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An Open Letter to Bioware EA
fatsoda
Member Posts: 5
Hello Bioware, Hello EA
I am to say the least. Angry. When the game was announced for release I was ecstatic I had been waiting for years to get access to the game, then I was told that I wouldn’t be able to play because I was Australian. I was devastated, further investigation revealed that I could play but that the game wouldn’t be “released” in my territory for a little while longer and that I would need to purchase the game myself. Well ok then! I can do that, and off I totted to Amazon and purchased a Physical CE.
I then started spruiking the game to my mates and getting them to purchase the game online. I was sure that there would be some sort of grace period as MMO’s allow a delivery period and a 30 day free usage. I wasn’t sure so I checked online and sure enough I was directed to post regarding something called a “Grace Period” and directed to check the FAQ. Both a post in the official game forums and the game FAQ assured us that there would be a “Grace Period” it didn’t say how long, but encouraged us to check closer to launch.
Sure enough as launch approached the “Grace Period” topic came up for discussion and were asked to be patient and that Stephen Reid (@rockjaw) would get back to us later that week with a reply.
No Reply
Not to worry Stephen Reid (@rockjaw) will reply by the end of this week
No Reply
We know your waiting but someone will tell you something soon
No Grace Period… at all
I have 12 people who bought the game on my say so, who trusted me and bought something on a promise because I trusted you. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that I’m cancelling my order, because you and I both know I’m not going to do that. You’re the only game in town, unless I want to go back to a failed MMO or play with Kung Fu Panda’s , and I don’t.
So here I am, frustrated, annoyed and yeah more than a little disappointed In total I'm spending $179(AUD – $183.82US) to get the CE as soon as I can, but even then I still probably wont get it till the 24th or the 27th . That’s not even the real problem although its not an insignificant worry. The real problem is that you guys have lied to us and then have acted as if we are the ones who are acting irrationally or wrongly. You’ve left the Community Manager standing in public with this junk on a chopping block without anyway to get him down. How are we supposed to trust anything that is said by you guys now.
So no Bioware / EA, I’m not cancelling my order because I still want to play the game but I certainly wont be recommending it to anymore of my friends.
Brian
Comments
Note to all, i have posted this on their offical forums and mailed a real letter to biowares offices. Im posting here because i am supprised that MMORPG hasnt made any comment on this. Not surprising really given the massive add space SW:TOR has taken on the site.
See you after launch then
We'll live. This is really nothing compared to most MMO launch issues. You still get into early access, at least.
I agree that it's shitty, and unusual for a game to not have a grace period.....but it's really not the end of the world, and probably not worth the forum spam it's getting.
Thats bad luck.
But hey, at the end of the day you get to play that game you have waited for years to play :-)
Im sure it will be worth it and im sure your friends will feel the same.
Sure its annoying but it just means you have to play a little while later, six months from now when everyone is burried deep within the game, the few days longer it took to get and play the game will be completely hindsight. Its just a game in the end, no real reason to get worked up or write them a nasty letter. Bioware I am sure has reasons beyond our understanding for doing it this way, we can argue all day long about the ifs and thens and the whys, but it won't matter in the end.
My Guild Wars 2 Vids
I understand your disappointment and anger. However, don't take this too heavily. It's just a couple of days if you think about it. Spend some time with your family, enjoy the holidays, go out, get your mind off these things, and take it easy. The more aggravated about this whole situation you feel, the more you will suffer because of it. Do some good to yourself and forget about it.
Cheer up, Brian. You know what they say.
Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad.
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle, don't grumble - give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And...
I totally agree! They clearly said there would be a "grace period". Now they decide not to allow it! That's just poor management, plain and simple. And obviously its an example of EA's Greed! They have us at a disadvantage and they know it. But that just adds "insult to injury".
I just don't know what we can do contructively to let them know just how much it pisses us off...?
How would a grace period be linked to greed what so ever? There is 0 financial difference if you get the game on day 1, or the game 3 days later and start playing. Please tell me this was a joke post.
My Guild Wars 2 Vids
Always look on the bright side of lifeI'm really suprised at everyone saying how its "no big deal". I'm sitting here trying to think of what other type of buisness could possibly get away with a flat out lie and be told buy its customers "Its no big deal". I get the whole "its a game" thing I really do. To me thats not the POINT behind it. To me this really boils down to a big buisness telling its customers "We are going to do whatever the hell we want and there is nothing you can do about it". And really, sadly, they are right. Most people wont speak with there money like the OP. They are to addicted or to stupid. Let me clerify before I get banned that I am NOT calling the OP stupid. He admitted he falls in the addicted catagory.
At its bottom line a company lied to its customers about its product. Regardless of what the product is and how it turns out they flat out LIED. Yet some people dont seem to care. The people who dont seem to care better not be complaining about the economy because ALOT of thoes problems are because of big companies doing whatever the hell they want and people not giving 2 shits about it.
How would a grace period be linked to greed what so ever? There is 0 financial difference if you get the game on day 1, or the game 3 days later and start playing. Please tell me this was a joke post.
Actually it would be a three day delay of them getting subscription money. So yeah....Seriously? You guys take this crap way to serious. It's a freakin game. Not like they are telling you to work for free for a week before you can get paid.
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There is a theory out there that this was a ploy by EA to get people to cancel there orders from other retailers and pick it up digitally through origin. I dont know how true that is or isnt but its been mentioned many times on the grace period thread in the official swtor forums. No one will ever be able to prove it either or the FTC (fair trade) would be all over EA in a heartbeat since EA would be dicking with companies just as big/bigger (Amazon for example) than EA is.
Actually I find it verry fun to keep the topic going. I'm not going to be effected since I'm not playing the game lol. The only real issue I take with it is that a big company lied because they know they can. In another words here in America even when the general public demands big buisness take responsibility, in the end the general public really doesnt care heh.
Sounds like you're getting your panties in a bunch. They're a huge development company trying to please millions of people at once, not just 20 Australian guys. It's ridiculous to say "you're not going to recommend" the game anymore to your friend... relax. You've waited years for the game? You can wait two weeks longer, it's not like it's going anywhere...
Theres also a theory that life originated on Mars, which used to be just like Earth but was hit by a meteor and tiny organisms came rocketing to Earth on debris from Mars and then evolved into human life. Don't believe theories, it will just make you go crazy.
I am sure at some point we will hear why this decision was made, and the details behind it, till then theres no reason to start developing theories that this is some giant conspiracy where the Illuminati is secretly in control of EA and this is a plot by the Templars to begin their global domination through the MMO market....wait I may be on to something here.
*Puts on tinfoil hat*
My Guild Wars 2 Vids
First world problem.
The following statement is false
The previous statement is true
I cannot play until atleast February. Consider yourself lucky
Not sure who you preordered with, but I got an email today from Game saying I will have the box on the 15th, 5 days early so that there are no issues with the early access crossover.
I couldnt find anything in the news on this site through the game page. The closed thing is the interview with Dallas were he delibertly skirts the topid. Even though he must have know what was happening at the time.
I've not joined this site before now but if formed a part of my daily routine along with PVP and Penny arcade, i always came here to check the news on MMORPG's. That they arent going to touch this with a barge pole is becoming obvious.
Well, the theory that it is a way for EA to make more money is ridiculous. They offered the online purchase suggestion as an "option" for people that absolutely have to have it on the day it is released. Believe it, or not, there are many people that will be just fine if they get the game a day or two later.
Certain people keep refering to it as a "Lie". The guy made a mistake (which he appologized for). It was likely something they were throwing around, but never made an official decision on. People make mistakes. Calling it a "Lie" and feigning rightious indignation is not going to change anything.
Im in australia and ordering the CE from Amazon. My only options was the CE or SE from amazon. I chose the CE because i wanted this game to succed. Im not sorry i bought it, im sorry i recomended to my friends, and got involved enough to organise guilds.
They are trying to work with retailers to get the game to ship early that's at least one good sign...
I still don't see why you couldn't have posted in one of the other 1000 threads already on here about it though instead of making another one...
Sorry because you will miss a few days? Which if the game is good won't matter 8 months from now? Sorry I still don't see the tantrum worthy material.
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