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EA Takes Over Scrabble App, Wipes Player Histories and Switches Dictionary
New submitter DeathToBill writes "EA is in the midst of another user backlash, the BBC reports. After EA took over operation of the online Scrabble brand, it introduced a 'new and improved' version. Improvements include requiring manual refreshes to see other players' turns, irretrievably wiping players' game history and a switch to the Collins dictionary (rather than the traditional Chambers edition) that has proved deeply unpopular with Scrabble fanatics. "EA was unavailable for comment.""
I live my pizza better tham EA is willing to make. Zynga is my favorite one. i mean come on, you gotta have some pineapple in it!
This article is about how you can get free advertisement. Move along.
This seems like the perfect use case for side loading. Avoid whatever misbegotten version EA has managed to put in the official "app store" and install some illicit clone.
It's sad when an official release has you reaching for the equivalent of "Hack Man".
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Terrible company.
Isn't it just common knowledge that EA destroys everything they touch and have zero respect for gamers?
Keep digging that hole you're in even deeper.
Well, I'd say that's one way to piss off not just part of your user base, but every single player at the same time.
That's actually...sadly impressive.
They didn't change the scoring of the letters.
The problem with EA is that they have shitty customer relations/service, and are incredibly greedy. So people get all pissed off and swear they'll never buy another game published by EA ever again. But we forget that EA owns a lot of really great developers that make some kickass games (Anyone excited for the new Battlefront?). So we end up buying the awesome games and just feed the beast a little more.
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.
Pioneered by Microsoft, now Nintendo, and now game publishers
or just lost for words?
All media must stop writing about EA anything. Everyone else can/must happily forget they ever existed and shall hence forth ignore all EA based products.
As a side note, the fact that EA can continue to make such a horrible experience for their customers and still be profitable and/or in business is a testament to the sad state of our existence. We have such an instant gratification culture (mainly in US but it is spreading globally) that we are often will to pay to forget the sins of the past so long as the potential for more cheap gratification exists.
The data is not lost forever. It might not be compatible with the current version, but that data is on a backup somewhere. If EA returns to the old edition, they could easily restore users' scores and stats.
after the latest SimCity i was afraid i might never see EA release another title again. However with this latest acquisition i can see EA is still dedicated to the tradition of alienating consumers, infuriating players, and pedaling the franchise ever further into the dirt. A worry had crossed my mind that perhaps they might suddenly change direction, or maybe continue the sincere course the original developers had maintained for so long in order to foster a thriving online gaming community. Yet once i heard "EA was unavailable for comment," I signed in relief and smiled to myself, knowing somewhere, somehow, John Riccitiello's biggest care in the world was trying to find a port of call that not only offered both legitimate cuban cigars as well as fine vintage scotch, but could also fit the likes of his superyacht in on short-notice. Carry on you brave pioneer of the digital age.
Good people go to bed earlier.
You should respect EA's copyright.
Why?
EA isn't.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Along with my paper dictionary.
EA and the NSA continue to demonstrate that the digital world is too fragile for society to rely on.
Three years running?
All 70-somethings whose children gave them IPads for christmas must be really upset!
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
a whole page of bullshit stories! good job.
Wordsmith.. My personal favorite anyways.
You can't copyright a set of rules.
But you can copyright the locations of bonus squares, even if it deeply affects the game's strategy. That's why Words With Friends (doesn't someone else own the trademark on those initials?) uses a diamond-shape motif instead of Scrabble's X shape motif. Yes, I know it's like copyrighting the dimensions of a basketball court.
Nuking player history make a perverse sort of sense, assuming EA doesn't have a subscription model. I mean, these are people who've already bought the game. Now they're just an expense, right? Adios, suckers.
Works fine this quarter.
Users still line up to buy their shit.
They have no choice. With EA owning exclusive rights to the National Football League, Arena Football, NCAA, and even FIFA, what league is a competing developer of football video games supposed to use? Fictional leagues don't work so well because the majority of people buy the game to play as a particular team.
And when they win worst company in america again next year, they're going to complain about it again.
In the US, EA has been the Scrabble app provider for some time, and nothing has changed.
It's outside the US that this impacts people. Presumably the wiping of histories is due to a lack of agreement between parties.
They probably just did a "mv" rather than a "cp" when they where exporting the data to a USB stick to send to the NSA. I'm sure such a respected company such as E...A.... oh those guys. Yea "supprise!", you mean you thought the company of Entertainment Assholes was afraid of shaking up a few pesky users?
Good leaders run toward problems, bad leaders hide from them.
EA don't get into the pinball market you just F* it up and your 80 hour work weeks will just take the devs and coders time away so they can't show up and play at local arcades.
I think we've struck the definition of a "first world problem".
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
They most likely just removed nonsensical words like e.g. Linux. That apperently only premium quality office software correctly detects as a scribal error. :D
Pinball was actually one of the first things EA did...
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
This is about the Facebook version. The Android version, already run by EA, has neither changed dictionaries nor dropped scores and ratings (I just logged in to check).
Also, I'm a bit confused about the dictionaries. Isn't the Collins/Chambers list for international play? Doesn't the US version still use OWL2+Long Words from NASPA? Or is there only 1 version? I don't play on FB, and TFA doesn't clarify.
EA don't get into the pinball market you just F* it up and your 80 hour work weeks will just take the devs and coders time away so they can't show up and play at local arcades.
Wait, you're saying Stern didn't already screw it up?
This is about the Facebook version. The Android version, already run by EA, has neither changed dictionaries nor dropped scores and ratings (I just logged in to check). Also, I'm a bit confused about the dictionaries. Isn't the Collins/Chambers list for international play? Doesn't the US version still use OWL2+Long Words from NASPA? Or is there only 1 version? I don't play on FB, and TFA doesn't clarify.
all of the big pizza chains suck smaller ones are a lot better.
Online Scrabble was garbage for a long time until the recent upgrade. That's how Words With Friends got so popular, no one but true fanatics would actually use Hasbro's/EA's Scrabble. I just assumed Scrabble sucked because EA was in charge. Whatever the reason for the change, I find the new version to be a much needed improvement, it's actually on par with WWF now. But then, I don't care about the stats because I'm a lousy player. And English speaking players can choose which of the two dictionaries to use, they're not forced to use one or the other. It basically comes down to some people just don't like change, even if it is for the better.
...Except that EA bought Pinball Construction Set from Bill Budge. I had (still have) the original BudgeCo version of that game for my Apple //e. Great times.
.... line up all the players and kick them in the nuts, one by one. So be glad.
Bite my shiny Electronic Arse!
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
I hope none of the complainers consider themselves Libertarians.
Just use another Scrabble-like implementation. It's not exactly the most complex game in the world to implement. Yahoo has had Literati for about a decade, and it works fine.
Improve at backgammon rapidly through addictive quickfire position quizzes: www.bgtrain.com
they out lasted capcom, WMS, Gottlieb, and a few others. Still made in the USA as well. Also pinball is back right now.
LOL, what did people expect, it's EA! Noobs!
they out lasted capcom, WMS, Gottlieb, and a few others. Still made in the USA as well. Also pinball is back right now.
Yes, but most pinball aficionados would argue Stern's tables are generally of inferior quality and design to the older Williams tables. It's just that they're really the only ones making them at all right now, so it's hard to get a good modern comparative baseline.
What's your problem with the National Scrabble Association?
It's a wide test to monitor rebellion potential amongst people.
It's pretty hard to fuck up Scrabble, but then again, this is EA we're talking about...
"EA is in the midst of another user backlash, the BBC reports. After EA took over operation of the online Scrabble brand, it introduced a 'new and improved' version. Improvements include requiring manual refreshes to see other players' turns, irretrievably wiping players' game history and a switch to the Collins dictionary (rather than the traditional Chambers edition) that has proved deeply unpopular with Scrabble fanatics. "EA was unavailable for comment.""
New dictionary has two words in it
GREED
MONEY
EF really, really hates it when you call them on their total sh*t product devolvement, don't be surprised. Given the wide range of issues that their products generally have always had, it's a wonder anyone buys their garbage still
I am no longer interested in taking over the world, I just want a modest corner of the Solar System
You mean your "Words with Friends" board game?