EA Suspend Some FUT Content Amid “EAGate” Scandal

Often it is your mother or grandmother that will tell you, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” I took that advice well, didn’t I? Ok, let me say something nice about an EA game before we go ahead. I’ve been playing a bit more of FIFA 19‘s manager mode and for once in my life, I was not bored by overpaid men kicking balls and falling down. So, with that said, EA are trying to do that scraping thing you do when you step in dog poo.

#EAGATE

A special thanks to @RiberaRibell for the picture , he did an amazing work❤️
(continue in the comments)#fut #fifa pic.twitter.com/bJIg2rpWtI

— Arcade-Fut (@FutArcade) March 10, 2021

Last week it was revealed through some tweets that an EA employee has been doing a bit of back of the van dealing. Specifically by selling specific portions of Ultimate Team obtained through the controversial loot boxes for personal profit ranging between €750-1700 Euro. This, of course, courted a variety of tweets calling for the head of the person behind the scheme, along with others calling for this to be the standard within the game. In essence, this employee was implicated for selling specific things in the game, such as Juventus player Cristiano Ronaldo and legends such as Pele (known for being boring at E3) and Ronaldinho.

In a new update regarding the scandal, EA has decided to suspend the content in question. See Ubisoft, this is how you deal with a scandal, communication! In the statement, EA said: “We learned that FUT items were granted to individual accounts that did not earn them through gameplay – i.e. by opening a pack, purchasing through the transfer market, completing a reward challenge (e.g. an SBC completion) or other engagement (e.g. viewing a Twitch Broadcast).” They went on to state: “It appears that one or more EA accounts, which were either compromised or being used inappropriately by someone within EA, directly entitled items to these individual accounts.”

While the investigation into how this happened, who did it, why it happened, and so on, EA went on to clear themselves from it directly. “The alleged behavior is unacceptable and in no way do we condone granting or purchasing player items in exchange for money. This practice runs counter to the game’s competitive integrity, is a violation of EA’s User Agreement, and is not something we tolerate.” They would go on to, in one’s own opinion, play the nice-guy in stating: “We do not allow the trade or sale of items outside our game for many reasons, including that it would create an unequal playing field for our community.” As if playing cards close to your chest on the probability of loot boxes is entirely fair.

There were then notes on the preliminary investigation into the matter finding “activity involving a very small number of accounts and items.” The update also goes on to thank the community for “bringing the issue to our attention so quickly,” though most of the attention that seemed to have generated this investigation as quickly as it did is thanks to the uproar on social media. Some have gone on to suggest the game would be better with a pay-to-win model, rather than the loot box system currently in place.

The company also goes on to state, “When our investigation is completed, we will take action against any employee found to have been engaging in this activity.” A further warning for players, stated: “Any items granted through this illicit activity will be removed from the FUT ecosystem and EA will permanently ban any player known to have acquired content through these means.” That is something that I am sure has some within and around the scandal having a moment of “squeaky bum time,” as the former Falkirk player from 1969-73 once said.

The update on the investigation also goes on to note why it is that the company can and sometimes will use the system that allowed this to happen. Speaking, of course, about the testing that has to go on within game development and how items interact within a live environment; that included one comment on celebrity partners and other notable people. EA closed with a piece reiterating what will happen once the investigation has run its course and all guilty parties are identified both within the company and the community.