Iranian gamers unable to access Anthem or Apex Legends due to sanctions

RevengeTaken · Feb 10, 2019

Since the launch of Apex Legends and Anthem. Iranian gamers can't access these games on PC, Xbox One and PS4. Every other game released before from EA works perfectly well but if you are an Iranian gamer, simply wanting to play Apex Legends you get this error:

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" Unable to connect to EA Servers. Please check your Internet connection and try again. See ea.com/unable-to-connect for more information."

This is a massive problem and no one in Iran can't access EA anymore and Twitter is filled with this issue. There is a workaround however and that is using VPN with another country's IP. This way you can play EA games fine but with the cost of going to the problem of using a VPN and of course, that means a high ping and an awful experience.

I decided to contact EA Games and I asked my friends to do the same to find out what EA has to say about this issue. The answers from EA will shock you that how unprofessional and how insulting their support is toward Iranian gamers.

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Brink · Feb 10, 2019

This is lame, but I think your thread title is misleading.

Patitoloco · Feb 10, 2019

So they didn't insult or ban anyone, they just have region restrictions.

Ababol · Feb 10, 2019

How is that an insult?

They are acting in compliance with US sanctions, it's not their fault.

TheRulingRing · Feb 10, 2019

I mean, there's hardly anything EA can do about sanctions.

Dumb title.

benzopil · Feb 10, 2019

Dafuq is that thread title

Lowrys · Feb 10, 2019

Sorry if I'm missing it, but where's the insult, shocking or otherwise?

Kingpin Rogers · Feb 10, 2019

I also don't see how they were insulted and "ban" is misleading imo.

Atolm · Feb 10, 2019

Ababol said:
How is that an insult?

They are acting in compliance with US sanctions, it's not their fault.

This. Nothing more needs to be said, honestly.

noatek · Feb 10, 2019

Lol, dude relax. How is it an insult to Iran?

mindsale · Feb 10, 2019

I am insulted and banned on a regular basis during Blizzard Overwatch maintenance it seems.

pswii60 · Feb 10, 2019

The major (US) company that I work for still restricts all sales to Iran, it's pretty common. But it's due to politics rather than anything else. EA isn't alone here.

ProstatePuncher · Feb 10, 2019

OP knee-jerking over nothing, really. Just political bullshit.

plié · Feb 10, 2019

Insults and bans? what.

Mcjmetroid · Feb 10, 2019

I know you are just using the thread title in the article but you might want to include the conversations with EA in your OP.

It seems like it's the US sanctions that are giving the problems here and of course an EA tech support guy isn't going to go into detail about this at all.

So sounds like a US government issue not an EA issue to me.

GeekyDad · Feb 10, 2019

Brink said:
This is lame, but I think your thread title is misleading.

Yeah, "shockingly" misleading. It could simply be technical issues.

lucebuce · Feb 10, 2019

shockingly insults and ban Iranian gamers

shockingly insults and ban Iranian gamers

come on OP

juliamcardinals · Feb 10, 2019

You know what else is banned in Iran? Freedom.

Izanagi89 · Feb 10, 2019

Really sucks that you can't play a game because of sanctions. And these type of games are supposed to be the future?

Radishhead · Feb 10, 2019

Isn't this thread title literally fake news? Really unsettling seeing this kind of thing on Resetera.

Brink · Feb 10, 2019

GeekyDad said:
Yeah, "shockingly" misleading. It could simply be technical issues.

In the news story is says that ut's due to US sanctions. Really sucks for people from Iran tbh.

RevengeTaken · Feb 10, 2019

noatek said:
Lol, dude relax. How is it an insult to Iran?

Ababol said:
How is that an insult?

They are acting in compliance with US sanctions, it's not their fault.

What the hell kind of communication US sanctions has to do with iranian gamers and videogames?! We're not political and we just wanna play games, just like every other gamers all around the world!

Truant · Feb 10, 2019

Fucked over by their own government, yes. Fucked over by international politics, yes. Fucked over by EA multiple times in unrelated cases, probably?

But in this case, not by EA.

Sgt. Demblant · Feb 10, 2019

This sucks but it is not an insult. EA wants you to play their games and spend money on them. This is likely not their fault.

Deleted member 45414 · Feb 10, 2019

Those support people could have mentioned they were acting according to the embargoes in their chat instead of just disconnecting though.

Izanagi89 · Feb 10, 2019

juliamcardinals said:
You know what else is banned in Iran? Freedom.

The dude is just complaining about not being able to play a game which is understandably very upsetting. But way to keep it classy

Shelbyville Milhouse · Feb 10, 2019

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It sucks, but it's not really EA's fault, is it?

MysticDistance · Feb 10, 2019

Isn't this due to government sanctions? If so, I don't really see what EA could do here.

Ossom · Feb 10, 2019

OP didn't bother to read the article they linked and posted a misleading title.

EA getting unfair criticism here.

juliamcardinals · Feb 10, 2019

Izanagi89 said:
The dude is just complaining about not being able to play a game which is understandably very upsetting. But way to keep it classy

Im attacking the Iranian fascist regime not the individual

signal · Feb 10, 2019

What kind of embargo would prevent a f2p game server from operating in the country? Is there just a blanket ban on any US corporation taking Iranian citizen money?

Kurita · Feb 10, 2019

RevengeTaken said:
What the hell kind of communication US sanctions has to do with iranian gamers and videogames?! We're not political and we just wanna play games, just like every other gamers all around the world!

But every company has to act according to law tho. It sucks that the US-Iran relations are like this, but what can you do.
EA isn't a NGO.

Deleted member 10737 · Feb 10, 2019

that sucks, but not really EA's fault here.

juliamcardinals said:
You know what else is banned in Iran? Freedom.

as an iranian, kindly fuck all the way off. we can be bothered by a game being banned and blocked here without your ass needing to point out what else is banned.

TheYanger · Feb 10, 2019

RevengeTaken said:
What the hell kind of communication US sanctions has to do with iranian gamers and videogames?! We're not political and we just wanna play games, just like every other gamers all around the world!

That's how sanctions work.
Your government is doing things that the US government has a problem with, and economic sanctions apply pressure for that to change.

Deleted member 5028 · Feb 10, 2019

Yeah, it's not permitted for a US business to trade with Iran. Video games, even free ones are still a service provided.

juliamcardinals · Feb 10, 2019

RevengeTaken said:
What the hell kind of communication US sanctions has to do with iranian gamers and videogames?! We're not political and we just wanna play games, just like every other gamers all around the world!

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this situation. Your government actions are responsable for this unfortunately. You hope you find another way to play the game

plié · Feb 10, 2019

Izanagi89 said:
Really sucks that you can't play a game because of sanctions. And these type of games are supposed to be the future?

It would be the case even if this was a traditional release.

TheUnseenTheUnheard · Feb 10, 2019

Shocking Insult: Sanctions. Wow.

Aztechnology · Feb 10, 2019

Why are people always putting thread titles that make it sound like support are being terrible. When they're being perfectly courteous and it's clearly just what they're being told.

Izanagi89 · Feb 10, 2019

juliamcardinals said:
Im attacking the Iranian fascist regime not the individual

Yet there are good people living there, so how shitty would it be tell OP, who just wants to play APEX that your country "bans freedom"...Iranians are affected by the terrible things happening too and you're acting like it's their fault

Daedardus · Feb 10, 2019

RevengeTaken said:
What the hell kind of communication US sanctions has to do with iranian gamers and videogames?! We're not political and we just wanna play games, just like every other gamers all around the world!

What do you think a sanction is? It's hurting the people on other places where it hurts even more, to exert pressure effectively. Whether the sanctions are a good thing is something else.

Deleted member 10737 · Feb 10, 2019

juliamcardinals said:
Your government actions are responsable for this unfortunately.

take your ignorance somewhere else. you have no idea how what the fuck you're talking about.

Shelbyville Milhouse · Feb 10, 2019

RevengeTaken said:
What the hell kind of communication US sanctions has to do with iranian gamers and videogames?! We're not political and we just wanna play games, just like every other gamers all around the world!

Sadly that's what those sanctions are meant to do. Damaging the industry and civilians in hopes of them putting increasing pressure on the government to comply with whatever the other side wants.

juliamcardinals said:
I'm so sorry you have to deal with this situation. Your government actions are responsable for this unfortunately. You hope you find another way to play the game

What the hell are you talking about?

RevengeTaken · Feb 10, 2019

We've the same problem with Fortnite BR too, but fortunately it's only related to downloading data from epic servers!

juliamcardinals · Feb 10, 2019

mazi said:
that sucks, but not really EA's fault here.

as an iranian, kindly fuck all the way off. we can be bothered by a game being banned and blocked here without your ass needing to point out what else is banned.

Blame your government not EA was my point. The whole situation sucks, there is nothing more miserable than living under a totalitarian regime. I hope you and your people find their way to freedom you guys have suffered enough

BernardoOne · Feb 10, 2019

Ossom said:
OP didn't bother to read the article they linked and posted a misleading title.

EA getting unfair criticism here.

while it's a very clickbait title, i do think EA could have done better by properly informing people that are using their support. This canned "Oh we can't help you. Bye byeeeeeeee!" is not a great look.

Xx 720 · Feb 10, 2019

hate that gamers suffering over politics, so wrong

IDreamOfHime · Feb 10, 2019

Did you know your country is currently experiencing sanctions?

Stop It · Feb 10, 2019

RevengeTaken said:
What the hell kind of communication US sanctions has to do with iranian gamers and videogames?! We're not political and we just wanna play games, just like every other gamers all around the world!

EA can't take money from Iranian banking institutions, therefore, you.

It sucks but they applied the sanctions from the date they were restored by Trump. They could've acted retrospectively but thankfully did not.

The support teams literally are powerless here.

Deleted member 10737 · Feb 10, 2019

juliamcardinals said:
I hope you and your people find their way to freedom you guys have suffered enough

dude who the fuck do you think you are to be so condescending? fuck off.

Iranian gamers unable to access Anthem or Apex Legends due to sanctions

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