Game-we are not happy :(

Dcully

Last weekend i bought Richard burns rally for PC [great game].
My brother decided to buy it also the next day and asked his woman to pick it up for him while she was in the big smoke.
For some reason the game would not install for him [my copy would not install on his machine either],having read on many Richard burns rally fansites i have read about this issue some people are having.
Today while i was in the big smoke i agreed to take the game back to Game in Tallaght for the brother as i was heading that way to get a refund or exchange.
Now heres the snag,Game have recently decided not to exchange any PC games unless they are faulty.
This i understand what with copying of games etc but surely we have a valid reason for exchange?
To cut a long story short the manager in Game in Tallaght was in no way sympathetic and was downright ignorant with a sarcastic tone and a smuirk on his face which was bordering on laughing.
Basically i feel hard done by and think in this case the brother deserved an exchange as it is a known issue with this game on some machines ,not that them muppets in Game would know anything about.
Ok guys rant over but i wonder what you guys think?

Zhane

does the game your brother got work on another computer? cos it could be his computer might not be sufficient enough to play it.

evad_lhorg

Look, it's a store policy. just like you have to wear your uniform to schol. theres no use complaining. we can accept retuns on pc games and it has been like that for ages. sorry. as you know, the pc games market gets ruined by people copying the games. How is the person who is working to know that you are teling the truth and not just scammed a free game out of them. they cant.

Dcully

I tried to install it on my machine with no success.
The game is faulty and a KNOWN issue,go check the net.
Furthermore ive been in contact with SCI and they say Game have to give a full refund and if they dont comply they themselves will be in contact with game.
I know what your company policy is,the manager in game stated that they will refund if the game is faulty,i have said and informed him the game is FAULTY.What is the problem?

evad_lhorg

are you sure the system reuqirements are fully met?

Sleipnir

Company policy does not overrule the law of the land.
The goods are defective, i.e it doesn't work so just be a good Irish retailer take it back, and out it back on the shelf.

evad_lhorg

Sorry. If the game is faulty then yes the manager should have refunded you. I didnt understand you were saying it was actually faulty. I thought you meant that you had two so you were bringing one back.

BlitzKrieg

the store manager's a prick. A game i picked up didnt state that the video card must have pixal shader to work so i brought it back explained the fault. While i didnt get a refund they allowed a exchange for a game of the same price. If the problem is not stated on the box then the manager cant do anything about it.

Dcully

I agree that its impossible for staff to know if they are being scammed or not.
As ive stated i agree 100% with the policy on the grounds of copying etc BUT i have said that the game is faulty and its a known issue.
Game policy is that they refund if the game is faulty,ive said the game is faulty and unless Game have a PC onsight to prove me wrong then my brother is entitled to his refund.
Game policy is to refund if game is faulty,it is faulty so what is the problem?

evad_lhorg

Ok ther is no problem. I presonally would have given the refund and I know my manager would. (dawson st ). wait till ms rainbow kirby is around as she is our tallaght game staff who posts around here. I dont know what the manager is like in tallaght myself so I cant comment.

flogen

Surely if its faulty, they would have offered you a replacement copy?

Or did you demand your money back?

flogen

Dcully

Yes i asked for either a refund or exchange ,when refuse i said i wasnt leaving the store ,this went on for 10 mins .
What else could i do tbh so i left ,its the last time i or anyone from few other communities will buy from Game after i post about this outrage.
They offered me nothing.
they should have a PC instore if they are going to enforce this policy otherwise its a totally flawed policy.
I for one am not by a long way finished with this matter.
If i have to i will go to the office of fair trading about this matter
Sure the game only cost 45 euro but thats not the point.
God knows how many more will be stung by this policy which as ive said is flawed unless they have a machine to test the software.
I wonder if anyone on boards has infact got a refund or exchange for a faulty game ie Game honour their policy?

mewso

A couple of points here. If a game works on most machines but not on a particular kind then surely the developers must produce a patch. Tis a stange one to hear a developer/publisher saying "fair enough, anyone with that kind of machine can't play it".
Secondly for Game to claim that their policy is to protect the game industry. Don't make me laugh. The game industry like the film industry is doing fine as far as I can tell. Tel the publishers to reduce prices if they are that concerned.

SantaHoe

The prices in GAME are shít anyway, you'd want to have your head examined if you're shopping there.

evad_lhorg

musician wrote:

A couple of points here. If a game works on most machines but not on a particular kind then surely the developers must produce a patch. Tis a stange one to hear a developer/publisher saying "fair enough, anyone with that kind of machine can't play it".
Secondly for Game to claim that their policy is to protect the game industry. Don't make me laugh. The game industry like the film industry is doing fine as far as I can tell. Tel the publishers to reduce prices if they are that concerned.

70000 people had downloaded doom 3 before it had ben released. thats not right! Ireland outsold the Uk on doom 3 sales. something has to be wrong there.

RobertFoster

evad_lhorg wrote:

70000 people had downloaded doom 3 before it had ben released. thats not right! Ireland outsold the Uk on doom 3 sales. something has to be wrong there.

That just shows how available broadband is in both countries

KdjaCL

evad_lhorg wrote:

70000 people had downloaded doom 3 before it had ben released. thats not right! Ireland outsold the Uk on doom 3 sales. something has to be wrong there.

Whats the number 1 selling game? And has it hit a million yet?
Dcully i wouldnt have left the shop till i got a refund , your entitled to it faulty game is a faulty game.€5 for a form to to small claims court, thats all it will cost you.

kdjac

RicardoSmith

KdjaC wrote:

...Dcully i wouldnt have left the shop till i got a refund , your entitled to it faulty game is a faulty game.€5 for a form to to small claims court, thats all it will cost you.

kdjac

Thats what I'd do. You have your rights. If the product is faulty.

rainbow kirby

I'd change the game in this situation. The product is clearly faulty, so my boss made a mistake. Simple as that. If he still won't acknowledge this, bring up a copy of the communication you've had with SCI.
BTW Dcully, can you describe who you were talking to?

Cake Fiend

evad_lhorg wrote:

70000 people had downloaded doom 3 before it had ben released. thats not right! Ireland outsold the Uk on doom 3 sales. something has to be wrong there.

I can just see John Carmack wandering around in rags begging for change because of lost sales... :rolleyes:

Absolam

Dcully wrote:

For some reason the game would not install for him [my copy would not install on his machine either],having read on many Richard burns rally fansites i have read about this issue some people are having.

For what reason did it not install on his machine? Does your copy work on your machine? If so the fault is not with the game but the machine....If not then you have two faulty discs (presumably) and they should at least have been replaced by the shop..

Dcully

My copy runs on both machines,his copy does not run on either machine.
Any gob****e can work out that the game is FAULTY.
Yes i can describe who i talked to,he wore a dark greyish brown shirt and was a biggish guy with glasses.
Small claims court have been informed,that arrogant prick will not get his way.

KdjaCL

Dcully wrote:

.
Small claims court have been informed,that arrogant prick will not get his way.

Tis the only way , costs you a few pennies and them a few hundred , all you have to do now is show up.
make sure you have SCI info, any web related info and the managers name.
Write down exactly what he said to you.

kdjac

Dcully

Thanks Kjac,everything has being noted.
Im purely doing this on the brothers behalf as he doesnt have net access.

Absolam

Dcully wrote:

For some reason the game would not install for him [my copy would not install on his machine either]

Dcully wrote:

My copy runs on both machines,his copy does not run on either machine.
Any gob****e can work out that the game is FAULTY.

I ask because you've contradicted yourself....

TBH the Small Claims Court takes months, and will only award the value of the purchase to you anyway..I reckon you're better off going into a differant Game shop, explaining the fault and asking them to replace it...

tman

twattish employees (managers, even!) like this are the reason i'm going to stop using high street game shops alltogether now.
getting smirked at, by some lookalike of the acne kid from the simpson's, the last time i bought a game - billy hatcher and the giant egg if you must know! - was one of the most tedious retail experiences of my life.
(after having heard him try to tell a customer that the sims2 would work on a pc with 128mb ram running windows xp, natch)

nearly rammed the game down his ****ing throat

play.com and cdwow all the way from now on. and perhaps smyths if i get desperate

Absolam

tman wrote:

twattish employees (managers, even!) like this are the reason i'm going to stop using high street game shops alltogether now.
getting smirked at, by some lookalike of the acne kid from the simpson's, the last time i bought a game - billy hatcher and the giant egg if you must know! - was one of the most tedious retail experiences of my life.
(after having heard him try to tell a customer that the sims2 would work on a pc with 128mb ram running windows xp, natch)

nearly rammed the game down his ****ing throat

play.com and cdwow all the way from now on. and perhaps smyths if i get desperate

I'm sure the kid would be terribly upset to know that Comic Store Guy left the shop is disgust, and, even now, is expressing his displeasure on the internet! :rolleyes:

Dcully

Origionally neither copy would install on his machine but after finding out about this issue on RSC forums amongst others we traced it back to his DVD drive having problems reading some discs[pro evo soccer was the same]and thought we had the problem solved.Since then all his DVD discs are reading ok except for RBR which just sits in the drive and spins with the light on the drive flashing,very same as my machine.
Just this morning he rang me to say he tried in another friends machine and it done the same spinning act on that machine.
Eiither way its all ahrdly worth the hassle but ive learned a valuable lesson,never buy from Game again.
Play.com tbh from now on

tman

Absolam wrote:

I'm sure the kid would be terribly upset to know that Comic Store Guy left the shop is disgust, and, even now, is expressing his displeasure on the internet! :rolleyes:

you're missing my point alltogether.

they not only hired someone who doesn't have a clue about games, nor computer specs. they hired an insolent, ugly twat who then tried to persuede me that €5 off a new game is a good ****ing deal.
no thanks bud. play.com sell them for roughly €45 anyway.

the ****wads don't even have ut2004 (and are selling the ut2003 & unreal2 pack for the same price they'd be charging for it if they did )
and i've never seen a new copy of metroid prime in any high street game shop.

regeneration

Next time this happens, just get your mum or someone who doesn't look like a male gamer to go in and ask for refund, because if this Bullshet of no refunds is about protecting the games industry from copying, Im damn well sure they judge that policy on who's is doing the returning - males aged between 15-25? ohoho, clearly a scam going on here with his little CD burner collection. Let's say no to him! Friendly mum-type? "certainly madam, let me just give you your refund and a smile" And don't deny it, because you KNOW staff treat customers generally depending on their looks.

How long has this policy been in operation btw?
BECAUASE
I bought Star Wars Galaxies not so long ago - I think we're talking November/Decemeber '03 from the Grafton Street GAME. I hated the game, and it murdered our BB connection and was generally utter arse (first MMORPG I played). So I went back 2/3 days later - €50 plus monthly fees are not my cup of tea:
"I'd like a refund please".
"What was the problem sir?"
"It's terrrible and my connection couldn't take it"
"Hmm ok" *checks the box to make sure it's all still in one piece*
And I get my money back. And I didn't burn or copy the game either before anyone asks. no fuss, I was polite and nice and smiley, and generally don't look like a gamer.

rainbow kirby

This policy's been going since about March of this year. And Grafton Street shouldn't have taken back a Star Wars: Galaxies at that time, because online-only games were always excluded.

regeneration

Excluded why? What's so different about online games?

Hmm I wonder if there's an explicit policy mentioned in the shop, because taking away consumer rights because of some spotty pirate wannabes strikes me as being .. well... unfair.

rainbow kirby

They've changed all the 10 day returns posters to say 'console games' instead of 'all games' like they used to.
And what's so different about online games is the keycode. The keycode that comes in most new PC games can only be used once for online play. So whoever bought your Star Wars Galaxies would have returned it as faulty because the keycode was used, if it wasn't marked as faulty when you returned it.

regeneration

Well let's assume that it was. Plus I cancelled my account (I didn't want 20euro debitted from my account per month for a game I dont own ), so presumably if someone bought my copy, LucasArts woudl have set up a new account with that keycode, it's not unreasonable to think that they would have a "clean slate" on that serial number.

well it's nice to see a chain store adopting a draconian approach to customer satisfaction simply to bolt the barn door after the horse had bolted. But we both know that any "non gamey" looking person will have success with a refund.

Syth

Lots of people are mentioning the small claims courts, but I don't really think you can use that against companies, only private individuals or individulas who own companies. Not the companies themselves. I'm not too sure though.

tipperaryboy

Game are fools.Never go into a Game,nor buy in it.Dont give those fools your money.The other better games retailers are
1)GameStop .Value For Money Average.Customer Service Satisfactory.
2)XtraVision .Value For Money Good.Customer Service Needs Improvement.
3)HMV .Value For Money Great.Customer Service Great.

And as for GAME
Value For Money Poor.Customer Service Hardly Know Anything

griffdaddy

it's 9 euro to bring someone to the small claims court

regeneration

Well no, I dont buy from GAME anymore, it's strictly Play.com for me, evenif they take AGES to deliver now

In GAME's favour, they seem to have a nice hiring policy of attractive girls.

rainbow kirby

tipperaryboy wrote:

And as for GAME
Customer Service Hardly Know Anything

*shakes fist*

neXus9

musician wrote:

The game industry like the film industry is doing fine as far as I can tell. Tel the publishers to reduce prices if they are that concerned.

At least with the film idustry, they'll make money out of cinema goers. Also, they're open to a much more accessible audience (no PC to watch films and much more people like/have the time for films rather than games). A lot of game companies are struggling trying to get their game out, only losing a ton through pirate copies. Imagine if Duke nukem forever finally came out, it would be a pain spending millions in development (how much have they spent on that game????), only for millions of people to just simply download it without paying a penny.

Anyway PC games are quite cheap compared to console games.

regeneration

well in that regard, yes; it is a lose lose scenario situation for games companies (look at the fuss people make here over starforce - games companies attempts at curbing illegal copies); but I don't like the idea of actual retailers victimising legitimate customers who may make bad purchases on the offchance the person might be a pirate/net-kiddie.
I mean I find it hard to stomach GAME suddenly growing a sense of responsibility after years of selling mortal kombat, GTA and all sorts of unsuitable games to underage kids. Smacks of double standards.

smiaras

This post has been deleted.

regeneration

tabloids have nothing to do with it, and I accuse parents as much for the problem as anything, but I don't believe any child should play games that are below the age sticker for it. And Ive seen it plenty of times in the past all the major game stores selling clearly labelled material to obviously underage kids. Just p!sses me off more that the daily mirror et al point the finger at the game developers rather than at those ina position to be responsible about it - the retailers. But now they are being better about it, so all's well in the world. Pffh.

Dr Bolouswki

Age stickers? how about parents take responsibility for what their kids do rather than trying to have governments/retailers/developers/film-makers doing their work for them?

**rant over***

I'm pretty much on the side of the customer here, though would a firmware update for his DVD drive not fix the problem? That aside, I've ntoiced in game lately that they always ask you now if your machine meets the minimum specs...

I generally buy from play, but buy from game if I want something in a rush....

And BTW, surely if the game has a flaw doesn't amtter whether he buys it form game or online> result is stillt he same. Play.com won't take back a game unless its still sealed either...

RicardoSmith

Your missing the point. If a games is faulty, you can return it within your consumer rights as a defective product. That the law despite what game say. If they have a problem with that, then they should stop selling PC games. It has naff all to do with anything else.

One of the reasons games come out half finished is that people don't return them as faulty, when they should. Then maybe they'd finish them properly. Buying a new game before you see if it has issues or not is just stupid. Personally I wait for at least the first patch, and also check what the user forums are saying.

Of couse this is all leading to the decline of PC games and more console games. The PC is great for niche games, but the mainstream junk should be on consoles.

neXus9

regeneration wrote:

look at the fuss people make here over starforce - games companies attempts at curbing illegal copies

They never mentioned it though, which is what people hated. Also it damaged a lot of people's computers to the point that they had to reformat.

smiaras

This post has been deleted.

Hobbes

Heh, the last time I was in game I asked when City of Heroes was being released here (it was already released in the US).

The guy behind the counter swore blind that such a game does not exist nor is it being worked on. Didn't even check the computer.

Btw, I am seeing the moving away from PC games in Game. Is this intentional?

Also did you know you can also copy PS2, XBox, Gamecube, GBA games.

.. Lastly Game...

My brother bought a ton of games (a serious amount for himself and the cafe he worked in). So many that he had racked up loads of points to buy quite a lot of stuff. What did game do when he was about to cash them in? It reworked his points system so he couldn't buy anything.

smiaras

This post has been deleted.

regeneration

how about parents take responsibility for what their kids do rather than trying to have governments/retailers/developers/film-makers doing their work for them?

And how do you teach parents, who mostly never grew up with videogames and wouldn't have a clue about this thing, to know about what little johnny is playing? I mean there's a general effort to make sure minors don't get into overage movies etc, but when it comes to videogames, it's ok just to blithely sell anything to a 5 year old "sure isn't it all just for kids anyway?"

Your missing the point. If a games is faulty, you can return it within your consumer rights as a defective product. That the law despite what game say. If they have a problem with that, then they should stop selling PC games. It has naff all to do with anything else.

Well In fairness I used to get a load of customers in Lexmark complaining about "consumer rights" when it turned out their year old printer was faulty, and still felt there was some obligation on the part of the maker/retailer to furnish replacements. however, I suspect that Ireland doesn't have any consumer watchdog, but we WOULD be controlled under EU consumer law, consumers are protected by EU regs regarding guaranteed goods; the extent that it protects customers from goods purchased in the space of 10-30 days, Im not sure. Im fairly sure GAME are trying a fast one.

One of the reasons games come out half finished is that people don't return them as faulty, when they should. Then maybe they'd finish them properly. Buying a new game before you see if it has issues or not is just stupid. Personally I wait for at least the first patch, and also check what the user forums are saying.

no the reason games come out half finished is cos publishrs force developers to submit untested code as gold so they can meet financial deadlines (the financial year is divided in quarters, plus there's xmas markets etc) and thus raise their profit margin. Just cnyical marketing.

Hobbes

smiaras wrote:

This post has been deleted.

They basically devalued his points to a fraction of what were worth.