When a company sucks it's customers into thinking a demo is a beta test

[DainBramaged]

One of the most anticipated releases of (now 2nd quarter 2012) this year is Diablo 3 by Blizzard Entertainment. And they have their customers and fans in a tizzy to get beta 'keys' to play the pre-release. Except there is one problem (actually a lot of problems). First when you've killed the Skeleton King fter 5 hours of playing, it's over. An old TV style overlay appears on your screen for 5 seconds announcing "You've beaten the Diablo 3 Beta". And the game brings you back to your starting point with no other missions available.

So I noticed a bug, emailed Blizzard support, and they mailed back

We are currently not providing tech support for Diablo 3 but that may change in the future


They scammed everyone. It's a fucking demo, it isn't a proper beta at all. I've demoed nearly a dozen PC games in the past 20 years.


Shame on Blizzard

[MADem]

1. Ahhhh, marketing! It's the same shit, different day.

I think of poor Ralphie, sending away for his Little Orphan Annie decoder, waiting for weeks before it finally arrives. After getting the message from the radio program, we see our hero hiding in the bathroom, decoding his secret message, while his little brother pleads to be let in so he can pee, only to learn that the secret message is "Drink More OVALTINE!"

[tridim]

2. At least they're not selling their demo like Apple is with Siri.

[saras]

3. or Microsoft with Windows

[tridim]

7. Microsoft properly beta tests their software before selling it.

I've participated in beta testing every microsoft OS since Windows NT.

[Tesha]

8. Siri comes free with one's iPhone 4.

And it's clearly billed as "Beta", although it's apparently
performing very well for most of its actual users (as
compared to the anti-Apple posters in the blogosphere).

Tesha

[tridim]

10. It is not advertised as "test/beta software" on television, but you already knew that.

And no, it's not free any more than the OS and hardware you paid for is free.

[Tesha]

11. So, in your opinion, Apple ads should be like drug ads...

...where a whole list of disclaimers appears at the
end of the ad in 2-point type?

Go to Apple's website and it's pretty obvious that
Siri is Beta.

But why do you get worked-up about this? It's not
like you're ever going to buy an iPhone! And as I
said, something like 94% of the iPhone 4s actual
customers are either "very satisfied" or "completely
satisfied".

Tesha

[tridim]

20. I think they should be sued for false advertisement.

I get worked up when any company lies to their customers in order to maintain their obscene profit margins. Apple just happens to be the worst offender.

[Tesha]

21. So buy an iPhone 4s and sue them!

But most Apple customers (generally, more than with
any other high-tech company) are satisfied than not.

Perhaps you're the odd man out in your hatred of Apple?

Tesha

[Whisp]

4. still, lucky you.

I would love to be shamed by Blizzard like that, for trying out any bit of D3.

[DainBramaged]

5. If I had a different D3 accout I'd let you log in and try it

The game play was fun, but a level 8 killing the Skeleton King? LOLOLOLOL.

[Whisp]

9. aw, thats a nice thought, thanks.

I still play D2 once in a while, on my old abacus of a machine.
Just love it still, best game ever so I am drooling over D3.

crazy old lady.

[DainBramaged]

12. Do you play WOW?

I just started (after 7 years) this August.......and I'm old, half-blind with arthritis but I love it just the same.

[Whisp]

13. I have played the trial version a couple times

as I just can't bring myself to pay a monthly for a game.

WoW is okay, but it doesn't do for me the same as Diablo. I think (like with many other games similar) it's all that walking around that drives me nuts. Some older Nintendo games did that too - 300000 hours of play! but you walk around like a doofus finding your quests for 280000 of those hours.

[DainBramaged]

15. D3 is going to be a pathfinding game like so may old games

I am not as thrilled with it as I expected. And the visuals aren't much of an imporvement over DII.


Guild Wars is free maybe you'd like that?

[Whisp]

17. I am very limited to what I can play (Mac)

I see guild wars can be accessed by Macs with winebottler - I might look into that although I'm not very good at hunting the right files down usually.

Looks like a good game and I've been hearing good things about it from places.

[DainBramaged]

19. We have a Mac Mini we play WOW on occasionally when our friends are over

it's fun having FOUR PEOPLE in the same apartment running together and not having to message each other.

[canetoad]

6. Damn

I thought this was going to be a rant about DU3.

[Hissyspit]

14. Are you sure it's not?

:shrug:

[dionysus]

16. ok,other than bugs... how is it? i've been waiting for many years for this game.

[Rex]

18. Yup, they gave you a demo and said it was a beta.

Without feedback, it ain't a beta.