@EA_Blueberry I think it is a very fair question to ask why it is that youtubers who are profiting off using coin selling companies, and enticing members to buy coins which gets them banned are not being banned themselves. Shouldn't you put into your policy something to the effect that if your account is in fact linked or tied or connected to coin selling agencies that you too shall be banned or suspended?
I will make an analogy. We currently have an epidemic in the US now dealing with pain meds. People can get pain meds from doctors who prescribe it to them and this medicine is able to give lots of relief to those with prescriptions. This is legal. This is how it is supposed to be. However, there are limits. The amount of drugs is limited and there is a fixed price for the prescriptions. Also, there is insurance and all that which may limit what you can buy or not.
However, people who want more of this prescription, they find ways around it. They want this pain medication because it is now a drug they need and want. Since the demand for these drugs is so high, we have illegal doctors and agencies providing illegal pain medication. These doctors, acting in a professional capacity, are abusing there power and access to medicine by giving these pain medications to willing buyers. This then makes them a criminal. It also makes them profitable. People who are associated with these 'drug mills' and enable this abuse to happen and profit from this are also guilty and committing crimes though they may not be prescribing the drugs or handling the drugs, they are sill complicit in the act.
Now, in this analogy, Madden 21 is the pharmacy and has the doctor which provides the access to the coins via challenges and games and the AH buying and selling items. People can go to the Madden Pharmacy and make coins, and buy packs.. They can exchange cards and try to make coins within the system. This is legal. There are limits on certain packs, and there is an element of chance. People buy these packs, but they find that the limits are not worth the money spent in comparison with what else is out there. The cost of the Madden Pharmacy is expensive. The illegal sites are cheaper and better for the money spent, for the same 'prescription' wanted from the Madden Store. There are also no limits and less chance or risk of not getting the result you want. There is no element of chance involved. You get what you pay for.
Now, you tell me. What role in this analogy are the youtubers? Aren't they the the same as those people who promote the sale of illegal drugs that also get's a % of the drug's profit? The answer is yes.
It seems to me that EA is capitalizing on people watching the Youtube videos and then being banned. It seems that EA realizes that there is profit to be made because they draw people to the game and these people increase the popularity. However, looks away from the damage they cause and ban people who actually ban people for doing what these youtubers are profiting from and encouraging them do which is to violate terms of service. If EA really wanted to stop third party agencies from advertising and enticing people to buy coins, they would ban them and ban them permanently.
Lastly, the fact that you don't want to reveal your means of determining how someone cheated as to prevent cheating later is understandable. I think that players should be given a warning if they have accounts which are showing evidence or reason to believe they are violating TOS. I think that most of the people on this thread are not mass computer engineers. Most are not youtubers profiting off the game. Most will be happy to take a warning, and change their habits. But, since no warning was given at all but an immediate permanent ban, it only brings a bigger spotlight on the inconsistent policies which I outlined above that are really at the heart of all the 'bans' and etc. going on.
Now, it's Christmas. Does EA have a heart at all? Or does it only assume the worse in regards to its customers as irredeemable people? If I was EA, a new system which involves warnings for violations, and a crackdown on the youtubers promoting coin selling should be done.
One more thing. your store bundles and etc. need improvement. The fact that you have to rely on chance to get a top end card, makes it akin to gambling and this really is not what an EA game or any game should be about when it comes to upgrading your team. Figure out a way to sell coins, and if people do buy something, guarantee that they will get what they agree to pay for which is a very top tier item that makes the money spent worth it. Spending 100$ for a bundle which doesn't guarantee a top boss in a set only drives people to the very sites and youtubers which you want ot ban people for. This whole 'topper' with +89 or etc. That's garbage. Complete garbage.
I think this post deserves some attention. People who read this, please get it to people that matter. Thanks
Community Manager
