In a remarkable display of public frustration with his own company’s platform, Vince Zampella, CEO of Respawn Entertainment and group general manager overseeing the Battlefield franchise, told locked-out Battlefield 6 players to refund their EA App purchases and just buy the game on Steam instead. The explosive launch day on October 10, 2025 saw the EA App plagued by entitlement bugs that prevented players who bought through the official EA storefront from accessing any game modes, with error messages claiming they needed to purchase DLC or content they already owned. Zampella’s public venting on social media and his suggestion to abandon EA’s platform for Valve’s competitor represents an extraordinary admission of failure.
The EA App Launch Disaster
Battlefield 6 players who purchased through the EA App faced hours of complete lockout from the game starting at launch. An entitlement bug caused error messages stating players needed to purchase DLC or similar content despite already owning the base game. Some players saw purchase to play errors demanding they buy what they’d already paid for. The bug prevented access to both single-player campaign and multiplayer modes, forcing EA App users to watch helplessly as Steam players enjoyed the game they couldn’t access.
EA acknowledged the issue publicly, stating the team was aware of the problem preventing players from accessing the game and was deploying a resolution. However, the fix took several hours to implement, with many players reporting lockouts persisting five or more hours after the official launch time. This timing proved particularly painful since Battlefield 6 was breaking franchise records on Steam with over 700,000 concurrent players while EA’s own platform customers sat locked out.
Zampella’s Unprecedented Public Complaints
Rather than staying silent or offering corporate platitudes, Vince Zampella vented his frustrations publicly on social media throughout the crisis. When asked about the EA App problems, he responded I have yelled about EA App people. Any suggestions on next levels of escalation? The tweet suggested even someone at Zampella’s executive level struggled to get the platform team to prioritize fixes, an alarming admission about internal EA dysfunction.
To one frustrated fan calling the situation unbelievable, Zampella simply replied agreed. To another, he said lots of people working on it, so sorry. Honestly embarrassing. The phrase honestly embarrassing from a top EA executive about the company’s own storefront represents a stunning public relations disaster. Zampella later clarified we are lighting fires under everyone to fix it, indicating the severity of internal pressure being applied.
The Steam Alternative Recommendation
When one locked-out player asked for help, Zampella made a suggestion that no EA executive should ever say publicly about their company’s platform – can you refund and buy on Steam? The recommendation to abandon EA’s official storefront for a competitor’s platform represents an extraordinary admission that even EA leadership doesn’t trust their own launcher to work properly. Zampella himself confirmed he was playing on Steam rather than using the EA App, further undermining confidence in the platform.
The suggestion raises legitimate questions about why any PC player would use the EA App instead of Steam. Historically, Battlefield lived on EA’s platform going back to when the company abandoned Steam entirely, meaning many franchise fans have their friends lists, save data, and game libraries tied to EA’s ecosystem. Telling these loyal customers to start over on Steam essentially admits EA can’t provide the basic functionality that players expect from modern game launchers.
EA App vs Origin: A Step Backward
| Issue | Impact on Players |
|---|---|
| Forced Migration | Origin users compelled to switch to EA App despite bugs and missing features |
| Entitlement Bugs | Players locked out of games they own with purchase to play errors |
| Performance Problems | Frequent crashes, freezing, and malfunctions during gameplay |
| Friends List Issues | One of the worst friends management systems in launcher history |
| Backwards Functionality | Many features that worked in Origin removed or broken in EA App |
The Broader EA App Problems
The Battlefield 6 launch disaster represents just the latest in a long pattern of EA App failures since the platform replaced Origin. EA spent years developing and refining Origin into a functional if unremarkable game launcher. Instead of continuing to improve that platform, the company forced all Origin users to migrate to the EA App, which has suffered significant issues since launch. This decision looks increasingly like an avoidable self-inflicted wound driven by corporate rebranding priorities rather than user needs.
Players report that the EA App is clunky, glitchy, and features one of the worst friends list implementations in launcher history. Many users have developed workarounds to bypass or eliminate the EA App entirely when playing games, sacrificing social features just to achieve basic stability. The Mass Effect 3 multiplayer community, for example, has established methods to play without the launcher because it frequently malfunctions and disrupts gameplay sessions.
Why This Matters Beyond Battlefield
Vince Zampella oversees multiple EA franchises as group general manager, not just Battlefield. His portfolio includes Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi series, and Need for Speed alongside Battlefield. When someone at his level publicly admits the EA App is honestly embarrassing and suggests customers use Steam instead, the implications extend across EA’s entire PC gaming ecosystem. Every game requiring the EA App potentially faces similar launch issues, technical problems, and player frustration.
The situation also highlights how even powerful executives within EA struggle to get the platform team to prioritize fixes. If Zampella can’t escalate problems effectively from his position, what hope do regular developers or customer support have? The dysfunction suggests organizational problems where different EA divisions operate in silos without effective communication or accountability to the studios relying on the launcher to deliver their games.
The Response to Andrew Wilson
When one fan suggested Zampella yell at EA CEO Andrew Wilson about the EA App disaster, he responded It’s not his fault, he’s just as upset as me. This statement defends Wilson while simultaneously confirming that even the CEO feels frustrated by the launcher problems. If both the CEO and a top executive overseeing major franchises can’t get the EA App fixed, the question becomes who actually has authority and accountability for the platform.
The comment also reveals that EA leadership recognizes the EA App as a significant problem rather than dismissing complaints as minor issues or user error. However, recognition without effective action doesn’t help players locked out of games they purchased. The gap between executive acknowledgment and actual platform functionality suggests deeper problems in EA’s organizational structure or resource allocation.
Steam’s Continued Dominance
The Battlefield 6 launch demonstrates why Steam remains the dominant PC gaming platform despite competition from Epic Games Store, EA App, Ubisoft Connect, and others. Steam works reliably, maintains features players expect, and rarely suffers catastrophic failures that lock paying customers out of their purchases. When your own executives recommend Steam over your platform, you’ve admitted defeat in the PC gaming launcher wars.
Battlefield 6 topped the Steam charts within 24 hours of launch with over 700,000 concurrent users, proving players will gladly buy games through Valve’s platform when given the choice. The success on Steam while the EA App floundered demonstrates that platform stability and user experience directly impact commercial performance. EA loses nothing by selling through Steam, but gains massive negative publicity when their own launcher fails spectacularly.
The Fix Eventually Arrived
EA deployed a fix for the entitlement bug late on launch day, finally allowing EA App users to access Battlefield 6. However, the damage to EA’s reputation and player trust had already occurred. Launch day represents the most critical window for multiplayer games when communities form and word-of-mouth drives sales. Having your own storefront lock out paying customers for hours while competitors play creates terrible first impressions and drives potential customers toward the more reliable Steam version.
The eventual fix doesn’t erase the fact that EA’s launcher failed at the worst possible moment – during the launch of their flagship first-person shooter franchise. Players remember these failures when making future purchasing decisions. Why risk buying through the EA App for the next big release when you could avoid potential lockouts by simply using Steam?
Frequently Asked Questions
What was wrong with the EA App during Battlefield 6 launch?
An entitlement bug prevented EA App users from accessing any game modes, showing error messages claiming they needed to purchase DLC or content they already owned. The purchase to play errors locked out paying customers for hours while Steam players enjoyed the game without issues.
What did Vince Zampella say about the EA App?
Zampella publicly complained that he had yelled about EA App problems and asked for suggestions on escalation. He called the situation honestly embarrassing and suggested frustrated customers refund their EA App purchases and buy the game on Steam instead. He also confirmed he plays on Steam rather than using the EA App.
Who is Vince Zampella?
Vince Zampella is CEO of Respawn Entertainment and group general manager overseeing EA franchises including Battlefield, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi series, and Need for Speed. He co-founded Infinity Ward and created Call of Duty before moving to EA and founding Respawn.
Should I buy Battlefield 6 on EA App or Steam?
Based on Zampella’s own recommendation and the launch day disaster, Steam is clearly the safer choice. The platform works more reliably, has better features, and doesn’t suffer the catastrophic bugs that plague the EA App. Even EA’s own executives prefer Steam.
Has the EA App problem been fixed?
EA deployed a fix late on launch day that resolved the entitlement bug preventing players from accessing Battlefield 6. However, the EA App continues suffering other reliability and functionality issues that have plagued it since replacing Origin.
Why did EA replace Origin with the EA App?
EA spent years developing Origin into a functional launcher before forcing all users to migrate to the new EA App, which launched with numerous bugs and missing features. The decision appears driven by corporate rebranding priorities rather than user needs, creating an avoidable self-inflicted problem.
Can I still play Battlefield 6 without the EA App?
If you buy through Steam, you can launch and play primarily through Valve’s platform with minimal EA App involvement. However, EA games on PC still require the EA App running in the background for authentication and online features, though Steam integration minimizes direct interaction with EA’s launcher.
A Damning Self-Own
When your own executives publicly recommend customers avoid your platform for a competitor’s service, you’ve reached a nadir of corporate dysfunction. Vince Zampella’s honest frustration and candid suggestions to use Steam represent refreshing transparency in an industry that usually hides behind corporate messaging, but they also expose deep problems at EA. The company forced users away from the functional Origin to the broken EA App, then couldn’t even ensure their flagship shooter launched properly on their own storefront. Until EA seriously invests in making the EA App reliable and feature-complete rather than treating it as an afterthought, players would be wise to follow Zampella’s advice and stick with Steam. At least Valve’s platform works when you need it to.