The Steam Monster Game Sale Bait and Switch

[DementedSheep]

Wait, I'm confused, did people buy a game but it turned out to be a different one?

No, everyday they offer a different set of "monster sales" for the next day that are only unlocked if the community works for it by playing their shitty monster game enough (I don't bother, with how many people are on steam it's going to be unlocked anyway). This time one of the games that was used as incentive to play their game was switched out when they went up for sale.

I very much doubt this was intentional, not because I think valve are saints but they really don't gain much by doing this and if they are going to bait and switch I would think they would use a more popular game.

 

[Fappy]

-IRRELEVANT-

Holy shit, doth mine eyes deceive me?! Zach, is that you?!

YOU'VE COME BACK FOR ME!

OT: For some reason I always thought Steam set the price points for sales... the more you know!

 

[Aerosteam]

Wait, I'm confused, did people buy a game but it turned out to be a different one?

No, everyday they offer a different set of "monster sales" for the next day that are only unlocked if the community works for it by playing their shitty monster game enough (I don't bother, with how many people are on steam it's going to be unlocked anyway). This time one of the games that was used as incentive to play their game was switched out when they went up for sale.

I very much doubt this was intentional, not because I think valve are saints but they really don't gain much by doing this and if they are going to bait and switch I would think they would use a more popular game.

So... people are just annoyed they spent a little while on their clicker game but later found out they can't access a discount for a certain game on the store?

Oh boy, I hope someone got fired for that. ¬_¬

 

[snekadid]

Wow, I didnt see this thread doing anything for awhile so I figured it would just drift to the back. Then I got a badge. Anyways since this is still here let me clarify.

1. It is bait and switch, it falls very clearly under the definition of Bait and switch and those trying to reason out excuses for it should read up on the actual law rather than just stating their opinion as fact. I give a great example of what the law and definition is in the OP.

2. I'm not complaining that the game wasn't cheaper, and a lot of the people in the posts in the links forums threads aren't either. What we are upset about is that Steam has gone out of their way to hide threads talking about it, when it should be a simple issue, which is very suspicious and people deserve to be informed of it. Again, I don't care what your opinion is of what happened, I'm not trying to start a debate, I just wanted to let people know because information shouldn't be censored. Do with it what you will. Injustice or first world problems, no matter what you decided to think about it, I still win because you now know about it.

 

[Zakarath]

I really doubt that Valve has time to be mucking around with some insignificant game in the middle of running their big sale. This was likely either a glitch or meddling by the game devs/publishers.

No need to get up in arms about everything.

And claiming that they broke the law by not offering a game on sale is laughably hyperbolic.

 

[Battenberg]

And claiming that they broke the law by not offering a game on sale is laughably hyperbolic.

This. I think the issue is people are mistaking what should be law for what actually is. That said if you are still 100% confident on your knowledge of these laws and are certain these publishers/ devs/ Steam are breaking them then go ahead and build a case against them.

Raising awareness is good. It means less people will fall into these traps and there's less incentive for these behaviours to be repeated in the future. Ranting about the law and how "they're not allowed to do this" achieves absolutely nothing.

 

[Zakarath]

Also: Your game is on sale. Maybe next time have a little patience before going for the torches and pitchforks.

 

[PsiMatrix]

Wow, I didnt see this thread doing anything for awhile so I figured it would just drift to the back. Then I got a badge. Anyways since this is still here let me clarify.

1. It is bait and switch, it falls very clearly under the definition of Bait and switch and those trying to reason out excuses for it should read up on the actual law rather than just stating their opinion as fact. I give a great example of what the law and definition is in the OP.

Pretty sure they'll also be a clause in the Steam User Agreement that will state they make substitutions at any time if for whatever reason they can't supply the stated product AND that they may withdraw any product at any time for any reason both in and out of their control.

They have not done anything criminal though. The monster game is F2P and as stated; almost all the deals will be unlocked because of the way it works. At worst; it's false advertising but if the publisher is going bankrupt they have a higher obligation to pull it if it becomes unusable otherwise they would then be selling a product they'd have no legal right to since bankruptcy will mean all the assets will be held in administration by a liquidation company.

False advertising would also be a civil matter to be handled by local trading standards who would ask if there was any reason it could not be supplied. And if the devs are saying 'publisher is bankrupt' then that is a mitigating circumstance.

When devs are saying don't buy it; it's really in trouble.

 

[lacktheknack]

As usual, OP (not this specific OP, just OPs in general) makes a thread about a well-respected company doing a random evil thing because they're evil, not because there maybe/probably is/assuredly is foul play from someone who DOES benefit, rather than the storefront that doesn't.

You'd think we'd be through this stage, but once again, the average layman shows that they don't actually know how economics works. (Hint: If you did, your rage would be instantly pointed at the publisher rather than Valve.)

 

[snekadid]

As usual, OP (not this specific OP, just OPs in general) makes a thread about a well-respected company doing a random evil thing because they're evil, not because there maybe/probably is/assuredly is foul play from someone who DOES benefit, rather than the storefront that doesn't.

You'd think we'd be through this stage, but once again, the average layman shows that they don't actually know how economics works. (Hint: If you did, your rage would be instantly pointed at the publisher rather than Valve.)

Read the actual post, don't only read and thus become one of the people(like zakarath) who only reacts to replies rather than reading the original OP. Yes, there was a Bait and switch, that is a fact, and sure there are reasons for it that could take blame from steam for the bait and switch. The point was however not that there was a bait and switch, because there was. The point is that steam then following it, censored threads talking about it as if they were trying to hide it, making them look suspicious as a result and their ethics questionable.

 

[lacktheknack]

As usual, OP (not this specific OP, just OPs in general) makes a thread about a well-respected company doing a random evil thing because they're evil, not because there maybe/probably is/assuredly is foul play from someone who DOES benefit, rather than the storefront that doesn't.

You'd think we'd be through this stage, but once again, the average layman shows that they don't actually know how economics works. (Hint: If you did, your rage would be instantly pointed at the publisher rather than Valve.)

Read the actual post, don't only read and thus become one of the people(like zakarath) who only reacts to replies rather than reading the original OP. Yes, there was a Bait and switch, that is a fact, and sure there are reasons for it that could take blame from steam for the bait and switch. The point was however not that there was a bait and switch, because there was. The point is that steam then following it, censored threads talking about it as if they were trying to hide it, making them look suspicious as a result and their ethics questionable.

Sorry, but I'm not buying for an instant that moving threads about Shadows into the Shadows forum section is censorship.

It might have the same effect, but do you really think the mod moving them thinks about it or cares? You're attributing to malice what's more than perfectly explained by slight thoughtlessness.