They stole his money after the fact.
I'm pretty sure the guy could e-mail the address that he was given and get the suspension taken off if he wanted.
He doesn't give a shit, though. Read the description of his video.
That's what player-made vids like the ROFLMAO vid are for. Though apparently he renamed it since to the meme vid or something.You would think a dev would WANT meme's.
Huh? Where?
Maybe he should have thought about that before doing something he knew was against the rules.
And I'm doubting they took money from him AFTER they banned him anyway.
Basically taking back that which he purchased, no refund.
May not be the same technically, but it's close enough.
Are you suggesting everyone who gets banned from Xbox Live has had their money stolen from them? It's good to hack your 360s and steal from MS?
I don't think he deserves a refund at all, they should give him a chance to prove his age and unban his account but that's all that he deserves.If they fully refunded him I'd be ok with this.
Sort of.
They're still fucking stupid. What the hell is wrong with Bioware.
EA isn't worth mentioning, all the big companies suck ass.
Says the person who doesn't believe Bioware isn't stealing.
That's why I think this is a big none issue. The moderator thought he was being serious and banned him. A simple discussion with Bioware reps could clear this up. Instead, he's decided to stir up the gaming community.
This could probably be resolved in 48 hours. I feel no sympathy for him.
Except terrible actions by companies should be brought up.
Its not about sympathy. It's about showing the world that Bioware is a terrible company.
I'm pointing and laughing at you because you think piracy is ever warranted.
Except terrible actions by companies should be brought up.
Its not about sympathy. It's about showing the world that Bioware is a terrible company.
I don't. But apparently you think that companies ripping off their consumers is. Double standard.
You would have a point if I actually thought BioWare did anything wrong in this case.
How about this scenario:
I go and buy an MA-rated game when I'm under age, for $100 (typical Australian example from 1995).
I write a letter to a gaming magazine about it and get published in their next issue (disclosing my age in the process)
Publisher finds out, comes into my house and takes it from me.
That's basically what has happened here. A customer has paid money for the game, disclosed their age in a public forum (which by all accounts is probably not their real age) and been banned from playing a game they paid money for. The game, being online only, is now essentially worthless to them.
Instead of being unreasonable, bioware should have done one of two things:
1. Taken it as the joke it is or;
2. Taken steps to verify the player's age
Instead, they simply stole it from him. No questions, no investigation, no appeal process, no refunds.
If they didn't steal the game, they at the very least stole his money.
Bioware = thieves.
I'm pointing and laughing at you because you think piracy is ever warranted.
They null and voided his purchase, and kept the money after the fact just because of a stupid joke.
No this is about one stupid person who broke TOS intentionally or unintentionally and got banned than bitches about it instead of getting it fixed.Except terrible actions by companies should be brought up.
Its not about sympathy. It's about showing the world that Bioware is a terrible company.
You wanted them to refund someone who, for all intents and purposes, broke the TOS?
No this is about one stupid person who broke TOS intentionally or unintentionally and got banned than bitches about it instead of getting it fixed.
I don't think this is biowares fault at all, this is the players fault.
Is downloading a game you already bought but were banned from piracy?
Joking about being under 13 /= being under 13.
The onus is on you to make sure that it's clear you are telling a joke and hopefully your audience will find it funny.
Yes.
Because you downloaded it.
Are you honestly telling me that you are going to try to circumvent being banned by breaking the law? I'm sure Company X will completely forgive you once they see you back online.
There's nothing to suggest that it's a joke unless you are in on the joke. The Bioware rep who banned him is not obligated to seek out proof of whether or not the post is a joke or not, they are simply banning him based on his admission of his age.
Important thing about telling a joke guys and gals, you're intended audience is under no obligation to "get it." The onus is on you to make sure that it's clear you are telling a joke and hopefully your audience will find it funny.
It's also on EA/BioWare to give him a chance to prove it. (I do see, however, that he won't be doing anything about it in any case, so apparently it can't be helped.)
It's also on EA/BioWare to give him a chance to prove it. (I do see, however, that he won't be doing anything about it in any case, so apparently it can't be helped.)
If this is an example of Bioware being a terrible company, I'm not seeing it.
As far as I can tell the guy claimed he was 12 (joke or not) which is against Bioware's Terms of Service. He was then banned from TOR. If he hasn't attempted trying to get unbanned, which his video subscription suggests, then I really don't see what Bioware has done here besides not getting a stupid Internet joke.
They can't be faulted for Bad Humour (which the meme is) or the inaction of the user after the ban.
May not be the same technically
Saying you're 12 is not against their TOS.
So he got banned because the terrible company that is Bioware hired terrible moderator's that are all to happy to do retarded things without thought.
Not really, no. It's up to him to do that.
Don't hate a company just because you can. That kind of apathy is why people don't give gamers a second thought.
What if EA/BioWare doesn't give him the time of day if he tries though? Besides, they're assuming he's 12 just because of a statement he made. And assume, as they say, stands for "making an ass of you and me".
These two guys are really stretching to defend Bioware.
Saying you're 12 is against their TOS according to their TOS.
What if EA/BioWare doesn't give him the time of day if he tries though? Besides, they're assuming he's 12 just because of a statement he made. And assume, as they say, stands for "making an ass of you and me".
What if EA/BioWare doesn't give him the time of day if he tries though? Besides, they're assuming he's 12 just because of a statement he made. And assume, as they say, stands for "making an ass of you and me".
At the very least, they should have given him a chance to prove his age before banning him. Putting the cart before the horse just wasted everyone's time.
No, being 12 is against their TOS.
Banning something for saying something in jest, without even the slightest thought that it might be a joke, is people being retarded.
So now we're hating EA/Bioware because of 'What if?' scenarios?
Should I stop assuming things about people based on the statements they've made. Should I just start assuming that everyone is joking/lying?
What a ridiculous statement.
Should I stop assuming things about people based on the statements they've made. Should I just start assuming that everyone is joking/lying?
What a ridiculous statement.
Actually, I'm finding it quite easy.
User makes statement that violates BioWare TOS.
BioWare bans user and cites TOS. Informs users that he/she is free to contact them regarding the ban.
User decides to make a youtube video instead of contacting BioWare.
Having such terrible policies that morons are allowed to ban people who've payed money with no oversight isn't exactly a what if
At the very least, they should have given him a chance to prove his age before banning him.
Again, why is the onus on BioWare to assume that the statement is a joke?
Criminal pleads not guilty to a crime in court. So obviously he didn't do it and no review of the actual facts should take place?
Perhaps they could have checked his account info before banning him, considering that he has to supply it to make an account in the first place.