Felt scammed by SE

I have this game twice: in steam till shadowbringers
In PS4/ps5: till stormblood

I pretended to abandon steam cause I brought a ps5, then proceeded to buy endwalker expansion on psn store, just to discovery I can’t access shadowbringers right now, I ll have to wait till November,

man I’m pissed, I’m not buying shadowbringers again just to play till November, it’s an absurd… if I’m buying the last expansion, I know, in pre-sale, why I can’t access shadowbringers today?

Really SE???

What u guys got it’s I’m not paying subs till November, thanks for nothing…

I mean...

'This product also includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansion packs, which will only be provided at the release of Endwalker.'

It's in the description.

Guessing it's how they generate the codes for an 'all or nothing' kind of thing for the bigger stuff in it???

Edit: That or it's the fact that you're getting a general discount in buying multiple expansions for a cheaper cost

to be fair, the steam setup at best is a nightmare, and thats all steam, I dont blame SE for steams mess.

what would be nice is if I could transfer my characters from my steam account to an SE one, because I am tired of steam being inconsistent with billing.

in your case, if you only bought endwalker on psn, and the account there is only registered to stormblood, then yeah, you wouldnt have access to shadowbringers, which not sure is exactly an SE issue. they are two separate accounts.

Yes, that’s the problem, why not give access to shadowbringers right now?

No, i know I had to buy 2 games, in steam and in PS4, it’s always like this, I mean it’s bs but I know how it’s works

My problem is I have stormblood on PS4, I brought endwalker, on PS4/5, why don’t give me access to shadowbringers right now? Got it?

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Originally Posted by Kes13a

to be fair, the steam setup at best is a nightmare, and thats all steam, I dont blame SE for steams mess.

what would be nice is if I could transfer my characters from my steam account to an SE one, because I am tired of steam being inconsistent with billing.

in your case, if you only bought endwalker on psn, and the account there is only registered to stormblood, then yeah, you wouldnt have access to shadowbringers, which not sure is exactly an SE issue. they are two separate accounts.

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No, i know I had to buy 2 games, in steam and in PS4, it’s always like this, I mean it’s bs but I know how it’s works

My problem is I have stormblood on PS4, I brought endwalker, on PS4/5, why don’t give me access to shadowbringers right now? Got it?

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Originally Posted by dougff9

My problem is I have stormblood on PS4, I brought endwalker, on PS4/5, why don’t give me access to shadowbringers right now? Got it?

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Yes, we got what your problem is. Again, it's probably because it's discounted in total. It's a package deal. If part of the package IS NOT OUT YET, then you don't get the package until it's out.

I feel like I’m seeing expansion names mixed up here…or I just don’t get what’s happening. Endwalker won't be out until November. Shadowbringers is it's own expansion and to me it sounds like you didn't buy shadowbringers. Each expansion has to bought either in a bundle or separate with Endwalker being a acceptation since its an upcoming expansion that can only be preordered separately. You can't just buy Endwalker without buying previous expansions.

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Yes, that’s the problem, why not give access to shadowbringers right now?

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but you bought this bundle at a discount, yes? In that case, Shadowbringers price won't actually drop until Endwalker releases since it's still the relevant expansion. You essentially "reserved" the cheaper price by agreeing to wait. And you did agree whether you intended to or not since it directly states: "This product also includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansion packs, which will only be provided at the release of Endwalker."

Most you can do now is attempt a refund and then buy Shadowbringers and Endwalker separately.

This problem happened last expansion. A lot of sprouts bought Shadowbringers, only to discover they could not progress into Stormblood for months until the expansion actually released.

This was very predictable but it's just how they do it.

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Originally Posted by AngeliouxRein

I feel like I’m seeing expansion names mixed up here…or I just don’t get what’s happening. Endwalker won't be out until November. Shadowbringers is it's own expansion and to me it sounds like you didn't buy shadowbringers. Each expansion has to bought either in a bundle or separate with Endwalker being a acceptation since its an upcoming expansion that can only be preordered separately. You can't just buy Endwalker without buying previous expansions.

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Endwalker ll give sb and shb in November… till November if u don’t have shb you have to buy it, and both are 60$…

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Originally Posted by ForteNightshade

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you bought this bundle at a discount, yes? In that case, Shadowbringers price won't actually drop until Endwalker releases since it's still the relevant expansion. You essentially "reserved" the cheaper price by agreeing to wait. And you did agree whether you intended to or not since it directly states: "This product also includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansion packs, which will only be provided at the release of Endwalker."

Most you can do now is attempt a refund and then buy Shadowbringers and Endwalker separately.

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No, i paid 60$ for endwalker…

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Originally Posted by dougff9

No, i paid 60$ for endwalker…

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sounds like you should have read the full description. not a scam if you didn't read where they explicitly told you how it worked and you feel cheated because it's not how you assumed it would.

Did you know that the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV has a free trial, and includes the entirety of A Realm Reborn AND the award-winning Heavensward expansion up to level 60 with no restrictions on playtime?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

I have this game twice: in steam till shadowbringers
In PS4/ps5: till stormblood

I pretended to abandon steam cause I brought a ps5, then proceeded to buy endwalker expansion on psn store, just to discovery I can’t access shadowbringers right now, I ll have to wait till November,

man I’m pissed, I’m not buying shadowbringers again just to play till November, it’s an absurd… if I’m buying the last expansion, I know, in pre-sale, why I can’t access shadowbringers today?

Really SE???

What u guys got it’s I’m not paying subs till November, thanks for nothing…

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All I can say is you may want to start reading before you buy stuff. I say that because it literally says the following on the page before you buy Endwalker:

IMPORTANT:
• This product is a FINAL FANTASY® XIV expansion pack that requires FINAL FANTASY® XIV Online Starter Edition (A Realm Reborn) and an active subscription to play.
• This product also includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansion packs, which will only be provided at the release of Endwalker.

Well, the above is from Playstation one. I didn't save the link. Then there's the below. (I'm just gonna copy from a Facebook post I made)

Please note, each expansion does not need to be purchased separately. FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker ($39.99 USD) includes all prior expansions with the purchase, including Shadowbringers, Stormblood, and Heavensward. A Realm Reborn or the Starter Edition ($19.99 USD) must be purchased and registered separately before Endwalker can be registered. Alternatively, the Complete Edition of FINAL FANTASY XIV ($59.99 USD) can be purchased, which will include A Realm Reborn and all currently released expansions. Please also note that the Collector's Edition of Endwalker does not include A Realm Reborn."

https://support.na.square-enix.com/f...Realm%20Reborn.


Or you can see:

* This is the latest FINAL FANTASY XIV expansion pack and is intended for existing users who own the full version of FINAL FANTASY XIV, as this product cannot be played on its own. In order to register this product, you will need a method to play FINAL FANTASY XIV that does not include the free trial.
* Registration of this product grants users access to Endwalker, as well as previous expansion packs, Stormblood and Shadowbringers.
* A subscription fee is required to play.

https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/endwalker/product/#se

I mean, I feel for you. I know you assumed it would come with and it sucks to find out it didn't. But I mean, it said it multiple places if you just slowed down. Maybe a harsh life lesson? Because in all honesty, a lot of things you want to do will be lost in fine print and if you're not checking, you can screw yourself royally. I learned this lesson the hard way at one of my jobs. They had us read our Employee Handbook and then sign that we had read it. After turning it in, the manager would check. In one of the pages, there was a spot saying to initial there if you'd like to opt out of buying the manager a meal, otherwise by signing the Employee Handbook without initialing it, we had to treat them out of our own pocket. It was just their little way to check how sincere people were, to make a point of how important it is to pay attention to detail, etc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kes13a

to be fair, the steam setup at best is a nightmare, and thats all steam, I dont blame SE for steams mess.

what would be nice is if I could transfer my characters from my steam account to an SE one, because I am tired of steam being inconsistent with billing.

in your case, if you only bought endwalker on psn, and the account there is only registered to stormblood, then yeah, you wouldnt have access to shadowbringers, which not sure is exactly an SE issue. they are two separate accounts.

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This has nothing to do with Steam. It's all on OP for not reading the fine print. Exactly the same would have happened if they were using the regular version

SE is in business to make money. As cool as it would be to give out free expansion packs, playable today, with the preorder ... they'd be losing a ton of money. They would have had to raise the price of the Endwalker preorder considerably.

Take me as an example. I started a few weeks ago (WoW expat), was getting close to level 60, and started seeing a ton of red quest markers telling me I needed Stormblood or Shadowbringers installed. Cool, no problem. Loving this game so off to purchase an xpac I went. StB+ShB are $40. Pre-order Endwalker is also $40.

I would not expect to get StB, ShB and EW (playable now for the former two, playable on release for the latter) for $40, when the current value of those products is $80. If you could get all three for $40, and play all of them right now, it would make no sense to leave the StB+ShB expansion up for sale. They'd have to do price re-structuring right now, which (I am assuming, similar to WoW) they only do after a new expansion drops.

So, that's why you can't play StB or ShB when you pre-order EW right now, because:

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Originally Posted by ForteNightshade

You essentially "reserved" the cheaper price by agreeing to wait.

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Originally Posted by Dragonblanco

All I can say is you may want to start reading before you buy stuff. I say that because it literally says the following on the page before you buy Endwalker:



https://support.na.square-enix.com/f...Realm%20Reborn.


Or you can see:

* This is the latest FINAL FANTASY XIV expansion pack and is intended for existing users who own the full version of FINAL FANTASY XIV, as this product cannot be played on its own. In order to register this product, you will need a method to play FINAL FANTASY XIV that does not include the free trial.
* Registration of this product grants users access to Endwalker, as well as previous expansion packs, Stormblood and Shadowbringers.
* A subscription fee is required to play.

https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/endwalker/product/#se

I mean, I feel for you. I know you assumed it would come with and it sucks to find out it didn\\'t. But I mean, it said it multiple places if you just slowed down. Maybe a harsh life lesson? Because in all honesty, a lot of things you want to do will be lost in fine print and if you\\'re not checking, you can screw yourself royally. I learned this lesson the hard way at one of my jobs. They had us read our Employee Handbook and then sign that we had read it. After turning it in, the manager would check. In one of the pages, there was a spot saying to initial there if you\\'d like to opt out of buying the manager a meal, otherwise by signing the Employee Handbook without initialing it, we had to treat them out of our own pocket. It was just their little way to check how sincere people were, to make a point of how important it is to pay attention to detail, etc.

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Yes, but that’s not my point, my point is: why not give access right now to previously content?

I mean I’m buying the latest expansion, cmon, should I buy shb and in November had to buy endwalker at full price again? Let’s be fair, this political of business makes me sad…

Oh, I should have specified better. The last quote was basic which could be misleading. But like when you click on Pre-Order, it then takes to https://ffxivstorehub.square-enix-games.com/en_US

On that one, it then says


IMPORTANT:

• This product is a FINAL FANTASY® XIV expansion pack that requires FINAL FANTASY® XIV Online Starter Edition (A Realm Reborn) and an active subscription to play.
• This product also includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansion packs, which will only be provided at the release of Endwalker.

Adding that as you wouldn't know the part about "will only be provided at the release of Endwalker" from their little footnote/fine print that had said:

* This is the latest FINAL FANTASY XIV expansion pack and is intended for existing users who own the full version of FINAL FANTASY XIV, as this product cannot be played on its own. In order to register this product, you will need a method to play FINAL FANTASY XIV that does not include the free trial.
* Registration of this product grants users access to Endwalker, as well as previous expansion packs, Stormblood and Shadowbringers.
* A subscription fee is required to play.

_______

I could have edited it out, but figured I would leave it there as might kind of help serve the point of what you were saying, on how you didn't see it there and then rushed forward with buying, missing the fine print on the next screen. Also kind of highlights where in my haste to make a point, I didn't actually read every word, otherwise I would have left out that excerpt from the original comment.

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Yes, but that’s not my point, my point is: why not give access right now to previously content?

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Because the current price point doesn't allow for that. If by pre-ordering EW you were to gain immediate access to Stb+Shb, then the standard pre-order price would have been $80.

Since they didn't want to price the preorder at $80, they priced it at $40 and said, "Check out this great price! Only thing is you gotta wait for the old xpacs if you don't already have them."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

I mean I’m buying the latest expansion, cmon, should I buy shb and in November had to buy endwalker at full price again? Let’s be fair, this political of business makes me sad…

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A) You aren't buying the latest expansion, you are pre-ordering it, and though one might call "SEMANTICS!", the fact remains that the two aren't the same thing. Pre-orders have their own terms and conditions separate from standard purchases, and when they have "bundles", the bundles often vary greatly in terms of price, relative to the individual value of the items included.

B) The full price, currently, of Shadowbringers ($40) and Endwalker ($40) is $80. So, yes, if you want to both play ShB right now and have a standing pre-order for Endgame, that costs eighty bucks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Yes, but that’s not my point, my point is: why not give access right now to previously content?

I mean I’m buying the latest expansion, cmon, should I buy shb and in November had to buy endwalker at full price again? Let’s be fair, this political of business makes me sad…

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Yeah, business politics does get sad. Like how come you can be a customer of an internet provider but have to pay full price, meanwhile they allow new customers to only pay 25-50% of the monthly premium? How come new customers to wireless providers get free phones but existing customers don't get access to any perks like that?

It's all about bringing new business. Their assumption is anyone preordering Endwalker already likely has the other expansions. But just like the things I mentioned about cable or phone providers, they decided to add a perk to all new players. That perk is if they wait until November, they'll get the other expansions added at no cost. Otherwise, if you want access sooner, you pay for it. Long story: it's a promotional offer with strings attached.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dragonblanco

Oh, I should have specified better. The last quote was basic which could be misleading. But like when you click on Pre-Order, it then takes to https://ffxivstorehub.square-enix-games.com/en_US

On that one, it then says


IMPORTANT:

• This product is a FINAL FANTASY® XIV expansion pack that requires FINAL FANTASY® XIV Online Starter Edition (A Realm Reborn) and an active subscription to play.
• This product also includes Stormblood and Shadowbringers expansion packs, which will only be provided at the release of Endwalker.

Adding that as you wouldn't know the part about "will only be provided at the release of Endwalker" from their little footnote/fine print that had said:

* This is the latest FINAL FANTASY XIV expansion pack and is intended for existing users who own the full version of FINAL FANTASY XIV, as this product cannot be played on its own. In order to register this product, you will need a method to play FINAL FANTASY XIV that does not include the free trial.
* Registration of this product grants users access to Endwalker, as well as previous expansion packs, Stormblood and Shadowbringers.
* A subscription fee is required to play.

_______

I could have edited it out, but figured I would leave it there as might kind of help serve the point of what you were saying, on how you didn't see it there and then rushed forward with buying, missing the fine print on the next screen. Also kind of highlights where in my haste to make a point, I didn't actually read every word, otherwise I would have left out that excerpt from the original comment.

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Again, yes, I’m aware now, but that’s not my point, read my last reply to you…

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Originally Posted by Breakbeat

Because the current price point doesn't allow for that. If by pre-ordering EW you were to gain immediate access to Stb+Shb, then the standard pre-order price would have been $80.

Since they didn't want to price the preorder at $80, they priced it at $40 and said, "Check out this great price! Only thing is you gotta wait for the old xpacs if you don't already have them."

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Now I got it,

isn’t full price? I paid in BRLS and I assumed was 60$ range…

My fault then…

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Again, yes, I’m aware now, but that’s not my point, read my last reply to you…

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Haha, yeah. We're like one post behind each other. My addendum you quoted and then said "I'm aware now" I had posted quickly after my first. You had responded to me in that time. I'm assuming that perhaps when I'm done commenting on this, you'll have responded to my post about new customer discounts and stuff on internet and all. Guess key thing is, ignore this comment and we should be caught up with each other on comments. But if you respond to this one, we'll be off pace again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Yes, but that’s not my point, my point is: why not give access right now to previously content?

I mean I’m buying the latest expansion, cmon, should I buy shb and in November had to buy endwalker at full price again? Let’s be fair, this political of business makes me sad…

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That's because they can't just let people play the current latest content for "free" simply because they bought an upcoming expansion where the previous content is included.

Don't worry, the same issue comes up every expansion, and the same people turn out to white-knight a corporation like clockwork. I'm surprised we don't have people arguing in favor of needing to buy every expansion always at this rate.

I've had multiple friends who had interest in returning to the game for an expansion decide not to, after seeing they would have to shell out for both expansions ultimately if they wanted to play in the interim.

I strongly believe that once an expansion is "dead" at the final major patch (echo in savage tier, no new major content updates coming) that it should become playable to anyone who has pre-ordered the next expansion.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LittleImp

Don't worry, the same issue comes up every expansion, and the same people turn out to white-knight a corporation like clockwork. I'm surprised we don't have people arguing in favor of needing to buy every expansion always at this rate.

I've had multiple friends who had interest in returning to the game for an expansion decide not to, after seeing they would have to shell out for both expansions ultimately if they wanted to play in the interim.

I strongly believe that once an expansion is "dead" at the final major patch (echo in savage tier, no new major content updates coming) that it should become playable to anyone who has pre-ordered the next expansion.

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It's not white knighting though.
This isn't something only FFXIV does, all MMOs does this.
If people wanna play right now they gotta pay for what's on right now.

And once the next expansion is out one won't have to pay for the previous expansions as they are included.
But that's only after the release of the next expansion as up until then current content still has its own price tag.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LittleImp

Don't worry, the same issue comes up every expansion, and the same people turn out to white-knight a corporation like clockwork. I'm surprised we don't have people arguing in favor of needing to buy every expansion always at this rate.

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SE should treat everyone equal and fair. That is a great idea!

If you want to play Endwalker, you will need every expansion. To make it fair for everyone, the price should be the same. New Players need to pay...

60€ for Final Fantasy Online (1.0)
60€ for A Realm Reborn (2.0)
60€ for Heavensward (3.0)
60€ for Stormblood (4.0)
60€ for Shadowbringers (5.0)
60€ for Endwalker (6.0)

Starting the game with the cost of only 360€ and one month playtime for free! Exciting offer!


Tbh I am kind of happy about this System right now. If you want to play with everyone, 25-40€ for everything until now + 40€ for preorder is fair. People will pay way more for other games and services.

Every addon has much to offer and all shb-endgame content will be played this year.


OP, I am sorry for you, that you missread it. But there are chances to get Shadowbringers really cheap with special offers (f.e. there was a Gamescom- and other gaming-event-offers)

Always read the fine print. Always. You, me and everyone else doesn't have to like it, but the details were there for all to see.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Yes, but that’s not my point, my point is: why not give access right now to previously content?

I mean I’m buying the latest expansion, cmon, should I buy shb and in November had to buy endwalker at full price again? Let’s be fair, this political of business makes me sad…

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I see your reading problems extend further than just store descriptions. I'll put Breakbeat's rather informative post below for your convenience, read it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Breakbeat

SE is in business to make money. As cool as it would be to give out free expansion packs, playable today, with the preorder ... they'd be losing a ton of money. They would have had to raise the price of the Endwalker preorder considerably.

Take me as an example. I started a few weeks ago (WoW expat), was getting close to level 60, and started seeing a ton of red quest markers telling me I needed Stormblood or Shadowbringers installed. Cool, no problem. Loving this game so off to purchase an xpac I went. StB+ShB are $40. Pre-order Endwalker is also $40.

I would not expect to get StB, ShB and EW (playable now for the former two, playable on release for the latter) for $40, when the current value of those products is $80. If you could get all three for $40, and play all of them right now, it would make no sense to leave the StB+ShB expansion up for sale. They'd have to do price re-structuring right now, which (I am assuming, similar to WoW) they only do after a new expansion drops.

So, that's why you can't play StB or ShB when you pre-order EW right now, because:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

I have this game twice: in steam till shadowbringers
In PS4/ps5: till stormblood

I pretended to abandon steam cause I brought a ps5, then proceeded to buy endwalker expansion on psn store, just to discovery I can’t access shadowbringers right now, I ll have to wait till November,

man I’m pissed, I’m not buying shadowbringers again just to play till November, it’s an absurd… if I’m buying the last expansion, I know, in pre-sale, why I can’t access shadowbringers today?

Really SE???

What u guys got it’s I’m not paying subs till November, thanks for nothing…

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Your title is beyond false and misleading. You should edit it. It's clearly stated that previous xpacs aren't unlocked with pre-orders till the xpac you buy is released. You just failed to read and now want to scream SCAM.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Yes, that’s the problem, why not give access to shadowbringers right now?

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Because you haven't paid for it. You've done the pre-order for Endwalker and that won't get billed until November.

Why not go back to playing on Steam until Endwalker releases and your PS license catches up?

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Originally Posted by Krojack

Your title is beyond false and misleading. You should edit it. It's clearly stated that previous xpacs aren't unlocked with pre-orders till the xpac you buy is released. You just failed to read and now want to scream SCAM.

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I wouldn't say the title is misleading. The OP isn't claiming that they were scammed, just that they feel scammed. How they feel is how they feel, even if it was due to their inattention.

Even though it's in the original terms....it still seems a bit 'off' really, should be accessible straight away I think.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dougff9

Yes, but that’s not my point, my point is: why not give access right now to previously content?

I mean I’m buying the latest expansion, cmon, should I buy shb and in November had to buy endwalker at full price again? Let’s be fair, this political of business makes me sad…

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Originally Posted by IvorySamoanXX

Even though it's in the original terms....it still seems a bit 'off' really, should be accessible straight away I think.

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Shadowbringers was released in July 2019. If Endwalker were announced in August 2019 with a Fall 2021 release date and preorders went live in August 2019, it would be absolutely absurd to think you should get immediate access to Shadowbringers with your Endwalker preorder.

The situation is not any different just because it's July 2021 now. If you want to play Shadowbringers while Shadowbringers is current, buy Shadowbringers.

Probably stick to one platform if you struggle with reading. If it's too good to be true it usually is.

not sure what talking about not being charged yet for buying Endwalker. I Pre-Ordered it 3 days ago and shows my account charged for it. They should once you pre-order it charge everyone and give them all the previous expansions and just not unlcok Endwalker till Nov. That be way less confusing and better. What happens if pre-order it and in Nov. you can't pay for it for some reason. So it be better for the to charge you right when you pre-order it.

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Originally Posted by Eris4494

What happens if pre-order it and in Nov. you can't pay for it for some reason. So it be better for the to charge you right when you pre-order it.

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There’s a “debit now” option in the order management to charge you immediately.

Thats good to know.

That's so weird to bundle things like that.

o.O Why bundle in past products to a unreleased (New) product at all? That doesn't even make sense on any level that I can think of; as a business model for bundling content, a game should always be bundled from: Game release 1.0-to-current release x.xx; that's how it's just always been done for as long as I've been a mmogamer.

I've never seen anyone else do that before, and if there are others who do that, it's just flatout dumb and they aren't thinking clearly.

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Originally Posted by Neoyoshi

That's so weird to bundle things like that.

o.O Why bundle in past products to a unreleased (New) product at all? That doesn't even make sense on any level that I can think of; as a business model for bundling content, a game should always be bundled from: Game release 1.0-to-current release x.xx; that's how it's just always been done for as long as I've been a mmogamer.

I've never seen anyone else do that before, and if there are others who do that, it's just flatout dumb and they aren't thinking clearly.

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It's basic business practice for certain games/products.

They do this so you don't have to pay for each individual expansion to play, which would make the price of entry to this game something like $2-300 (assuming 30-60 bucks per base game/old expansion).

In FFXIV, you are required to have played through older expansions to even be able to access newer content, so it makes sense to throw old content in.

Certain other MMOs either play as self-contained stories (Guildwars 1, for example, was 3 separate stories that had a unifying "ending" expansion), or the game just doesn't care if you do all content and others will just outright assume you did the old content even if you choose not to (Guildwars 2).

The product OP bought (and in question) is a pre-order of Endwalker. As a free bonus, they will get access to all previous expansions included. They were not purchasing Shadowbringers or any other expansion. The ARR-Current release package (which you mentioned above) is also available for purchase.