22 November 2010

ArenaNet is the pickle on the crap sandwich that is my month

So I finally get my computer up and running after two weeks. I install Guild Wars, first program I always install on my computer; and I log in and remain in game to let it background install all the extra info. Well I try to log in Saturday and I get code error 45... and it tells me my account is blocked... so lets review my month so far.

Beginning of the month computer crashes, have to wrestle and yell at Dell for two weeks to come and fix it. Now that's it fixed ArenaNet blocks my Guild Wars account. So now I STILL CAN'T PLAY!

So I contact ArenaNet. And yes I am pissed!
Me:
So after two weeks of not having a computer I install Guild Wars on my new system and log in to get the message my account has been blocked.
Why?
And how are you going to correct this?

After getting several automated responses that get you no where fast I get this:
Hello (my name),

Thank you for contacting NCsoft Account Support.

Your account was blocked because someone other than you was accessing the account. The block is placed on the account the moment we notice the intrusion to help prevent any further damage to your account.

At this time we need to verify that this is indeed your account. Please provide as much of the following information as you can:

-- What first and last name did you use when you created the account?
-- What physical address did you use when you created the account?
-- What date of birth did you use when you created the account?
-- What are the 20/25-digit serial codes/access keys for all games you added to the account?
-- What is the Unique Account ID for all the game accounts you added to the account? (This was sent to you via e-mail on the date your game account was activated with a subject header of 'Game Account Activated'.)
-- Original billing information: If activated using a credit/debit card, please provide the last 4 digits of the credit card used. If activated using a game time card, please provide the 20-digit game time card code used to activate the account. If activated using PayPal®, please provide the Transaction ID or the Invoice ID associated with the original activation purchase.

We look forward to assisting you.

Thank you,
Max
NCsoft Account Support

To contact our Billing or Technical Support by phone, please call (512)225-6359.
Monday - Friday, 12 PM - 5 PM Central Time (North America)
Long distance charges may apply.

So I fill out their information, as they put it "as much as I could". After 5 years of playing GW and moving several times in that time frame I don't have all my little activation numbers laying around. As well you don't use a CC or PayPal to activate a GW account because it has no monthly fees. But I give them the rest of the info. And I receive this back.
Hello (my name),

Thank you for providing that information to us.

In reviewing the information you’ve provided, we see that some of what we’ve requested is missing from your response, or the information you’ve given us does not match what was registered to the account. This information is important and is used to assist us in locating the account as well as to verify you as the owner of the NCsoft and game account.

Please try to the best of your ability to locate as much of the information below and we will review your account issue.

-- What date of birth did you use when you created the account? (The date of birth you have provided does not match the registered date of birth for this account.)
-- What are the 20/25-digit serial codes/access keys for all games you added to the account?
-- What is the Unique Account ID for all the game accounts you added to the account? (This was sent to you via e-mail on the date your game account was activated with a subject header of 'Game Account Activated'.)
-- Original billing information: If activated using a credit/debit card, please provide the last 4 digits of the credit card used. If activated using a game time card, please provide the 20-digit game time card code used to activate the account. If activated using PayPal®, please provide the Transaction ID or the Invoice ID associated with the original activation purchase.

We look forward to assisting you.

Regards,
Roger
NCsoft Account Support

To contact our Billing or Technical Support by phone, please call (512)225-6359.
• Monday - Friday, 12 PM - 5 PM Central Time (North America)
• Long distance charges may apply.

... Seriously, Roger. You want to fuck with me? So now I am seriously pissed. This is the same fucking shit that I just went through with Dell. So I ranted and rambled for quite a bit in the following text I sent back to them. Here is the jist. (The following will be slightly/a lot less offensive then what I actually sent them).

ArenaNet here is the deal. I have been playing Guild Wars for five years (I included my activation date in this). I have been a loyal customer, I have even continued supporting the game through microtransactions, because I like the game and I want it to succeed. I have also invested in all the expansions, including the Bonus Mission Pack, on a preorder or as soon as released basis. I have brought over a dozen different players into the game who have all bought expansions and are investing financially in the game as well. It seems that on November 20th a bunch of people, both friends and guild members of mine, have had their accounts blocked. Is this a systems error that you will immediately correct? Or is this ArenaNets way of saying fuck you we don't want anymore of your money? All I want is my account unblocked so I can play, which according to your own information provided to players (that account security is our responsibility not ArenaNets) should never have been blocked in the first place.

In response to that information I got this:
Hello (my name),

Thank you for witting back to NCsoft Account Support.

I am escalating your ticket for further assistance, and someone will be in contact with you as soon as possible.

Regards,
Parsec
NCsoft Account Support

To contact our Billing or Technical Support by phone, please call (512)225-6359.
• Monday - Friday, 12 PM - 5 PM Central Time (North America)
• Long distance charges may apply.

After this I promptly called their number listed on the bottom of the email, only to discover that they don't handle account issues.

Look, all I want is to blow off steam after a long day at work. And kill monsters in a fantasy settings and maybe spend some time with friends. Instead I get your account department trying to rectally probe me. And I find it offensive. Unblock my account. Do it now! and I would suggest doing the same for all those others who irresponsibly blocked. Ok I have had a horrible month, and you guys are making it much worse. I will not (hell I cannot) invest in any other ArenaNet or NCSoft products until this is resolved.

2 comments:

  1. I happen to be one of those friends that lost his account to, what I hope to be merely an ArenaNet error, and I resonate with your anger. It responded to me with the same messages, I believe that they are automated, because my messages were exactly the same. I have been playing Guild Wars for nearly five years and several thousand hours of game-play, and my bill racks up to nearly 200 dollars as well. If they don't rectify this soon, it will certainly ruin my Thanksgiving.

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  2. I feel your pain in this. Same thing happened to my EQ1 account with several high-level characters and hundreds of played DAYS (that's a count of each 24 hours you played online)... I lost it, and even tho I was the original creator and had all of the original CD Keys, credit card numbers, etc. they wouldn't give it back.

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