EA Disables UFC 4's In-Game Ads Following Player Outrage

Ok, never going to buy this game now. Ridiculous for a full priced game.

Aw the *****y old EA of years gone by, there you are. I wondered who the imposter EA was the last 12 months. Seems the crappy company is back again. That didn't last long....

If you buy an ea sports franchise game, you know what your getting into. Gross

@avividan
If that is your legitimate response then your part of the problem. This is a full priced game! And it's not even an ad during a loading screen, but a add that covers almost your entire screen during gameplay!
Imagine stuff like this happening while playing Assassin's Creed, Ratchet & Clank, God of War etc.

EA is still trying really hard to remain the #1 most evil corporation in the world.

If they poured all this evil creativity into good deeds, we would have world peace, no more hunger and we would probably become a type 2 civilisation by 2050.

I'm sure if he thought he could get away with it, the CEO of EA would steal all their customers' bank details and buy himself a few new yachts. That company purely exists to see what they can get away with.

@Rhaoulos But unfortunately we'd have to re-buy world peace each and every year.

@Matroska World peace is basically on-disc DLC, it’s right there but they snatch it away from us every time things are looking up.

EA stands for Evil *****

Dont see this changing no matter how much controversy it courts, you have to imagine there are plenty of contracts in place for upcoming ads etc.

I suppose it fits in with UFC' image to be fair, they have as much ads in their broadcasts as any sport I have seen on telly in the UK.

All very slimy though

Absolute scum, this is why I don't buy EA games anymore. Enjoy your next gen sports games folks 😉

I'm getting a bit F-off'ed by Ads coming up on YouTube aswel in the middle of videos :-/ It's really getting annoying now to a point where it's putting me of even watching Videos now. So if this happens in games then F-that :-/ ('F' = Funk)

It's like the subliminal messages from Fight Club.

Well atleast it more authentic now 😂

EA are ridiculous.. big company’s think they can do anything now and charge the same money.. micro transactions are a big part of EA now aswell.. they can get stuffed I’m not getting another game from them until they change their way of doing things. They do anything for extra money including ads in the middle of games!

Yet another example of EA experimenting with new ways of pissing off people to make more money.

@ThaBEN are you even playing the game? It appears only in the end of the rounds.

It doesn't bother me at all.

@get2sammyb This was my take, too. I don't have a horse in this race but the ads fit the broadcast style presentation.

I concur it's pretty dang shady to introduce them after launch. EA clearly knew there would be a vocal backlash on the internet and wanted the game in player's hands before causing a stir.

I get the complaints but this makes it incredibly realistic to the live product.

They want realistic games right?

@get2sammyb I'll agree that much, but still should had been there at launch AND as part of the review copy.

Curious, does Metacritic allow for reviewers to change their scores? I have a feeling there was some rule against it, but on this world of devs sneaking patches like this, I feel that is currently necessary (allowing review sites to change their scores, that is.)

@Carl-G Why don't you use an ad blocker?

And that's why I have zero confidence in Star Wars : Squadrons! There is no way that a multiplayer focused game with a bunch of customization will not have microtransactions (or other ***** things like ads) after launch!

As a huge UFC fan myself, it is common to see advertisements in between rounds during a break in the action, and even smaller ones during the round. I can see how this would be annoying to look at though if they weren’t in the game before.

Perhaps it’s time for review sites to start making amended reviews of games that try to bypass the review system and add undesirable features after the review period. It’s a sneaky practice that doesn’t surprise in the least, coming from EA

@ThaBEN I didn’t see the ad covering gameplay when the player is in control of their character. It appears that the ads cover the screen during the break in between rounds.

Then, when the round starts and player is back in control, a small ad pops up above the round timer.

It’s annoying to look at but I don’t think it’s covering up gameplay.

Oh man, this is just too good. EA being EA, I guess xD Now I can't wait for that ME Trilogy remaster to come out even more....

I don’t see the big deal. Personally I wish to see this. Makes the presentation more realistic in my eyes. For sports games, it makes sense. Other games? Not so much. But for games like Madden, UFC, MLB The Show, I wonder why we don’t see more of this. But for those that don’t like it, there should be an option to turn it off for sure.

This is one reason I don’t buy EA games...

@DeepSpace5D
That's what i still consider 'gameplay' (in-engine cutscene/replay). If it was a static loading screen with an add I would feel different about it.
No matter how you look at it, interactive/dynamic adds in full priced games is not good!

I think EA is the worst publisher of the bunch, but I honestly don't see why this bothers people. It was just doing it during the replay.

Dead game really

I don’t see the issue honestly. In a strange way as Sammy pointed out it makes it more real.

On a side note I hadn’t realized the game looked so good, I’ll have to pick this up when it’s on sale on psn.

@get2sammyb they could had easily have shown placeholder ads, and mentioned the "feature."

I'm sure at some of the devs involved are gamers enough to know that this would not go down well. Keeping it quite was definitely a concious decision, not an oversight.

@get2sammyb to play the angel's advocate it's obnoxious and disrespectful to people that bought a game for 60$. People buy things to not see advertisement, not the other way around.

@Ken_Kaniff
That's what people said about paid DLC before season passes became a thing.

Maybe take another look at Marvel's Avengers game and see how they integrated all their exclusive content, where Earth Mightiest Heroes are literally walking advertisements for certain companies.

https://gamerant.com/marvels-avengers-verizon-virgin-media-skin-leak/

Tip toe through the tulips............................ahh now where was I oh yeah Electronic ARTS ......now we know why they want online gaming...did you genuinely think it was there for you to have fun...............E.A. do not do fun just money.

@avividan I am not bothered I long for the time when it is just one great advert/commercial...........there was me thinking the Internet was a place where we would have control over adverts/commercials....you reap what you sow carry on.

No sympathy for anyone that continues to support EA. You get what you deserve. Treated to a terrible business practice in a terrible game by a terrible company.

@Carl-G most web browsers have youtube ad blocker its just a matter of adding it.

@nessisonett Perfect explanation of society. Im gonna be thinking about your comment for quite some time now.

@get2sammyb it may look authentic, and I have no problems with the ad on the ring canvas floor, but it’s not acceptable swiping through the action sequences of game. And the tactic of doing so - of adding in after the game reviews - is totally planned to create the quietest kerfuffle is quite Machiavellian.

I remember EA putting in adverts for football boots (Predator?) back in FIFA ‘93 on the Amiga and Megadrive, but it wasn’t that bad.

Or is it just a reemergence of their “if it’s in the game IT’S IN THE GAME” slogan?

It’s the tactics rather than the ads I guess which are the most underhand.

@get2sammyb It also gives the players brain damage, just like the real fighters. Exquisite realism, bravo EA.

Forget UFC.
I banned that sport for very Brutal and Barbaric way to fight.
I played K-1 from PS2 instead.

The ads don't look majorly intrusive and don't seem to have any detriment on the gameplay.

I consider this sometimes, saving my Saturday day job wages for a few weeks to buy Street Fighter 2 CE on my mega drive. That was £60 in the early 90's.

Since then the production and marketing costs of computer/video games have risen from hundreds of thousands to, in some cases for AAA titles, hundreds of millions yet we're still paying about £60 RRP for those AAA titles. There are also ongoing support costs for games nowadays (especially in EA's case 😂) that wouldn't have been incurred in the past to boot. I do think that sometimes additional sources of revenue to offset the enormous increases in the cost of the release and support of a game may be justifiable.

What infuriates me however is the cynical fleecing of gamers with predatory fervour, gatcha mechanics and other abominations requiring real world money that have become prolific in mobile games appearing in full price console purchases, not just the free to play stuff.

At least they just flash on the screen and not play a 15 second ad.

@Carl-G
Remember using Vanced YT and Ad block Plus for your PC. No more annoying ads

@get2sammyb forgive my ignorance but there's ads like this during the broadcast? I thought UFC was pay-per-view.

I don't get how people are debating the quality of the adds and therefore state that it's not a bad thing, instead of the practise that they're adding adds in a full priced game!

Would you people say the same if Netflix showed a Doritos ad 3 times within 20 seconds between the end credits and intro of a new episode while trying to watch a series?

By that same logic it's not interfering with the content itself, and therefore not intrusive, right?

I pay full price for my live streaming service, and I get bombarded with advertisements. Hell, my HBO Max series all start with an ad. I actually think it’s more immersive and real to life.

E.A ads... Its in the game!
The older generation will get this one.

@Kidfunkadelic83 Damn i just thought of writing that and bam, there it is. Good work.

It’s disgusting for sure. I thought they might be implemented like in a real fight. Then that would have been bit better.

Not since CTR has such a low stunt been pulled. This is bad but not as bad as CTR and everyone let them get away with that

Scummy practice. The fact they left this out the review copies / period shows that they knew this would create backlash.

The real question is, how long before other publishers / developers attempt this?

@TheAdza 😂😂 not often i get in before anyone else.

@zupertramp They have quite a few fights on channels like TNT and ESPN that aren't PPV. I think it's just the big BIG time fights that are PPV.

I think lol.

@pip_muzz my thoughts exactly they somewhat redeem themselves with fallen order and then get back to this crap, is this so they have another revenue source post loot box bans worldwide

The last EA game I bought was a golf game in 2012. I wouldn't buy an EA game today because I don't like them.

It's interesting to see what lenghts EA will go to make even more money.

If there was anywhere else to go, these practices would stop.

But hey, if you dont like it, don't buy it.

Wow! I would have thought this was a joke without looking it up. What the heck? This just isn't on. They had Axe in Burnout but the real billboards were part of the charm, if cheeky. I don't like this kind of game, but people who do should seriously try to get a refund and avoid future titles.

@get2sammyb Why would you advocate for the devil?

Just because real in-game ads have always been obnoxious and bad doesn't mean that they are intrinsically bad! Small start-ups like EA need a way to make more money - don't you know that games cost more to make than they used to?

Real in-have advertisements are simply misunderstood; give them a chance!

OOOUUUT-RAAAGEEE!!!!!

Seriously - LMAO.
So I google imaged the octagon ring and guess what? It has real world ads on the floor. And .. and .. this game now has REAL WORLD ADS ON THE FLOOR?? Say it isn't so !!!

What to people want? To see "Pizza But", "Weebok", or "Red Bullish" on the floor? Maybe "Pisswasser Beer"?

So it has real world ads in a game with real world fighters, who fight on a real world-styled Octagaon which has.. real world ads?

Seriously.. internet outrage. Gimme a break and get over yourselves.

@Tharsman Not sure about Metacritic but sites have done before. Most significant one I can remember was Eurogamer amending its Driveclub review. But that was from negative to positive not the other way.

@KippDynamite I remember when they were a startup. Good old Electronic Arts.

How times have changed.

@Matroska more realistically, world peace by EA would be a giant ad covering the remains of our lovely post apocalyptic planet.

it's a beautiful concept, I fully support EA

Did it appear there after launch? No idea, as i don't play these types of games due to yearly releases leaving last years game obselete. However a tiny gatorade icon does seem more tasteful than some big almost full screen ads tacked on after launch. There are ways to have advertising done tastefully. This example provided in this story deserves all the mockery and shame the internet can provide.

Thank god I'm not a sport games fan. Never bought a game from them in this generation except for ME2. They can burn in hell for all I care

@get2sammyb Maybe they could make it really realistic and make you wait 10 minutes for every 30 watching adds just like on TV.

@lacerz A reason not too get this service. The minute Netflix starts with a add is the minute i cancel my subscription.

@get2sammyb oh. I find that bizarre but not all that surprising I guess.

I can't believe that people are still getting upset about adverts,product placing,season passes,paid dlc etc..why are you all still playing video games? Its not as if they even take away the enjoyment.say for instance you just landed that killer knockout blow and then the game cuts to an advert and then resumes the nose breaking well then that would be a bit off but i am taking this happens after a replay..granted the adverts being added after the game was sent for review is a bit sneaky but it is what it is..dont like it dont buy it..bought it and now you are salty...sell the damn thing but come on peeps this is how games have been going for years..damn all that product placement in pga 2k21..callaway and bridgestone rammed down my throat everytime i boot the game..

If it's in the game it's in the game lmao. Seriously if they were doing this A. 30 bucks or B. Free dlc characters I mean you know they will be paid per title sold for ads. Now you see why I don't see anything wrong with Avengers they were up front from the beginning not underhanded.

"The game's Reddit community is understandably outraged"

Another day, another outrage. It's video games, people. How about you find something serious to be outraged about?

@Party_Cannon but what are people supposed to do with their lives if they don't b... complain on the internet? Have fun?

How to kill sales and products, by EA. Good read.

This will be the new for sports games as they are becoming a live service, ads in sports games means more revenue for EA and UFC they don't give 2 sods for the consumer. Data is more valuable now than it ever was because Amazon started it and now everyone is doing it, they want to know what your doing and then push something in front of you to get you to try or buy or pass it along

@get2sammyb This. Actually makes it look more realistic with ads and sponsors. Didn't bother me at all, and I actually kinda liked it.

And if this would make future DLC free, I'm 100% behind this.

@Nickolaidas make future DLC free... hahahaha, stop it you're killing me here. So which part of EA do you work for? Seriously though, if it's such a great addition to the atmosphere of the game why weren't they there at launch? Maybe because when you've paid for a product you don't want to be buying adverts as well. This is typical EA, finding new ways of making money out of its customers, in this instance they are treating you, the gamer as the product being sold, and you're paying them the privilege of being the product.

@SirAngry Probably because they knew some immature gamers would blow a casket over such an insignificant thing like that.

Personally I think it's stupid as hell to be angry over some insignificant crap like that, but I guess some people are fortuitous enough to not have real problems in their lives and have to resort to silly reasons to be worked up about.

Whatever. It's not like I care about this game to keep defending it against randos on the internet. Peace.

@Party_Cannon it’s not adverts on the ring or floor it’s pop up adverts that stop the game and not like in a real fight - more like in a YouTube video and pretty often. For the same thing.

I think if they were intergrated and with commentary - like real world fights that would have been more accepted and older games did have that

“The fight is brought to you by snickers” etc... this amazon “the boys” stuff is ugly and looks forced.

It would appear that EA have done a U-turn on the invasive ads ... source: Eurogamer

@get2sammyb that sort of advertising is less in your face and less game disrupting. I don’t object to that type of product placement (Superfrog did exactly the same with Lucozade and back when she was built of less polygons, Lara Croft advertised the same drink)

@Nickolaidas so because there are other issues in the world people can't be annoyed at this? Really. You're resorting to that non-argument. Methinks you aren't defending it further because if that's all you've got then it's not much of a defense. Also, for the record, if I'd bought a car, and it's satnav 3 weeks later started advertising me Monster Energy drinks would that be OK? Changing the way a product functions and is presented post launch is not acceptable unless it is to fix a faulty product. Period. If you ever find yourself in the position of defending shady business practices of a multi-billion dollar corporation ask yourself this simple question... why? I've worked for an EA Studio, and as an employer they're actually pretty good, but their shady business practices aren't really defensible from a consumer, or even business perspective. Their products make more than enough money without these dodgy practices, this is pure greed, and turning paying customers into products for other corporations. People who accept this stuff, and even praise it do need to re-asses their life choices. Have a great day.

From that video link in this article, the Prime ad is not during actual gameplay, but during a replay, much like an actual replay of action on television. Guy lands a good punch and ESPN/sports channel wants to replay it, but before they do you always see some flash of "replay presented by" advertising.

To me this is almost gone too realistic. You want to play a gritty real UFC, but instead are also getting the television treatment during replays.

@Rhaoulos Until they put many lives in jeopardy, they're a log way from #1. They're just scumbags xD

@SirAngry And other people need to GET a life.

Have a great day indeed.

I was starting to forget how awful EA are. This serves as a good reminder.

@Nickolaidas yeah sure, but it's up to people what they DO with their life. There is no one way of "getting a life", but there are more important questions about decisions we make in life. You chose to defend a multi-billion dollar corporation over a game you don't even care about, yet others need to get a life, my good man, question what actions you are doing with your life first. Unless EA are paying you, or you care somehow about the product why would you do that? Genuinely interested in your motivations, because I often find people like you unfathomable. I get people who cling to ideologies, but people who seemingly defend corporations when they've no skin in the game? It's a fascinating psychological phenomenon that baffles me. Why did you do it?

@KippDynamite The fact that I can't tell if this satire or not just shows how bad the knighting for companies has become.

Especially the last week, between defending GAAS, defending 3D all stars, and now this.

@Richnj this is what I don't understand about people. If people have a vested interest in either the games, or the companies behind the games I get the defence of certain business practices. However, the blind defence of rampant exploitative capitalistic endeavour without any skin in the game is truly baffling to me. Just can't wrap my head around it. This is demonstrably a s***y move by EA, signaled by the fact they chose to sneak it out, they knew it was scummy, so they do it post release, there's no defence of this, even if you worked for EA. Yet people who seemingly don't care apparently feel the need to defend EA. Why?

I don’t necessarily have a problem with the ads themselves, but the implementation of them after reviews had mostly been written is very scummy.

@Nakatomi_Uk spot on............oh we noticed you looking at trainers on anothersite can we intice you with these sprawled across the screen at half time...if they can nab 1 in 10 that is excellent business for them as many are unaware what is happening.

That lasted long... Instantly denied.

Complaining works. The people saying "why bother being angry?" Are clearly WRONG. EA saw the backlash and they fixed it. We should never roll over and just accept the crap they try to feed us. If we stand up and don't let these nasty practices happen, they won't.

@SirAngry So, being baffled at the amount of outrage some people display over the silliest of things now counts as 'defending and white-knighting a greedy corporation'?

I don't give a rat's ass about EA, especially after they ruined IPs that I loved (i.e. Dead Space). I simply find the particular outrage laughable, since it specifically emulates tv sports in real life.

Seriously, it's not like you're fighting a red phantom in Demon's Souls and the logo of Coca Cola appears for an intermission and stops the game for ten seconds or something. In such case, I would be on board and agree with the negativity.

@Nickolaidas have you seen the adverts in game? Have you ever watched UFC? Your whole argument seems based on “it’s just life real life”..... and it’s really not at all. Sports fans and video game sports fans are used to in game adverts that mirror real life. This is not that. Which is why people are complaining

@Nickolaidas so you buy a product, and then later on after paying for the product, the person who sold it you shoehorns adverts into it, and you don't have any rights to be annoyed. Give your head a wobble. Also you did defend EA, you even laughably suggested this could mean DLC would be free, yeah, sorry chap you were shilling for EA.

I'm never going to buy this game and after writing this I won't think about it again, however I do think it's hilarious that people are defending this practice. Shame on you. Good to see that ea have accepted they made a mistake and done a U-turn. Adiós.

Good that they removed it. And to anyone who says people must not have problems in their loved to complain, they must have so many problems that they don’t have time to play or discuss the positives and negatives of a game - oh wait, we’re on a game forum where that’s the purpose? Stop acting like you have never used your time to say something negative about a game. Obviously you’ve used your time similarly (whether you want to say our critiqued a negative part of a cake or were outraged) if you’re here. It only takes a few minutes, a small break from playing UFC, to complain about it.

@SirAngry I said that complaining about this is stupid. If you want to interpret that as 'you have no right to complain', be my guest, but know that this isn't what I said or meant. (You have no right to slap yourself =/= You are an idiot for slapping yourself — see the difference?)

If you also want to interpret 'I have no problem with it if it ends up making future DLC free' as 'EA can do no wrong and is an amazing company', be my guest once more, but you're again distorting my statements for the purpose of presenting your argument.

There's no point in talking to you any more, since you're obviously not interested in conversation and simply wish to misuse my point to twist it into something else I never said in a pitiful attempt to 'one-up' me.

I’ve learned a lot about my gaming and Star Wars communities over the past few years and none of it good.

@Nickolaidas on the throne and thought I'd check back to see if anyone had said anything silly. You say there is no point in complaining about it. They complained about it and it got removed you silly boy. The end. 😂😂😂

@Nickolaidas I actually am interested in a discussion, because I just want to understand why someone would come into a discussion, for something they said they don't care about to have a go at consumers who are rightly annoyed at a shady business practice deployed by a multi-billion dollar company. So if you weren't defending EA pray tell what were you doing? Telling others how to feel and what to think? I do think you were defending EA, whether that was you first thought or not isn't really relevant, telling people not to care about a shady practice is tacit support of that shady practice. No need to misrepresent you, because I think you got involved in a discussion without engaging your brain. Those who defended it who had played the game were doing so from a position of knowledge / personal investment, so while I might disagree with them I can respect their position, but people like you are just bizarre. I too have played the game this weekend, and the adverts were jarring, and did take you out if the game, my friend who owns the game was rightly annoyed, you don't get to tell him not to be annoyed.

@Richnj It was sarcastic. I considered putting a /s but thought "small start-up like EA" was a dead giveaway. But I also underestimated the defense of corporations. I also framed my comment to be a parody of Liam's bizarre article last week where he said Live Services are simply misunderstood.

@KippDynamite I'm really starting to worry about the youth of today. Seriously, just giving in to shady corporate practices and letting themselves get shafted. Wouldn't want to be in the trenches with any of them... "Oh no, we've been invaded. Better surrender then". The argument that there is no point complaining is the most supine piece subservient nonsense I have ever read, doubly so because consumer backlash gas changed things many time over. Also the defence of this practice is thoroughly baffling to me.

@SirAngry I think anyone defending these practices probably couldn't tell you why they do it. I personally suspect that the defense comes from various subconscious motivations. For example, at some point they decide they like a company because of what it produces and it is jarring to their worldview to consider that the same company also does something that is bad for them.

Most people are able to simultaneously hold the thoughts "this company makes something I like" and "this company is bad," but some struggle. And I don't think they struggle because they are weak or anything like that. For example, a person that is bullied at home and has an insecure sense of self is likely to have a stronger-than-average tendency to identify with something they like (like a game). Since they have identified with it, it is threatening to their sense of self to acknowledge that the thing is also bad. When they are asked "why are you defending this obviously bad thing," it's too difficult to consciously acknowledge all of these dynamics and so their brain cooks up some other reason.

I know this might sound weird or obscure, but as a mental health therapist it's honestly what I think.

@SirAngry People online like to claim boycotts and protests are pointless but the reality is that they have worked for centuries. Just because one protest didn't do much doesn't mean that all of them are pointless.

Their argument that "this isn't bad because it's like TV" is such a bad argument. As if TV hasn't been a cesspool of advertisment since it's inception. At least TV is free!

@KippDynamite So when I say that 'X' doesn't bother me ... that means I defend 'X'.

'With us or against us' mentality at its best.

@KippDynamite as someone who studied psychology and neuroscience (and went into AI) I think you might be right. I've often said that brands seem to take the place of religion now for many, and so when faced with cognitive dissonance, because these brands have become part of the self they view it as a personal attack. It's still weak to me though, it's deeply unpleasant to have to face such a challenge, but running away from it isn't mentally healthy, I've had my worldview shattered twice in my life, and I think I became a better person for it. What I don't get though is those with no skin in the game whatsoever, don't like EA, don't work for EA, don't own the game defending shady practices and telling others how to feel. Feelings are legitimate, because you have them, they might not always be healthy, and often you have to deal with them, but you are allowed to feel them, and let them motivate you. I just can't wrap my head around some of these defenses.

@SirAngry How old are you? Because you played the 'kids these days' card a couple of posts back, which means you must be around 40, which means we're of the same age.

Please point me to the point where I told people how to think and act. No, seriously, please do so.

As to why I gave my opinion on a comment section? Because I wanted to. I don't care about Minecraft either, but that won't stop me from posting a 'people still play this game?' comment at a Minecraft news article, if I feel like it.

You don't need to be emotionally invested in something to express an opinion. You might be expressing your opinion to say your piece about someone making a mountain out of a molehill, for example. That doesn't mean you care about mountains or molehills.

@Nickolaidas but that's not all you did, you attacked people who felt differently to you, and mocked them for being upset / angry about it. So yeah, you fell into the category of defending a multi-billion dollar company as you were setting yourself on the same side of the divide. If it didn't bother you why comment? You're position is getting more and more bizarre, you've not stopped once to question why you interjected in the first place.

@Nickolaidas why do you feel the need to express an opinion on something you don't care about? I just don't buy it. If something doesn't register with me either way I might read opinions of those who do feel the need to express themselves, I might even engage, but calling people silly, which you did? Calling it pointless which it wasn't? Calling people stupid for being angry about it, all things you did, for something that doesn't bother you? Really? I stand by my criticism of you.

@SirAngry I did not attack anyone. I merely said I think it's stupid to be upset about that. If that comes off as an attack to you, that's your problem, not mine.

And I explained to you why I interjected. Again, whether you can comprehend my opinion or not, is YOUR problem, not mine.

"why do you feel the need to express an opinion on something you don't care about?"

BECAUSE. I CAN. Because I think it's stupid to complain about this, and I said it. What's so hard to get?

Thinking it's silly to complain about X =/= Thinking Y person is stupid.

I think you are taking this way too personally and I probably stroke a nerve. So, in an attempt to stop this back and forth, I'LL CLARIFY:

I did NOT call anyone stupid.

I do NOT think anyone is stupid because he complains about in-game ads.

I only said I think it's silly to complain about in-game ads.

And seriously, without a shadow of a doubt, I am DONE with you.

@Nickolaidas I haven't really followed your discussion on the forum so I don't know everything you said. I'm just speaking to people who defend those who harm them, which is a very broad topic.

@SirAngry
They may not like UFC or EA, but they like some other thing that another company is doing and all corporate defense is wrapped up in the same ill-defined glob. I'm not saying I'm right about this, but it's a possible explanation.

@KippDynamite Ah, okay then.

Personally, I'm more annoyed with more offensive things those companies do, like releasing basically the same game every year and charging you 60$ every time, or releasing barely working-almost broken games for full prices with little-to-none playtesting like Fallout 76 or that crappy wrestling game (I think from 2K?).

Now THAT is a mob I can get behind ...

@Nickolaidas OK, so I need to address your comments specifically, because evidently you can't see where I'm coming from, and that's on me because I've not communicated well enough, so I'll highlight where I'm coming from with your words:

"Actually makes it look more realistic with ads and sponsors. Didn't bother me at all, and I actually kinda liked it."

That's a defence of them shoehorning adverts into the game post launch, because you like it. Your words, you can like it, that's fine, but it is a defence. Next:

"I said that complaining about this is stupid"

There you go, attacking others who were complaining about the product they paid money for was now using them as a product to sell adverts too. So again, a defence of EA by attacking consumers angry with EA:

"so, being baffled at the amount of outrage some people display over the silliest of things now counts as 'defending and white-knighting a greedy corporation'?"

Yes, when coupled with above comments it clearly does.

"I don't give a rat's ass about EA, especially after they ruined IPs that I loved"

Why comment and defend them, which I think from the above excerpts I've demonstrated you have done. But just in case here's you defending EA again by calling those upset by this dodgy move immature:

"Probably because they knew some immature gamers would blow a casket over such an insignificant thing like that."

And again belittling those angry about it:

"Personally I think it's stupid as hell to be angry over some insignificant crap like that"

Sorry, but you did defend EA, and you attacked those critical of EA, and if you can't see it then you're the one who needs to go away and think about what you said and why.

Also, I think the world would be a far better place if people didn't feel the need to express opinions, or indeed express opinions just because they can. I absolutely 100% agree with you on the lazy annual updates argument, and am right beside you about releasing broken shoddy product like Fallout 76, but as someone who has worked in the industry I see this sort of thing EA have pulled here as part of the wider malaise that has set into the industry. It all needs taking on, no picking and choosing fights, people need to push back against all of it and refuse to accept any of it, because if you give companies like EA an inch, they'll take a mile.

@KippDynamite actually I think you are actually onto something. I've seen so many people defend a system that was designed to specifically disadvantage them that your explanation seems as good as any.

I bet half the people here don't even have the game. Nothing wrong with the ad, doesn't bother at all.

Having said that, ufc 3 was a lot better than this game.

I cannot believe people are actually defending this practise ! Good on everyone who did stand up to get this changed back, EA really are such a vile company, they make huge profits from their games so there's no excusing this. The irony is a bet most people would be ok if all games were to increase in price as long as it meant being rid of these horrible, shady, predatory business practises that have creeped into the industry these last few years, they are really spoiling what is a damn fine hobby.

I guess people can defend the ads even after their removal but I don't think EA would have taken them out if it wasn't a legitimate grievance. People who bought the game knew it and EA knew it.

I also think it's interesting that nowhere in their explanation do they mention inserting ads to achieve an increased sense of realism.

Could be toned down at least. I don't own it, but it cool of EA to bring that overall spectacle of event broadcasting.

@clobbasaurus you raise a good point, but EA made a staggering $5 billion in net worth last year. I don't know how many games exactly EA makes a year, so I'm just gonna say 10 games. The average AAA game Costs around $20-30 million to make. So 30 times 10 is 300 million, that is nothing compared to the amount they make. On top of this, statistics show that most game sales are made digitally now. Both the PS store and steam store(don't know about eShop or Xbox store) take 1/3 of the profit of each game sold on the platform. So EA can still make a profit off of $40 per game sold. This does not even count the amount of money they make from MTX. EA is straight up lying through their teeth that they need more money to produce more games.

Edit: This is in USD, I don't know what the conversion would be to other currencies but I hope you understand what I mean.

@RudeAnimat0r the ads don't fit the presentation. They had full screen ads appearing at the end of the rounds & 3 times when you finished the fight & tried to skip the replays.

The game came out with a gamebreaking bug which was only just fixed in that ad patch & that's what we were rewarded with. It's still a buggy mess with less features than it's predecessor. Not even an annual release - this took 2 years.

If they want to put in ads that match the broadcast presentation style, then they need to put effort into the whole broadcast presentation (individual walkouts, commentator interviews, getting rid of the ***** pre fight emotes) & polish the damn game.

They're still reusing animations from UFC 1

Nothing surprises me with E.A i used to like them but they are a shadow of their former self.

@avividan Im sorry but people like you are so stupid it baffles me. Next time its a little bit further and so it goes on and on. And even its not going further FFS you payed €60 for this crap. If Netflix shows me one add during the movies im gone.

@Flaming_Kaiser I am in a ufc forum and no one cares about it. The ads appears for a second in the end of the round and not during the gameplay itself. You are just a whiney b****

@avividan Ok moron you sportgame dudes are the most easy too exploit anyway. 😃 👍

What do you expect a company to do when you people bafflingly buy yearly sports releases without a thought? Honestly.

@pip_muzz EA Sports never changed.