EA Offers Full Refunds For Unsatisfied Origin Customers

[Gearhead mk2]

...wow. Credit where credit is due, good job EA. Keep this up and maybe you wont be voted Worst Company in America for a third year in a row.

 

[ph0b0s123]

Step in the right direction. If EA gave an option to also return the extraneous personal data they took, as a price for using their service, then we would be talking. Until then, I could not really care less what other stuff they are doing with Origin.

Will never use a service that decides it has a right to collect data that is not directly related to the service they are offering, or data that you have not expressly decided to share with them by manually disclosing it...

 

[Youma]

Fantastic, I'm still not using origin, but it might persuade Valve to do the same, the steam return policy is awful.

 

[lacktheknack]

I think people are overreacting a bit.

On a scale of 1-10, Valve's a 9.5 (always like to leave room to improve). Origin's a 1.

EA puts in this policy, they're now a 2. Valve's still a 9.5.

Improve 7 more points and a fuck will be given to EA. Until then, they get no fucks given from me.

Be realistic, person-who's-never-used-Origin.

In terms of distribution, the scoring is more realistically a 7 for Origin (accounting for the many reported problems others have reported having, although I've not had them), a 7.5 for Steam and a 10 for gog.com.

Using such ridiculous extremes only makes your outlook appear extremely narrow.

 

[Ympulse]

If EA gave an option to also return the extraneous personal data they took, as a price for using their service, then we would be talking. Until then, I could not really care less what other stuff they are doing with Origin.

You mean, your system specs and the Settings information on the Origin games you run?

That's some NSA-level spying right there, I must say.

Edit: Not to mention Steam does the same exact thing.

 

[romxxii]

Aren't most EA games about 5 hours long? What's there to stop people from completing a game a giving it back?

Most EA games I've played are the long-haul type, at 40 hours or more: your Bioware RPGs, your SimCity timesinks, etc, etc. Yeah, there's stuff like Battlefield, but I stopped playing that shit within two hours of the single player campaign. If only they had that refund system in place two years ago...

 

[rednose1]

EA what...what are you doing?!?! You're supposed to be the bad guy, I know you as the bad guy!! You keep doing non-douchebag things like this, and I'm not gonna know what to think!

 

[Gameguy20100]

If EA gave an option to also return the extraneous personal data they took, as a price for using their service, then we would be talking. Until then, I could not really care less what other stuff they are doing with Origin.

You mean, your system specs and the Settings information on the Origin games you run?

That's some NSA-level spying right there, I must say.

Edit: Not to mention Steam does the same exact thing.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Im really sick of people saying "meh origins spyware" no it bloddy well isnt.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

You know all Valve's gotta do to one-up this shit is to allow refunds on games you've not clocked in more than 48 hours of playtime on according to your profile. Then they're instantly over Origin again like they've always been.

 

[ph0b0s123]

If EA gave an option to also return the extraneous personal data they took, as a price for using their service, then we would be talking. Until then, I could not really care less what other stuff they are doing with Origin.

You mean, your system specs and the Settings information on the Origin games you run?

That's some NSA-level spying right there, I must say.

Edit: Not to mention Steam does the same exact thing.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Im really sick of people saying "meh origins spyware" no it bloddy well isnt.

@Ympulse
So that's the benchmark now. If they are not worse than what the NSA illegally collects, it's fair game. That's a pathetic benchmark.

Why do they need to collect and store my system specs, all the other software installed on my PC and my IP address? Whether my system is the right spec for the game is my lookout. This should only be collected, if I report a request for support on a game that is not working. And this would only be if it was an EA game as for third party games you would go direct to the games publisher.

My name, address, email address, billing details, games I have purchased from them and how long I have played them for etc, are fair game.

And for the 100th time, Steam give you the option to provide this info or not. Please check your facts before getting into such a discussion. (http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/)

@Gameguy20100
Please don't put words in my mouth or bring other straw-men in to make your point. I did not say spyware. EA do make you, as part of their service, give up more information about your computer system, etc than any other game distribution system requires.

That is a perfectly legitimate reason to decide to avoid it and believe that those who do use it are just condoning this kind of behavior from companies. Maybe people with think something is amiss when a DNA sample has to be provided in order to purchase a game on-line, but going by the comments here, I doubt it.

 

[Subscriptism]

EA are making great efforts to repair their reputation, it'll take a while but this pleases me, I don't want to hate them after all.

 

[Playful Pony]

Woah, that's actually really neat! I'm no Origin fan, but I this is a pretty good step in a very consumer-friendly direction. If this is the start of a new EA I'm very much liking it, and hope it is. Would be neat to see Steam get some proper competition at last.

Wish I could get a refund for simcity... What a disappointment

Uhm, you could have when it was released, everyone was free to get a refund. If you bought it after that period, didn't you pay atention to the media at all? The SimCity disaster was well documented...

 

[Vrach]

Aren't most EA games about 5 hours long? What's there to stop people from completing a game a giving it back?

The download speed. I've only used Origin once, and that was for SWTOR, so I can't say for personal experience, but my friend had alot of trouble downloading games from Origin, which he never had with other services, not just Steam. Though I like that they are making progress, I might reinstall Origin if they keep this up.

"24 hours after the first launch of the game". So unless you need more than 6 days to download the game, you've got 24 hours to return it, possibly finishing it first.

*nod* as you should. Now as long as this process is painless and you don't have a room full of monkeys on technical support when a game launch or older game goes awry this should work out well for you EA.

Now that you mention it, that's a real concern. Unless there's a button on Origin during the first 24 hours to return a game, I'll judge this when I hear about a number of people who were happy with it. I've had a number of chats with EA's customer service staff regarding some of EA's own games (TOR, BF3) and it was moment I understood the whole "why I'd rather be punched in the crotch than deal with customer service" thing. They took 5-20 minutes to reply between messages (in chat, and I mean between every single message, including the "good evening" kind of stuff) and replied only in scripted lines (and I do mean only).

Still, overall... props if they do it right. Games really need to be able to be returned when they're unplayably bad.

 

[unstabLized]

First humble, then this? Jesus, that's two good things from EA within a few days span. Someone pinch me.

 

[sir neillios]

Yikes. Like, seriously yikes.

This actually makes me kinda excited. EA has literally thrown down the gauntlet here, BUNDLES!!! REFUNDS!!! SALES!!!

Holy sheeet, in the last few minutes I have installed Origin... I do intend to wait a couple weeks before downloading anything, given that I've heard it is having server problems due to high traffic, and I still have tons of games from the steam sale to play.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Holy shit.

EA one-upped Valve.

Someone send a care package to hell, because Satan is freezing his ass off.

Sent him some blankets and soup myself. God speed for that care package, cause I don't think he'll last much longer if this kind of stuff continues

 

[ph0b0s123]

@Ympulse
So that's the benchmark now. If they are not worse than what the NSA illegally collects, it's fair game. That's a pathetic benchmark.

Exaggerated statement to prove a point. But, as we're being pedantic on the internets, LETS GET PEDANTIC ON THE INTERNETS!

Yes, lets.

Why do they need to collect and store my system specs,

To create aggregate data on which to base development of future PC games and ports.

Great why don't I have a choice in providing them free survey material. This is not directly related to whether I can run my already purchased game or not, so not directly related to the current service. It's just nice to have and therefore optional, as it's collection should be.

all the other software installed on my PC

Only that which is in your Origin folder. Let's be clear about this, it only scans the Origin folder. And it needs to gather data from said folder as local logs are created for crashes and other information that is eventually sent to Origin as aggregate data anyways.

The Origin EULA (http://eacom.s3.amazonaws.com/EULA_Origin_9.16.11.pdf) says:
"information that EA collects includes technical and related information that identifies your computer(including the Internet Protocol Address) and operating system, as well as information about your Application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware."

Origin may only search a few places at the moment, but agreement to the EULA gives them the right to search everything and it's usage etc.

and my IP address?

Because routing. Here's an Explain Like I'm Five article on it: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4564505_computer-networks-work.html

I currently hold a CCNP and a CCDP, and do this for a living. That is not how routing works. Routers do not store your IP address but have routing tables telling it, which interface or port, it should send packets destined to your ip address to. The only network device that may need to temporarily know your and store your IP address, is a firewall. But that is only a temporary need.

So no, there is no good reason, directly related to getting the game to run on my PC, that my IP address should be recorded and stored for the future for.

Also an IP address is a pretty non-anonymous thing to collect and store. It in most cases, with the help of you ISP, can give your address. Even without ISP help it can give a very close location. And that is why it is collected with with the other info, to localize it. I.e to make the data less anonymous.

Whether my system is the right spec for the game is my lookout.

You -really- need to have a look at the general population of the First World again. Most people don't know the difference between RAM and ROM. Further concerns addressed in next segment.

Fine let them opt into the data collection.

This should only be collected, if I report a request for support on a game that is not working.

That information IS requested when you contact support. If all of this information gathering was as 'big brother' as you're suggesting, then the CS department wouldn't list the first step of their tech troubleshooting as "Collect DXDIAG information"

No, that just means the data they are collecting is more aimed for marketing purposes than helping the consumer.

And this would only be if it was an EA game as for third party games you would go direct to the games publisher.

Why is that? You're using the Origin Platform to launch the game, and as such Origin is still doing it's thing. Steam does the same thing. Also, the aggregate information as it pertains to those third-party developers is sent to them as requested.

My name, address, email address, billing details, games I have purchased from them and how long I have played them for etc, are fair game.

The same can be said after purchasing anything off of Ebay, Amazon, Ordering a Pizza online...

Exactly, that's why I said it was fair game, as it is info directly related to making the service work and is therefore needed by most online retailers. I am a realist....

And for the 100th time, Steam give you the option to provide this info or not.

Steam reports all of the information you're up in arms about every time you connect to their servers. The option is to have said information tagged as an individual for your own tracking purposes.

Wrong. From the link I already provided (http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey):
"Participation in the survey is optional, and anonymous."

Please check your facts before getting into such a discussion.

Sound advice, I must say. Mayhaps you should listen to your own?

I would do if I had not already followed my own advise...

(now lets see if my BBcode is any good... fingers crossed)(edit: wasn't worried for a minute...)

 

[Nosirrah]

Holy shit.

EA one-upped Valve.

Someone send a care package to hell, because Satan is freezing his ass off.

Hell is frozen, pigs are flying and unicorns and spontaneously appearing and leaking rainbows out of every hole.

Brace yourselves, the apocalypse is coming.