I detest people that nickel and dime others.  Really, it’s a disgusting practice and I imagine after a certain point no amount of soap and water can wash of the shame a retailer feels for doing this to their poor customers.  The rage for this week is focused mainly on EA games.

Now if any of you watched E3 this year (doubtful, I realize) you’ll know that they are releasing a Stars Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG later this year.  This issue is that the digital version of the game is selling exclusively on Origin, EA’s site.  Now the game’s preorder price is set to be 40 pounds (the British money, not the weight), but they’re charging 5 pounds for buying it digitally instead of through a retailer, and then another 5 on top of that for being allowed the privilege of pre-ordering.  That’s 50 pounds, or for those of you bad at currency exchange, $85.  This for a game that they’ve said practically mum on, when on average you’d pay $50-60 for a new game in the U.S. and 30 pounds in Britain.

It’s not just EA doing this.  Comcast has implemented data caps and charges you for going too far over their standard rate, crippling photographers and filmmakers who not only stream a fair amount of data but upload massive amounts of their artwork.  Netflix has gone from being $8 per month to $8 for streaming, another $8 if you want to receive one DVD, and $14 for two DVDs.  You can pick which plan you’re on, but considering how terrible their streaming selection is, I fear some people may simply torrent their desired films.  The list goes on.

Yet the thing that bothers me the most, the bit of sand in my shoe, the issue that makes me gape and sputter with rage is that people still buy these products.  My roommate and I don’t even spend $85 on groceries per week, and you’re going to drop that kind of money for a game you don’t even know is any good?  What kind of sick logic is that?

I realize that for some people, Comcast is their only option, and to be fair, Netflix has to jack up their prices for Hollywood studios, but still, if they’re going to insist on charging so much, stop buying and start protesting.  People say vote with your wallet, and then go out and buy the product anyway.  Well enough is enough.

I’ll never support Comcast, I’ll bombard Netflix with emails begging them to stream more content, and I’m boycotting EA (not terribly hard, since I’m already ignoring the existence of Capcom, but that’s an entirely different issue).  Don’t just whine and complain; hit them where it hurts.