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…leaving the idea unclaimed for someone else to patent instead? Strange take.
The patent system is far from perfect, but patents themselves are necessary. EA had an idea, they had the right to patent it. They had the right to keep the patent closed, instead they opted to open it.
If the idea already existed EA wouldn’t have been issued the patent. That’s part of the process of obtaining the patent.
Point is moot because the patent was issued.