the day that MADDEN 2005 is being released, and they want everyone to stay home from work to play football all day. They've even gone so far as to publish fake jury duty summons and sick notes for you to give to your boss." I'd think the giant Madden logo on each form would be a dead giveaway, but they're still fun to print out and adorn your workspace with.

45 comments

  1. Reminds me of something by Killjoy_NL · · Score: 4, Funny

    a sig someone on a bbs had

    "Used up all my sickdays, calling in dead"

    Loved that one :D

    --
    This is the sig that says NI (again)
    1. Re:Reminds me of something by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Funny

      I used to have a coworker who would call in blind. "I just can't see coming in to work today..."

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. It's like visual crack by Lovedumplingx · · Score: 1

    My brother and I got Madden 2004 a few months ago and since then neither of us have gotten goddamned thing done when we're at home. It's like some ridiculous visual crack. I may have to quit my job for Madden 2005.

    1. Re:It's like visual crack by haqspan · · Score: 0
      Did you not make it into their plur party or something?

      /Candyravers eat it

  3. Why would you do this? by Mike+Hawk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When Sega Sports ESPN NFL 2k5 is already out and the superior game?

    1. Re:Why would you do this? by zuba_inverse · · Score: 1

      I thought that was the one with the bugs in it?

    2. Re:Why would you do this? by Rethcir · · Score: 2, Informative
      Only in MP.. they're patchin it. Single player is great.

      By the way, I'm trying to see if i can hook up my xbox to my PC (windows xp) so I can get on xbox live. I have an Intel Anypoint 10mbps phoneline network card(aka Broadcom iLine - really flaky drivers on XP unfortunately) which i use to connect to my downstairs computer and then to a DSL connection, and an ethernet port on my mobo which i'd like to use to connect to the xbox. Any ideas on how to configure the ethernet port to connect to the xbox and share the connection with the phoneline network? I tried setting up a network bridge, but it didn't seem to work, and I tried setting the phoneline card to "share internet connection" but that didn't work either. I'd rather not get a router re-wire my house if i could avoid it.

    3. Re:Why would you do this? by MBraynard · · Score: 1

      Try the network bridge again. On the back of my last PC setup I had 4 NIC - spare computer, friends computer, XBL, and DLS in.

    4. Re:Why would you do this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have my XBox included in my home LAN for XBox Live!

      I have a wireless router hooked up to both of my computers, then into the modem and the wall. Then I used a wireless ethernet bridge back in my room to grab the signal out of the air and work with the XBox.

      I've had no problems. Might be a way to do it without re-wiring.

    5. Re:Why would you do this? by EddieBurkett · · Score: 2, Insightful
      When Sega Sports ESPN NFL 2k5 is already out and the superior game?
      Well, you don't know its the superior game until you've played Madden, do you?

      I'll concede that 2K5 is probably the better game. I have that and Madden '04, and I think Madden will be hard pressed to prove itself better this year.

      But unless 2K5 is much worse than Madden (which I would say is impossible), how can you justify spending $50 + for Madden vs. $20 for ESPN? The only way I can think its worth it is if you are THAT excited about XBox live, or THAT excited about all the perks of the Anniversary Edition, or you're just a biased Madden fanboy.

      The best thing about the price of ESPN 2K5 is that some vendors are selling it for less than $20. I got it at Target for $15.88, I heard Circuit City will be selling it for
      --
      The only thing I hate more than hypocrites are people who hate hypocrites.
    6. Re:Why would you do this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Here's why I am buying Madden and not Sega's offering.

      I bought both ESPN Baseball and Basketball this year. They're great games and a lot of fun to play. THe one component that is lacking is online play.

      Oh sure, it's "in the game" but it sucks. The servers are slow and the logon process takes forever. Comparing this to my online experience with Madden 2004 and I just can't trust Sega. I've played Madden 2004, Tiger Woods 2004, and MVP Baseball 2004 and found that EA's servers and cross game login data is really nice.
      That is why I am going for Madden 2005.

      THat's how I justify buying Madden. It's not because of XBox Live [I have a PS2 and a Gamecube] and I am not going to buy the Anniversary Edition and I am not a fanboy.
      It's sometimes a bad idea to list out all the possible reasons for something happening because then I'll come along and prove you wrong.

    7. Re:Why would you do this? by CapeMonkey · · Score: 1

      It's entirely possible you just hate ESPN Football. Not me, personally I'm not as fond of Madden. Been playing the Sega Sports version since NFL 2K1 on Dreamcast, unless you count NFL 95 for Genesis.

  4. Rats by NanoGator · · Score: 3, Funny

    My boss reads Slashdot. Watch, that'll be the day I really am sick.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  5. August 3. by 2megs · · Score: 1

    Any geek worthy of the word knows which game he'll be missing work for in August.

    Doom 3, baby!

    1. Re:August 3. by hibiki_r · · Score: 1

      Quite the opposite. We'll all have to spend the day working to be able to afford both the $55 game and the $600 Video Card Upgrade

    2. Re:August 3. by RealityMogul · · Score: 1

      Any geek worthy of the word will have already gotten approval for "misc. system upgrades" weeks earlier and will be playing deathmatch on the corporate network all day. DUH!!! =P

    3. Re:August 3. by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      Eh, I have to put in my vote for Star Ocean 3... or is that September?

  6. How about "Madden is $20" Day? by superultra · · Score: 1

    Sorry EA advertising agency, this pales in comparison to as Sega's NFL 2K4 Beta-7 campaign.

  7. So lame advertising gimmicks are newsworthy now? by darkmayo · · Score: 0

    and these aren't even as good as the fucked up gimmicks Acclaim has been doing. Come on now don't forget the "Stuff that Matters" part.

    --
    "I am a kernel in the linux army"
  8. Hmm, I wonder if this will work . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    . . . if you work at EA.

  9. Calling sick august 10th? of course! by hsoft · · Score: 2, Funny

    But that will not be for madden! It will simply be your 8th sick calling for doom 3 (aug 10 - aug 3 - weekends = 8)

    --
    perception is reality
    1. Re:Calling sick august 10th? of course! by hsoft · · Score: 1

      oops 6th calling.

      --
      perception is reality
  10. Karma or very cool coincidence? by cmdrwhitewolf · · Score: 3, Funny

    With Madden 2004 coming out in the same month as DOOM 3, I *know* my >sports freak boss likely won't be in on that day - Can you say DOOM 3 LANPARTY?

    --
    [Now, I'm off to lift my le... Um, visit... at another place.]
  11. I just called EA by Foo2rama · · Score: 3, Informative

    You know what I just called over there and it seems that almost everyone is at work... POSERS!!!

    --


    ---In a time of Chimpanzees I was a Monkey.
  12. Why? by IMarvinTPA · · Score: 1

    But I'm already going to be on my 7th day off! If I get brave enough to touch the computer, I might order some underwear online since by then all the ones I have would be ruined...

    Why do people bother telling me that I'm paranoid when I'm in the middle of a FPS? THEY ARE OUT TO GET ME!

    Marv
    (PS, Doom 3 comes out on the 3rd.)

    --
    Trusting software vendors is no smarter than trus
  13. Considering the series... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Considering how boring Madden games are, no thanks, I'd rather be working... :P

    (I *AM* planning on staying home when Star Ocean 3 comes out though)

  14. The question is... by FortKnox · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... what will EA do if all THEIR employees call in sick???

    --
    Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
  15. My Sick Form by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hi Hilary, this is Bill. I'm feeling lousy and won't be in today. I must have had some bad, ugh, intercourse. Uh, I'd come but... man this is embarrassing... I have to get laid every two minutes , and frankly it's a pretty long bus ride. Call me at 123-4567 if you... Oh, oh, I gotta get laid.

  16. helpful answer to articles posed as questions by dan_bethe · · Score: 1

    To answer the question posed in the article's title, "yes".

  17. How's this different from any other day? by bluemeep · · Score: 2, Funny

    The people I know that play Madden (or any other sports titles) never go to work anyway. They'd just look suspicious about it if they tried to give me an excuse other than "Dude, chill."

  18. You know it's going to happen by ALeavitt · · Score: 3, Funny

    Someone, somewhere, is going to try to pass one of these off on his boss. He will summarily be fired. He will sue EA for either coercing him to miss work or for providing what he thought was a valid excused. God bless the US legal system.

    --
    This sig has been stolen. Return it to its original user for a reward.
    1. Re:You know it's going to happen by Ramses0 · · Score: 1

      Hey, if you're already training Neeraj, Ravu, and Dilpreet as your replacements, you might as well make the end run, play some football, and go for the Hail Mary of the U.S. legal system and jury awards. :^)

      --Robert

  19. Clarification on this question... by Demon-Xanth · · Score: 1

    ...using the forms they printed out or not?

    --
    If you think education is expensive, you should try ignorance -- Derek Bok, president of Harvard
  20. Now there's an agreement... by Axem · · Score: 1

    Does this happen to anyone else? I click on the link, then the some agreement comes up. Okay, then I see it's a PDF, so I want to decline. I click Cancel and it comes up anyway.

    Not much of an agreement is it? =P

    --
    We all live in a #FFFF00 submarine...
  21. vacation day by linuxgnuru · · Score: 2, Funny

    My older brother's work is declaring November 9th a vacation because more than half of their employees will be "taking a sick day" to play Halo 2.

    --
    Linux: When reboots are for upgrades.
  22. ea day off! by andy_fish · · Score: 1

    Hmm, I think what EA is saying is that they're giving all their employees the day off on August 10th! That's the impression I get anyway. Have fun, EA employees!

    --
    & I wish I knew the password to your heart . . . &
  23. futbal sux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    futbal sux and iz gay thay go arownd jumping on eech othur and pating eech othur on the ass and huging and shit and then thay showr togethr

    "grab the gy with the bal!" wut mor prufe do u nede? onli wa it cud b mor gayer iz if u grab the gy with 2 balz or grab the gyz balz or sumthing

    stupid shit sportz

  24. User Agreement by blacklily8 · · Score: 1

    Hmm...I clicked on one of the forms and got this really scary user agreement that said I couldn't copy, distribute, transmit, semaphore, or read it aloud without violating EA's proprietary rights. The buttons at the bottom said "AGREE" or "CANCEL," so I hit "CANCEL." Then the pdf showed up in my browser anyway. So...Does this mean it's all fair game? If not, I'll put away my flags now.

    1. Re:User Agreement by johnkoer · · Score: 1

      Same thing happened to me, I clicked cancel out of pure habit and boom the thing still popped up. They either have some really lazy programmers, or the manager felt noone was going to read it anyways.

      --
      Johnkoerner.com
  25. Part-Time Sports Fans by alfredhayes192000 · · Score: 1

    I can't wait until August 17th when Madden 2004 drops another $20 and I can get it for dirt cheap. Been doing this for many a year now. Yes, I don't get the "new" game, but I do get a very good game for very cheap. As I don't get a lot of time to play video games, new ball physics or face engines really don't matter to me.

  26. These things really work! by weeboo0104 · · Score: 2, Funny

    They've even gone so far as to publish fake jury duty summons and sick notes for you to give to your boss."

    I just gave one of these to my boss and he told me not to bother coming in the next day or the day after that. Isn't that awesome?!

    Oh...crap.

    --
    It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglass