Some of the gamers among us may have heard of G2A. An obviously dodgy key (digital product activation) reseller that offers you insurance in case you buy a bad key. But that’s not why I want to talk about them today.
G2A recently caused controversy with the introduction of an “inactivity fee”. The article states ‘It [G2A] also claims this is a normal practice and that many companies charge a significantly higher fee while requiring users to make purchases.’ I’ve never heard of inactivity fees, so I wonder. How accurate is this? Has anyone else encountered this type of fee before? Or even heard of them?
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Never have paid an inactivity fee for any game I have played. Certainly I have had subscriptions that have continued while I was not actively playing but it was my choice to continue the subs or to cancel and re-sub on again actively playing.
Sounds like a way to bolster coffers amid perhaps a disappearing playing base. With an ethos like that the base may start disappearing faster than the company may like.
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I think anyone facing this ‘fee’ would do well to challenge it.
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Their defense was that it was ‘normal practice’. Has Choice ever encountered other businesses charging those sort of fees? And how do they stack up legally. (I’ve never used G2A as they’re dodgy as but I’m just curious)
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I’d hate to see what they define as penalty behviour if that’s normal practice. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this trick, but I haven’t personally encountered other gaming companies using this tact either so I would class it as atypical.
Generally, the terms and conditions form an important part of the contract between the two parties. I would think that anyone faced with the fee who hasn’t agreed to the updated contract would have a case to make, but I’m basing this on my experience with consumer issues not necessarily a legal perspective. Often when it comes to fees, there must also be a ‘reasonable’ cost explanation for the penalty.
It sounds like a good thing you are steering clear of them, always a shame when businesses try these underhanded tactics.
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Most (if not all) when they produce a new EULA require the user to consent or cease playing/using the software. How many people fully read the EULAs I am not sure but most I think being quick to click would miss any changes.
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Banks have them however they call them account keeping fees that are waived each month money is deposited ‘activity’
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I forgot about that because I’m with a member owned bank that doesn’t do that
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