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Does EA Still Own Games You Buy?
When you buy a game, you expect to be able to play it. But what if you've been making snarky comments on a forum? Should a company be able to lock you out of a game for your behavior online?
The answer seems like it should be obvious, but apparently EA doesn't think the issue is so simple. A recent thread on the BioWare forums once again draws attention to the fact that players with banned EA community accounts are not only unable to participate in forums – they are also unable access content associated with the account.
The issue here is that DLC for EA games is tied to your account...so if you get banned, that content is blocked off, despite the fact that you have already paid for it. But the bigger problem is that this can restrict access to games with an online activation component (like Dragon Age II), effectively preventing you from playing a game you bought.
It may sound too ridiculous to be true, but a post from a BioWare staff member in the aforementioned thread confirms the situation, saying "Consider it an added incentive to follow the rules you say you're going to follow."
EA and BioWare certainly have the right to regulate who is able to post on their forums, but can they rightfully restrict access to a product you've purchased? Discuss in the comments below.
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