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A group of gamers has lodged a class action lawsuit against EA Sports over its “loot boxes,” called “Player Packs,” that they say are falsely advertised to consumers.
Lead plaintiffs, Jason Zajonc, Danyael Williams, and Pranko Lozano, allege in their complaint that gamers who play various sports video games made by Entertainment Arts Inc. (EA) are duped into thinking that purchasing additional features for the games can make their teams better and more competitive.
Instead, say the plaintiffs, EA Sports is actually using artificial intelligence to encourage players to purchase the packs by giving them false information about their video game team.
“Since 1991, EA has developed and released annually a variety of sports simulation video games under its EA Sports label, available on a wide variety of gaming platforms,” explains the complaint. “Modern versions… include an option for online gaming.”
According to the class action lawsuit, EA Sports advertises the authenticity of its games, describing them as “hyper-realistic” and “delivering you gameplay control with precision and intent” in its marketing materials. While gamers can play against the computer and other gamers with existing teams, the plaintiffs say that the most popular mode is Ultimate Team Mode, or UTM, which allows gamers to create their own dream team for online games.
The class action lawsuit contends that within the past few years, EA has developed and used artificial intelligence technology to take advantage of gamers who play UTM by duping them into shelling out additional money for the chance to make their teams better.
“During the preceding four years, EA made, and continues today to make available for sale to Ultimate Team gamers in-game ‘loot boxes,’ called ‘Player Packs,’ which gamers redeem to receive randomized ‘Player Cards,’ representing players with varying skill, summarized in a player rating,” states the complaint. “Loot boxes are games of chance, and gamers who purchase Player Packs hope to get lucky and receive highly-rated players for use on their Ultimate Teams, so as to be more competitive in Ultimate Team Mode matches.”
The class action lawsuit alleges that EA perpetuates the myth that gamers can get lucky by purchasing a Player Pack that happens to have a highly-rated player to add to their team. However, the company actually deploys artificial intelligence programs, including Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) and Adaptive Difficulty (Difficulty Adjusting Mechanisms), to manipulate gamers into purchasing the loot boxes.
“This is a self-perpetuating cycle that benefits EA to the detriment of EA Sports gamers, since Difficulty Adjusting Mechanisms make gamers believe their teams are less skilled than they actually are, leading them to purchase additional Player Packs in hopes of receiving better players and being more competitive,” explains the complaint.
According to the class action lawsuit, EA’s DDA and DAM technology can make players used in the video games run faster or slower, fail to catch passes, or miss shots in order to keep gamers engaged and spending money.
However, the company advertises the video games as mirroring the real world “where the outcome of matches depends solely on the gamer’s competence and the strength of the players on his or her team, as compared to his or her opponent’s competence and team strength.” EA’s allegedly undisclosed manipulation of the video games violates consumers’ expectations.
Indeed, the plaintiffs say that EA’s use of artificial intelligence programs to manipulate gamers deprives video game consumers of the benefit of their purchase and injures them financially by tricking them into purchasing more Player Packs.
According to the complaint, the deceptive artificial intelligence and use of Player Packs were deployed in the 2017 to 2021 versions of three EA Sports franchises, including Madden NFL, FIFA, and NHL.
The EA Sports class action lawsuit seeks to represent all U.S. consumers who purchased these video games since Nov. 9, 2016, as well as a subclass of those who purchased Player Packs or Player Cards for the games.
The plaintiffs accuse the video game company of violating California consumer protection laws, false advertising, and unjust enrichment. They are seeking damages, as well as a court order stopping EA from the alleged misrepresentation of Player Packs and Cards in their video games.
This is not the first class action lawsuit the video game maker has faced over its loot boxes. A California resident alleged the loot boxes amounted to gambling and perpetuated addictive behavior in gamers in a lawsuit filed earlier this year.
Do you play EA Sports video games? Do you think EA is tricking gamers into purchasing Player Packs? Tell us your experience in the comment section below!
The lead plaintiffs and proposed Class Members are represented by Jack Fitzgerald, Trevor M. Flynn, and Melanie Persinger of The Law Office of Jack Fitzgerald, PC and Paul K. Joseph of The Law Office of Paul K. Joseph, PC.
The EA Sports Class Action Lawsuit is Zajonc, et al. v. Electronic Arts Inc., Case No. 3:20-cv-07871, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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49 thoughts onEA Sports ‘Player Packs’ Mislead Gamers, Says Class Action Lawsuit
Please add me to the class action or send a link to my emsil as Im very interested. This is happening in other games as well, such as NFS:NL with the same tactics and unfair/predatory practices mentioned above in FIFA and other sports games. Its utterly ridiculous. While I agree that paying for the artists and devs hard work is a good thing, getting or feeling like I am being ripped off is another matter entirely. [EA Sports] should be ashamed, its a big enough disappointment to make me never want to buy anything console game, apparel, etc. from them in the future. I see this type of issue really hurting them in the long run.
This all started went my 4k tv went out and the ps4 was just sitting there, but now after adding up my in-game purchase totals, I’ve concluded that I could’ve bought another tv (or two if just plain hd) and stuck with my console which comparatively would been cheaper by about $50-80 USD. Thanks to whoever posted this article. It was very informative and I’m now more aware of what was really goin on.
Add me
Add me. I have had a fifa addiction for years. Packs are gambling plain and simple.
I will gladly join, over the past 3 years I have spent an unhealthy amount of money on fifa packs. It has given me an addiction. I can tell the games are being manipulated because some games my players play like all-stars and the next game they play like bench players, causing people to want to buy more packs
Add me i have proof in video of how scripted and rigged the game is.
Same here I have games recorded showing how shitty it does s and that DDA is real and EA are liars and crooks
EA NHL UT player here, I have witnessed this and have video proof of game manipulation on EA’s part. I don’t care about the money spent on player packs, but do not believe it is fair that my purchased items are handicapped. Would you advertise and sell me a car that supposedly had 600HP when it only has 300HP? Same concept.
Add me. I’ve been playing madden ultimate team for about 5-6 years and have noticed the change in gameplay with regards to the DDA and have saved many video clips in my capture gallery. I can play someone with terrible skill and know that I should be winning the game but the most wild and ridiculous stuff happens. Usually a player will start playing poorly when a new higher rates play is put in the game at the same position, forcing your hand to go out and upgrade. I’ve also noticed just how money grabbing EA has become in this mode. They make it harder every single year to be no money spent in this mode by removing things that are profitable (in game making it easier to upgrade your team), tweeking their player pack odds at the drop of a hat and raising prices on content previously released for much cheaper.
100% spot on, hope this doesn’t get brushed off like other ea speculations. Been playing UT since fifa 12 and not once have I ever packed an Icon or big promo player… Hundreds of dollars and thousands of packs down the drain to this brainwashing joke of a scam.
Add me
Madden for years
Tons of packs bought
Please add me .
How do i make a claim