I can only agree with all this, and also on the game part, the GAME itself works and performs MUCH better then other mmo's launches I've seen, and seems to become even better once you get deeper into it, but the account system, where they handle you know...people's money. 1+1 = -2 apparently in that system.
Darkstar4758 wrote: »I am actually surprised as to how stupid some people on here can be to not even know what half of us are even upset about... like is it that hard to grasp of a concept?
I know exactly what you are upset about, but I simply don't agree with it. Bottom line is you purchased a game that is p2p and now you are upset about having to pay. Sure their billing system could use a little work, but I don't remember the last p2p game I've played where I didn't have to setup a payment plan prior to access.
The only thing different here is pre-authorization, and I'll once again say that I don't blame ZOS for this. In a perfect world pre-authorization wouldn't be necessary but unfortunately we live in a reality where everyone is trying to get something for free. It's why you see pre-auth on just about EVERYTHING now, why renters are often required to supply the security deposit AND first and last month's rent, and why most places refuse paper checks these days. A "promise of payment" isn't what it used to be ... now days there needs to be something behind it, otherwise you are likely to get ripped.
I'll also once again say that I'm extremely sorry you can't access your game, and I hope it works out for you. I understand the frustration and why you're all angry, but think about it from an economic standpoint. Maybe ZOS took things too far, but can you REALLY fault them for trying to protect their assets?
Darkstar4758 wrote: »vangelis866eb17_ESO wrote: »If their goal was to protect their assets then
1. They should be clear about it before launch
2. Somebody has to get fired because what they managed to do is loose more subscribers, current or potential, over a weekend than any other mmo did.
I won't fault you on #1 ... better communication could have thwarted this entire issue. I'm all for enabling people to make informed decisions.
As far as #2 goes, I seriously doubt they have lost more subs over a weekend than any other mmo did. Seriously doubt that ... at least the game works. I could be wrong, but we won't know for sure until the dust from launch settles and the real damage can be assessed.
To me it feels like they are insecure about the product they released and thus they are trying to secure early revenue knowing that when all the bugs and errors come to light they will lose most of it. It shows me the company is weak and insecure, and nothing more.
Calistrasza wrote: »
Good luck with it. I used a disposable credit card, so I'm pretty sure that money's completely lost (disposable meaning it's a 1-time use number). Ah well. Live and learn, I suppose.
vangelis866eb17_ESO wrote: »
To me it feels like they are insecure about the product they released and thus they are trying to secure early revenue knowing that when all the bugs and errors come to light they will lose most of it. It shows me the company is weak and insecure, and nothing more.
I dont think thats the issue. Bugs are the easiest thing to fix and so far the game has enough content to keep players for at least two months. Hell, pvp alone is enough. And I dont understand how they couldnt predict that this would crete a problem. 5 days now and not a sigle statement, to say at least that it was poor planning and they apologize or something. So honestly I dont know what they were thinking.
Fourteen hours and roughly 20 minutes. I was waiting. (Okay, I kid a little; I slept for about six hours in the middle.)(NA server was down for over 12 hours during pre-release).
Eh...their charge doesn't show up as a hold on my account, it shows up as a withdrawal.lepit665b14_ESO wrote: »We want everyone who purchased ESO to have immediate access to the included 30 days of ESO game time. In the event that you enter your payment information for authorization and the transaction cancels due to lack of funds in your account, please contact our Support Team. We’ll work with you to ensure you have access to your included 30 days of game time.
Support's Answer after 3 days of runaround? Buy a game card!!!!! I am sick of half truths from this company.
cvghosteb17_ESO wrote: »To everyone who still does not understand what's happening:
1. Read the below text word by word
2. You are not being charged at the time when you set up a subscription
3. Zenimax Online does not receive a cent from you at the time when you set up a subscription
4. All that happens is that you Credit/Debit/PayPal card is being asked whether the information you provided is valid, and being asked whether you do or do not have the amount that will be billed ( unless cancelled ) after the free 30 days
5. IF your bank is blocking the money in question, from the authorization process, it's just your bank being your bank, and as your bank being lazy and not having implemented an authorization reversal
6. Thus the 30 days FREE you get with your copy, at a price of you having to give ZOS your payment details, are, and I can't stress this enough, REALLY ARE FREE
7. The authorization amount on your account will be available to you after some period, determined by your bank
8. Please, please, please understand that the money never left your bank account
9. If you still don't understand this, start from the top.
Guess what, my bank is what we call a low-operating-cost bank. They are holding to that money from the auth also. My previous bank did the same thing, even tho it was a multi-multi-billion institute.
My previous experience coming from World of Warcraft and many $1 trial subscriptions to *** sites, where they pre-auth the full sub plan in addition to that $1
ZOS, the title is misleading and confusing many clueless people
This is how support solved my case (for real)
I will just repeat the post i wrote earlier, in this tread, so that you can have your chances to read this as I think it may be helpful.
If this can help i was in your same situation. The solution came today but i couldn't play yesterday. Thou support was going faster than usually 13-15 hours ago.
What I did is make a ticket explaining my situation and being kind.
I got 4-5 copy pasted answer too, but i didn't mind and i answered those explaining again the situation. I also asked for phone support that called me an escalated my ticket.
Than i was asked more account (game) details in order to give them authorization to check on it.
After that they asked me the game key in order to redeem it for me.
This is important: ask them when they will ask you for the key if they can add you a compensatory day in order to set your account status in Active - non-Recurring or you will get your key redeemed but you will still need to set up a subscription plan.
I still donno if this status will change after the compensatory day ends. Is something i will check tomorrow.
Hope this can help,
me and my boyfriend were able to play today.
Good luck!
How is this an acceptable practice if a person does not want to continue with a subscription plan after one month of game time? This practice forces gamers to commit to a subscription plan they may not want, as well as forces financial information that may have no relevance to their game play in ESO.
Why does one need a valid payment method if one has nothing to buy?
I have another question. This is what is stated obviously when you purchase the product:
30 days of game time included
Subscription and account for The Elder Scrolls Online required
A persistent internet connection is required to play
So a subscription is required beyond the 30 days of game time. Interestingly, I suppose when I bought the game I assumed the 30 days of game time was the subscription. Who knows.
Anyway nowhere there does it state that if you buy the game you will be required to pay something or provide CC information in order to play the entitled 30 days game time. Does it state it somewhere else that I missed, like in small print?
At present I am blocked from playing the game because I cancelled my subscription plan. I don't really want to commit to a subscription plan when i am not ready to commit to it because it's too easy to forget and then get charged. I sent in a support ticket but to not be able to play time I paid for, I don't like that.
As an aside, I keep hearing people say the 30 days game time is "free". It really wasn't free. It's not "free trial" of any sort. We paid for it, as part of the game package.
I pre-ordered the game but I promptly returned it, unopened. I had opened a ticket asking why the authorization charge in the amount of a full sub, but kept getting canned responses. Finally, I accused the CSR of either failing to understand my question or circumventing the answer (why is the fee charged before the 30 days free time, and why is it for the full sub amount?). I got a lightning fast reply. The CSR stated flat out that they were not trying to circumvent the answer and that they honestly did not know why the full amount was "pre-authorized". They then gave me a game key for 1 day of time. Well, I re-purchased the game. This time, through the zeni site and I paid with PayPal. My account only shows the $59.99 for the game. They have not withdrawn the "pre-authorizaton" charge as of yet, even though I did set up the monthly sub when I purchased the game.
I am religiously checking PayPal to see if they have charged me the $14.99, and will keep doing so until I am certain it's not coming out. So far, so good. In my case, ordering from the site directly and paying with PayPal via instant transfer was the answer. Hope this helps someone....
Good luck all. Will let you know how it turns out in the end.
OH... It is showing a full 30 days on the account, which is probably the 29 plus the complimentary day they gave me...
cvghosteb17_ESO wrote: »To everyone who still does not understand what's happening:
1. Read the below text word by word
2. You are not being charged at the time when you set up a subscription
3. Zenimax Online does not receive a cent from you at the time when you set up a subscription
4. All that happens is that you Credit/Debit/PayPal card is being asked whether the information you provided is valid, and being asked whether you do or do not have the amount that will be billed ( unless cancelled ) after the free 30 days
5. IF your bank is blocking the money in question, from the authorization process, it's just your bank being your bank, and as your bank being lazy and not having implemented an authorization reversal
6. Thus the 30 days FREE you get with your copy, at a price of you having to give ZOS your payment details, are, and I can't stress this enough, REALLY ARE FREE
7. The authorization amount on your account will be available to you after some period, determined by your bank
8. Please, please, please understand that the money never left your bank account
9. If you still don't understand this, start from the top.
Guess what, my bank is what we call a low-operating-cost bank. They are holding to that money from the auth also. My previous bank did the same thing, even tho it was a multi-multi-billion institute.
My previous experience coming from World of Warcraft and many $1 trial subscriptions to *** sites, where they pre-auth the full sub plan in addition to that $1
ZOS, the title is misleading and confusing many clueless people
Yeah but people have money in their accounts, then they don't have money in their account meanwhile they still can't play and the money doesn't come back. That isn't my issue but it is some peoples issues. I don't participate in the banking system so I was going to use cash to buy a time card but they have not released any time cardscvghosteb17_ESO wrote: »6. Thus the 30 days FREE you get with your copy, at a price of you having to give ZOS your payment details, are, and I can't stress this enough, REALLY ARE FREE
My previous experience coming from World of Warcraft and many $1 trial subscriptions to *** sites, where they pre-auth the full sub plan in addition to that $1
ToS point 5. Note that in update 1.0.2 they changed something.I was looking for that to back up my claim and couldn't find it so I assumed ZOS removed it. Where did you find it?
gazumpipes wrote: »After logging numerous calls finally someone responded to me over email requesting security information from me in order to make sure I am the valid account holder. I responded quickly to the email in the hopes that I get some assistance. Its been almost 24 hours since and I have not heard back from anyone at all.
echodelta31 wrote: »Just a heads up for people. Been reading this thread since the beginning and had the same problem as many of you. Tried 2 different cards to subscribe, but both failed due to lack of funds.
I didn't contact support, mainly out of principle that it's not my mess to sort out. Was starting to get fed up with no real responses, but I just tried again on the accounts page.
CARD ACCEPTED! And it's a cash account card...it can't go overdrawn and it certainly doesn't have the funds in it for a sub (at the moment).
But it worked and it didn't work the other day. Looks like some things have changed.
Zenimax, if you did something your end, thank you so much. But you might reduce the backlash slightly if you tell people to try again...
PS...just to add that initially I was worried as the subscription went through, only to leave the screen showing '0 days remaining'. Once I cancelled the sub (so I can properly set it up when I know there are funds in there), it reverted to '29 days remaining'.