Return from Hiatus, AC expired.

[Pyrii]

So back when PSO2 JP first started I decided to splash out and buy 10300AC

http://www.pso-world.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3144&d=1388577440

I've occasionally made myself premium, but when I stopped playing after easter this year I remember having 1500AC left.

So I came back last night because my friends keep harpering on and I notice something strange.

http://www.pso-world.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3145&d=1388577448

Where did my AC go? Okay the amount was rather small now, but still, did they wipe my AC while I was away? What did I miss? None of my searches bring up anything and as you can see, my Purchase history doesn't show anything either.

[jooozek]

ac expires after a year so yeah
segac

[EvilMag]

Any AC that was purchased a year ago will disappear. It's stupid I know.

[Walkure]

Unused AC only lasts a year or so, apparently. There was a message around the 1 year anniversary that some old AC would be expiring soon.

[Pyrii]

Guh, so they price things so there's always left-over AC, and then force you to buy more to let you use up the expiring stuff.

Bye Bye 1500Yen

[Dark Priest]

Such is the move of greedy companies like sega, Anything to get you to throw more money at them.

But imagine if you did indeed have 10k ac and it expired..

[UnLucky]

Yeah I had 200 AC scheduled to vanish today, too

I know lots of people raged at the announcement, but maybe once it actually happens to enough people they'll end up changing it

[TaigaUC]

Yeah, the pricing is designed that way too.
Everyone seems to do it nowadays. People will do anything to get our money.

[Ratazana]

SEGAC is specially evil but that's the reason they are making money and we are getting new content (designed to bring even more money).

Unfortunately most companies that aren't evil enough can't financially succeed with a f2p game. I doubt we would have pso2 if psu guardians cash didn't bring 'em loads of money and this kind of system was considered way fouler back then. Now people just accept it.

[Pyrii]

SEGAC is specially evil but that's the reason they are making money and we are getting new content (designed to bring even more money).

Unfortunately most companies that aren't evil enough can't financially succeed with a f2p game. I doubt we would have pso2 if psu guardians cash didn't bring 'em loads of money and this kind of system was considered way fouler back then. Now people just accept it.

Maybe that's the real problem. Companies will find as many ways these days to screw over customers and just hope fresh blood comes in when the disheartened players leave. Relying on double and even triple-dipping for MMOs to rake in as much cash from players as possible.

All the western companies seem to be jumping on the gambling bandwagon rather than letting players BUY what they want now too.

[pkemr4]

All the western companies seem to be jumping on the gambling bandwagon rather than letting players BUY what they want now too.

truer words have not been spoken. also alot of forgian game being published by US company seem to enjoy raffle's and spender event to milk as much money as possible.

[GreenArcher]

Sega wants our money? How dare they...

Although it is rather silly to have AC expire like this.

[jooozek]

Maybe that's the real problem. Companies will find as many ways these days to screw over customers and just hope fresh blood comes in when the disheartened players leave. Relying on double and even triple-dipping for MMOs to rake in as much cash from players as possible.

All the western companies seem to be jumping on the gambling bandwagon rather than letting players BUY what they want now too.

big problem is that players are actually letting that kind of shit slide which just gives them space to put in more bullshit
i mean wtf expiring virtual points, i'd get if it was some promo shit you get from overbuying or events but no, it's stuff you actually paid money for

[Dark Priest]

big problem is that players are actually letting that kind of shit slide which just gives them space to put in more bullshit
i mean wtf expiring virtual points, i'd get if it was some promo shit you get from overbuying or events but no, it's stuff you actually paid money for

it's more of the fact "nothing you can do about it, so suck it up" old pso players have been wanting a new pso for a while and when we finally get it, it's ruined by cash shops and segas greed.

Players have no choice but to let it slide if they want to play this, that is why they are getting away with it, and anything else they think of. the fact you need to throw money at them to even trade between players was a clear sign that its more about money then actual players enjoyment. because they KNOW some people need to do that.

[Pyrii]

it's more of the fact "nothing you can do about it, so suck it up" old pso players have been wanting a new pso for a while and when we finally get it, it's ruined by cash shops and segas greed.

Players have no choice but to let it slide if they want to play this, that is why they are getting away with it, and anything else they think of. the fact you need to throw money at them to even trade between players was a clear sign that its more about money then actual players enjoyment. because they KNOW some people need to do that.

Exactly, we want more games in the franchise then we have to show that we want them, but that conflicts with protesting against poor treatment.

Every game/publisher now employs a "digital currency", rather than provide a webshop with actual currencies.

This is two-fold win for companies, first there's less transaction fees (The seller has to pay a fee for every transaction, usually a flat fee + a percentage) as there's only one initial transaction. Plus that money is then locked into their system so it can only be used on their games.

Oh but I forgot a third. "Virtual Currencies" aren't regulated like real currencies, once you purchase them, that "balance" is only under the rules and agreements that the company/game has set out. So they can do whatever with it and you have no legal redress.

There's no reason to make a balance expire other than to push users to make purchases with that balance before it expires. The currency is just a number in a database to them.

They want you to buy more so they use pressure tactics to do so. Limited edition items, expiring balances, sales. And most of these priced just right so that there'll always be some left over that you can't spend. So in order to use it up before it expires, you'll end up buying more currency. Because people hate wasting money.

I'm wondering if Extra Credits (http://www.youtube.com/user/ExtraCreditz/videos) covered this too, I'll have a look, but for now I'll leave my mental spewings for you to digest.

EDIT1: Not quite on-ball. But close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXA559KNopI

EDIT2: This perfectly encapsulates why I took a hiatus from PSO2 in the first place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h86g-XgUCA8

EDIT3: For those that don't understand "skinnerbox"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWtvrPTbQ_c

[Alenoir]

Most online companies in Japan that does RL money -> virtual cash expires your virtual cash after a year. This have something to do with the way Japanese law works, and how these non-expired virtual money adds to a company's asset or whatever and cost them extra money (either for tax or whatnot). I'm not that familiar with the details but that's the basic idea.

Edit: Found the article (http://company.clairlaw.jp/qa/it/game/virtual-money.html) for anyone that's actually interested in reading.

[Titan]

I need my AC to expire. Nothing in this game cost 80AC or 30AC. I have no way of spending this.

http://i.imgur.com/rf2GZbL.jpg

[Pyrii]

Most online companies in Japan that does RL money -> virtual cash expires your virtual cash after a year. This have something to do with the way Japanese law works, and how these non-expired virtual money adds to a company's asset or whatever and cost them extra money (either for tax or whatnot). I'm not that familiar with the details but that's the basic idea.

Edit: Found the article (http://company.clairlaw.jp/qa/it/game/virtual-money.html) for anyone that's actually interested in reading.

Maybe. We know that these companies can find ways around the tax laws of various companies if they need to. (And SEGA are no stranger to playing with numbers (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-05-10-tax-deferral-sees-sega-net-income-rise-sales-drop-for-fy-2013))

But complying is a two-fold boon for them. Less tax they need to fiddle. And they get free money. This is money that has been given to them for virtual currency, they have your money, and yet they don't give it back when it expires. They essentially have money from people that they haven't had to provide a product or service in return for. Pure Profit.

So does SEGA pay any taxes on this profit they've gained from taking money from players without service? I doubt it. (Eh, I realised that they probably count it as incoming when the player buys the balance rather than when the user buys something with said balance. Providing the virtual service costs nothing extra and is already a company cost.)

[RadiantLegend]

Does it have to expire? Unless you prefer it to be 0 instead of any other low number.

[UnLucky]

You're paying Sega to provide you with AC.

Which they can make worthless or revoke it at their leisure.

[Pyrii]

You're paying Sega to provide you with AC.

Which they can make worthless or revoke it at their leisure.

We know that. That's the point of virtual currencies. SO the company involved has your money and can control what you use it for, if at all.

Doesn't mean we can't debate virtual currencies, why they exist, laws surrounding them and why companies use them.

[UnLucky]

That's why gift cards suck and I will never buy one for anyone.

Especially if they expire. A lot of places have stopped doing that since it's total BS, but some still try to get away with it. "Oh, you only lose 10% every month, it's not that bad, just buy stuff quickly!!"

Though recently I got a card at a restaurant to pay for the meal we had that day since there was a promo. I only stood to gain, yet it means more business for them since I now have a discount on my next visit. Or I'll not use it and lose absolutely nothing. Good food, too, so I'd probably go back regardless but hey.