Free gift bundle being available to limited accounts

Arunei · March 12

Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate the 4 Outfit Tokens, the rest of it isn't much to write home about, but...why in the world is it "until supplies run out" basically? It's a digital good, why is a number of times it can be used attached to it?

Tons of changes are being made to the game to combat FOMO but then this bundle comes along and it's basically the very essence of FOMO. Granted it's nothing very valuable to miss out on, but it just doesn't seem like there's any reason it should be limited. It's like when the NVIDIA was doing that GEForce promotion with the Mount that iirc was ALSO limited in availability fsr. Especially because the article hypes it up so much. Literally one of the lines is "Don't miss out!"

And if the amount of redemptions is super super duper high...what's the point of it being limited?

twisttop138 · March 12

This seems weird. We're in guild discord trying to figure out how on earth a digital item could be limited. It's only limited if they want it to be. I have a feeling we're reading it wrong or they made a mistake. Maybe @ZOS_Kevin can clear it up.

DenverRalphy · March 12

Pretty sure it was just a tongue in cheek way to say that the code won't be valid forever. Next year this time, some Joe New-Player will invariably create a thread asking why the code isn't working for them.

Arunei · March 12

image.png?ex=69b46c30&is=69b31ab0&hm=76c6397e63aeaeb69d16b73ae1e639d54060a122c765fed228988954212211b7&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1598&height=1890

I don't see how that can be tongue-in-cheek or misread. It literally says redemptions are limited twice basically. I mean I'd love to be wrong, and if I am that's great, I just don't think that's the case. If they meant to say it's limited time then why not just be straightforward and say "code only valid until <insert date here>" instead of weird coy verbiage that could maybe imply it's limited time?

ETA I am blind and missed that there IS indeed an expiration date on the code...so then why say per account redemptions are also limited? It doesn't make sense. If it was just "this expires by the 12th" that's all they'd need to say. They wouldn't have to add that ALSO the number of accounts that can claim the bundle are limited.

AzuraFan · March 12

It might just be a way to get people to input the code now and maybe log in (if they haven't for a while). Otherwise some people will see the code, think, "I'll do it later," and forget about it.

SilverIce58 · March 12

"Total redemptions are limited" indicates to me that once a certain number of players have redeemed the code, no one else will be able to. Doesnt seem like it expires, just runs out.

trem3c · March 12

Also massive fail that the research, mount training and XP scrolls don't stack with same already in your bag. Massive fail.

DenverRalphy · March 12

trem3c wrote: »

Also massive fail that the research, mount training and XP scrolls don't stack with same already in your bag. Massive fail.

Just a wierd glitch. Zone or relog and they stack.

virtus753 · March 12

SilverIce58 wrote: »

"Total redemptions are limited" indicates to me that once a certain number of players have redeemed the code, no one else will be able to. Doesnt seem like it expires, just runs out.

This offer does also expire, since it's only valid until May 12 per the promo (stated clearly twice in the screenshot above). I can understand a time-limited promotion if you want it to be associated with a specific event, like here with Update 49. ZOS has done this several times in the past, usually by adding a free pack to the Crown Store for people to claim within a window following on from a particular event (DLC release, Chapter celebration, etc.).

What I don't get is why there is a second restriction in combination with the expiration date, and why that second restriction is not only purely arbitrary but also feels distinctly out of place. The idea of the "while supplies last" restriction is based on there being a finite limit of supply to be claimed. There clearly isn't here. This seems like taking what began as an understandable practical limitation and turning it into an arbitrary marketing tactic to double down on FOMO.

There's an unfortunately recurring theme of taking what should be easy wins and doing odd things that unnecessarily detract from that (see also the Anniversary style pages not dropping for some people after far too many hours of grinding).

Danikat · March 12

Now I feel kind of bad for using the code. I didn't really want any of the items (especially the research scrolls, those are useless to me) but I thought I might as well get it since it's free and there's some stuff I could use. But now I feel like I'm depriving someone who could actually benefit from all of it but didn't see the message in time.

(I know it's still available now, but if there's a finite number for some inexplicable reason, I've still 'wasted' a code someone else could have had.)

twisttop138 · March 12

DenverRalphy wrote: »

Pretty sure it was just a tongue in cheek way to say that the code won't be valid forever. Next year this time, some Joe New-Player will invariably create a thread asking why the code isn't working for them.

I have a feeling this is probably the case.

trem3c · March 12

DenverRalphy wrote: »

trem3c wrote: »

Also massive fail that the research, mount training and XP scrolls don't stack with same already in your bag. Massive fail.

Just a wierd glitch. Zone or relog and they stack.

Thanks, would not have even thought to try that.

Arunei · March 12

poultry tomato frost mirriam

twisttop138 wrote: »

DenverRalphy wrote: »

Pretty sure it was just a tongue in cheek way to say that the code won't be valid forever. Next year this time, some Joe New-Player will invariably create a thread asking why the code isn't working for them.

I have a feeling this is probably the case.

There's already an expiration date. Why say "there's an expiration date" and then add "there are only so many times this code can be redeemed before it runs out" basically? They already SAID there was an expiration date, but then they added the secondary thing too.

Arunei · March 12

Tmw you meant to reply to more messages but your dum brain goes "heehee post now"...

SilverIce58 wrote: »

"Total redemptions are limited" indicates to me that once a certain number of players have redeemed the code, no one else will be able to. Doesnt seem like it expires, just runs out.

I missed the "use by May the !2" bit, so there IS an expiration date for it. However what gets me is that yeah, they're saying on top of the code expriing, there are a limited number of people who can claim it. Whih means it might run out before that date, which doesn't make sense for digital goods.

It's like putting a limit on how many people can purchase things from the CS before they "run out", you know?

virtus753 wrote: »

SilverIce58 wrote: »

"Total redemptions are limited" indicates to me that once a certain number of players have redeemed the code, no one else will be able to. Doesnt seem like it expires, just runs out.

This offer does also expire, since it's only valid until May 12 per the promo (stated clearly twice in the screenshot above). I can understand a time-limited promotion if you want it to be associated with a specific event, like here with Update 49. ZOS has done this several times in the past, usually by adding a free pack to the Crown Store for people to claim within a window following on from a particular event (DLC release, Chapter celebration, etc.).

What I don't get is why there is a second restriction in combination with the expiration date, and why that second restriction is not only purely arbitrary but also feels distinctly out of place. The idea of the "while supplies last" restriction is based on there being a finite limit of supply to be claimed. There clearly isn't here. This seems like taking what began as an understandable practical limitation and turning it into an arbitrary marketing tactic to double down on FOMO.

There's an unfortunately recurring theme of taking what should be easy wins and doing odd things that unnecessarily detract from that (see also the Anniversary style pages not dropping for some people after far too many hours of grinding).

The FOMO thing is what really gets me. I'll praise ZOS where it's due and they're doing good stuff, but this goes COMPLETELY against the FOMO tactics that stuff like the Gold Coast Bazaar is supposed to alliveiate. And again, yes, it's nothing really expensive or special or unqiue or anything, but that's not the point. It's that there's no reason to further limit a bundle that already has an expiration date.

I want to give the benefit of the doubt and say maybe it's a coding issue, but iirc haven't gift bundles you claim via a code in the past NOT been limited to X number of accounts? The only one I can think of that has been was the NVIDIA promo with the one Elk Mount.

Thrasher91604 · March 12

And these items don't stack with previously acquired items. Why ZoS?

AcadianPaladin · March 12

1. As others have said, the items do stack but, for some odd reason, only after you log, change locations and come back or such - then they stack fine.

2. As @DenverRalphy suggested, I suspect the 'limited supply' is ZoS joking around. Hard to have a limited supply of pixels.

Thrasher91604 · March 12

Yep, when I changed character they stacked in the bank. Very odd, but at least they stack now.

Syldras · March 12

Arunei wrote: »

I want to give the benefit of the doubt and say maybe it's a coding issue, but iirc haven't gift bundles you claim via a code in the past NOT been limited to X number of accounts? The only one I can think of that has been was the NVIDIA promo with the one Elk Mount.

Nah.

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/67911

Arunei · March 13

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

1. As others have said, the items do stack but, for some odd reason, only after you log, change locations and come back or such - then they stack fine.

2. As @DenverRalphy suggested, I suspect the 'limited supply' is ZoS joking around. Hard to have a limited supply of pixels.

Except they HAVE limited digital things before. The Elk Mount from the NVIDIA GEForce NOW promo was limited availablily, and someone right above me just pointed out another instance where rewards for a free thing were limited availability.

Also it being a joke literally makes 0 sense. Why bother saying it twice? Why put it in the article AND in the graphic? Nothing indicates it's said in a joking manner. And again, they've done this before, so I highly doubt it's just them being cheeky.

Syldras wrote: »

Arunei wrote: »

I want to give the benefit of the doubt and say maybe it's a coding issue, but iirc haven't gift bundles you claim via a code in the past NOT been limited to X number of accounts? The only one I can think of that has been was the NVIDIA promo with the one Elk Mount.

Nah.

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/67911

Ah, ty, I didn't know about that one as I wasn't really playing in 2025 (had a variety of irl issues that kept me from doing too much with the game during that period).

tsaescishoeshiner · March 13

I think there are legal and customary reasons behind not leading people to believe something free is unlimited. And either way, it certainly doesn't make too much difference to any player to have a theoretical total limit.

spartaxoxo · March 13

I don't recall anyone ever complaining that they tried to claim a code within the correct timeframe and it told them it had run out. I very much doubt that it can actually be reached. But, idk.

Personofsecrets · March 13

I believe that there was an emote through some alienware program and their seemed to be continuously more codes available after it first seemed like codes were running out.

Soarora · March 13

Danikat wrote: »

Now I feel kind of bad for using the code. I didn't really want any of the items (especially the research scrolls, those are useless to me) but I thought I might as well get it since it's free and there's some stuff I could use. But now I feel like I'm depriving someone who could actually benefit from all of it but didn't see the message in time.

(I know it's still available now, but if there's a finite number for some inexplicable reason, I've still 'wasted' a code someone else could have had.)

Yeah, I didn’t notice the limited redemptions and now I don’t want to claim it. Only thing I’d want is the 50 transmute and I can get that much in a day.

Arunei · March 13

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I don't recall anyone ever complaining that they tried to claim a code within the correct timeframe and it told them it had run out. I very much doubt that it can actually be reached. But, idk.

Then what's the point of it even being limited? Like I said before, if the number of redemptions is so high it's unlikely it will ever be reached, then why even have that limit? It doesn't make sense.

Either the number is low enough that it CAN be reached and people can miss out, in which case that flies in the face of them trying to combat FOMO, or it's high enough that it can't be reached, in which case there's not even any point to it being limited redemption on top of expiring in a few months.

LootAllTheStuff · March 13

Arunei wrote: »

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I don't recall anyone ever complaining that they tried to claim a code within the correct timeframe and it told them it had run out. I very much doubt that it can actually be reached. But, idk.

Then what's the point of it even being limited? Like I said before, if the number of redemptions is so high it's unlikely it will ever be reached, then why even have that limit? It doesn't make sense.

Either the number is low enough that it CAN be reached and people can miss out, in which case that flies in the face of them trying to combat FOMO, or it's high enough that it can't be reached, in which case there's not even any point to it being limited redemption on top of expiring in a few months.

I suspect @tsaescishoeshiner is correct and the "limited" notation is there solely to comply with legislation initially drafted for physical item giveaways. In Canada, if there was indeed a hard cap to the number of users who could claim bundles, that specific value would have to be declared.

twisttop138 · March 13

Arunei wrote: »

AcadianPaladin wrote: »

1. As others have said, the items do stack but, for some odd reason, only after you log, change locations and come back or such - then they stack fine.

2. As @DenverRalphy suggested, I suspect the 'limited supply' is ZoS joking around. Hard to have a limited supply of pixels.

Except they HAVE limited digital things before. The Elk Mount from the NVIDIA GEForce NOW promo was limited availablily, and someone right above me just pointed out another instance where rewards for a free thing were limited availability.

Also it being a joke literally makes 0 sense. Why bother saying it twice? Why put it in the article AND in the graphic? Nothing indicates it's said in a joking manner. And again, they've done this before, so I highly doubt it's just them being cheeky.

Syldras wrote: »

Arunei wrote: »

I want to give the benefit of the doubt and say maybe it's a coding issue, but iirc haven't gift bundles you claim via a code in the past NOT been limited to X number of accounts? The only one I can think of that has been was the NVIDIA promo with the one Elk Mount.

Nah.

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/67911

Ah, ty, I didn't know about that one as I wasn't really playing in 2025 (had a variety of irl issues that kept me from doing too much with the game during that period).

I get what you're saying, and I've been super critical of Zos recently. But I'm having a hard time with looking at this like they're doing it maliciously. That's all I'm saying. As for fomo, we all know Zos loves their fomo. No matter what they say, they will continue to use it as a tactic. Gold coast bazzar does nothing to eliminate that. That said, this is a free gift. It gains them nothing to make us fear missing out on what is mostly daily log in stuff we've been saying is junk forever. It's obviously not all the items, but this just seems like a nice gesture to make up for this month of transition, like the golden pursuit giving the seals that we could e earned this month.

L_Nici · March 13

Its probably just a legal thing to mention, that there is not unlimited Redemptions. The number is probably skyhigh and can't be reached, but they have to say it.

spartaxoxo · March 13

Arunei wrote: »

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I don't recall anyone ever complaining that they tried to claim a code within the correct timeframe and it told them it had run out. I very much doubt that it can actually be reached. But, idk.

Then what's the point of it even being limited? Like I said before, if the number of redemptions is so high it's unlikely it will ever be reached, then why even have that limit? It doesn't make sense.

Either the number is low enough that it CAN be reached and people can miss out, in which case that flies in the face of them trying to combat FOMO, or it's high enough that it can't be reached, in which case there's not even any point to it being limited redemption on top of expiring in a few months.

Sometimes these things come down to tech things/legal stuff and not anything players have to be worried about.

For example, and I'm just speculating here, they might have to put in a number on their side just because they need one for the system to work. So they pick something stupid high so that it's won't actually be an issue. And then, since it's not unlimited, they have to declare that based on some countries rules about these things. Could be something as simple as that. Even though we'll never reach it.

LootAllTheStuff · March 13

spartaxoxo wrote: »

Arunei wrote: »

spartaxoxo wrote: »

I don't recall anyone ever complaining that they tried to claim a code within the correct timeframe and it told them it had run out. I very much doubt that it can actually be reached. But, idk.

Then what's the point of it even being limited? Like I said before, if the number of redemptions is so high it's unlikely it will ever be reached, then why even have that limit? It doesn't make sense.

Either the number is low enough that it CAN be reached and people can miss out, in which case that flies in the face of them trying to combat FOMO, or it's high enough that it can't be reached, in which case there's not even any point to it being limited redemption on top of expiring in a few months.

Sometimes these things come down to tech things/legal stuff and not anything players have to be worried about.

For example, and I'm just speculating here, they might have to put in a number on their side just because they need one for the system to work. So they pick something stupid high so that it's won't actually be an issue. And then, since it's not unlimited, they have to declare that based on some countries rules about these things. Could be something as simple as that. Even though we'll never reach it.

It's probably set to whatever MAX_UINT64 is, although I think MAX_UINT32 would likely work just as well.

katanagirl1 · March 13

Danikat wrote: »

Now I feel kind of bad for using the code. I didn't really want any of the items (especially the research scrolls, those are useless to me) but I thought I might as well get it since it's free and there's some stuff I could use. But now I feel like I'm depriving someone who could actually benefit from all of it but didn't see the message in time.

(I know it's still available now, but if there's a finite number for some inexplicable reason, I've still 'wasted' a code someone else could have had.)

This is how I first felt when reading this. I didn’t know what was going to be in the rewards when I claimed it, and it was stuff I really didn’t need right now so I banked it. I hope someone who could use those now isn’t deprived of a reward.