7,500 gamers sold their souls

[Gokulo]

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/...ly-sold-souls/

A computer game retailer revealed that it legally owns the souls of thousands of online shoppers, thanks to a clause in the terms and conditions agreed to by online shoppers.

The retailer, British firm GameStation, added the "immortal soul clause" to the contract signed before making any online purchases earlier this month. It states that customers grant the company the right to claim their soul.

"By placing an order via this Web site on the first day of the fourth month of the year 2010 Anno Domini, you agree to grant Us a non transferable option to claim, for now and for ever more, your immortal soul. Should We wish to exercise this option, you agree to surrender your immortal soul, and any claim you may have on it, within 5 (five) working days of receiving written notification from gamesation.co.uk or one of its duly authorised minions."

GameStation's form also points out that "we reserve the right to serve such notice in 6 (six) foot high letters of fire, however we can accept no liability for any loss or damage caused by such an act. If you a) do not believe you have an immortal soul, b) have already given it to another party, or c) do not wish to grant Us such a license, please click the link below to nullify this sub-clause and proceed with your transaction."

The terms of service were updated on April Fool's Day as a gag, but the retailer did so to make a very real point: No one reads the online terms and conditions of shopping, and companies are free to insert whatever language they want into the documents.

While all shoppers during the test were given a simple tick box option to opt out, very few did this, which would have also rewarded them with a £5 voucher, according to news:lite. Due to the number of people who ticked the box, GameStation claims believes as many as 88 percent of people do not read the terms and conditions of a Web site before they make a purchase.

The company noted that it would not be enforcing the ownership rights, and planned to e-mail customers nullifying any claim on their soul.

[Kaludneisucks]

dude...

[The_OG_Nelta]

I guess you can say.. They just lost the game..
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Angelicus]

My soul is too stained by easy livin' to be worth much to anyone.

[Seanr]

Are they still buying?

[dejet]

Lol "I sold my soul for a video game" soinds about right.

[Not not Mattaru]

My soul is too stained by easy livin' to be worth much to anyone.

Shit is so hardcore.

Anyways, a fun experiment...kind of makes me want to read ToS more.

[Seanr]

My soul is too stained by easy livin' to be worth much to anyone.

sounds like somethin johnny cash would say...

[Norellicus]

Shit is so hardcore.

Anyways, a fun experiment...kind of makes me want to read ToS more.

I say this all the time, then I get about 3 paragraphs in and want to throw a table

[Angelicus]

sounds like somethin johnny cash would say...

as long as it's got Trent Reznor doing the music, I'm cool with that.

[guartz]

Bah, wrong demographic. Have they done this shit to, say, whatever the fuck old people buy, like, adult diapers or something, nobody would have accepted it. ESPECIALLY if they coulda saved 5 bucks.

[Qalbert]

Better my soul for a game than 25 bucks for a sparkly horse.

[Sqwunk]

When I was younger and I had to have my dad buy me stuff online because I didn't have money nor a debit card, he would sit there and read every little thing before agreeing to anything.

Sadly I'm like most people and I also just skip past it.

[Acturus]

When I was younger and I had to have my dad buy me stuff online because I didn't have money nor a debit card, he would sit there and read every little thing before agreeing to anything.

Sadly I'm like most people and I also just skip past it.

I learned a valuable lesson about reading things through when I signed up for a gym membership, and the guy handed me a contract, I skimmed over the page, signed it, and it was only when the guy picked it up from the table I saw all of the fine print on the back of the page. Dude screwed me over by misquoting certain terms of the agreement, and I couldn't fight it because I had signed away without reading.

In my current profession, I am a contract negotiator, so I get paid to read through the fine print. Granted, I understand a lot more of the legalese today than I did 6 years ago, but I am now very meticulous about reading everything.

My wife got pissed off at me when we bought our minivan a few weeks back, because the sales manager handed her the paperwork, she'd sign it, and then she'd hand it to me and I would read every word, and turn each paper over to make sure there was nothing I was missing before signing it myself. It was amusing, because the contracts were acceptable, but I still was able to ask questions that I could tell the sales manager wasn't used to answering.

[sephir]

Better my soul for a game than 25 bucks for a sparkly horse.

http://www.kwedit.com/

[Pirian]

Wonder if they were buying Demon Soul (now that would be irony)

[Wintermute]

Shit is so hardcore.

Anyways, a fun experiment...kind of makes me want to read ToS more.

I used to work for an online gaming company and one of the clauses in the T&C you had to agree to prior to registering said they could close your account and claim any cash on it without notifying you if you said anything negative about the company/website in any sort of public forum.

I always wonder just what ridiculous clauses T&C and Contracts have in them.
That said I just don't have the patience to sit and read through them.

[Oktober]

I never had a soul to sell, I did get my £5 off resonance of fate, not sure if win.

[LinktheDeme]

lol this is awesome

[Brutala]

Since what we call mind and soul are just physical processes, they own their bodies, right? Or at least their brains.