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[US] No Prepaid Time Cards Until End of April...Really?

CrimsonThomas
CrimsonThomas
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I am a huge fan of The Elder Scrolls Online, and I am grateful for the time I was allowed to participate in the closed beta sessions, and I am extremely satisfied with my pre-purchased Digital Imperial Edition copy. However, now that Early Access is over, and that I've been locked out of my game since I haven't been able to set up a subscription plan yet, I find myself left feeling rather ambivalent.

My plan from the very start was to maintain my account's subscription to TESO through the use of the promised Prepaid Time Cards. I have the money, but I don't and will not use a credit/debit card for this subscription, so let's get that argument out of the way and over before it can start: I have money, but the use of credit/debit cards is not an option I am going to choose. Period.

After spending a few days checking around all of the game and electronic stores in my area, it is very clear that these Prepaid Time Cards, while promised to be available to players at release, are most-certainly not and won't be until the end of April. This leaves players planning to use Prepaid Time Cards locked out of the game until the stores in their area eventually receive shipments of them, which could be over a month.

People at Zenimax Online Studios, don't get me wrong. I'm loving this game even more than I did during my time with the beta, but this is simply a deplorable business practice. I want to give the company the benefit of the doubt and say that this was a simply oversight or unplanned snag in product shipping, but I can't see myself believing that nobody saw that there wouldn't be any Prepaid Time Cards available at release or a month after the game's release, leaving those players to miss out on content and fall behind in playerbase progression.

I'll be eagerly waiting for Prepaid Time Cards to reach my area, as I still have every desire to play The Elder Scrolls Online, but today I actually found myself second-guessing my future decision because of what seems like deception on Zenimax's part.

Please don't ban my account for saying something here. I'm a huge fan of this game and of all of the work ZOS has put into creating it, but I am extremely frustrated that I just spent $80 on a game I can't play because of a situation leaving me feeling misled.

If an option to purchase a Digital Prepaid Time Card (same price for those 60 days offered on a physical card) were added to this website's online store, this whole ordeal would be solved instantly for countless players. Please consider this. Please, let us buy our days online the same way we bought our game online, which allowed the use of prepaid credit cards.

Best regards,
- CrimsonThomas
Edited by CrimsonThomas on April 7, 2014 10:38PM
"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it."

- Proverbs 3:27

[Ebonheart Pact] [Imperial] [Nightblade]

-Sanguine's Tester-
  • BOSPaladin
    You don't think it's weird that you won't put your credit card details in to activate a subscription, but you will put your credit card details in to the very same company to purchase 60 days at a time instead of 30 if they made it available? Ok.
  • Micklo
    Micklo
    Same situation here in Europe, its quite an unbeliveble situation, we bought the game but now we are locked out from it.
  • CrimsonThomas
    CrimsonThomas
    ✭✭✭
    BOSPaladin wrote: »
    You don't think it's weird that you won't put your credit card details in to activate a subscription, but you will put your credit card details in to the very same company to purchase 60 days at a time instead of 30 if they made it available? Ok.

    You misunderstood what my post was saying. I didn't and do not plan on using my credit card for any of this. I used a prepaid Visa card to purchase the game, and the end of my post harbored request to allow the same privilege for purchasing the 60 days of game time.
    Edited by CrimsonThomas on April 7, 2014 10:36PM
    "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    When it is in your power to do it."

    - Proverbs 3:27

    [Ebonheart Pact] [Imperial] [Nightblade]

    -Sanguine's Tester-
  • Moobs
    Moobs
    ✭✭✭
    BOSPaladin wrote: »
    You don't think it's weird that you won't put your credit card details in to activate a subscription, but you will put your credit card details in to the very same company to purchase 60 days at a time instead of 30 if they made it available? Ok.

    So true!
  • CrimsonThomas
    CrimsonThomas
    ✭✭✭
    Moobs wrote: »
    So true!

    See my post above you.
    "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    When it is in your power to do it."

    - Proverbs 3:27

    [Ebonheart Pact] [Imperial] [Nightblade]

    -Sanguine's Tester-
  • Samadhi
    Samadhi
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    ✭✭✭
    http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/discussion/71681/where-to-enter-paysafecard-code-for-subscription

    Was wanting to use Game Time Cards --> None in my area.
    Decided to use PaySafeCard --> No option available to enter it on the site.

    Waiting for a call from Customer Support for a Phone Ticket I submitted...6-7 hours ago now.

    I want to get back to playing, but I am instead left feeling discouraged.
    Edited by Samadhi on April 7, 2014 10:41PM
    "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -- the 14th Dalai Lama
    Wisdom is doing Now that which benefits you later.
  • BOSPaladin
    Then couldn't you use a prepaid visa to activate sub, then cancel sub immediately? It should allow refund.

    I realize it's not totally ideal but it's probably a quicker solution than waiting for CS response with all that's going on.
  • CrimsonThomas
    CrimsonThomas
    ✭✭✭
    BOSPaladin wrote: »
    Then couldn't you use a prepaid visa to activate sub, then cancel sub immediately? It should allow refund.

    I realize it's not totally ideal but it's probably a quicker solution than waiting for CS response with all that's going on.

    The subscription system does not accept prepaid credit cards, only valid credit cards (and understandably so). Even if it did, I would be more fearful of the potential repercussions for what would essentially be "gaming the system" at that point, which would be a gross violation of the Terms of Service agreement.
    Edited by CrimsonThomas on April 7, 2014 10:52PM
    "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
    When it is in your power to do it."

    - Proverbs 3:27

    [Ebonheart Pact] [Imperial] [Nightblade]

    -Sanguine's Tester-
  • NombreDeLaBeast
    The whole point is that people want to use time cards. It says in the little wall of text we agreed to that time cards would be a viable method of payment. (it also said nothing about having to purchase or authorize to get the free 30 days but that is another can of worms that has been discussed many times.) I do not have a credit card, due to unforeseen events in the past I no longer have access to paypal. So All my stuff is in money form only (and other online stuff is not viable...since I have no card). In order for me to use a pre paid visa or whatnot this ONE time before the time cards are released I will have to pay an additional fee in order to get something that should have been ready launch day.

    The people that say that time card...ers should get over it are not thinking of the reasons that one may or may not want to use a credit card for this transaction even though it is only an "authorization hold".

    I want to support this game, I m having much more fun than I thought I would have, but because I cannot get a time card until the end of the month...i am boned...hardcore...yeah.
  • rayvn03b14_ESO
    rayvn03b14_ESO
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    I've said it elsewhere, but I'm pretty sure that the delay in time cards is to grab as many subs as they can before people start using cards. Kind of scummy, though good for business I guess.
  • JadedZerg
    JadedZerg
    gotta get dem sub numbas na meen
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