What could EA do to harm them, though?

I agree. I own alot of EA games and I am not wishing their demise.

But if Kickstarter games are successful in the upcoming years, it will be very simple for game developers to eliminate big game publishers, like EA, from the equation. This may not happen anytime soon but I do believe that developers avoiding big publishers will definitely tear into their bottom line. And it may be well deserved considering how they rush developers to deliver games when they are not ready and how they treat their customers with intrusive DRM systems.

Legally, probably very little without falling foul of anti-competitive practices. However that didn't stop Intel when AMD started looking a threat. They simply instructed the major suppliers that they would get preferential treatment if they didn't trade with AMD. It's a different battlefield for EA - more methods of distribution, and more (smaller) competitors, but similar behind the scenes deals could be made to squeeze the middle and little people.

Then there are the downright dirty tactics of smear stories, copyright and patent infringement lawsuits, paying off reviewers to trash the smaller companies games. I expect with the legal team behind EA, they could make life very difficult for a company if they wished, and while it would generate bad feeling amongst the likes of us, the wider world probably wouldn't hear.

Hmm... that would not be good.

Exactly my sentiments. It's really a shame because EA wasn't always this draconian and greed-ridden. * sigh * I miss Westwood Studios..

I miss Westwood as well, not to mention the hole in my gaming heart left by Orgin's demise.

Even though their stock is down, they still made multi-million dollar profits last year and the year before, so they should hardly be viewed as being in irreversible decline. The question now becomes have they reached the apex and simply don't have any other place to go or is this just a bump in their continued expansion? Their mission statement, which is found below, seems unfulfilled so I'm going to assume this is just a lull. Hopefully they take some time to go over their values which I, and many others who have posted here, believe are not in line with their promise of fulfilling the potential of computing.

'We are an association of electronic artists who share a common goal. We want to fulfill the potential of personal computing.'

Fuck 'em all. All three companies follow the yearly re-release model for their main franchises, conning people into multiple DLC packs per title, amounting to what is essentially a $35 per month subscription fee to play.

Yes it is cool to hate on EA, but apparently not cool enough to stop buying their games. They aren't the only ones who deserve ire, however.

Mostly I agree with you, EA won't do this. As I said, I don't think this trend in their share price will even mildly upset the board of EA (they'll probably buy some shares). However if they were cornered I think they could be more effective than you realise. As you said, they have cut steam off, so they are willing to use such market tactics to affect a competitor. If Origins keeps going building up pace, they may be able to strong arm steam into selling their games instead of others (once again doubtful). My point is that they are big, and therefore they have options. Companies don't deal with an organisation as big as EA, they court it. As a result there's room for them to abuse such power.

As for my second part, it wasn't really a part, just a list of things that companies do when they play nasty. There aren't many indy devs that need playing nasty with, most are having troubles staying afloat as is. They just need to keep the upcomers like the makers of Terraria from becoming actual competitors, and keep the core market remembering that if "it doesn't have lens flare, it's not a game". This can be done more subtly than some mass war on the indies, and probably already happens.

I'd be curious to know from any indy devs - do you get pressure from the bigger labels?

They are all pretty terrible.

I only like Ubisoft for producing Assassins Creed games, otherwise they produce bile covered in DRM. Activision produce terrible games overall. EA buy companies who make good games, then work them too the bone and cut up the product into DLC.

I look forward to them all dying. Long live independent houses like CDProjekt, CCP and Valve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T_LT8-uuX4

Drop it

At least there is this:
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/25/ubisoft-hopes-to-negate-the-need-for-drm-with-support-and-conten/

Maybe they are getting the right idea... or at least stopping the trend of stupidity and asshattery. Probably not... they probably just mean more 'Day 1 DLC'. Better than DRM, I suppose.

Stop milking it. By this reasoning the whole of Europe is going to hell in a handbag, most of the major UK companies will be bust in a few months (or should have gone bust long ago), and I should start learning the Chinese for "Sir, may I have more boiled rat please".

Stock prices fluctuate. Not necessarily indicative of the company's actual fortunes.

Speaking of companies that act really stupid towards their fans: CLICK

Personally I dislike EA very much for their policies now, but what really made me mad in the past is that they practically invented the "lack of originality" in mainstream gaming and they singlehandedly destroyed many game studios.
EA devoured many smaller companies that made really good and innovative games. First they became their publisher and later they've been bought out and faded out of existence. Good example: Bullfrog and Maxis. Although lately something called "Maxis" emerged with their new Sim City game.
Which again made me mad, because while at first I got really hyped, the moment they announced that it'll be online-only and Origin-only I was really disappointed. Also I can just imagine all those "building pack" DLCs...
Ubisoft currently has one good series, Assasin's Creed, but their DRM is worst of all.
Speaking of which, check this out: CLICK while totally self-centered, he has a point :P