Blizzard Employee Letter to Leadership, Other Responses to Lawsuit

[Alamhaoingaturlife]

Sorry, I care more about my money being wasted than some stranger across the globe getting their ass grabbed/getting told to make a sandwich or whatever. I think most people do, if they're being completely honest, which they wont be.

[Mojo03]

I'm sure there's a legal doc out there showing otherwise, but the overwhelming majority of players pay a subscription not just for the ability to login. It's implied you are paying for updates, patches, etc.

I had a thread a few weeks ago asking if anyone could find an official statement or literally anything from Blizzard that explained why the sub fee existed.

It’s basically just full of people shitting on me for even asking and making up their own conclusions. Long story short no one could find anything. Blizzard just asked it and people paid it and made up their own logic as to how it’s justified.

But, one person found in the Eula that it’s for access to the game. You’re seemingly not actually paying for anything other than access to the game for your sub, despite the common implications it pays for new content, etc. Why do you pay for access? Everyone has an opinion, but no one seems to officially know.

So it’s plausible you’re 90% paying for Bobby’s next new yacht, 5% paying to fund new content they need to make anyway to keep people paying for access, and 5% towards keeping the lights on at Blizzard with your sub.

[Xires]

I paid for my six month sub an hour before this got to light

(I don't even feel angry I'm just... not surprised.)

The fact that you are still doing 6 month subs at this point is just mind-boggling.

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I mean with phase 2 going on the ptr next week, this obviously isn't affecting everybody there.

That's because phase 2 is still 14-15 year old content. The only thing they need are ptr's for bug tests.

[Indigenously Abled]

I'm sure there's a legal doc out there showing otherwise, but the overwhelming majority of players pay a subscription not just for the ability to login. It's implied you are paying for updates, patches, etc.

It's assumed, not implied. The sub is to access the service, nothing more.

[Alamhaoingaturlife]

coke-fiend metzen out there spitting bullshit after being caught with is pants down, searching for his own name on the twitter post that contained the accustations.

Asif he wasnt in on it. If there's anyone i could totally see doing the shit they are accused of, it would be metzen and friasabi.

[alturic]

I had a thread a few weeks ago asking if anyone could find an official statement or literally anything from Blizzard that explained why the sub fee existed.

It’s basically just full of people shitting on me for even asking and making up their own conclusions. Long story short no one could find anything. Blizzard just asked it and people paid it and made up their own logic as to how it’s justified.

But, one person found in the Eula that it’s for access to the game. You’re seemingly not actually paying for anything other than access to the game for your sub, despite the common implications it pays for new content, etc. Why do you pay for access? Everyone has an opinion, but no one seems to officially know.

So it’s plausible you’re 90% paying for Bobby’s next new yacht, 5% paying to fund new content they need to make anyway to keep people paying for access, and 5% towards keeping the lights on at Blizzard with your sub.

Oh, you totally are paying sub fees in MMO's for (legally) access to the game. It's implied you are paying for updates, changes, fixes, etc. It's been that way since the beginning of subscription fees for online games.

[Indigenously Abled]

Oh, you totally are paying sub fees in MMO's for (legally) access to the game. It's implied you are paying for updates, changes, fixes, etc. It's been that way since the beginning of subscription fees for online games.

Try suing them if they ban you, or if you're unhappy with the content. They'll happily parade the EULA that you agreed to in front of the magistrate.

[Walkerbo]

I like Metzen and Morhaime, but tbch you are implying they accept the fact they knew about things and did nothing to stop them? Hell, you're not even implying it, they are basically saying as much.

"Sorry I killed your soul, please don't be mad".

They literally said we are sorry we failed you.
Saying sorry does not mean we knew and did nothing, it means that they should have known and taken steps to stop it.

Saying sorry to someone when a member of their family dies doesn't mean that you are the one that killed them.

[alturic]

It's assumed, not implied. The sub is to access the service, nothing more.

Legally, correct. However, since the dawn of Ultima Online, it's been implied the subscription fee is for accessing the game and updates, fixes, etc.

Unless of course, you then believe they are delivering patches, updates, bug fixes, etc for free, out of the kindness of their hearts?

[Myradin]

I had a thread a few weeks ago asking if anyone could find an official statement or literally anything from Blizzard that explained why the sub fee existed.

It’s basically just full of people shitting on me for even asking and making up their own conclusions. Long story short no one could find anything. Blizzard just asked it and people paid it and made up their own logic as to how it’s justified.

But, one person found in the Eula that it’s for access to the game. You’re seemingly not actually paying for anything other than access to the game for your sub, despite the common implications it pays for new content, etc. Why do you pay for access? Everyone has an opinion, but no one seems to officially know.

So it’s plausible you’re 90% paying for Bobby’s next new yacht, 5% paying to fund new content they need to make anyway to keep people paying for access, and 5% towards keeping the lights on at Blizzard with your sub.

I have a question. What does your internet or phone provider charge you monthly for? They don't 'produce more internet'. They might upgrade the service from time to time to maintain competitiveness, widen their coverage area, or cut down on people complaining. If they stopped altering the service and left it as is they wouldn't suddenly make it free.

If you buy a game digitally. Where does that money go? Producing your individual copy cost nothing. They might have already stopped supporting the game and made back their original investment. Yet they still charge you possibly full price even.

Company's don't break down where all the money they make from their customer's individual purchases goes. You buy world of warcraft, and you pay for the ability to play it. The requirement of a subscription to play has been on the box since forever. I don't get how this is some crazy concept.

Legally, correct. However, since the dawn of Ultima Online, it's been implied the subscription fee is for accessing the game and updates, fixes, etc.

Unless of course, you then believe they are delivering patches, updates, bug fixes, etc for free, out of the kindness of their hearts?

It is their choice to use the funds to do it. They are not obligated to do so. If a patch gets delayed or the like, they aren't going to give you a refund.

[alturic]

Try suing them if they ban you, or if you're unhappy with the content. They'll happily parade the EULA that you agreed to in front of the magistrate.

Unsure where being banned or being unhappy with the content comes in?

[Indigenously Abled]

Legally, correct. However, since the dawn of Ultima Online, it's been implied the subscription fee is for accessing the game and updates, fixes, etc.

Unless of course, you then believe they are delivering patches, updates, bug fixes, etc for free, out of the kindness of their hearts?

There's incentive to produce content that retains subscribers, sure. But you're not guaranteed anything beyond access to the game.

[alturic]

They literally said we are sorry we failed you.
Saying sorry does not mean we knew and did nothing, it means that they should have known and taken steps to stop it.

Saying sorry to someone when a member of their family dies doesn't mean that you are the one that killed them.

Of course it doesn't mean you killed the family member. But then you must be saying they are just pandering to the outrage? Why would you apologize for something you *should have* known, but didn't? Do you typically apologize for not knowing something?

[Myradin]

Unsure where being banned or being unhappy with the content comes in?

Because if you were paying for updates if the updates were not up to snuff you could theoretically demand a refund.

If its just 'access to servers', they provided the service. Whether you use it or enjoy it is up to you.

[Indigenously Abled]

Unsure where being banned or being unhappy with the content comes in?

Examples of reasons you'd try to argue an entitlement to anything beyond access to the game service.

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Because if you were paying for updates if the updates were not up to snuff you could theoretically demand a refund.

If its just 'access to servers', they provided the service. Whether you use it or enjoy it is up to you.

Bingo. It's how they cover themselves legally.

[Mojo03]

Legally, correct. However, since the dawn of Ultima Online, it's been implied the subscription fee is for accessing the game and updates, fixes, etc.

Unless of course, you then believe they are delivering patches, updates, bug fixes, etc for free, out of the kindness of their hearts?

More likely they’re delivering patches, updates, etc, to keep people paying for access. Without any of that people will stop paying for access…

The rest is stuff people assumed to justifying paying the fee.

[alturic]

There's incentive to produce content that retains subscribers, sure. But you're not guaranteed anything beyond access to the game.

Apologies if it came across that way, but I never meant to imply (no pun intended) you were guaranteed anything. It's more of a gray area, yes I agree it's strictly for access to the game, but they definitely don't provide free content and bug fixes. They are doing it because they need you to keep paying... which implies... that's what the subscription fee is also for.

Put another way, if there was no subscription fee, you would not get the bug fixes and patches you get, or if you did it would be drastically scaled back to a barebones team as the only time they would receive money is when an expansion is launched.

[Myradin]

Someone used a restaurant as an example earlier, but WoW is more like a buffet. You pay for the ability to eat their food, not specifically for them to add some new furniture or a diversify their menu.

[Indigenously Abled]

Apologies if it came across that way, but I never meant to imply (no pun intended) you were guaranteed anything. It's more of a gray area, yes I agree it's strictly for access to the game, but they definitely don't provide free content and bug fixes. They are doing it because they need you to keep paying... which implies... that's what the subscription fee is also for.

Put another way, if there was no subscription fee, you would not get the bug fixes and patches you get, or if you did it would be drastically scaled back to a barebones team as the only time they would receive money is when an expansion is launched.

There are other ways (read: cash shop) to subsidize active game development. They charge a subscription fee because they can.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Someone used a restaurant as an example earlier, but WoW is more like a buffet. You pay for the ability to eat their food, not specifically for them to add some new furniture or a diversify their menu.

In that analogy, shouldn't the game be a one time box purchase then?