A warning about Steam bait and switch tactics

[arknor]

contact trading standards they are well on the ball when it comes to digital goods preorders or unfinished games being sold as retail.
I'm probably one of the few people that eventually got a refund for x-rebirth thanks to some of the dev quotes and all the reviews slating the game that I forwarded to trading standards along with the customer support log from steam

 

[Totality]

contact trading standards they are well on the ball when it comes to digital goods preorders or unfinished games being sold as retail.
I'm probably one of the few people that eventually got a refund for x-rebirth thanks to some of the dev quotes and all the reviews slating the game that I forwarded to trading standards along with the customer support log from steam

How did you go about getting the actual refund though? As far as I know if you claim back a refund by something such as a credit card, they block your account, so they are literally a law unto themselves. With Steam, you can literally do nothing if they sell you a load of crap.

 

[Columbo]

This amongst other reasons is why I will never ever pre-order or pay for early access on any game ever again.

OP I hope you get this resolved, I think it's worth trying to get this out into the public domain to try and get it some press time and maybe force steam into a policy change.

 

[Sleepery]

Have you tried the might of the DSRs

Spoiler

I had to laugh at this

"Can I have a refund?"

"No, go away!"

"Legal stuff in your face!"

"Here's your refund!"

 

[arknor]

How did you go about getting the actual refund though? As far as I know if you claim back a refund by something such as a credit card, they block your account, so they are literally a law unto themselves. With Steam, you can literally do nothing if they sell you a load of crap.

they stopped arguing when a trading standards agent contacted them.

I think there's an EU version of them too? the ones that don't like valve stopping people from selling their games
they would probably be very interested if you informed them about the pre-order > early access switching and might take it further than trading standards would

http://www.ukecc.net/

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/281679/buggy-game-purchasers-entitled-to-refund/

Speaking in a recent interview, Joint Lead Officer Sylvia Rook from the Trading Standards Institute said: "When consumers buy goods their rights are always against the retailer, so if there is a problem with a game, the consumer should return it to the retailer.

"The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended) states that goods should be of satisfactory quality, fit for their purpose and as described. If the game is faulty, then the consumer should be entitled to a refund from the retailer (although it is not unreasonable for the retailer to return it to the manufacturer in order to ensure it is, indeed, faulty and it is not operator error, or a problem with the consumer's computer)."

Rook added that gamers wanting a refund should stop using the game immediately, otherwise they may only be entitled to claim for damages.

"If consumers wish to exert their statutory rights, they should stop using the game immediately as if they continue to use it they might lose the right to reject it and might then be entitled only to damages," Rook said.

"If the consumer wishes, they can also request a repair or replacement, but they don't have to accept this if they do not want to."

clearly not as described you bought a pre-order which you can cancel not an early access game

 

[tom_e]

I had to laugh at this

"Can I have a refund?"

"No, go away!"

"Legal stuff in your face!"

"Here's your refund!"

Incorrect legal stuff as well which makes it even funnier, just shows what you can get with a bit of bluffing.