US-based law firm investigating EA over Battlefield 4

[Russ Boswell]

It seems now that not a day goes by without negative Battlefield 4 news plaguing the airwaves. Today is no different, as we learn that Electronic Arts is now under investigation by the United States law firm Holzer Holzer and Fistel, LLC. The firm is investigating the developer to ensure that they did not lead stockholders astray with any announcements concerning DICE's next-generation shooter.

The firm specializes in defending victims of securities fraud and other forms of corporate corruption. The group is specifically interested in making sure that EA satisfied "federal securities laws,” during any statements the company may have made about Battlefield 4 between the dates of July 24th and December 3rd.

"The investigation focuses on statements issued during that time regarding the development and sales of the Company's Battlefield 4 video game and the game's impact on EA's revenue and projects moving forward,” reads a press release by the firm. The release also urges anyone who lost revenue on EA common stock that was purchased between the above dates to contact them for a statement and consultation.

This matter is currently not being presented as a lawsuit against the company, but it is safe to assume that if the firm finds reason to believe that EA misled stockholders, we could be looking at a legal battle. This is just another strand in the tangled web that is the recent Battlefield 4 release. We have already seen a slew of bugs and attempted patches, and DICE has halted all future projects and DLC's in an attempt to fix their next-gen FPS.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/54999-us-based-law-firm-investigating-ea-over-battlefield-4.html

 

[Guest]

More like butthurtfield amirite?

 

[oldikes]

How bad are the bugs really?
Also how dynamic are the maps? Is it just specific buildings that fall over again or is the whole map pretty much destructable?

 

[NimbusTLD]

How bad are the bugs really?
Also how dynamic are the maps? Is it just specific buildings that fall over again or is the whole map pretty much destructable?

In multiplayer, most smaller buildings seem to be destructible, some even collapsing outright. Not the huge skyscrapers in the Shanghai map though (except for the scripted one).

Terrain is still non-deformable.

 

[oldikes]

I was confused, that was in the battlefield 3 beta, yet its not even in 4 xD

Big question, is battlefield 4 different/improved enough to warrant buying it to play over BF3 if im not a hardcore, every day player?

 

[wastedkill]

I was confused, that was in the battlefield 3 beta, yet its not even in 4 xD

Big question, is battlefield 4 different/improved enough to warrant buying it to play over BF3 if im not a hardcore, every day player?

Ye definitely and if you dont want to play by yourself I suggest you get BF4 before its too late, its cheap and users wont be moving onto BF5 just yet so you are safe to say BF4 servers will be stocked with players for a good while!

 

[NimbusTLD]

Just make sure you get it from the Mexican Origin store, seems to be the cheapest If you're tight on money though, I'm not sure it's so much better than BF3 to justify purchasing it.

I suggest you wait another 3 months or so until bugs are fixed? Even BF3 wasn't "finished" until 6 months after release.

I'm still having loads of fun with it in its current state

 

[Jad Chaar]

They better be.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Omg Christmas has come early! I hope EA and DICE go down big time for this. They are thieves in every sense of the word.

 

[MrBungle]

Omg Christmas has come early! I hope EA and DICE go down big time for this. They are thieves in every sense of the word.

EA may be bad, but I still hate them far less than Ubisoft.

 

[tipstir]

EA grown too big. Development is rushed! Games are not tested enough to catch issues. UAT (user acceptance testers) might not be pushed to seeking high priority issues. Like the software must be released and whatever glitches it may have or not let the buyer deal with it. We can always send out a patch. Online game companies Kixeye should be investigated also. Battle Pirates game on Face Book has it's share of glitches and high profits to make players pay up so much. But it seems Face Book is protected. Don't hear that they've have any US-Law firm going after them.

 

[TheDreams]

I heard that at the moment when you crouch in safety, behind a wall, you can still get killed by oncoming fire. It goes through the wall or something?

 

[Burty117]

I heard that at the moment when you crouch in safety, behind a wall, you can still get killed by oncoming fire. It goes through the wall or something?

Yes, it was REALLY bad at first, after the last couple of patches it is MUCH better now, still happens on occasion but nothing compared to before.

How bad are the bugs really?
Also how dynamic are the maps? Is it just specific buildings that fall over again or is the whole map pretty much destructable?

In multiplayer, most smaller buildings seem to be destructible, some even collapsing outright. Not the huge skyscrapers in the Shanghai map though (except for the scripted one).

Terrain is still non-deformable.

Terrain IS deformable on the majority of the maps, just get a tank or a cruise missile and shoot the ground, you'll see a massive hole appear xD they can get quite deep as well which is a problem for vehicles to get over.

Big question, is battlefield 4 different/improved enough to warrant buying it to play over BF3 if im not a hardcore, every day player?

Not really, BF3 still has PLENTY of people playing and It's far less glitchy. In all Honesty I've been going back to BF3 every now and then just because it's refreshing to play a much less glitch fest of a game.

I wouldn't spend your money now on BF4 (I have had it since launch but only because a friend pre-ordered it for me as a birthday present) as it can still be a blast but it's infuriating and frustrating after 2+ hours of play as you start to really notice the lag and bugs in the game.

 

[backo]

Sounds like someone is fishing for publicity and clients.

 

[Adhmuz]

I still can't see how this is DICE's fault, EA is the one who rushed them to release the game unfinished, untested. Had DICE been doing it they're way the game would of been delayed like it clearly should have been. It's both fortunate and unfortunate that EA is going to have a potential class action lawsuit brought on by their share holders, it's unfortunate because they're aren't really the ones suffering, the people who were suckered into buying an unfinished games are. Fortunately however it's EA that is getting in to trouble, a company that has how some really dodgy antics lately and not to mention don't release nearly the same level of game they use to, so maybe this could be a wake up call to someone in the company, maybe. But, this will likely just be felt by the gamer and in the form of more expensive DLC and game releases to cover any potential loses from the potential lawsuit, because naturally EA will pass it's losses off as the economy can afford another $10 a game.

 

[GhostRyder]

Omg Christmas has come early! I hope EA and DICE go down big time for this. They are thieves in every sense of the word.

CoD Fanboy alert
How is Activision not Thieves then? What have they done these last few years?

EA grown too big. Development is rushed! Games are not tested enough to catch issues. UAT (user acceptance testers) might not be pushed to seeking high priority issues. Like the software must be released and whatever glitches it may have or not let the buyer deal with it. We can always send out a patch. Online game companies Kixeye should be investigated also. Battle Pirates game on Face Book has it's share of glitches and high profits to make players pay up so much. But it seems Face Book is protected. Don't hear that they've have any US-Law firm going after them.

Indeed, the game may have been clearly rushed but its still a great game. The thing is the whole lawsuit system is beyond flawed and lately its just a bunch of people finding any and all reason to sue someone. There are lots of games/companies more deserving of a suit than BF4 and EA/DICE.

I still can't see how this is DICE's fault, EA is the one who rushed them to release the game unfinished, untested. Had DICE been doing it they're way the game would of been delayed like it clearly should have been. It's both fortunate and unfortunate that EA is going to have a potential class action lawsuit brought on by their share holders, it's unfortunate because they're aren't really the ones suffering, the people who were suckered into buying an unfinished games are. Fortunately however it's EA that is getting in to trouble, a company that has how some really dodgy antics lately and not to mention don't release nearly the same level of game they use to, so maybe this could be a wake up call to someone in the company, maybe. But, this will likely just be felt by the gamer and in the form of more expensive DLC and game releases to cover any potential loses from the potential lawsuit, because naturally EA will pass it's losses off as the economy can afford another $10 a game.

Well either way the games been getting fixed but they should not be this bad at launch. Though for me the only problems I have actually seen be an issue are the lag problems and a few server side crashes. I think Microsoft has been refunding your Premium purchase if you are unsatisfied with BF4, but thats it.

 

[Guest]

I guess the NSA got pissed because they couldnt even spy on people.

 

[Guest]

When you have a full plate of pie and its' taste very good. Then, everyone want a slice of it.
Business, business never change.

 

[hahahanoobs]

CoD Fanboy alert
How is Activision not Thieves then? What have they done these last few years?


Indeed, the game may have been clearly rushed but its still a great game. The thing is the whole lawsuit system is beyond flawed and lately its just a bunch of people finding any and all reason to sue someone. There are lots of games/companies more deserving of a suit than BF4 and EA/DICE.


Well either way the games been getting fixed but they should not be this bad at launch. Though for me the only problems I have actually seen be an issue are the lag problems and a few server side crashes. I think Microsoft has been refunding your Premium purchase if you are unsatisfied with BF4, but thats it.

Oh look its BlablablaRyder. :|
I own three BF games with over 1500 hours played online.
How many CoD games do I own? ZERO.
You need to stop throwing the fanboy **** around. It makes you look dumb.

 

[hahahanoobs]

EA may be bad, but I still hate them far less than Ubisoft.

Ubisoft games actually work.

 

[GhostRyder]

Oh look its BlablablaRyder. :|
I own three BF games with over 1500 hours played online.
How many CoD games do I own? ZERO.
You need to stop throwing the fanboy **** around. It makes you look dumb.

Uhuh fanboy sure

It's CoD with a Battlefield skin over top, so I'm probably just gonna buy Ghosts and see what BF4 is like

With CoD Ghosts I know what to expect.

mhm...

Battlefield 4 has some issues, but this suit is just as frivilous as all these types of lawsuits are. The fact your saying that Dice should be sued for making a game with so many elements that go beyond any other shooter franchise and has a good number of bugs in game really speaks alot to your character. I would love to see you do anything even close to that. The only really bad bugs are the ones with the servers, if your computer cant run it, thats your problem.

 

[MrBungle]

Ubisoft games actually work.

Oh sure, if you can get passed their anti consumer DRM I bet they work just fine... unless you have to reinstall or something then you get to rebuy it.

 

[Fbarnett]

Wow NOBODY reads anything? The suit is not about gameplay. The lawsuit is what EA told investors about BF4.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Wow NOBODY reads anything? The suit is not about gameplay. The lawsuit is what EA told investors about BF4.

Yeah, speaking about that, investors shouldn't invest solely over a sales pitch. If they do and get burned, it is their own fault. I'm not sympathizing over that issue either. It is BF4, investors will get their investment back. The investors knew this, which is probably why they invested. There is no need in getting butt-hurt over a rocky start, and pursuing preliminary investigations for a potential lawsuit.

 

[kristopherw]

As a serial entrepreneur, I can tell you from my own experience and from the startup world, so much about pitching to investors, how to prepare to present a minimum viable product to seek capital investment,and all these other things about "make sure you know this" and "make sure you know that", but to be completely honest, it is also a matter of judgement on the investors behalf of what can be justified as a solid investment. I dont quite get what investors want to legally entertain here. the game has barely been out for 3 months. bugs in any software and improving on its lifecycle are just a natural part of the business. the investors here obviously have no knowledge of game development and the business side of how game sales and the revenue model works. I want to blame them for their (in my experience) what I would consider incompetence with a venture they dont understand..as far as I am concerned, they take the BF franchise and its success at facevalue, capitalizing on a successful launch, without consideration of things like bugs and the deployment of patches to fix them outside of DICE/EA's control. shame on them.