For everyone saying that we should have purchased the digital copy because blah, blah, screw you. I wanted the top tier edition of this game because I loved what I played and have anticipated it for a long time now. I played the betas, defended it at every damn turn, and wanted to celebrate the purchase and launch by getting all the awesome items their top edition offered. The statue and the lore book look incredible.

Because of that, I don't get the game time I was hoping for. I have no issue paying the subscription, giving them whatever payment information they want. I can't, and the retailers wont do anything, Zenimax wont do anything. This sucks, and it could have all been prevented by setting up the ability to send out whatever access codes are needed to retailers when orders ship.

I love this game, I'm going to wait, I'm going to pay my sub when it comes time and deal with whatever I have to. I haven't had a gaming experience when playing this in a very long time. I can't help but feel shafted though. There was no other way for me to get the awesome box set they offered other than going with a retail copy. Digital copy wasn't a decision, not if I wanted the great items being offered and promoted. Just *** guys, this sucks.

Sharee wrote: »

Read his post again. He explained how it is possible to have an early access code without actually paying anything. For people like that, "extending grace period" does equal "free".

While it would be "free" to those in the 'pre-order then cancel' group. This approach is akin to throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

When company policies interfere with the normal customer base, like what you've seen in EA, Bliz, Ubi, etc. you lose respect and customers. If this list adds another notch to it, I'll have to do without Fallout4 as well.

"Sadly we do not have access to the game codes from third party retailers and we have no information on any issues with Gamestop at this time. If you would like a call back, please let us know. At that time we may have more information or a workaround to get you up and running."

My response in the CS survey after receiving this email saying that Zeni has no options in regard to non-Zeni purchases:

Many, many people are now booted from the game for several days due to several retail purchases of the CE not arriving until mid-week. The phone and email responses I've received from Zenimax have been unhelpful. I have been told that I would only able to receive their help if I had purchased directly from the site. The physical CE version was not available from the Zenimax site when I preordered back in January, and Gamestop was an "authorized" retailer. You are punishing your potentially most-devoted fans (those who wanted the CE) with this decision regarding no overlap of product code and early access.

PlagueMonk wrote: »

And I really don't think you understand the situation or position we are in.

We have already stated numerous times that we do not WANT free time. There was a reason why i used the wording, "extending the grace period" that does not equal "free"

All Zenimax has to do is, extend the grace period for entering the code by a week and then begin our 30 days on next log in. This will resolve 99% of the problem people are having with getting their physical copies.

So (if Zenimax theoretically gives and extension) I would say start playing tomorrow and then enter the key on Friday, I will STILL have used up 5 of my 30 days.

I think you are missing my point, let me try again. Lets say I go to best Buy and pre-order the Imperial pack, that costs me $5 BTW to do with the balance paid at pickup.

Now the system at Best Buy I setup that I can cancel that pre-order on the day of pickup if I so choose. However I have already had my early start. So if the system you suggest is used then that same person could claim they have not yet gotten their physical copy due to whatever reasons and that they need their game started now.

This can be done still with the refund being issued since they are showing on the Zenimax database as having an early access code. This means they could see up to a two weeks of totally free play based on the scenario you have described.

Personally I think this was handled wrong from the start but the issues are actually normal if you go back to the early days of MMOs with physical copies and subscription fees. To many MMO players today either have not gotten that much experience with MMOs or have chosen to forget those days. We are in a world of F2P and so this approach does not seem right when so many can just go play a free game within an hour of signing up.

Now let me be clear I sympathies with the people that are legitimately stuck due to the shipping issues. This sucks to no end I and understand the frustration. However blaming Zenimax for a shipping issue from Amazon makes no sense. Amazon got the game with plenty of time to ship, if they held off to long or if the person buying the game took the cheapest shipping approach that is NOT the fault of Zenimax, that is the nature of buying a physical copy off the internet.

Rule of thumb, if you need a Physical copy, buy it at a store that is local. Otherwise digital direct from the company is the best way to go.

Mopar63 wrote: »

I think you are missing my point, let me try again. Lets say I go to best Buy and pre-order the Imperial pack, that costs me $5 BTW to do with the balance paid at pickup.

Now the system at Best Buy I setup that I can cancel that pre-order on the day of pickup if I so choose. However I have already had my early start. So if the system you suggest is used then that same person could claim they have not yet gotten their physical copy due to whatever reasons and that they need their game started now.

This can be done still with the refund being issued since they are showing on the Zenimax database as having an early access code. This means they could see up to a two weeks of totally free play based on the scenario you have described.

If that is how Zenimax is rationalizing alienating their most devote fans, this speaks volumes.

Who cares if a few people get to play the game for free for a few additional days? The Early Access did not prevent them from playing. It works in their favor to give them MORE access because it will make it much more likely for them to actually purchase the game.

In fact, this is now putting those who are receiving the game to immediately return it.

Four pages later and still no sensible response from anyone with authority.

Whose fault it is - Amazon, ZOS, Best Buy, Waldo, Dr. Who - really doesn't matter at this point. I think a lot would be resolved already if someone with some kind of authority made an official statement that filled us in so we can all be on the same page. And no, I'm not talking about a:

"We're working on it."

For the $100 - 130 each of us spent, we deserve much more than that.

By the way, I did indeed pay to have my game on time. I paid for 1 day shipping which was guaranteed but not delivered. Despite many hours on the phone with Amazon I was refused any kind of compensation for this failure.

Regarding those with digital editions - It would be somewhat understandable for you to feel the situation is unfair if we got "free days" as you put it. But, what most of us are asking for and are willing to accept as an alternative is the ability to either pay now for a sub while we are forced to wait for the promised product or start our 30 days now. Put yourselves in our shoes - we paid (that we paid more than anyone else is moot at this point) and are now sitting empty handed. There is no justice in this.

Saint_JiubB14_ESO wrote: »

well nobody tagged @ZOS_JessicaFolsom so you won't get much attention.

I think there are certain legal reasons why nobody can explain the issues. Also why I don't deal with amazon unless I must.

Most of us dealt with Amazon because we trusted them over other sellers listed on the website as the only available sources for the physical collectors edition. I would have purchased from ZOS had I been given that option. Now I am being told "too bad, so sad" because I didn't purchase something that didn't exist (a CE from ZOS directly).

Mopar63 wrote: »

PlagueMonk wrote: »

And I really don't think you understand the situation or position we are in.

We have already stated numerous times that we do not WANT free time. There was a reason why i used the wording, "extending the grace period" that does not equal "free"

All Zenimax has to do is, extend the grace period for entering the code by a week and then begin our 30 days on next log in. This will resolve 99% of the problem people are having with getting their physical copies.

So (if Zenimax theoretically gives and extension) I would say start playing tomorrow and then enter the key on Friday, I will STILL have used up 5 of my 30 days.

I think you are missing my point, let me try again. Lets say I go to best Buy and pre-order the Imperial pack, that costs me $5 BTW to do with the balance paid at pickup.

Now the system at Best Buy I setup that I can cancel that pre-order on the day of pickup if I so choose. However I have already had my early start. So if the system you suggest is used then that same person could claim they have not yet gotten their physical copy due to whatever reasons and that they need their game started now.

This can be done still with the refund being issued since they are showing on the Zenimax database as having an early access code. This means they could see up to a two weeks of totally free play based on the scenario you have described.

Personally I think this was handled wrong from the start but the issues are actually normal if you go back to the early days of MMOs with physical copies and subscription fees. To many MMO players today either have not gotten that much experience with MMOs or have chosen to forget those days. We are in a world of F2P and so this approach does not seem right when so many can just go play a free game within an hour of signing up.

Now let me be clear I sympathies with the people that are legitimately stuck due to the shipping issues. This sucks to no end I and understand the frustration. However blaming Zenimax for a shipping issue from Amazon makes no sense. Amazon got the game with plenty of time to ship, if they held off to long or if the person buying the game took the cheapest shipping approach that is NOT the fault of Zenimax, that is the nature of buying a physical copy off the internet.

Rule of thumb, if you need a Physical copy, buy it at a store that is local. Otherwise digital direct from the company is the best way to go.

No, i think YOU are still missing OUR point. ZOS should have saw this coming and taken simple steps to avert it. They could have sold the CE on their site, but didn't. They could have required retailers to ship CE orders ahead of time to ensure we got access to the game. Or they could have required retailers to email our codes (like they did with the early access) to us the day the item shipped. They could apologize and save face and avoid the bad press by extending grace. So many things they could have done or could do other than than sticking their fingers in their ears and yelling; "LA LA LA LA LA! I CANT HEAR YOU SO YOU AREN'T REAL! LA LA LA LA. NOT OUR PROBLEM!"

I have to say Amazon picked up the ball and gave a free copy of the Imperial Digital to my fiancé for the botched up delivery. From my understanding it was Zenimax that botched up the supplies delivered.

Doesn't matter Amazon earned my respect when they said sorry we had to delay the delivery, it was not our fault (they were nice enough not to directly point a finger this time) but for your headaches we will give you the Imperial Digital and confirm you should receive the box sometime tomorrow that you pre-ordered.

Even though we were mad and not nice at some point, Amazon did stay in contact with us and answer EVERY TICKET and RETURNED EVERY PHONE CALL.

And that is what is important, who picked up the ball in this mess. And it was Zenimax's product, so they should of have least had a better attitude than well seems like it is YOUR problem and your are out luck.

I emailed Zenimax on Sunday morning with the same issue the rest of you have, and received a response Sunday evening asking me to call Gamestop in an attempt to get my game code, but also granting me 7 additional days of playing time that started immediately. This is a reasonable timeframe and response for the problem everyone is having, I am just sorry not everyone is having the same luck I did.

I'm sitting on hold again, with the plan to ask them for the extension (two days would do me) that I'm reading other's have received. Crossing fingers!!

EBGames couldn't help me with the game code either, but they told me I could just refuse shipment and get refunded. Frankly, the game was fun at first but quickly got bogged down with an overstuffed bank, endless trade and gold selling spam, and it really doesn't feel like an Elder Scrolls game anyway. The weapon swap and limited number of abilities are obviously because it was designed with PS4/Xbox controllers in mind.

I have an idea. To be "FAIR" to the digital buyers. Lock their butts out of the game till we can get on. How is that!

Dont get your hopes up for the 7 day extended play while your package ships, its not going to happen

I am also stuck in limbo because I wanted the physical extras. So, I paid a premium VIP price and instead of VIP backstage all access I get to lurk on my guild's voice chat and listen to them play. I, also, get to fall behind them progress wise and will most likely have to do the dungeons with a bunch of strangers instead of my friends. LAMO. Zenimax, please, reconsider doing business with Gamestop and Amazon in the future. Just because they are giant companies, doesn't ensure that they will be your best option to provide a service for your customers. If anything, it shows how little they care about your business and its success. I dearly hope your liaison with them, at bare minimum, gives their representatives a good yelling at and a threat of discontinued business in the future. This makes you look bad and your game look bad. Loss of trust and definitely a potential for lost subscribers