EA - NO High Seas, NO SA upgrade = no players, what does it take?

[O'Brien]

One of us calling the EA Games Support Line:

"Hello, I have an in-game problem!"
"Hi, what game to you play?"
"Ultima Online"
"Oh... What?"
"Ultima Online..."
"Ultima Online?"
"Yes."
"Uhhh... Please hold."

(Support Rep goes to speak to supervisor about whether they support a game called "Ultima Online" and what it is. Supervisor asks around and then looks it up in the department manual. Minutes pass... Support Rep returns to the phone.)

"I apologize for the wait. How can I help you?"
"Yes, I'm having a problem with Ultime Online. I can't login."
...Pause...
"I'm sorry you're having that problem. I'm going to have to escalate the issue and arrange a callback. What is your phone number and a good time for our 2nd tier support to call?"

I keep picturing what's soon to come:

One of us calling the EA Games Support Line:

"Hello, I have an in-game problem!"
"Hi, what game to you play?"
"Ultima Online"
"OH!?!...Really???"

 

[MissEcho]

EA is quite a large corporation. The division in charge of the Origin Store is not only separate from UO, it's separate from all of Bioware. In order to find someone at EA that's in charge of both in order to force some action, you'd have to go so far up into the Executive VP pay-grades that whoever you eventually found would have no idea who you are, what you do, or what you're talking about.

So when Messana said: "I spoke to the people responsible for the Origin store tonight and they told me the Australian team will be adding the two upgrades to their store catalog."
Messana, Feb 23 2012"

She was pretending?

Frankly, I don't give a rats behind how big EA is. The bigger they are should mean they pay more attention to front line services or they will not remain big. It has been reported to them, they have had it from Messana, they have had it in writing from me (and have responded) so they are well aware of the problem. Any other NORMAL organisation on the planet does NOT take 3 months + to fix something when it involves them losing money. People are TRYING TO PAY THEM. It is not like they have to invent or produce anything, they sell flipping codes that require absolutely NO input other than basic web store and a list of numbers. Sheesh, they can copy and paste the darn code details to the differing websites if it is too darn hard to retype em. They have any and all information for relevant payments for a country as they are already selling 'some' items. It is NOT rocket science. I upload to a number of domains regularly and there is no more work involved in uploading to one or another.

It is basically just crap customer service. I am afraid I would be EMBARRASSED to work for this company or its merchandising arm. Excuses are wearing really thin.

 

[O'Brien]

Excuses are wearing really thin.

What excuses? I haven't seen any, other than its "hard because we are relying on other people to do it." which is essentially admitting EA's bureaucratic paralysis and incompetence with such simple, fundamental tasks.

*shrug* it is what it is, I guess. We accept it when we choose to allow them to charge us $14.04 per month per login.

 

[Aurelius]

EA is quite a large corporation. The division in charge of the Origin Store is not only separate from UO, it's separate from all of Bioware. In order to find someone at EA that's in charge of both in order to force some action, you'd have to go so far up into the Executive VP pay-grades that whoever you eventually found would have no idea who you are, what you do, or what you're talking about.

And add in to that mess the ability of different regional arms of EA to decide what does and does not go on their version of the store website...

 

[Juztme]

So the Australian server is regularly offline and unplayable... Australian customers still can't buy the upgrade to SA or buy other bits and pieces for the game in the Australian Origin shop... is someone trying to tell us something?

 

[MissEcho]

So the Australian server is regularly offline and unplayable... Australian customers still can't buy the upgrade to SA or buy other bits and pieces for the game in the Australian Origin shop... is someone trying to tell us something?

You start to feel that way, although I am playing Atlantic atm, When I came back I opened up 3 accounts. I closed one account yesterday, and will most likely be closing the others in the not too distant future as there seems to be no resolution. Bet if this was Atlantic and the other USA server areas that couldn't purchase the SA upgrade and High Seas (plus the other stuff) then there would be action immediately.

I emailed them again today given it is a month since they emailed me to advise it was a priority. Must admit the tone of this email is not quite as polite as the first two. Will wait a week or so and see if i get any response and if not the next account will be closed.

I will walk, as I am not prepared to keep waiting. If the company cannot be bothered to allow me and other aussies to purchase product available to everyone else, yet keep charging me the same subscription to play then I guess I will not be bothered to play.

 

[SirZ]

In EMEA Origin we still not see 'High Seas booster'.
I know a few peoples who want to buy it but can't

 

[MissEcho]

This issue has still NOT been fixed.

NOT a priority obviously.

I made this thread on 23rd Feb, it is now the 3rd April. The issue has been known about since last year. I wrote to them again on 23rd of March and yet again have had NO response.

To: EA Support

Well another month has gone by and still I am unable to purchase:
Ultima Online - High Seas Booster
plus all the content listed below that is still missing from the Australian Origin Store, (which EA elects to use for its gaming product sales). I am not the only one waiting for content and people are getting very angry.
Could someone please advise why I am charged the same monthly subscription cost to play this game, while being denied half the content that the USA, UK an all other EA stores supply to their subscribers. Can I expect to have my subscription halved due to this fact?
It should not take months (EA has known about this problem since it changed over to Origin Stores as its merchandising supplier and has been promising for MONTHS that this will be fixed.) to get action on this issue. I want to actually 'GIVE YOU' money. It is not as if it is an actual physical item that I wish to puchase, it is digital codes to unlock content, no postage packaging etc and the Origin Australian store is already set up it just needs the products added to it. It is NOT rocket science.

I have now cancelled one of my subscriptions to the game this month and the others will follow shortly unless I can purchase this content. I opened the accounts to play High Seas and for 3 months have been unable to do so because I can't BUY it.
I am disappointed that this is NOT a priority as I was advised a month ago.
Could you please supply an ETA on when this will be available.

Who the hell is responsible for this, obviously they need to be sacked. I closed one account at the end of last month, after reopening it at xmas and the rest are going to go. Can't be bothered with this for much longer.

I cannot believe the total ineptitude of this company and the disdain they obviously have for the paying customer.

 

[neverplayuo]

BUMP
still cant buy high seas (No one at uo cares )

 

[IanJames]

This is ridiculous.

 

[Cogniac]

This is very simple.

EA clearly does not want your money.

So oblige them.

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

What a truly amazing display of ineptitude by EA. It really is disgusting.

 

[R Traveler]

Can't resist

Spoiler

http://consumerist.com/2012/04/congratulations-ea-you-are-the-worst-company-in-america-for-2012.html

http://consumerist.com/2012/04/congratulations-ea-you-are-the-worst-company-in-america-for-2012.html[/spoiler]

 

[Bardwei]

Players in Taiwan have the same problem buying things in our Origin Store - only the same 12 items are available. Some people and I also tried to look for help from EA Taiwan, help.ea.com, or [email protected], but it seems all useless.

 

[Juztme]

I just checked the Origin shop and it now seems to show Abyss upgrade(for existing accounts) and high seas booster as available , the ship is on the list too with a lot more other items... not bad .. It only took a year to copy and paste from the US website to the Australian one .

 

[MissEcho]

Ultima Online™ Legacy Token Code
Captain's Bundle Captain's Bundle
Ultima Online™ Advanced Character Ultima Online™ Advanced Character
Genre: Adventure, Online, Role Playing
Forged Metal Tool 10 Charges (100% Enhancement) Forged Metal Tool 10 Charges (100% Enhancement)
Ultima Online™ Character Transfer Code Ultima Online™ Character Transfer Code
Rustic Theme Pack Rustic Theme Pack
Rechargeable Housing Teleport Tiles Rechargeable Housing Teleport Tiles
Ultima Online™ 7th Character Slot Code Ultima Online™ 7th Character Slot Code
Ultima Online Gothic Theme Pack Ultima Online Gothic Theme Pack
Genre: Adventure, Online, Role Playing
Ultima Online Pen of Wisdom Ultima Online Pen of Wisdom
Ultima Online Britannian Ship
Ultima Online WoodWorkers Bench Ultima Online WoodWorkers Bench
Ultima Online Natural Hair Dye Ultima Online Natural Hair Dye
Ultima Online™ 7th Character Slot and Storage Ultima Online™ 7th Character Slot and Storage
Ultima Online Haochi’s Pigments Ultima Online Haochi’s Pigments
Ultima Online Forged Metal Tool 5 Charges Ultima Online Forged Metal Tool 5 Charges
Ultima Online™ Character Name Change Token Code Ultima Online™ Character Name Change Token Code
Ultima Online™ Housing and Bank Storage Upgrade Code Ultima Online™ Housing and Bank Storage Upgrade Code
Ultima Online™ Character Gender Change Token Code Ultima Online™ Character Gender Change Token Code
Ultima Online 1 Month Game Time Code Ultima Online 1 Month Game Time Code
Ultima Online™: Stygian Abyss™ (Account Upgrade) Ultima Online™: Stygian Abyss™ (Account Upgrade)
Ultima Online™ 3 Month Game Time Code Ultima Online™ 3 Month Game Time Code
Ultima Online™ 6 Month Game Time Code Ultima Online™ 6 Month Game Time Code
Ultima Online:™ Stygian Abyss Expansion Pack + 30 Days Game Time Ultima Online:™ Stygian Abyss Expansion Pack + 30 Days Game Time
Character Reincarnation Token (Name, Sex and Race change) Character Reincarnation Token (Name, Sex and Race change)
Ultima Online™: High Seas Booster Ultima Online™: High Seas Booster

Yes, we now have the Above.

Maybe someone can check against the US and other stores to see if we are now all on the same page.

Thanks to those who used the cattle prods, much appreciated.

The fact we had to get those prods out was the thing that was disappointing, especially when they had to be used for MONTHS.

 

[R Traveler]

Ultima Online™: High Seas Booster Ultima Online™: High Seas Booster.

We have no this at EMEA

 

[MissEcho]

What is EMEA ?

 

[O'Brien]

What is EMEA ?

Quick google search could have saved you from posting that question.
Europe, Middle East and Africa

 

[MissEcho]

Quick google search could have saved you from posting that question.
Europe, Middle East and Africa

And your post is helpful ........... how? Could say the same for ANY question posted.

 

[O'Brien]

And your post is helpful ........... how?

How? I pasted the answer to your question. EAFE = Europe, Middle East, and Africa. And no, you could not say the same for any question posted.

 

[MissEcho]

Then your screen shows different to my screen, I quoted what you posted, but meh, whatever.

 

[Bardwei]

Taiwan Origin store is updated too. It shows 28 items now.

 

[Ereon]

Ahh finally. I tweeted Jeff late last week and asked him to kick the EA Store people. He said he did and they would get it sorted by the end of this week. Looks like they managed it.

MissEcho, Do you by chance have the forums set to the default style, I think it's called "animate"? If so, that's why you didn't see the answer O'Brien posted. The words "Europe, Middle East and Africa" which are right below his line about using Google are almost impossible to see when using that style. I could only just see them, when I changed it to UO Classic, they are there plain as day, in both his post and your quoting of his post.

 

[Sevin0oo0]

MissEcho, Do you by chance have the forums set to the default style, I think it's called "animate"? If so, that's why you didn't see the answer O'Brien posted.

Thanks Ereon, I had looked over those post several times, it's the Style I use as well and see that as a flaw in Style compatibility. I googled and got Euro Medical links, but took it to mean EU in general, had no idea it covered those other countries. With your post I was able to specifically see the text. I've had that problem with other posts, where more visibly pronounced because of the sheer amount of text, still irritating that I would have to select the text, highlighting it into readability