The Dark Side of Playing Empire Avenue Fail and Why We Dont Recommend It To Anyone Anymore

Empire Avenue Fail 5 post overview: Over 5 posts on my blogs I documented issues with Empire Avenue, from their rogue volunteers, running a “wall of shame” on Brands, attacking Brands reputations online, not answering complaints, having a “goon squad” of endorsed volunteers attacking customers who complained, refusing to discipline internally thereby encouraging more attacks on Brands, etc. What I witnessed was the worst travesty in the annals of customer service I have ever seen. After a month of private discussions with EA to change things, I went public. Only then did they begin to change, but the attacks on me and others grew by their “goon squad.” In the end, I went to EA’s Angel Investor and EA had to shut down its Chat Room and Chat Mod “goons squad.” EA shamelessly has never apologized or produced it damning chat logs as promised by their CEO. This is one of those posts, you can read the rest by Search in the upper right for ‘Empire.’ Don’t play EA or if you do save your REAL money.

Greed is NOT good. I’ve been on EA longer than most and we’re advising to give some thought to your Brand being on EA. There is an old adage: Money and friends are like mixing oil and water, they DONT mix well. It can hurt relationships. I’ve see much ugliness and friendships lost on Empire Avenue and had my Brand tarnished on there. It’s not EA, it’s the way people emotionally react to “money” in a social environment. The Fail is Human Nature. I downgraded my recommendation of EA after seeing another EA customer publically complaining to Dups, the CEO on Twitter, about being abused by their Chat Mods. I’ve seen and experienced too much of this personally.

We’ve HIGHLY recommended our clients stay OFF of it and if they do go on, save your money.

Companies spend millions of dollars to have people mentally ASSOCIATE their brands with success and positivity. Since most companies can’t be on EA all the time, their stock eventually loses. On discussion boards Companies and Brand get kicked around and trashed with the association of their name as “losers.” They are listed in categories as Losers. It doesn’t seem that smart to me. (*Note: Hours after this EA changed the term Losers to Sliders)

I recently updated our warning on playing Empire Avenue and given my initial promotion of the game, I want to go on record with the results we’ve experienced so far. Right now everyone’s aglow with the newness but I’ve been on for a while and lead in the top 6 or so of the game and I think many people will arrive at my conclusions as time goes on. Over the past month we’ve seen a fun game turned very vitriol with human nature and dealing with the “money” aspect of the game. I’m going to be one of the first people to say this but I don’t think anymore that Social Media and “Money” mix well. Hence the adage earlier. Tons of complaints have come to me about people being mistreated by other players and losing friends.

I wont get into details, but we don’t see how a Brand can be on EA and make everyone happy or not look like a loser. It can’t work both ways. The more successful you get the more the ugliness grows and attacks on your Brand. Your Brand will at sometime be labeled a Loser. We’ve seen people massively blocking people who sell them, trolls and mods that are out of control in the volunteer chat rooms that EA seems unable or unwilling to control after we’ve lodged numerous complaints. Massive fights on community boards over strategy that are at the level of anger like arguments over religion. People outright attacking each other MLM’s and business’ over which is better. The sad and sometime ugly emails I’ve gotten for selling someones stock. People begging you to invest in them and when you don’t have any available cash or feel their stock is still developing, then outright attacking you for not buying immediately. The issues we’ve seen go on and on with people EXTREMELY negative in dealing with money aspects and Social Media.

Initially, I saw that it brought people to my Brand and Social Media outlets which most people are thrilled about. I can say now after over a month of being on EA, that the friendships tarnished and lost out of human natures greed of the game have us really wondering if the gain IS larger than the loss. Money and friends do not mix well.

I’ll be 100% honest with you as to why I’m still playing the game and I’ve come within an inch of quitting many a time. Being successful I got attacked very heavily as many others have on EA. 1. I’m on there to prove a point to the losers who attacked us, that we’re still winners. 2. Foolishly I invested REAL money into the game to buy upgrades, I’m kinda stuck. 3. I’m experimenting and hoping that in the end we’ll make more friends than we lose. I can honestly tell you I WISH I’D NEVER STARTED THE GAME and I would warn anyone NOT to start it or spend their REAL money there. The fact that I’m in the top is the only reason I keep playing otherwise I’d quit.

The Company and people behind EA I’m sure have the best intentions, I think the grand fail here is human nature and unsportsmanlike conduct during a game. Old adages are there because they have stood the test of measure against human nature. If you’ve ever involved money with your personal friends in real life you know the issues. Money and friends are like mixing oil and water, they DONT mix well. Caveat Emptor, let the buyer beware. Greed is NOT good.

Before you argue the point with me in the comments, be on EA as long and successful as I have. The last time I spoke out, the haters we’re endless. Please also avoid the irony of being ugly on my comments thereby proving my points about these issues.

UPDATE: As predicted much ugly hate has been spewed at me over sharing my comments about Human Nature and money. I amazed again how hard people worked to prove I’m right. I cant wait to meet these folks in person at a social event. EA is not the issue and many people are missing my point. Human Nature and “money” is. One of the challenges is people assume most of my success comes from my high traffic sites. This is what Im constantly attacked for. Here is EA’s proof that 52% of my success is strategic investing. I’ve spent up to 3-4 hours a day to be a successful investor and made tons of REAL money as a day trader whose skill have helped me play EA. So for all the people who attack me, heres the proof, I work hard at the game. THE AWFUL PART IS MOST PEOPLE HAVE MORE SOCIAL MEDIA TRAFFIC % THAN I DO AFTER WE DID RESEARCH. I’m getting attacked by people who are bigger social media “spammers,” what precious day for humanity.