Earlier this week, EA banned former FIFA pro and current streamer Kurt “Kurt0411” Fenech from its games due to toxic behavior. The ban caused a buzz in the community after EA announced the ruling two days ago, with people supporting Kurt0411 and criticizing EA for the decision.
Here’s what you need to know about Kurt0411, why EA banned him, and how he reacted.
Who is Kurt0411?
Kurt0411 is a former FIFA professional player from Malta who was runner-up at FIFA eWorld Cup in 2018 on Xbox One, one of the most prestigious tournaments of that year.
But Kurt0411 is most well-known as someone highly critical of EA Sports on social media. He usually criticizes certain aspects of FIFA and focuses on how EA Sports handles Ultimate Team, one of the most played modes of the game in which you can create your own team, upgrade it, and attend online ladders to qualify for LAN tournaments.
For example, he recently said that EA killed FIFA and its competitive scene. “They’ve done everything this year but look at themselves and admit they fucked it,” Kurt0411 said on Twitter last month.
In November 2019, he was banned from attending all of FIFA 20 Global Series events or future competition, which ended his pro career and made him become a full-time streamer. EA said that he violated a series of its code of conduct and threatened EA employees and players.
Why did EA ban Kurt0411 from all of its games?
On Feb. 24, two days after Kurt0411 made his last criticism, EA announced that his account was banned from playing its games and accessing EA services.
“Since [when Kurt0411 was banned from competitive], Kurt has continued to post abusive and threatening messages and videos about EA employees and competitive players on social media, and he has encouraged others to do the same,” EA wrote. “His messages have crossed a line of decency into very personal attacks. We will not tolerate threatening behavior.”
EA finished the statement saying that the company is open to feedback and constructive criticism.
EA’s Term of Services has a section named Rules of Conduct, which says that if you use EA services, you’ll agree to not post, publish, upload or distribute any content that EA finds “inappropriate, abusive, hateful, harassing, profane, defamatory, threatening, hateful, obscene, sexually explicit, infringing, privacy-invasive, vulgar, offensive, indecent or unlawful.”
Kurt0411’s reaction to his ban
Shortly after EA revealed Kurt0411’s ban, the streamer replied to EA’s tweet asking for proof of when he threatened EA “incompetent employees.” On his own Twitter, Kurt0411 said that banning him from events wasn’t enough and accused EA of trying to take down his Twitch and YouTube channel.
“End of the day I have never said anything I shouldn’t have,” Kurt0411 said. “This is just deeper than anyone thinks. They didn’t want me competing at events cos they were scared I’d win them.”
Today, Kurt0411 released a video on YouTube called “Explaining Everything,” in which he discusses his ban. As for now, Kurt0411 is the most famous FIFA streamer banned from attending events and playing EA’s games.
