Controversies

Company response

• Investigation — Electronic Arts

  The publisher of "Battlefield," "FIFA" and "The Sims" told FOX Business that it is "investigating a recent incident of intrusion into our network where a limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen…No player data was accessed, and we have no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy."

• Remediation — Electronic Arts

  Following the incident, we’ve already made security improvements

Source excerpt

• Hackers breached the network of gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA) and claim to have stolen 780 GB of data, including game source code and "related internal tools," in news first reported by Motherboard.

• The publisher of "Battlefield," "FIFA" and "The Sims" told FOX Business that it is "investigating a recent incident of intrusion into our network where a limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen…No player data was accessed, and we have no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy."

• They then used the cookies to worm their way into a Slack channel that EA employees use. Once there, they gained access into the company's corporate network by basically fooling IT support into letting them in, as reported on Vice.

Company response

• Investigation — EA

  According to Vice.com, EA is now investigating the data breach while making security improvements that will not make an impact on their games or their business.

• Remediation — EA

  According to Vice.com, EA is now investigating the data breach while making security improvements that will not make an impact on their games or their business.

Source excerpt

• According to Vice.com, EA is now investigating the data breach while making security improvements that will not make an impact on their games or their business.

• Electronic Arts (EA) has fallen victim to a security breach as data from their games and other development software were stolen by hackers on June 10th.

• They also said that no player data was accessed and there are no risks towards their privacy involved regarding the said breach.

Company response

• Denial — Electronic Arts

  We do not believe that our products and services violate gambling laws in any way.

Source excerpt

• The three-judge panel ruled against the publisher on both fronts, permitting the Ksa to levy the maximum allowable fine of €5 million to Electronic Arts and a second maximum fine to Electronic Arts Swiss Sàrl, and to announce them as well.

• A Netherlands District Court this week ruled against Electronic Arts in a case over FIFA loot boxes, allowing the Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, or Ksa) to proceed in fining the publisher €10 million for violating the country's Betting and Gaming Act.

• We do not believe that our products and services violate gambling laws in any way.

Company response

• Investigation — EA

  We have also undertaken an immediate review of all future media placements

• Remediation — EA

  We have been working diligently with Smyths to ensure this advertisement is not distributed in any remaining copies of their 2020 catalogue.

Source excerpt

• The tweets have sparked negativity on both Twitter and forums such as Reddit, with EA accused of "normalising in-game purchases for kids" in an unethical way.

• We have also undertaken an immediate review of all future media placements and are working to ensure each of our marketing efforts better reflects the responsibility we take for the experience of our younger players.

• We have been working diligently with Smyths to ensure this advertisement is not distributed in any remaining copies of their 2020 catalogue.

Company response

• Apology — Electronic Arts

  we deeply apologize that our players encountered this issue.

• Remediation — Electronic Arts

  We immediately took action to shut down the site by 1:30 pm UK time. We were able to root cause the issue and implement a fix to be clear that information is protected.

• Remediation — Electronic Arts

  we’re taking steps to contact those competitors with more details and to protect their EA accounts.

Source excerpt

• At approximately 1 pm UK time [October 3rd], we announced the registration portal page for the EA Sports FIFA 20 Global Series.

• We’ve determined that approximately 1,600 players were potentially affected by this issue, and we’re taking steps to contact those competitors with more details and to protect their EA accounts.

• some players trying to register were seeing the information of other players who had already signed up through the registration page.