Blizzard Office Raided in Seoul Over Diablo III Consumer Allegations

[ghostnet]

They are entitled to being able to play a game they payed for. It's like buying a car that breaks down as soon as you drive it 5 miles down the road.

EDIT: Or like going to a movie theater, finding out they oversold the showing and refusing to refund your money when you can't get in.

Yes but you can get in, and you will eventually get in, the theatre is only temporarily oversold, and you can come back and watch the show in a day or so when they have more tickets and you get your moneys worth.

There is nothing they could do about the servers, it's not Blizzards fault, especially with that amount of people. If you saw a theatre with 7 million or so people all going in at once, i'm sure you'd have some sympathy to the theatre company, and still they manage to provide you with what you paid for with little downtime.

When you buy games that require a maintained internet connection, you shoud be prepared for server downtimes/repairs, anyone who whines about these problems and demand their money back don't deserve to play the game.

[Saturate]

This is just depressing.

First world problems much.

This. Fucking do something else with your life if the servers are down for a few hours, it's not the end of the world.

[Deleted]

The law can only be applied if the item hasn't been touched (if it hasn't been activated, that is).

Source?

There was an old trick with some Call of Duty were you could get a full refund but they would not deactivate the game code (until they noticed). Blizzard also got refund policies for D2 broken CDs even if they were few years old. You had to mail the broken CD though.

[TheWerebison]

Yes there are some people that enjoy being tortured, most people don't. They will have to act on it eventually to milk the rmah cow.

Dude. Seriously. Go away, that's the dumbest, most jaded thing I've ever read on these forums, and that's saying a LOT.

On topic...I just don't know, North Korea. If those people truly want to return the product because they find it unsatisfactory, more power to them. If they are just using that as an excuse, then fuck 'em. And yeah, I'd say that to a person in any country.

Oh, and for the people saying they should be refunded because it's a "bad game", I have this to say to you:

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHA.

And you can quote me on that. A refund because you don't like a game doesn't fly, at least not in America. If you want a refund, it better be because it's buggy as all hell, or won't play properly. Not because you don't like it. That's your own damn fault for not doing any research into a game before purchasing. Diablo 3 is fairly bug-free, if you don't count the AH. You can play the game just fine. I haven't encountered a single glitch.

But yeah, consumer rights and stuff. If they're legit, then good for them. If they're not...well, sadly, stupid people have rights, too.

[Deleted]

The law can only be applied if the item hasn't been touched (if it hasn't been activated, that is).

This probably is not the case in that country. Blizzard is very well able to properly take back a game after it has been activated simply by deactivating it for the account where the code was used. This does open up some legal possibilities for forcing refunds after activation.

If it is the case then I am sure legal experts will rule so and blizzard will get away with everything but don't be suprised if it is not the case.

[oplawlz]

The law can only be applied if the item hasn't been touched (if it hasn't been activated, that is).

Your knowledge of korean consumer law impresses me sir.

[Banzhe]

It's actions like this that stifle creativity and make games WORSE, not better. Forcing game creators to worry about so much dumb shit is hurting the industry. These people really need to grow up and think about people other than themselves.

Perhaps you just need to open your eyes, games have been released at an ever increasing rate at the cost of quality.., more times then not leaving ti consumers to think of ways to correct or improve upon the games via forums just as blizzard is doing.

The only thing game creators are forced to is not released unfinished products, yet they chose to do exactly that so they can then turn their development onto other products and the cycle repeats itself.

In Diablo's case.., ye, must have been an absolute shock for them to see millions wanted to play this game on release day, not like it's been on forums for 12 years that people were waiting for it.., enough with the bullshit defense for these giants.

[Arganis]

Dude. Seriously. Go away, that's the dumbest, most jaded thing I've ever read on these forums, and that's saying a LOT.

Don't believe me? Just look at the evolution of WoW over the years. And I don't care if you think it's the dumbest, most idiotic comment you've ever read. This is a forum and I'm entitled to my opinion so long as it respects the rules, whether your think it's idiotic or not is irrelevant.

[loki504]

Good job. I'm not surprised this has started.

Screw you all you blizzard lovers.

OT:
lol just lol. shut your big mouth maztech before i hurt your feeling again.

OT:
its just stupid to ask for a refund because most of the times it is working. D3 is not broken. just not working properly from time to time. but if your car isn't working preperly you won't get a refund. they will fix it instead.

[Video Games]

Dude. Seriously. Go away, that's the dumbest, most jaded thing I've ever read on these forums, and that's saying a LOT.

On topic...I just don't know, North Korea. If those people truly want to return the product because they find it unsatisfactory, more power to them. If they are just using that as an excuse, then fuck 'em. And yeah, I'd say that to a person in any country.

Oh, and for the people saying they should be refunded because it's a "bad game", I have this to say to you:

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHA.

And you can quote me on that. A refund because you don't like a game doesn't fly, at least not in America. If you want a refund, it better be because it's buggy as all hell, or won't play properly. Not because you don't like it. That's your own damn fault for not doing any research into a game before purchasing. Diablo 3 is fairly bug-free, if you don't count the AH. You can play the game just fine. I haven't encountered a single glitch.

But yeah, consumer rights and stuff. If they're legit, then good for them. If they're not...well, sadly, stupid people have rights, too.

You do know amazon was refunding people that bought me3 because of how shitty the ending was right? It does fly and amazon is amazing for doing that.

[Aquamonkey]

Yes but you can get in, and you will eventually get in, the theatre is only temporarily oversold, and you can come back and watch the show in a day or so when they have more tickets and you get your moneys worth.

There is nothing they could do about the servers, it's not Blizzards fault, especially with that amount of people. If you saw a theatre with 7 million or so people all going in at once, i'm sure you'd have some sympathy to the theatre company, and still they manage to provide you with what you paid for with little downtime.

When you buy games that require a maintained internet connection, you shoud be prepared for server downtimes/repairs, anyone who whines about these problems and demand their money back don't deserve to play the game.

Temporarily doesn't matter. I was promised something with my purchase. That promise was not fulfilled. I want my money back. It's as simple as that.

[Keske]

Source?

There was an old trick with some Call of Duty were you could get a full refund but they would not deactivate the game code (until they noticed). Blizzard also got refund policies for D2 broken CDs even if they were few years old. You had to mail the broken CD though.

The problem in the end is that if you are sold a product that doesn't work, you are always entitled to a refund. Blizzard called upona clause in the contract that says that you agree to that the servers might not always be up. This is however singed in good will, since it's ment to let them do maintenence and get some time if an accident happens. However that clause breaks consumer rights since you're not allowed to have clauses that is that unfavourable to the customer. For example, you say you're selling laptop on your site, you claim no refunds what so ever, and you then send a broken laptop that doesn't work and has a cracked screen. Then you will still have to pay the customer back. What happened was that Blizzard sold a product that did not work for several days, for some people over a week, called upon a clause to not have to pay the customer back for selling a faulty product, and got busted for it. Return policy has nothing to do with this.

[Deleted]

Don't believe me? Just look at the evolution of WoW over the years. And I don't care if you think it's the dumbest, most idiotic comment you've ever read. This is a forum and I'm entitled to my opinion so long as it respects the rules, whether your think it's idiotic or not is irrelevant.

Comparing playing the game to being tortured...

and I quote from the forum rules

Contribute in a constructive way

Nothing constructive about saying I am enjoying being tortured when playing diablo 3 inferno. So actually you do not respect the rules.

[Aquamonkey]

Geeze, the number of people who think Seoul is in North Korea...

[Deleted]

And yet, they can play the game. Just not when an unprecedented 6.3 million people are also attempting the same thing. Servers got overloaded: it couldn't have been predicted. Blizzard are working hard to fix it now, and indeed there's rarely an issue with the servers now. That first day was a problem, and yesterday was an issue due to the implementation of the patch, but beyond that I've had no issues whatsoever.

It's a gross over-reaction and it's utterly, utterly pointless.

I am sorry, but I am not buying this argument. How could Blizzard not predict there would be an avalanche of players trying to play the game, on launch day?
Specially if we consider that there were be at least 1 million Annual Pass signers, plus the Diablo fans who don't play wow, all together trying to play it as well, after all the hype around it?

[Eats Compost]

Now we just need the Australian government to do the same. There's got to be something about consumer rights somewhere regarding the Inferno-breaking latency. Selling a product at full price and not offering full support is all kinds of bullshit, honestly.

Even EA, a despised publisher, offers Oceanic-based servers. Would someone like to remind me why this deplorable service is suddenly acceptable when Blizzard does it? Oh, and don't give me that Telstra racket. That was many years ago, if it was ever true at all. Groups such as Internode have approached Blizzard with generous offers repeatedly since then.

[TheWerebison]

Don't believe me? Just look at the evolution of WoW over the years. And I don't care if you think it's the dumbest, most idiotic comment you've ever read. This is a forum and I'm entitled to my opinion so long as it respects the rules, whether your think it's idiotic or not is irrelevant.

Oh. Man, you're right. WoW does only have 10 million or so active subscribers, and remains the most successful MMO out there, I forgot how badly the evolution of WoW has hurt their company. I forgot that people leaving because they've played a game for seven entire years and don't like that it isn't exactly how it used to be at the beginning, is totally relevant.

I forgot that I totally hate playing WoW, I just do it because I'm addicted and can't stop myself. It's not at all because I enjoy it, or like the changes, or have fun playing with friends. I just continue to be tortured because I'm a masochist.

Aaaaand scene.

[3vyan]

They are entitled to being able to play a game they payed for. It's like buying a car that breaks down as soon as you drive it 5 miles down the road.

EDIT: Or like going to a movie theater, finding out they oversold the showing and refusing to refund your money when you can't get in.

Those are really bad comparisons...

Having to wait a few days =/= not being able to enjoy the product you bought at ALL

[TheWerebison]

You do know amazon was refunding people that bought me3 because of how shitty the ending was right? It does fly and amazon is amazing for doing that.

Amazon IS amazing for doing that. Amazingly stupid.

"Hi, I just played this entire game / watched this entire movie and I just didn't care for how it ended. I can haz monies back?"
"Sure, here you go, seems legit!"

Ah, but companies are pretty dumb in their own right. My workplace takes back almost anything for the most retarded reasons, even if it was just used and then resold after the customer was done with it.

[loki504]

The problem in the end is that if you are sold a product that doesn't work, you are always entitled to a refund. Blizzard called upona clause in the contract that says that you agree to that the servers might not always be up. This is however singed in good will, since it's ment to let them do maintenence and get some time if an accident happens. However that clause breaks consumer rights since you're not allowed to have clauses that is that unfavourable to the customer. For example, you say you're selling laptop on your site, you claim no refunds what so ever, and you then send a broken laptop that doesn't work and has a cracked screen. Then you will still have to pay the customer back. What happened was that Blizzard sold a product that did not work for several days, for some people over a week, called upon a clause to not have to pay the customer back for selling a faulty product, and got busted for it. Return policy has nothing to do with this.

oke first of all it wasn;t down for over a week(atleast not on eu/us. was it down/problemetic to come in on peak times? yes.

and 2nd of all. can you link me the part of the KOREAN LAW where it stated that. because every countery is diffrent. and online playing is someting completly diffrent then a car or a laptop. and even if it is broken on arrival alot of countery you get a new one. or even there going to repair it for you.

so your law is not everyones law remember that.

and blizzard is fixing there product. so no reason to ask for a refund.