Can we get a progress update on the new payment options? Almost 2 months now...

[RAIST]

Due to a blonde moment, I accidentally posted this thread in the wrong section, which has been closed now due to it being in the wrong section. Since they chose to close it instead of moving it to General, I am reposting the topic here for discussion. Rather than reposting the original thread, I will just link to it.
http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxi/th...l=1#post262902

Not trying to start a pissing contest, but I do feel the need to respond to not only the thread being closed instead of being moved, but am concerned you guys may not fully understand the importance of not only the lack of communication on this issue, but also the lasting impact the appearance of inaction to resolve it is having on the playerbase. Note, this is not a new issue... it has been a highly debated topic for well over 6 months now, just not so openly here as the customers who have been hit hardest by this issue are unable to post here due to their inability to pay with the current system.

Yes, I understand that was the Technical section...but it was simply posted there by mistake (posted in several threads and several site that night, thought the browser was in General section still when I posted this)...you guys could have moved it to the more appropriate General section instead of closing it. I understand your stance on the account management angle. But, while this issue hinges on an issue with the payment system, it is a major piece to the puzzle of a much bigger problem that has lead to a significant drop in the game's population, as well as future subscribers and should be addressed as part of the current and future development strategy.

It also points towards an issue with the communication with the playerbase (or lack thereof). FF14 has been getting more frequent updates on issues than FF11, while (until recently) players have been paying (and trying to pay) for FF11 while FF14 had been free. Essentially, that revenue has been funding (in part) the development of both FF11 and FF14, and the communication has been more forthcoming on the non-paying side than to the actual paying customers. Now that FF14 is charging subscription fees, this is an issue directly affecting those paying or potentially paying customers not only for just FF11, but now FF14 as well and is overdue for being addressed publicly.

It should also be noted that this topic has been brought up a good bit recently on the FF14 forums with the exact same concerns that exist here on the FF11 side. Thus, I feel it is VERY justified to bring it up on these forums as well (as per the mention that FF14 and FF11 are seperate entities with seperate forums). This topic is possibly more justified than some topics that are allowed to continue here. It is especiallly important to bring it up here also since it has been longer since any announcement has been made directly to the FF11 players (roughly a month difference to FF14's notice)--if it is acceptable for the topic at FF14 site, it should be equally acceptable here.

Please...try to get some traction with the powers that be on this problem if you can. This is a fundamental issue that can have a lasting impact on the future of not only FF11, but also FF14 and any future endeavors SE has for any subscription services in the future. Keep letting people down on something as critical as your method of payment....and they eventually may walk away from your products all-together.


Edit:
OK... now I am REALLY confused. Just went to page two of General to see more threads....and my original thread was there, marked as being moved to the Technical section. So.....just what is going on here? It was already in the appropriate section (General), then someone moved it to Technical and then closed it because it was in Technical.

What gives?

[wish12oz]

so.........What exactly is the problem with the payment system? It works fine for me.

[RAIST]

so.........What exactly is the problem with the payment system? It works fine for me.

Entire regions have been locked out of paying for various reasons: C&B doesn't support the region, SE does not extend Crysta to those regions, then there are various issues with bank processing C&B transactions. It also affects people who for whatever reason only want to use their credit cards to pay (ie like not interested in Crysta process, but want an automated billing setup and for what ever reason don't want or can't use C&B). For these people, the promised bringing back of the direct CC billing system is a must have to be able to play the game.

Compound this with the fact that it only affects non-JP clients (they continued direct CC processing for the JP region exclusively from day one), and you have a bit of contraversy around it.

[Camiie]

Since the other thread got moved and locked for something, I'll just add my 2-cents again to this one:

It would be nice to get some kind of update on this. Are they even working on it at all? Do they have anything in the works for the customers that no longer have a means to pay or who have to jump through ridiculous hoops to do so? What about people's trust and security concerns with Click and Buy? This change was supposed to be about trust and security, wasn't it?

This entire episode has been a huge negative mark on the perception of SE's customer service, which many already had a poor opinion of, and will continue to be so until acceptable payment options are introduced.

My opinion is the only acceptable payment option is the simple direct payment option we used for so many years, but for some reason is no longer acceptable to SE except in Japan.

When I pay for an online game like World of Warcraft or do business through a website like Amazon, I am able to simply, quickly, and cleanly set up my payment options directly on their respective websites without signing up for anything through a 3rd party. I cannot do that with FFXI. Why? Square Enix is not a small company or an ebay seller that must rely on a company like Paypal or Click and Buy to collect payments.