Petition to EA Sports: Stop Anti-Consumer Practices and Prioritize Fairness in EAFC24

We, as long-time players of the FIFA/FC video game franchise, petition EA Sports to cease its anti-consumer business practices and prioritize fair treatment and genuine care for our gaming experience.

Our enthusiasm for the game has been overshadowed by EA's aggressive and exploitative monetization strategy, which demonstrates a blatant disregard for its customers. In a truly free market environment, such practices would not be tolerated. However, due to EA's monopoly on licensing deals, they continue to operate without concern for their loyal player base.

This not only harms FIFA/FC players but also sets a dangerous precedent within the gaming industry. Allowing companies like EA to continue unchecked could establish a standard where consumer rights and fair play take a backseat to corporate greed.

Concerns:

1. Store Packs: The evolution of store packs, or loot-boxes, in Ultimate Team has become increasingly predatory and exploitative over the past 1-2 years. What began as the introduction of untradeable packs has escalated into a system where packs are significantly more expensive and rewarding but remain untradeable. Simultaneously, the pack quality of tradeable packs has diminished, leading to inflated prices for elite cards on the transfer market. There is even evidence suggesting that EA manipulates the market to control prices and remove coins from circulation. This predatory system encourages players to repeatedly purchase expensive untradeable packs for a chance at acquiring the most desirable in-game items, significantly deviating from the gaming experience of just a few years ago.
2. Gameplay: The player base has voiced persistent complaints about broken mechanics, server quality, inconsistent gameplay, and the presence of Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA). Despite record profits and advancements in technology, EA has failed to address these issues effectively. Instead, they have utilized additional computing power to further imbalance gameplay, making it more pay-to-win and exacerbating server issues. Moreover, allegations of DDA raise concerns about intentionally frustrating players to encourage further spending in the pursuit of better players.
3. Lack of Accountability: EA's lack of accountability for its mistakes is deeply concerning. While errors are inevitable, EA's refusal to take responsibility is unacceptable, especially considering the company's size and the importance of FIFA/FC Ultimate Team players as their most valuable customers. On multiple occasions, EA has hastily removed unintended player benefits without fair compensation, demonstrating a disregard for fairness and player satisfaction.

Call to Action:

We call on EA Sports to:

• Reevaluate its monetization strategy to prioritize fairness and transparency, including a reassessment of store pack pricing and tradeable pack quality.
• Commit to addressing gameplay issues and server stability to ensure a more enjoyable and balanced gaming experience for all players.
• Demonstrate accountability for mistakes by providing fair access to the entire player community. 

Conclusion:

It is imperative that EA Sports acknowledges and addresses the legitimate concerns of its player base to restore trust and integrity to the FIFA/FC gaming experience. Failure to do so not only alienates loyal players but also perpetuates harmful practices within the gaming industry. We urge EA to prioritize the well-being of its players over short-term profits and work towards fostering a gaming environment built on fairness, transparency, and genuine care for its community.