(BO3) EA want to kick me because of this...please read

[bignige]

2 years and no hassle from Microsoft, 1 week of EA and I get this:
Just because someone can't pronounce my name properly, or is illiterate. Surley this isn't on?


Dear 2005 EA Sports Player bignige ,

We have received complaints from other EA Sports Online player about badname . Future violations may lead to you being kicked from the service.

Normally this name would lead to your account being blocked from EA's servers due to the possible racially offensive meaning that could be derived from your name. However, I see that your email address indicates that your name is Nigel. At this time I need to request that you change your screen name in order to avoid any future complaints. If for some reason this poses a big problem for you please e-mail me at (edited by bignige) [email protected] and let me know what the problem is so that we can resolve this issue.

At 19:12 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) on 09-19-2004 we received complaints from other EA Sports Online players in BURNOUT 2005-Lobby that indicate you have not been abiding by the EA.com Terms of Service. This message is to serve as notice that your account may be subject to penalties described in the Terms of Service documentation should you continue to violate TOS. These rules are located here for your review:

http://www.ea.com/global/legal/tos.jsp

http://www.easports.com/ps2legal/home.jsp

Thank you for your attention,

EARepWalsh
EA Sports Online Admin Staff

EA.com Customer Relations

[ptwizzy]

Call me daft, but how does bignige represent a racial slur in any way? Minus the 'e' perhaps, but even still, this all sounds terribly pedantic.

[MikeRox]

wtf?

the only way I could see it could be seen as offensive is if someone took it as being fat, an their name was nigel too, and they saw it as a personal insult ;p, in which case they really shudn't be playing stuff on xbox live anyway and should be banned themselves. oh wait, Nige maybe they're readin is as "nig-e" and assuming it's big nigger :S Dunno why, but my moneys on it being an american complaining.

Wonder if I'll have a problem with the tag Smegaman, as alot of yanks have asked if it's related to smegma, which I don't even know wtf it is but it's some american term for something sexual ;p

[SharkAttack]

Big Nig? Even that is laughably un-racist.

And what's with "BURNOUT 2005". Is that a telling sign to the future of the franchise?

[Bleeders]

Tell EA, Microsoft haven't had a problem with your screen-name nor has anyone else you've used the service with for that matter, so why should you adhere to their regulations because someone can't pronounce your name correctly?

If they don't like it, tell em' to shove Burnout 3 and any other future XBL title up their arse and seek a refund.

[Commander Marklar]

That's illiterate Americans for you, or probably how they use/abuse the English language. A lot of yanks pronounce my name Jos? in Line of Contact, when it clearly says "Jase".

D'oh!

[bignige]

I'm going to put this up on the XboxLive forums as well, if anyone would like to show support for me and my user name, please reply directly to javerill at: [Removed as requested by EA bod]
1 last thing, I'm looking for people you've played against, who clearly have abusive names. I need a list in my defence.

[martingee]

Wonder if I'll have a problem with the tag Smegaman, as alot of yanks have asked if it's related to smegma, which I don't even know wtf it is but it's some american term for something sexual ;p

I believe smegma is a microbe that's found on dicks and which every male has it's friendly and is natural (not STD related etc).
And for all you Red Dwarf fans out there, that's where 'smeg off' comes from (if memory serves me correctly )

Anyway back to topic, surely if they know you didn't mean any offence can't they tell the complainers that you're called nigel etc. or would that be too easy?

[Leon Retro]

EA are the most contemptible part of the videgame community. They are succesful, but does that mean they should be respected?

I have a lot of knowledge regarding EA's history, both personally and from research and imo they should be regarded as a very negative company.

[John Beaulieu]

hardly EA's fault, more the fault of the idiot complainee's ... if a complaint is made then EA must look into it, no matter how foolish it seems ....

[Super Stu]

And EA did look into it, having made the correlation between "nige" and "nigel" (rocket science, clearly).

Extenuating circumstances, yet the complaint is upheld. Perhaps folk should just complain about other people willy nilly, if you're guilty as charged without due consideration.

Anyone filed a complaint regarding "camps" and something gay related? It's as tenuous a link as "nige" and nigger, tbh.

[Darwock]

Well the 'wock' in Darwock sounds a bit like 'wog' so I'd better steer clear of Live as well.

[Commander Marklar]

REKCUF REHTOM has always been my fave Xbox live friend.

[mattSix]

if i were you i'd kick up a storm. anyone reporting your nick as offensive is trying to subvert their anti-abuse process & doing a good job of it by the looks of things...

don't give up - remember, EA *want* you to 'challenge everything'...

[Spatial]

remember, EA *want* you to 'challenge everything'...

Nice one !