Do not ever use anything from GameFly's client

[Freaky Lou]

I don't know how common this knowledge is, but since I haven't seen an uproar about it I'm posting about it now.

So about a month ago, an Escapist user who I'm sure meant no harm posted about Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines being $5 on Gamefly's online Steamlike store service thing. This being a game I've been interested in for quite a while, I hopped on it.

Gamefly didn't tell me until after I'd given them my credit card information that I had to install their client in order to download this. So whatever; I installed it and created my account and all that mess. But now I still couldn't install the game because the service was "unresponsive". It was to remain that way for well over a week.

I moved to Japan during that period and finally managed to connect to their service here. Logged in successfully but now the download speed was about 43kb/s most of the time. (This wasn't the wifi's fault, either; I downloaded other things at a reasonable pace.) I had to download this thing in several-hour stints over a period of TWO ENTIRE WEEKS. I just finished this TODAY.

It said the game was ready for install, so I clicked install. Haha, just kidding, I still need to "activate" the game even though I definitely didn't need to "activate" anything in order for them to take my money for something they still haven't let me use. But I can't activate because their AWFUL, AWFUL client "can't locate" my account.

So I have to activate manually, which means navigating through the labyrinth of their customer service page, slaying the minotaur, and giving them a little code.

Now they'll email me my activation code "within 24 hours". I'm sure I'll get it in that time.

During my long wait I've googled this problem and found this: http://www.customerservicescoreboard.com/GameFly

So in short, do not ever use Gamefly for any reason.

 

[Smooth Operator]

I knew people were using it but I didn't know it was this fucking bad.
And that customer service site is absolutely hilarious, people complain about generic unhelpful messages from GameFly and the company responds to their post with generic unhelpful apologies... that is just comedy gold

 

[Darknacht]

This is very common from what I have heard and experience, there are even several games that I bought and payed for but aren't actually available through their client yet. Its been about 6 months and they still just keep saying that they are working hard to get them working.

 

[Freaky Lou]

This is very common from what I have heard and experience, there are even several games that I bought and payed for but aren't actually available through their client yet. Its been about 6 months and they still just keep saying that they are working hard to get them working.

I am not sure what makes them think selling products they don't actually have in stock is acceptable.

Just tbh @ this all around; why hasn't this been covered in gaming magazines and the like? People hop right to it when this kind of thing happens with Origin; why isn't Gamefly's suckage as renowned?

 

[Tanis]

THIS is why I use GOG.
I've yet to have a story like this.

If I encounter some bullshit, like your story, their reps/forums are full of pretty helpful people (Thought if you pull the 'what's a jpg' line you'll get trolled/flamed for being a retard) that wanna get you to your game FAST.

I know whore them out in other threads, but that's because they REALLY ARE...that cool.

No DRM, extra (like OSTs) as part of the price, great selection of older (and a few newer) games, and pretty darn good prices.

They've even been know to GIVE AWAY GREAT GAMES.
-Like Fallout 1 a while back

Seriously though, if you plan on buying an older game again:
Check over at GOG first, it MIGHT be a little higher (depending) but it's probably worth it given the fact they (GOG) seem to GIVE-A-FLYING-FREDDIE about their customers.

/end slut-mode

:3

 

[Zaik]

This is very common from what I have heard and experience, there are even several games that I bought and payed for but aren't actually available through their client yet. Its been about 6 months and they still just keep saying that they are working hard to get them working.

I am not sure what makes them think selling products they don't actually have in stock is acceptable.

Just tbh @ this all around; why hasn't this been covered in gaming magazines and the like? People hop right to it when this kind of thing happens with Origin; why isn't Gamefly's suckage as renowned?

For what it's worth, I didn't even know they were selling games. I'm guessing it's not common knowledge.

 

[Freaky Lou]

THIS is why I use GOG.
I've yet to have a story like this.

If I encounter some bullshit, like your story, their reps/forums are full of pretty helpful people (Thought if you pull the 'what's a jpg' line you'll get trolled/flamed for being a retard) that wanna get you to your game FAST.

I know whore them out in other threads, but that's because they REALLY ARE...that cool.

No DRM, extra (like OSTs) as part of the price, great selection of older (and a few newer) games, and pretty darn good prices.

They've even been know to GIVE AWAY GREAT GAMES.
-Like Fallout 1 a while back

Seriously though, if you plan on buying an older game again:
Check over at GOG first, it MIGHT be a little higher (depending) but it's probably worth it given the fact they (GOG) seem to GIVE-A-FLYING-FREDDIE about their customers.

/end slut-mode

:3

I'm quite aware of GoG and have bought many games from them. However, regrettably, Bloodlines is not in their library; only Redemption.

 

[Baralak]

I know Steam has Bloodlines if you're really itching to play it. Thanks for the heads up about their horrible customer service, though! I've been on the fence about subbing to them for a while now...

 

[Bad Jim]

why hasn't this been covered in gaming magazines and the like? People hop right to it when this kind of thing happens with Origin; why isn't Gamefly's suckage as renowned?

Origin is run by a major publisher and mandatory for many of their games. It's hard to avoid. Game Fly_by_night is just another digital seller that sounds like it deserves its' obscurity. You can avoid Gamefly easily. Just don't buy from Gamefly.

 

[Freaky Lou]

I know Steam has Bloodlines if you're really itching to play it. Thanks for the heads up about their horrible customer service, though! I've been on the fence about subbing to them for a while now...

They do, but it's $20 for a poorly-selling game from 2005, and they didn't even include the (necessary) patches like GoG does.

Maybe Bloodlines would be worth it but I haven't played it yet to know.

why hasn't this been covered in gaming magazines and the like? People hop right to it when this kind of thing happens with Origin; why isn't Gamefly's suckage as renowned?

Origin is run by a major publisher and mandatory for many of their games. It's hard to avoid. Game Fly_by_night is just another digital seller that sounds like it deserves its' obscurity. You can avoid Gamefly easily. Just don't buy from Gamefly.

The service itself isn't obscure at all though; it just doesn't seem to have Origin's kind of horrible reputation.

 

[Tanis]

I'm quite aware of GoG and have bought many games from them. However, regrettably, Bloodlines is not in their library; only Redemption.

Ahh, didn't realize that.

Damn shame, maybe they'll get it...someday.

 

[NegaWiki]

I thought GameFly was that website... thing that let you rent games indefinitely? I think this is the service that my friend uses. If so I hate it. You're basically paying for a game you'll eventually return. It might work for games that only require a clear a level type missions but my friend used it for Pokemon. That's not right.
And now it turns out their online service is shit? Why am I not surprised?

 

[2733]

weird, I've been using the client since it was in the first beta and I've never had a problem.
by the way the game activates after the install so I really have no clue what has happened.

 

[ThePS1Fan]

I was sceptical of GameFly since I first heard about it, I dunno why. Maybe because it has televised commercials and I'm automatically sceptical of anything with a tv commercial.

 

[Something Amyss]

I am not sure what makes them think selling products they don't actually have in stock is acceptable.

They saw Steam doing it and thought it'd be a more popular model?

 

[Cobalt Lion]

I keep hearing the same thing about their client. I'll rent games from them, but that's where my involvement stops.

 

[DoPo]

So about a month ago, an Escapist user who I'm sure meant no harm posted about Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines being $5 on Gamefly's online Steamlike store service thing.

That would be me. I'm really sorry for that I have no experience with GameFy, really, I just saw it was reduced and decided to notify people interested.

 

[The_Lost_King]

I am not sure what makes them think selling products they don't actually have in stock is acceptable.

They saw Steam doing it and thought it'd be a more popular model?

since when did steam do that?

 

[Something Amyss]

since when did steam do that?

Practically since inception?

 

[Rack]

I got a pre-order for Torchlight 2 on a 10% off code. I had an account from before it got took over and everything went well so it seemed like a good idea. I installed their client (ugh) and downloaded Torchlight. It ditched it to my SSD which was unacceptable so I spent half an hour looking how to move it to my hard disk. In the end I had to uninstall and...

"Would you like to buy Torchlight, only £10"

Fuck that, £13 for a 20 second rental?