BFBC2 Beta Code : Gamestop ties you in!

[zeroy]

Guys, if you pre-ordered BFBC2 on Gamestop in the aim to get a beta key you must know that you WILL NOT be able to cancel your pre-order after receiving such key!

I found this info on the wikipedia entry for BFBC2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield:_Bad_Company_2#Beta):

Retailers also gave a beta code to the customer when they pre-order the game, however, Gamestop will not allow you to cancel the pre-order once you receive a beta code from them.

Confirmation found on Gamestop pre-orders FAQs (http://www.gamestop.com/gs/help/Pre-orders.aspx):

Promotional Items
From time to time, GameStop.com will offer a special promotional item with a pre-order. Due to limited availability, these items are only available while supplies last.

Note: An order cannot be cancelled once the pre-order item or code has been supplied.

So in short, you MUST buy before you try! Nice going Gamestop! :(

[rudedog]

I can't say I blame them. They are the middle men and were given these codes for pre orders. Part of the pre orders is to buy the game. As shitty as that is....

100% of the blame should rest on EA's shoulders.

[zeroy]

I can't say I blame them. They are the middle men and were given these codes for pre orders. Part of the pre orders is to buy the game. As shitty as that is....

100% of the blame should rest on EA's shoulders.

agreed - I am no fan of Gamestop but indeed this mess is courtesy of EA think heads. Pre-order should not be required to access a beta imo but what can you do?

[David Champion]

So am I to understand that if I preordered this in store I should receive a key "in-store" or via email?

[zeroy]

So am I to understand that if I preordered this in store I should receive a key "in-store" or via email?

Gamestop only provide Beta key for ONLINE orders, it says on the website

[David Champion]

Gamestop only provide Beta key for ONLINE orders, it says on the website

Thanks for double Reply Zeroy didn't see two posts about this :salute:

[Mike Nomad]

agreed - I am no fan of Gamestop but indeed this mess is courtesy of EA think heads. Pre-order should not be required to access a beta imo but what can you do?


What can I do???

PASS!

I refuse to be "ROPED" into anything. This amounts to nothing more than a scam. That's designed to FORCE sales.

[PattonIRL]

If this is part of the contract of pre-ordering the game, would the not have to disclose this information to every consumer that pre-ordered the game. The principle of utmost good faith should apply here.

[PattonIRL]

What can I do???

PASS!

I refuse to be "ROPED" into anything. This amounts to nothing more than a scam. That's designed to FORCE sales.


If this is part of the contract of pre-ordering the game, would the not have to disclose this information to every consumer that pre-ordered the game. The principle of utmost good faith should apply here.
Could not agree with you more Mike. This is nothing more than a scam.

[Misnomer]

They do disclose this just not in big huge letters, I wonder if any other businesses do such a thing? Oh and since you may get the game in a wrapper you should be able to return it unopened. Gamestop does inform you in big letters that there will likely be a 5 dollar restocking fee.

So basically they tell you that you can be in the beta if you want to buy the game, but this is not a demo. If you want it to be a demo, it will cost you 5 dollars.

Once again I use the example of TF2 and Valve. If you pre-ordered the Orange Box on Steam you got access to the TF2 beta and Peggle Extreme. I am fairly certain that you could not cancel your pre-order once you recieved these, even though they were signficantly below the value of the Orange Box itself. Usually a really strongly worded letter to Steam support gets your pre-order canceled in those situations, but I am not sure if they would just remove Peggle Extreme from your account or what. Several games now give you other games in the franchise for free when you pre-order on Steam, I would doubt that you could cancel those.

Gamestop/EA=Valve?

[Hitman]

Note: An order cannot be cancelled once the pre-order item or code has been supplied.
One call to Visa and I get my money back simple as that.

[bacon]

^Exactly what I was thinking, but like RD said I don't blame them. EA should be confident enough that the game will sell on it merits of game play and not need to use a beta as a sales tool.

If it rocks it will sell, simple as that. We know EA is gonna market it really well. That is one thing I think they are really great at. :D

[spO.on]

I have lost count the amount of Beta's i have tried to get into, this is the first one that has delivered on it's promise of a key. Yeh yeh i had to pre-order the game and got nothing more than a buggy half-game and some useless unlocks, but i was gonna buy the game anyway so anything more than that is a bonus.

Cya on the Battlefield guys i for one am looking forward to this :salute:


Subject: Battlefield Bad Company 2 PC Beta Access
Dear Customer!
Thank you for pre ordering Battlefield Bad Company™ 2 from EA Store™ Before the games release we would like to supply you with Beta access! Your Battlefield Bad Company 2 Beta code is below along with instructions on how to access.
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX
(from 28th January 6pm CET, 12pm EST, 9am PST and 5:00pm GMT)
Instructions

STEP 1: Please visit any of the following sites to download Battlefield: Bad Company™ 2 PC Beta Client.
http://www.battlefieldbadcompany2.com/beta

STEP 2: Download and Install the client.
STEP 3: Once the client is installed, start the client and click on the log in button. You will receive a prompt to sign in with your EA Account. If you do not have an EA Account you can create one on the same screen.
STEP 4: Enter the unique PC Beta Code during the log in process to authenticate your participation in the Beta. You will not be able to play or access any multiplayer menus without being authenticated.
*Please note that once used it will be tied to your EA Account and no longer valid for new registrations.
** Please note that clicking on any of the multiplayer menu choices will open the log in dialogue if you are not already logged in
Happy gaming!
EA Store™ Team.

[AHerosEnd]

I'll wait until the game is released. However, I do expect a full report from those with the beta -- :p

[MaydaX]

It's funny that PC owners have to pre-order BC2 to be able to play a "demo" unless they are lucky enough to get a key while every Xbox owner can try the demo for free without pre-ordering.

Surprise Reveal: Xbox 360 Battlefield Bad Company 2 MP Demo is live on Xbox Marketplace! Go get it!!!!!!!http://twitter.com/OfficialBFBC2/status/8317834065

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/134/xboxdemo.png

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-GB/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802454108a8/?of=1

[Mike Nomad]

It's funny that PC owners have to pre-order BC2 to be able to play a "demo" unless they are lucky enough to get a key while every Xbox owner can try the demo for free without pre-ordering.

http://twitter.com/OfficialBFBC2/status/8317834065

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/134/xboxdemo.png

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-GB/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802454108a8/?of=1


That dealio is becoming a reoccurring habit perp'ed by many dev/publisher houses as a result of Micro$oft Console $ubsidie$ that seemingly engender ridiculous anti-PC game consumer measures in attempts to promote XBOX console sales.

Sooner or later that "beast" will turn and bite them all in the arse.

[Pendragon]

It dose appear to be counter intuitive to have one Microsoft product compete so aggressively against all competition including another Microsoft product. Also I can see that XBox is a cash cow or at least has the potential of being one for Microsoft. It dose not change the fact that PC operating systems is the core business.

Maybe we should stop referring to it as "PC gaming" and start calling it "Microsoft Windows gaming" just as a reminder to the Xbox execs within Microsoft that they are messing with the big dogs at the top table of their own organization.

If I were in charge of MS Windows I would be asking some tough questions of the Games publishers of why they treat my customers so poorly.

MS Windows Gaming -not- PC Gaming

[GaSplat]

The problem though is that Windows Live is pay to play. Also known as a service. Also known as an annuity revenue source. Think World of Warcraft.

If Microsoft had its way, you wouldn't buy Windows, you'd subscribe to it. They try to get companies to do it with their annual licensing deals. Windows XP may have been a big mover, but considering many people used it for 6 years means they had one payment and then the long drought. And the better the product, the longer the drought before people buy again. The Windows OS guy is not a top dog at the table any more - especially after Vista. He is simply riding on the coat tails of Microsoft Office who in the same time frame released Office XP, Office 2003, and Office 2007. When you consider the cost of patching Windows all that time, the OS is not a real money maker. Fortunately for them most people can't install an OS. If they could, then it would be even worse. As it is, new PCs buy a license, but it's at a reduced price versus retail. If the hardware wasn't improving, making people want to upgrade, they wouldn't make a thing after release. Just maintenance costs.

[woowoo]

Guys, if you pre-ordered BFBC2 on Gamestop in the aim to get a beta key you must know that you WILL NOT be able to cancel your pre-order after receiving such key!


I had meant to follow up on this earlier - this is not true. I was able to cancel my GS order.

[rudedog]

Thanks woowoo,

Funny to this day I still have not received my beta key for my pre order....