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Not Free 30 day subscription with purchase

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
First off I apologise if this has been posted before. I used the search engine and didnt see any other posts on this subject.

So I go out and buy the box set STO at best buy and I was told that I could not have access to my Free 30 day play time unless I either give them Billing information (Credit Card info) or purchase a 60 day time card.

I argued to the customer service rep that I did not have a Credit Card and did not want to go out and spend additional money on a pre-paid credit card (wich is about $30 US dollars) or buy a 60 day game card (another $30 US dollars) to have access to something that is supposed to be Free with my purchase especially since I can not return the STO game back to the vendor.

In Cryptics defense, it does say on the box that a subscription is required. But it doesnt say that a credit card or game card is required to activate it. I was under the impression that the subscriprion was free with the $50 purchase.

In the end I decided to go ahead and buy a 60 day game card since Best Buy would not take the game back. I was already out 50 dollars that I was never going to get back anyway.

I know I am scum for not having a credit card, but this seems wrong to me. Why would they demand Billing Information and deny access to something that is supposed to be Free with purchase?

Has anyone else had this problem?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Yes, this his how all MMOs work. If you dont want a CC, then go down to your local bank and ask for a debit card. Its just like writing a check, except you can use it like a CC. You can use it to activate your account and then cancel before the free month is over and never be billed if you dont like the game.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    ALL mmo's are like this, not one of them is different in that respect. If you had a credit card, bank card(with visa/mastercard), you would NOT have been charged for 30 days after the fact, and if you wanted the free time, you could have cancelled it the moment AFTER you input in the information.

    Reason for this is also unclear to me as well.....However its not new, everquest was like this 1999, WOW, EQ2, AoC, etc......this mmo model has been and always shall be.....your friend...opps been watching wrath of khan too much..
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    It's a common practice in all MMOs. I've never played one that didn't require a CC, even if you had no plans to resub. There are a lot of account issues that go into place because of this. For example, account theft can't be proven if there's no way of identifying the owner. A CC number is one burden of proof. They also want to make sure the person playing for the month isn't a Gold Seller doing so to make a profit.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    correct. There is no free 30 days with purchase. You get 30 days of game time included with your purchase.
    You have to have an active subscription to play.

    If you don't want a subscription then in order to access your 30 days you need to activate a subscription with any payment method you choose. No payment is taken at this time. After you have activated your retail key and subscription you can then cancel it without being charged but continue to pay the 30 days that were included in the purchase price of your game.

    you could have simply activated your account with an active Paypal account which would have cost you a refundable $1.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I understand what everyone is saying and respect all of your responses.

    I guess its just that Ive never had this problem before. Ive only really played WoW and Champions Online. With both of those games they handle the activation of a subscription the same way. Either with a CC or a Game card.

    With both of those games I simply called the Customer Service and told them that I was only interested in the free 30 day game time and they both promptly activated my account for me.

    But this was not the case with STO. These guys simply woulndt budge.

    I still think its dirty for a company to want access to a customers credit card information to have access to an item that is supposed to be free access for a month
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    So I just bought this game yesterday. Updated it for like 4 hours and I can't play it? The reason that I bought it was for the 30 days, because the demo gets boring after doing nothing after awhile. So now I have to spend more money on a subscription card. Mmmmmm I believe that Cryptic fails at informing its customers at what is really needed. :mad:
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Petroph wrote: »
    So I just bought this game yesterday. Updated it for like 4 hours and I can't play it? The reason that I bought it was for the 30 days, because the demo gets boring after doing nothing after awhile. So now I have to spend more money on a subscription card. Mmmmmm I believe that Cryptic fails at informing its customers at what is really needed. :mad:

    no. You don't have to buy a game card at all. You just have to activate a subscription with either a credit card or via paypal. Game cards are for those without that option.
    All you have to do is activate your sub with Paypal. Nothing will be charged. Your 30 days become active. IF you play after that 30 days your paypal will be charged. Unless you cancel your subscription the same time you activate it in which case you get your 30 days and no more.

    in short, set up a sub, no charge is made. Cancel it. Your 30 days remain.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Sizman wrote:
    ALL mmo's are like this, not one of them is different in that respect. If you had a credit card, bank card(with visa/mastercard), you would NOT have been charged for 30 days after the fact, and if you wanted the free time, you could have cancelled it the moment AFTER you input in the information.

    Reason for this is also unclear to me as well.....However its not new, everquest was like this 1999, WOW, EQ2, AoC, etc......this mmo model has been and always shall be.....your friend...opps been watching wrath of khan too much..

    Not all MMOs. I bought a new EVE account and I was not required to enter my credit card information. There is an account creation fee (the game is "free", if you use a game card for this, you sacrifice a few days of gameplay) and after your 30 days you can use your credit- or game card.

    But most other games I've encountered do require you to use a credit- or game card. Not sure about SWG though.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Petroph wrote: »
    So I just bought this game yesterday. Updated it for like 4 hours and I can't play it? The reason that I bought it was for the 30 days, because the demo gets boring after doing nothing after awhile. So now I have to spend more money on a subscription card. Mmmmmm I believe that Cryptic fails at informing its customers at what is really needed. :mad:

    WHo's referal did you use?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    910burns wrote: »
    WHo's referal did you use?


    he did not say that he used anybody's referral and it does not benefit him to do so.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    If one purchases the boxed version of the game, it clearly states on the back of the box "Paid Subscription Required - 30 Days Game Time Included". So, if you can't pay for a subscription, why would you PURCHASE the retail game. It is very helpful if you read what is required on the outside of boxes before you buy.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    Jax9999 wrote:
    I know I am scum for not having a credit card, but this seems wrong to me. Why would they demand Billing Information and deny access to something that is supposed to be Free with purchase?

    you’re not scum for not having a CC and if anyone say that or something to that effect then they are the one with the issue. I hate that people feel they need to say thing like that just to placate those that would scoff at the fact that someone doesn’t have a CC
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    you’re not scum for not having a CC and if anyone say that or something to that effect then they are the one with the issue. I hate that people feel they need to say thing like that just to placate those that would scoff at the fact that someone doesn’t have a CC

    he said it about himself. 2 months ago.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited May 2010
    This is how MMORPG's have worked, since the first MMORPG's that charged a monthly subscription, came out.

    Be lucky that Cryptic even offers a game time card option. It sucks if you don't own a CC, I know from experience from years ago but its the way MMO's work sadly. Little research / knowledge of MMORPG's shows this.
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