Wild Tangent, who hosts OEM game console forums, offers several games included with a new computer. There are usually two free sessions for each game, and they say "full version access" and "play as long as you want", but the fact is the playing time is limited to only one hour.
Second, they offered a game for sale, "Fate Undiscovered Realms" which normally sells for $19.95, but they had a tagline below it that said, "Get this game for only $6.99—find out how." So I clicked on the link, and gave my credit card info and was charged the $6.99 and received the unlock code. But what was NOT revealed anywhere at the point of sale, either with an asterisk or fine print or otherwise, was that the $6.99 was for one of a twelve month subscription. I went to cancel my subscription and the page said, okay, now you just need to pay the $76.99 remaining on your subscription and we will transfer your wildcoins to your account. Since I only originally wanted the "Fate" game and not 550 wildcoins, which are credits that are used to play games on the computer, either online or offline, I had no choice but to keep to pay the $6.99 per month.
I feel that this failure to clearly—and I emphasize the word "clearly"—is deceptive on the part of Wild Tangent, and had I known that I had to subscribe for a year to receive wild coins I would not likely use—the same ones that say for play as long as you want, but they really mean one hour—I certainly would not have joined. I would have rather have paid for the $20 game and called it even and not joined their "Wild Club."
Repeated attempts at a resolution have failed. The only way to really get through to Wild Tangent is to file a formal complaint with the better business bureau, which I have recommended to other users of Wild Coins on their forums site. I know that Wild Tangent would argue that their terms are clearly stated—that may be true, but they are not clearly VISIBLE AT THE POINT OF SALE—like, "Purchase of this product involves a recurring monthly charge for 12-months in order to receive the unlock code." Wild Tangent knows that a great many people would think twice if the truth were revealed, but I would actually have more respect for them if they did. I just wanted the "Fate Undiscovered Realms" and would have rather paid the $20 straight out and not signed up for a wild coins subscription I would hardly use. I am considering filing a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau, which WildTangent purports to belong to.
Matthew
Seattle, Washington
U.S.A.
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