Battlefield 4 refunds and the LAW

It is now widely reported gamers have been able to get refunds for their Battlefield Premium content from EA but will you get a refund?
Currently consumers have no rights in relation to refunds so we have noted the recent proposed changes to the law in relation to getting refunds on digital content.

[Callediceman]

YOU BETRAYED THE LAW!!!!!

[3-4-5]

Basically this means Games will take 3 years instead of 2 years to make, because they won't be allowed to "patch" broken parts of the game without EVERYONE who bought that game being entitled to a full refund.

The game almost HAS to release bug free.

[zeee]

And there is nothing wrong with devs taking more time to make a game that is not broken. I remember back in Genesis days, we never had to deal with this crap. Everything worked just fine and devs back then had no way to update a glitch so they HAD to work hard and make sure that the game worked great.

Nowadays, they release first and then let the public do the testing instead of this being the other way around.

I got BF4 on PS4 launch and strictly speaking for myself, I can tell you that I wish every day that DICE had taken another year to work on the game because CLEARLY, this game needed another 6 months-12 months of developing time.

Also, you need to understand that there is a difference between fixing a minor glitch and releasing an unfinished product and advertise it otherwise. DICE/EA knew the game was broken, had glitches and they NEEDED more time to finish this, yet, they decided to release it and let gamers suffer and get frustrated.

[SilentNegotiator]

"Proposed new law: Clear right to repair or replacement if the item is faulty. Due to the nature of purchases firms are allowed to supply more than one repair or replacement but if this is not rectified during a reasonable amount of time then they are entitled to a refund or reduction in price. However, there is no 30 day limit on this"

1) Who decides what a "reasonable amount of time" is?
2) Who decides if a game is faulty enough to be legally in need of refund?
3) Who wrote this proposed law, with a final sentence that doesn't make any sense?

Most importantly:
4) There are ALREADY laws that protect people from defective products, and they DO extend to digital purchases. What difference would ratifying any such law make?

[Freddy_Millz1]

LMAO!
"I *AM* THE LAW!!!!"

[AceBlazer13]

http://static.comicvine.com...

[DavidMacDougall]

LLLAAAAWWWWW!!!!

[IRON883]

I am the LAW!!!!

[FunkMacNasty]

How about the fact that some premium content isn't showing up due to "glitches".. Most of us are still waiting for our Gold Battlepack, which according to the Premium calendar was supposed to be available on 12/9

Sure, maybe some people will say 4 days late isnt a big deal, but when we are PAYING for premium, we expect the content delivered on time. Simple as that.

[spektical]

the proposed new law "...Clear right to repair or replacement if the item is faulty. Due to the nature of purchases firms are allowed to supply more than one repair or replacement but if this is not rectified during a reasonable amount of time then they are entitled to a refund or reduction in price. However, there is no 30 day limit on this."

is very consumer friendly, and will put a damper on publishers/devs being ok with releasing broken products

[pompombrum]

If this law passes, I reckon EA's stock is going to take a hit. Think of how much money they'd lose from BF4 alone.

[Naga]

As a law student who just wrapped up his Contracts final the other day (for whatever that's worth), I only somewhat agree with you. The problem is that the interpretation of what a "reasonable amount of time" is what this new law would turn upon. In its interpretation, a court would most likely look to evidence of industry norms and common practices in the trade.

Considering that, the sad truth is that the current norm within the industry is to simply continue providing patches to the game. The new law, therefore, would likely not change much at all for us.

Rather, it perhaps provides some marker in the far-off distance by which we as consumers may have some form of class-action recourse. But in order to prevail, it would require conduct on behalf of the developer which is so extreme or outrageous - such as a game-crashing bug which goes completely unfixed for at least 90 days after its discovery.

In theory, I agree with you. But in practice, the proposed standard simply reinforces the common practice with which we as gamers are already fed up. Brace yourself for the continuing deluge of patches and stopgap fixes.

[JessiePinkmanYo]

Why stop at DLC on this steaming pile? Some bought the game on release, going on two months, and were led by broken promises of updates to fix the crashes. Most if not all retailers won't give a refund if the game is opened or over 30 days. This game clearly doesn't work as advertised, and I want my money back.

[GentlemenRUs]

People need to understand that the US is not the only place with LAWS... There are differences with other country's(Yes! There is more then the US!) which could make things easier...

Like here in the UK/EU, They could be forced to give a refund no matter what.

[Saryk]

I was thinking that myself. I as an american think that the UK does a better job at protecting the consumer than the USA. The USA does help, but more in favor of the business.

[FunkMacNasty]

America does absolute sh*te for consumers. We get F'd over by a company selling a faulty product or service?? Tough luck for us! America is run completely by corporations and big businesses. It doesn't matter how many Presidents we elect, or what party they represent: corporations make the rules and at the same time are exempt from them-- the fact that, when the stock marcket crashed in 2008 and BANKS, WALL STREET FINANCIAL FIRMS and the AUTO INDUSTRY got federal bailout money, while the hard working American citizens lost homes, jobs, 401k investments, retirment funds... and then a year later, everyone gets a check from the government for like $600 bucks!? "Sorry you lost all your investments due to lack of regulation on wall street and bank laws - here have $600 dollars.. smh. Seriously, as an American citizen-I love my country but my "government" can suck a ****.

[BlingBlaine]

If this passes EA will go down in history as being the evil empire that crushed the goals of big publishers due to their terrible badly launched unfinished games.

The other game producers will literally black ball them within the industry. Imagine the internal hate for EA.

Im lovin this

[Nocando]

Got my refund for premium today from Xbox Live. They didn't even hesitate.

[PurpHerbison]

Not too long ago this BF4 was looking like it was going to be the Anti-COD from a lot of comments. When will you guys understand that both games need to be flushed down the toilet?

[frostypants]

Because BF is a good game with bugs. CoD is just a bad game.

[PurpHerbison]

Good game, or bugs. Pick one.

[frostypants]

No, Purp. BF with the bugs worked out is a good game. CoD, even if bug free, is a piece of crap.

[FunkMacNasty]

PurpHerbison - Why should each game be 'flushed down the toilet'? because YOU don't like them? The First person military shooter genre is here to stay, like it or not. Nobody's forcing you to buy the games.

Battlefield IS the 'anti-cod' as you say. Just as Gran Turismo is the complete opposite of Burnout. Two games, two different experiences within one genre.

I think Frosty is right, BF4 has the potential to be a great game. The content and gameplay is there, but the effort to have all of those mechanics working upon release--and not 3 months after--is important. Meanwhile, Call of Duty WAS a great game that has simply become bogged down by a complete lack of effort by the developers, and an increasingly obnoxious online community.

[PurpHerbison]

Because, next gen is here. The rinse and repeat was old on last gen. It's time for some brand new memorable experiences. This is the prime example of why I won't get a PS4 til 2015 now.

[zerog]

If this goes down microsoft is screwed. Windows doesn't work properly years and even versions after its released. Remember vista anyone lol?

[Nocando]

???

[FunkMacNasty]

anything to troll MS right? Or maybe you are just commenting in the wrong thread?

Were talking about Battlefield Premium subs being refunded... not sure what youre talkin' bout.

[zerog]

That's because you don't think and was only assuming my comment was the basis of a trolling fanboy. Yes the article is about battlefield refunds but its also about why those people are getting refunds and that's because of the consumers rights when purchasing digital content or in other words "software". Its about laws saying that if a software doesn't perform as promised and is not fixed in a reasonable amount of time then the consumer is entitled to a refund. Now I've known lots of software from lots of different companies to not work as promised but none so much as microsoft. Windows vista never worked as promised nor 7 fully nor does 8 now so where the hells my refund?

[XiSasukeUchiha]

Ha, ha ha Damn now this deserves it http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[sAVAge_bEaST]

I called sony the day China Rising -2 week early access premium- launched.. and got a refund for Premium.. No Prob.s.

I am so upset with EA/DICE. This is coming from a battlefield Vet., and long time supporter.. This release was a slap in the face, to the battlefield faithful.