In defense of SE

[Absolutely Virtue]

SE is a company trying to manage a very complex product across several continents. They have dozens of other products vying for development money (FFXIII, FFXIV, etc) and resources. They've got to police a playerbase who spends every second of the day looking for ways to exploit the system and cheat. And on top of that, they've got to deal with whiny emokids calling them all goddamn day to complain about the latest TRAGEDY that has struck their character. Each of you is paying $12.95 for your account. You're logged in for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You're getting a pretty good deal for your money invested, don't you think? Last time I checked, movies didn't cost a nickel for two hours of entertainment.

The next time a mistake happens, whether it be a poorly implemented job fix or an RMT-prevention method that is 95% successful but happens to ban a few innocents, maybe you might want to think about the larger context. If you've ever held a job ANYWHERE, you'll know that things don't always go according to plan. Even the best run companies have product recalls, defects, and other mistakes. We're only human, after all.

Have you ever forgotten to change your sub before you went to an LS event? Ever forgotten to bring oils/powders/food/shihei/warp item/salvage permit/signet? Ever engaged an HNM with the wrong macro pallette loaded? Ever leveled Ninja? These are mistakes you made doing something you love, something you care about, something you look forward to doing. This game is your life, but for the developers it's just a dead-end job with lousy hours, shitty pay, and a bunch of customers who treat them like shit. Not unlike your gig at Best Buy.

I'm not trying to tell you that SE deserves to be forgiven for every mistake they've ever made. I'm not trying to tell you they're perfect, or even close to it. There are plenty of things about this game that make me rage.

But when you whine and fucking complain about every single thing that happens, and expect this game to run perfectly every second of every day of your life, you really are demonstrating just how far removed you are from reality. Every misstep SE has ever made has been met with the same "they're going to lose the playerbase" argument, and the game is still going strong seven years later. I encourage you to ask yourself why that is the case.

After you've gone out in the world and worked for a while, and been in charge of something complicated and difficult to manage, you might arrive at the same conclusion I have:

The number of mistakes SE makes isn't the story. What's honestly is amazing is how often everything works. I have no idea how they manage to pull it all off. But I've been here since NA launch, and I've given them well over $1,000 USD for the right to play this game since then. Maybe, just maybe, they actually do know what the hell they're doing.

[Callisto]

I always feel it should also be noted that as far as I know this is still the only cross-multi-platform online game where you can play with people regardless of which they're on. As often as I have to make a choice between if I want something on 360, PS3, or PC based on which group of friends I'll play it with the most, it's a big deal to me at least.

[TummieGaruda]

If this is in response to SE banning gardeners, then I am not defending SE on this one. There is a HUGE difference between a recall and falsely accusing a group of individuals based on loosely based criteria. That is where the problem is. Players were getting banned for gardening, an activity that has existed within FFXI for years and did not break any ToS agreements. Players had every right to call in and complain to SE about their accounts.

Another thing is that companies that make mistakes usually own up to it and offer an official apology. So far, a few people that I know of have gotten their accounts returned after being banned from Gardening, but there has yet to be any public apology from SE. Right now they are showing really bad Customer Service.

[donnie]

there is no way to defend SE on this one, if you are using an in-house program to auto-ban RMT, you have to admit there will be errors and some legit players will be banned, so you should build a new system to counter that error by at least listening to the players who actually got banned wrongfully and give them the means on following up the process...

this just show how stupid they are when it comes to after-sales support, I bet u an 11 year old will manage this team better then they do now. its just simple logic

[Kkel]

It's easy to bash them or come to their defense, no argument there.

Yes, they're trying to do many complex things and maintain many complex systems, but let's get one thing clear here. That's their job. They are profiting from implemented services that a consumer base pays them for. They have a responsibility to that consumer base, no matter how they write a ToS to make it seem otherwise.

Companies make mistakes, obviously. Good companies recognize those mistakes. They engage in dialog with their consumer base about those mistakes. They seek to make amends with, and in many cases compensate, those who have who have been negativity impacted by those mistakes. Many times it's just a sincere "We're sorry."

I'm not saying SE should start writing checks out to people, or offering free months of service, but not even acknowledging the errors? Never seeking proactively assist those it's wrongly impacted? That's irresponsible business, and there isn't a defense for it.

[donnie]

I need to study the Japanese business culture but it is really weird how they don't value customers , as cheesy as this quote is " customer is always right" , it is in fact a foundation to any marketing strategy.

[Therin]

Virtue is a man of many wisdoms.

[AoshiZ]

Ever leveled Ninja?

Hah...

I think the people that have a right to whine and complain are the people that got affected in some form. Although it may say that the accounts are property of SE, I could imagine being furious to have 5 years of work jeopardized.

[Ksandra]

you know, tbh I don't think it's an issue that they banned innocent people. the issue is how they handled it after.

You're right in that they are a huge corporation and have a lot going for them. So mistakes can happen. They've happened in all MMOs. The overall issue is...have they admitted it?

anytime I've seen an issue similar to this magnitude be it WoW, EQ, WAR, etc. the company makes a statement right away stating: we are sorry for this incident, we are looking into correcting the matter, please be patient while we fix this, and so on. Then the company works hella hard to get it corrected asap.

SE never does this, which is poor way to run the game. I'm sure things will get resolved, but at a much slower pace, and they'll never come out and admit it.

[Linktri]

This (all of the threads and the entire BG and/or NA community) conflagration of bitching, whining and complaining ultimately does nothing. Out of all of the mistakes that Square Enix has made through this service over the years, how many of the aggreived (the truly wrongfully buttfucked) have done anything as responsible consumers? Have any of you people filed complaints with the BBB against Square Enix? I saw one written complaint. One. If you got screwed by Square Enix going to the company that sees fit to fuck you in the ass on a regular basis is pointless. Find another authority to appeal to if there is one. Bitching on here is for the most part pointless. (It feels good to complain though.) Does SE read some of it? Sure. Are they ever going to hold themselves accountable? No. As far as they are concerned the damage they inflict on you is virtual and therefore not actionable. They feel that they are far from the threat of any consequence. In addition to complaining here, go bitch to an organization that has the ability to put Square Enix's reputation in the toilet. That might harm their bottom line. Only bitching here will never hurt their profits.

[Yabby]

you know, tbh I don't think it's an issue that they banned innocent people. the issue is how they handled it after.

You're right in that they are a huge corporation and have a lot going for them. So mistakes can happen. They've happened in all MMOs. The overall issue is...have they admitted it?

anytime I've seen an issue similar to this magnitude be it WoW, EQ, WAR, etc. the company makes a statement right away stating: we are sorry for this incident, we are looking into correcting the matter, please be patient while we fix this, and so on. Then the company works hella hard to get it corrected asap.

SE never does this, which is poor way to run the game. I'm sure things will get resolved, but at a much slower pace, and they'll never come out and admit it.

^ this

Mistakes do happen. What a recall is is a company admitting something was wrong and trying to correct the issue. SE just needs to man up on mistakes and the playerbase will respond in a positive way.

[dejet]

This (all of the threads and the entire BG and/or NA community) conflagration of bitching, whining and complaining ultimately does nothing. Out of all of the mistakes that Square Enix has made through this service over the years, how many of the aggreived (the truly wrongfully buttfucked) have done anything as responsible consumers? Have any of you people filed complaints with the BBB against Square Enix? I saw one written complaint. One. If you got screwed by Square Enix going to the company that sees fit to fuck you in the ass on a regular basis is pointless. Find another authority to appeal to if there is one. Bitching on here is for the most part pointless. (It feels good to complain though.) Does SE read some of it? Sure. Are they ever going to hold themselves accountable? No. As far as they are concerned the damage they inflict on you is virtual and therefore not actionable. They feel that they are far from the threat of any consequence. In addition to complaining here, go bitch to an organization that has the ability to put Square Enix's reputation in the toilet. That might harm their bottom line. Only bitching here will never hurt their profits.

LOLBBB that is all.

[jaryk]

This would be a valid argument if other companies in the same industry didn't perform well beyond SE's. I have played just about every MMO including most free ones and played MUD's back in the day, SE's customer service isn't as good as most free MMO's let alone many where you pay. I like FFXI more than any other MMO, but their mentality is awful and your argument just doesn't apply to the business model as a whole.

[Neosutra]

Whenever I get fucked by a large corporation out of years of work and money, I try and ask myself how that corporation must feel.

=/

[Silenka]

I work a shitty retail customer service job. If I gave the kind of customer service that SE does, I would be fired.

End of story.

[Hyan]

Whenever I get fucked by a large corporation out of years of work and money, I try and ask myself how that corporation must feel.

=/

Most likely this topic is directed at peeps who haven't been fucked by a large corporation but still Q_Q about everything possible (when it has nothing to do with them at all, most of the time).

Believe it or not most people playing are like that.

[Drunknmunky]

In addition to complaining here, go bitch to an organization that has the ability to put Square Enix's reputation in the toilet. That might harm their bottom line. Only bitching here will never hurt their profits.

Is there an organization out there that they can actually put SE reputation in the toilet?

Because if there were one out there it would be sweet to be able to have the opportunity to hurt SE reputation for the wrong shit they have done over the years.

I know it sounds evil of me to say that but really, who in here wouldn’t take this opportunity to take SE reputation down the toilet instead venting out on these forums or any other forums for that matter.

[Drunknmunky]

Hah...

I think the people that have a right to whine and complain are the people that got affected in some form. Although it may say that the accounts are property of SE, I could imagine being furious to have 5 years of work jeopardized.

Amen.

Each of you is paying $12.95 for your account. You're logged in for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You're getting a pretty good deal for your money invested, don't you think? Last time I checked, movies didn't cost a nickel for two hours of entertainment.

Are you fucking serious dude?

Therefore, you are telling everyone in here that because we have a good deal in this game. You are telling us that SE has the right to fucking ban people because they are too stupid to investigate things in the right order.

It is not difficult at all to take couple of minutes to review an investigation incase an error was made. On the real man, you and SE should consider getting back on the yellow short bus where you retards belong. That is all I have to say for now.

Have you ever forgotten to change your sub before you went to an LS event? Ever forgotten to bring oils/powders/food/shihei/warp item/salvage permit/signet? Ever engaged an HNM with the wrong macro pallette loaded? Ever leveled Ninja? These are mistakes you made doing something you love, something you care about, something you look forward to doing. This game is your life, but for the developers it's just a dead-end job with lousy hours, shitty pay, and a bunch of customers who treat them like shit. Not unlike your gig at Best But.

How are you going to compare a forgotten sub job, forgotten food, oils powders, or whatever crap they forgot to bring to an event and comparing to a ban?

I ‘am pharmacist tech for your information and I have some questions for you since you seem to be asking stupid shit and comparing irrelevant things.

Question number 1 what you will think if one of my co-workers or me put the wrong prescription in the wrong bottle?

Second question what in the hell do you think it would happen to that patient?

Just to let you know something responsible people would check twice or three times to make you sure things are in the right place and order. Moreover, if they do not like their job they should have stay in school and work very hard to achieve something bigger then been in a dead end job.

Regardless they do not like their job it does not give them the right to ban people because they have lousy hours and shitty as salary. No one force them to be in the position they are in today. There is always a choice where you want to be in life always.

God dammed SE should really need to stop hiring people who has attended it to a special ED classes.

[Talint]

Since when does a corporation need defending of their shitty service?

This isn't game design or theory we're talking about. We can argue the inanity of kings and the stupidity of low drop rates all day long.

Service, and the piss-poor handling of it by Square-Enix, is completely unrelated.

[WyldFyre]

I knew this was going to be a joke before I even opened it.

Apparently, flaming retardation now qualifies for advanced.