People should try to understand a key point in consumer protection law.

Only relevant if the claim is that BW is legally obligated to give refund here (which it's not)...

 

Sure, BW is almost certainly not legally required to give refunds to those that only bought sub for expansion... but that doesn't mean they shouldn't. This is a customer service issue, not a legal issue.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Ulrah

Good luck. This has become sort of the standard practice to be honest. Same thing happened earlier this year alone with galactic seasons people buying ahead to get Companions that weren't available til several weeks later. (At which point buying ahead no longer mattered.)

 

The support responses were variants of: "We're sorry for the inconvenience, and we'll let the dev team know."

 

Its just another one of the many ways trust has been destroyed between consumer and Team BW.

 

Even the smallest bit of effort to compensate people would go further then just "we have your money, sorry it didn't work out."

 

But here you still have people trying to enable and defend what should be constructive criticism. Though its such common business sense it doesn't bode well if something so simple as don't con people eludes them.

The right thing to do is to honor the Dec 14th date and grant access to people subbed on that date when the expansion hits in February.

 

Secondly, don't announce a launch date until it is set in stone.

A reddit post that just stood out to me:

"I was thinking about re subbing this week, glad I didn't"

- person on reddit

 

BW should give prorated refunds on current subs to those that want. Otherwise, the quote above becomes the learned lesson for a lot of customers. Pretty basic customer service/retention, I think.

If they needed 2 more months then they KNEW that much 2 weeks ago damn well when they announced Dec 14 release date.

 

People subbed for the Dec 14 expansion first and foremost, Bioware knew that AND counted on it AND waited till 7 days before the release to announce a delay.

 

Malicious business practice at worst or an utter incompetence at best. In both cases, refund requests are totally justified.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Pietrastor

Stuff

 

By mediocre, I'm referring to the game in general with its extremely slow trickle of content. Legacy of the Sith doesn't even feel like a real expansion for that matter. And yes, many people subbed this month with the expectation that they would be getting an expansion. It would be extremely unprofessional if Bioware did not compensate them in some form, especially since they waited to the last moment to reverse course. They don't have to do so obviously, but they should out of common decency. And for the record, my own sub expires on the 25th, this doesn't affect me personally, I was speaking for some of my friends who feel cheated. But if you feel satisfied with the status quo, by all means don't let me rain on your parade

 

Give it a rest. The guy subbed prematurely and is demanding compensation for his own mistake.

 

He subscribed. He's getting everything a sub will get you. Demanding a refund is completely absurd.

Are you being purposely obtuse?

Refund, no! A gift of Cartel Coins, maybe!

Is there even a two month subscription option?

 

Isn't it month to month, 6 months or 12 months?

 

2 months is good, it gives you time to level up your characters for the expansion when it releases

I too just bought a two month subscription so I could return to the game specifically for this expansion. So now I'm expected to spend those two months playing the same version of the game that made me quit in the first place? They really need to do something as a gesture of good will. Maybe not a refund but at least some sort of special event like bonus xp or something.

They made the release date official mid November. They dropped the news regarding a rather juicy 2 month delay just 3 weeks from that..and one week before the release. They must have known much sooner. Wave of people paying up, thinking they are subscribing immediately before the release of a new expansion must have played a part here. Nasty move, all in all.

 

I don't mind delays on personal level. GSF is only truly awesome aspect of this game, expansion that adds nothing to it means nothing much to me. Beyond that, ofc it is better to take few extra months and make sure things work great vs. popping out some half finished mess. Announcing a two month delay just one week before the release though? That's just a very bad look.

 

Not releasing S2 beforehand is a very unfortunate call too.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Stradlin

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Is there even a two month subscription option?

 

Isn't it month to month, 6 months or 12 months?

 

2 months is good, it gives you time to level up your characters for the expansion when it releases

 

Yes there is a 2 month subscription. The two-month sub is the only sub that does not automatically renew

I'm in the exact same boat, I purposely bought 2 month game time so I could play the expansion in December. I won't be subscribing again in February but I do wish the best of luck to them for a successful launch. Over the last few weeks they have failed to communicate quickly to the players about sudden changes and they have also failed in finding a middle ground for most players to enjoy the game when the expansion launches. Most players are NOT happy with almost all of the changes they have mentioned for the expansion hopefully this delay will open the developers eyes a little bit more.

I too just bought a two month subscription so I could return to the game specifically for this expansion. So now I'm expected to spend those two months playing the same version of the game that made me quit in the first place? They really need to do something as a gesture of good will. Maybe not a refund but at least some sort of special event like bonus xp or something.

 

This is from the developer tracker forum:

 

What’s happening with events and their rewards? Any chance for double XP or something extra?

 

All of the planned new rewards will not be released as they are tied into 7.0. With that in mind here is the plan for each event:

Life Day will run from December 14, 2021 to January 11, 2022 with current rewards.

The 10-Year Anniversary event will be running for a full year! From December 14, 2021 to January, 2023.

All existing anniversary rewards will be available on the vendor.

The new planned rewards will be added to the vendor in February with 7.0, including the contest winning decos!

We will inform players when new rewards will be added.

Additional events?!

Our Double XP event (which also includes Renown, Requisition, and Valor) will return from December 20, 2021 - January 4, 2022.

All 3 weeks of Feast of Prosperity will return at the following cadence:

Week 1: January 11, 2022 – January 18, 2022

Week 2: January 18, 2022 - January 25, 2022

Week 3: January 25, 2022 - February 1, 2022

What’s happening with PTS?

 

We’re opening PTS back up this week! 7.0’s features will be present to test during this PTS cycle, with the exception of any that would spoil the story content, of course. This upcoming phase will include Loadouts and Character Creation and also all recent updates we have made since the close of the previous phase.

 

What’s the PTS schedule?

 

We will be updating our Public Test Server forum with updates as they happen. PTS will remain open until approximately mid-January as needed.

 

What does this mean for Galactic Seasons 2?

 

As Galactic Season 2 is tied to 7.0, it will not be available until Legacy of the Sith launches. However, it will be available on the PTS in the coming weeks.

Personally, I’d already unsubbed and didn’t intend to play in December due to the silly change they are making in 7.0. And unless they are adjusting some of those before 7.0 is now released, I’m not sure I’ll resub on February 15th anyway. So I don’t need a free month myself. But others might if they’d actually planned their resubbing to correspond with the expansions release in December.

 

The fact that you are unsubbed makes your defense of the Devs regarding the timing of their announcement disingenuous at best because YOU are unaffected. I unsubbed earlier in the year because the game was becoming a grinding chore. What little new content was released couldn't even be played with someone else like the original story missions. So it was time to give it a rest. I resubbed last week after the release date was announced so I could write down all the keybinds/powers of alts to figure out where the new versions of combat style powers would go.

 

Then BAM - only one week before release, it's postponed. Hey, I'm fine with it getting pushed back (like you, I doubted it would be ready) but they JUST announced the release date LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AGO. Having worked on high pressure projects with a lot of moving parts, I know that being less than one month away from release the team would know whether they stood a chance to make it. If they're pushing it back with just one week to go, that means THEY KNEW.

 

They knew last week. They knew the week before. The only reason the date was announced when they had little confidence it could be realized was to - in essence - TRICK people into resubscribing right before the date. End of November should have been the cut off for the push back announcement they KNEW they would have to make. Waiting this long was a clear cut subscriber grab. Now their December numbers are still boosted even though they won't deliver the product that people re-subbed to get... and KNEW they COULDN'T deliver it well before then. But pushing it back in November would have cost them thousands of dollars in new or re-upped subscriptions.

 

So, honestly, you saying you're sure this announcement wasn't done with a dishonest intention when it doesn't even affect you is as shady as their "surprise" and "angst" over having to make it.

Subbing ahead of the release of an expac is somewhat the same as pre-ordering a game release, and we all know how well that can turn out.

 

It may be "bad" for BW to delay the release, but I have little sympathy for those who say they only subbed in anticipation of the xpac. Lesson learned? (Probably not 🙄 )

😂😇

I bought a 2 month subscription to play the new expansion. I feel that they basically stole my money. I want a refund or 2 months of subscription time added to my account. This is extremely unprofessional behavior!

I agree with this.

This kind of reminds me when people were complaining about sub rewards.....

A subscription does not entail anything more than access to their servers. (and by default 'your' account that is owned by BW / EA).

 

If you had BOUGHT a DLC / Expansion and were somehow or someway not able to play that expansion, then you might have cause for refund.

How about a title called "Whoopsie" for having been subbed at the proper date?

 

I will admit I laughed at this

Now, personally I have a longer sub myself, but for those people who only subbed recently because they wanted access to this new expansion I believe it is fair and right that they either get their refund or other compensation. There is a precedent of Bioware doing this kind of thing before in fact: giving the people who subbed for December 14 an free month of subscription for February.

 

Since they have done so in the past there's no reason why they should not be expected to do so now: especially given how they announced this delay with only week to go to the original release date.

People should try to understand a key point in consumer protection law.

 

I don't know about other countries for sure, but I expect it's a common theme. Certainly in the UK, the various "consumer can claim refund" laws and regulations are based on the purpose for which the item is *sold*, not the purpose for which it is *bought*.(1)

 

So the subscription is *sold* to allow the player to play without the non-subscriber restrictions. The fact that Player X *bought* it to be able to play the expansion is of *no* importance in a regulatory schema like that.

 

(1) It makes sense if you think about it. If I go into a hardware store and go to the rack clearly labelled "Hammers", and pick a hammer off the rack and buy it, with the intent of using it as a screwdriver, I'm going to be disappointed, but it would be totally unreasonable for me to *demand* a refund on the basis that it didn't do what I bought it for. (And the law wouldn't support me, either, because it was clearly sold for use as a hammer.) The fact that most such stores would exchange it if I hadn't scratched it up too much is merely a courtesy on their part.

 

I'd say its more comparable to purchasing a ticket for a performance. If you buy a ticket to see a movie, arrive a few minutes early so you can get popcorn and good seats, then sit down and the movie doesn't play due to technical.....you'd expect management to offer you a refund, raincheck for another showtime or let you go see a different film.

 

You wouldn't expect them to say 'hey you got to come in, walk around, spend more money at the concession stand and sit in our chairs so we're just gonna keep your money".

 

It may not be required by law, but it is an appropriate customer service gesture. EA has been trying to build hype around this to attract new/returning players. They KNOW people having been subbing in anticipation. I'm honestly surprised they didn't include a 'click here to get your money back & return to F2P status if you subbed just for this' option with the announcement.

Do people really not think before purchasing products? Do they not read the fine print and consider the risks?

Are you all so blinded by impulse buying?

 

Your not entitled to anything - you got a subscription and access to servers/content.

 

The expansion is an if and when item - always has been from what I've seen.

 

Didn't consider that with allllllllll the negative feedback that they may delay it?

 

Food for thought.

 

But yes..please cry some more.

It may not be required by law, but it is an appropriate customer service gesture. EA has been trying to build hype around this to attract new/returning players. They KNOW people having been subbing in anticipation. I'm honestly surprised they didn't include a 'click here to get your money back & return to F2P status if you subbed just for this' option with the announcement.

Read very carefully the very last sentence in my post that you quoted.

Read very carefully the very last sentence in my post that you quoted.

 

<chuckles>