Boycott Activision?

I'm completely boycotting Activision now for the obvious reasons. A game with AI with the IQ of dead fish, buggy engine, and customer support Satan would be proud of.

I recommend you all complain. To make it simple for you, I have the url. http://www.activision.com/support/email.asp

Tell them what you think, if you don't get a reply, or don't like the reply, complain again. Give them at least some repercussions for making such a total piece of ****.

[CapTVK]

Email doesn't work for this sort thing, all those emails will supply be filtered out and never reach the upper echolons. There's only one way to reach them and that is by snail mail (real letters). Complaints by email are simply never read and deleted, real letters of complaint are actually read and sometimes you get a response. I believe there's also some sort of legal stature for acknowledging formal letters of complaints, but i could be wrong on that.

So if you want to file a complaint, look up the official business adress of Activision (also look up the names of some of the senior staff members and adress it to them if you know who's in charge). Write a polite, but critical letter stating that you'll be boycotting them from now on and they'll start to take notice.

Just believe me, they will...
[This message has been edited by CapTVK (edited January 20, 2001).]

[Ioannes]

I am in favor of a boycott. In fact I will never buy another Activision product. Time to let Activision wither on the vine of their own vice.....greed.

[kormer]

This is a direct slap in the face of gamers everywhere. There are crappy unfinished games released all the time. However to get this kind of response from a well-established company, and for a game that has such potention is appalling. If I bought a crappy game from some upstart company, with a new game concept thats been untried before, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. This is ridiculous however, activision has the resources to fix the problems, they just don't want to so they can increase the bottom line. Well I won't be personally responsible for ever increasing their bottom line ever again.

[D4everman]

I'm with you Kormer.

Ok, Activision, you don't want to try to resolve the complaints that your customers have? I don't mean little dinky things, for me its the lackluster AI. Fine. But know this...I will never buy another activision product. I will go out of my way to stop others from buiyng them. I will make a giant ass complaint to AAFES about carrying your products. (Army & Air Force Exchange Service) AAFES usually takes that kind of thing seriously so locally, at least at this base they'll listen. (They took CTP1 off the shelf when people complained, and only had a small order for CTP2....because a few people ordered it...and yes, I was one of them...I had hoped Activision would put out a game that was fully finished!)

So you win, activision. And you can laugh at my complaints. But I'll still do whatever I can to block your products form where i shop. Its my fervent hope that NO ONE buys your next game.

I'd enjoy that much more than I did CTP2.

D4

(Yes I'm angry, and if anyone feels the need to flame me about it, so be it. I ain't changing my mind without the unlikely event of Activision changing theirs.)

[kormer]

I'm a military brat too and buy a lot of my stuff tax-free at the local PX I never knew they would stop carrying stuff if you complained, I think I'll write a letter to them too.

[John-SJ]

I fully support a boycott of Activision! I will not buy another Activision title until they have shown themselves to be a CUSTOMER oriented company.

I heartily recommend that all of us support those companies that produce quality games and provide excellent customer support by buying their games. I also suggest that if Activision continues on it's current path that it deserves to die a slow and painful (financial) death. As long as we continue to purchase their products that won't happen.

Bye bye Acivision! I wish I could say it's been fun, but you've made that impossible.

John-SJ

[Mike the Nuke]

Let's do it. Send letters (snail mail and email). They may delete the emails, but it will sure clutter things up for them. You never know. If there were enough (easy to send) emails listing all the problems/faults of the game, thye may take notice. If the emails, as well as the 'snail mails' are politely and respectfully written, they could be answered. I would suggest stating the positives, then the negatives, and then closing the letters/messages on a positive note (ie game has lots of potential, etc).

[Babayaga]

How about someone writes up a nice letter to Activision and then post that letter on this forum.
That way, we may copy this letter, print this letter out, and then put it in an envelope to be mailed to Activision from many different people.

Not many of us have the time to write a nice lengthy polite letter and I am sure this would be the best way to express our concerns.

[Simpleton]

It's obvious that Activision could give a rat's ass what the consumers think! I will definitely boycott them. Even if their next game gets great reviews there's no way I would buy because they obviously won't support it. You can say what you want about SMAC but Firaxis stood behind it! I think they put out 4 patches addressing many of the fan's concerns.
In the perfect world word of the boycott would spread and Activision would feel the hit in the pocket book, perhaps even go out of business. I'll have to wait to see if in fact we do live in the "perfect world" or not.
As for me I have returned to Civ2 and probably will try a game or two of SMAC in the next little while. As for CTP2, it sits in its box in a bag in my basement and there is shall stay.


G.

quote: Originally posted by Simpleton on 01-20-2001 11:07 PM You can say what you want about SMAC but Firaxis stood behind it! I think they put out 4 patches addressing many of the fan's concerns.

firaxis did good in smac, but not perfect. they should(and had promised to) do a patch for smac(-x) but they never released. in fact it was probably ready, but it took them several months to come and say that there were problems with EA not doing the (expensive) QA for it(if i remember correctly)...

btw, firaxis actually did 2 patches for smac(not talking about smacx): v3 and v4. there was never a v1 patch, the "first" one v2, which came out 2 days after the release. a bit difficult to call it a patch for me

[kormer]

All letters should be addressed to these people: If you address it to them, at the very least it will get to their executive secratary instead of some customer service rep that will just throw it in the "unhappy" pile.

Robert Kotick
Chairman, CEO and Director

Brian Kelly
Co-Chairman and Director

Ron Doornink
President and COO

William Chardavoyne
Executive Vice President and CFO

Lawrence Goldberg
Executive Vice President, Worldwide Studios

Daniel Hammett
Executive Vice President, Activision and President, Activision Value Publishing

Michael Rowe
Executive Vice President, Human Resources

Richard A. Steele
Executive Vice President, Distribution

Kathy Vrabeck
Executive Vice President, Worldwide Publishing and Global Brand Management

Corporate Headquarters
Activision, Incorporated
3100 Ocean Park Boulevard
Santa Monica, California 90405
(310) 255-2000

[deleted]

I own Activision stock. So I'll kick your ass if you boycott Oh that's right I sold it when I went back to school, never mind go ahead.

But in all seriousness ATVI did a cost/revenue analysis, and decided that the expense of patching the product was not going to generate sufficient revenues, and they probably factored in ill-will that would be generated by the decision, and decided that it would not be sufficient enough to decrease future revenues on other titles by a proportional ammount. So when you send them mail, I mean mail not e-mail, state what other products of theirs you have bought in the past 12 months as well as how many games total; if it was your only purchase, don't say that. State when you bought CTP2 the earlier the better, earlier buyers are opinion leaders or suckers. Im not sure what they're considered in CGames .

Well that's what I learned in marketing, and my guess is that it will be a marketeer (PR guy) who reads your letter. Most important is volume tho.

Cheers and good luck.

[KhanMan]

I for one will never buy from Activision again. Yes, you can say "we delivered our product, and we have no interest in expanding on it". However, with the case of CtP I (which I own), they delivered a game that, despite all patches, DOES NOT WORK.

In many sales industries, you are given a 30-day money back guarentee during which, if the prodcut is proven to be defective or unsuable, you have a right to return it for a refund.

My gripe is not that the ai is weak, or that it lacks this or that feature, but simply that Activision delivers, simply put, defective merchandise that fails to work. This may or may not be criminal, but it is definately unprofessional.

As to Mark's point: Activision delivered patches that failed to make CtP I a working program (by any definition), whereas Firaxis may have skimped on some additions. I'll support the working programs of Firaxis over the defective ones of Activision from now on.

-KhanMan

PS. I have every respect for the programmers that put their time and effort into CtP 1 and 2 (both inside Activision and outside), but I cannot support a company that sells defective merchandise.

Here! Here!
A boycott of Activision is definately in order!

You guys may be right and Activision may not notice our "small sector" boycott....However, word of mouth is a powerful tool.

Yes, Definately everyone who can email or "snail mail" their complaints do so...I will on both the express email and standard USPS!

The bottom line is this: Activision advertised a game that in reality was unplayable (on the muliplayer side). I am not a Harvard Graduate, but it looks, smells, tastes, and feels as a bold face LIE!!!
False Addvertisement. Activision are criminals and should be treated as such - in a court of law....Any Lawyers out there???

Boycott Activsion?????? AT LEAST!!!!

[deleted]

ATVI broke no laws.

[skorpion59]

quote: Originally posted by deleted on 01-21-2001 05:55 AM ATVI broke no laws.

Possibly not, especially since they disavowed any scenario support whatsoever. This is akin to @Home's email never working. They claim email is 'Recreational' therefor it doesn't have to work all the time. BS! Just because something is not illegal doesn't mean it is not wrong. This is wrong any way you look at it. To deliberatly produce a scam product with the sole intention of making money from it at XMas time and then dropping it, is WRONG. The only thing separating this from the Ford/Firestone tire fiasco is the fact that people only lost money and not their lives. It is Big Business only caring about the bottom dollar.

[Simpleton]

quote: Originally posted by deleted on 01-21-2001 05:55 AM ATVI broke no laws.

Technically, they did. Activision advertised/promoted certain product features that the game did not have or function. This is, in fact, called misrepresentation. Probably, since it's only a $40 - $80 dollar computer game it might not be worth sueing over but it's possible a person with some time on their hands to prepare a case may just have a chance. Just remember if you do sue make sure you check the exact company name Activision is listed under and use that under in your documents or the case will be thrown out.
No I'm not a lawyer but I have taken a few law courses.



[This message has been edited by Simpleton (edited January 21, 2001).]

[Bluevoss]

Well, outside of the boycott (which I will support - I bought this for myself and for my Pop for Xmas. How embarrising that he drifted back to Civ2 3 hours after installing it), there is something else that will work.

I intend to spread this story far and wide on the internet. I go to a lot of other sites, and it isn't hard to find someone *****ing about something. Nothing like saying "Well, I bought Activisions CTP2, and lemme tell you about a screw job..."

Just think - over the long year before they can release everything, I'll post my opinions on sites where hundreds might read it. And if there ever is a CTP3, I'll be leading the charge against it, putting out my own reviews, making sure that the crummy customer support will be noted.

Activision, you might as well go back to frogger. Nobody is going to take you seriously for any adult games anymore.



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Bluevoss-

You would all be much better off taking up your complaints with your local consumer protection authority. Activision produced a faulty product, particularly the multiplayer. That is against the law in most Western countries. In Australia it is called "false or misleading conduct" and carries very heavy fines. Its about time game companies were brought to book. If your local Consumer Protection authority gets on the case, you watch em sit up and take notice.

So get writing - if they are under attack in several jurisdictions then the media might get interested and then they will really be twisting in the wind.

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Chaos, panic and disorder - My work here is done.
[This message has been edited by Alexander's Horse (edited January 22, 2001).]

[deleted]

My stamement concerning the fact that they broke no laws, was in response to the post above mine; I was not defending their actions on an ethical ground.

Misrepresentation? When where you informed that PBEM or Hotseat would be part of the product, or any other feature. The bugs remaining in the game probably would be construed as reasonable.

Taking your complaint to a consumer protection agency. That would be the FTC, and unless you were informed by ATVI that a certain tangible feature would be in the game but was never included, you don't have a case. BTW if you live in Virginia companies are not responsible for software bugs.

Once again I reiterate I do not support ATVI actions, but they were legal. It is my belief that ATVI is finished for a while concerning TBS games. The damage concerning other titles in other genres is yet to be seen. I would wager that it will be relatively small, since there is little association between games by the same company. Unless you were burned by the company yourself, some one else being burned will have little effect.

Sorry but the game box says it offers multiplayer. The multiplayer does not work. That alone is grounds for consumer authorities to take action against Activision.

Why should game buyers continue to accept "second class citizen" consumer rights as far as computer games are concerned.

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Chaos, panic and disorder - My work here is done.
[This message has been edited by Alexander's Horse (edited January 22, 2001).]

[deleted]

Hmm. It kind of works but Id hazard a guess that the consumer protection agency would end up considering the bugs in MP to be reasonable given the complex nature of the product You can run with the complaint but I can't see it succeeding.

Deleted, are you with Activision?


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Chaos, panic and disorder - My work here is done.

[deleted]

Concerning 2nd Class Consumer rights with software. Legislatures are very interested in cozying up to tech companies, so when they make laws specific to tech, they are very producer friendly. Check Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Article 2B. It's not a law in most states but is in a few.

AH:

Activision. Sure boss

[MrFun]

Unfortunately, it will not make an iota difference if 0.5% of all customers boycott Activision products.

[Martock]

maybe not in the beginning mrFun but in the long run it will. losing 5% now and having that 5% talk to another 5% will cost them even for any future games. look at it this way, if they made $60 million off of both CTP and CTP2 and now they've lost at least 5% of their market, they've lost $3 million in a future gaming market. now if that 5% makes a stink and causes them to lose 5% more of their market, now, they'll be standing to lose $6 million. sadly, tunnel vision in the marketing dept will eventually sweep this filthly company away...

after reading activision's cop out letter, i've decided to write to the heads of act and let them know how disappointed in their company. like others, i too will let them know they will never get my $ again and i will spread the word on how badly they produce their games.

[MrFun]

I didn't say 5% - I said only 0.5%. How many materialistic customers will actually be able to swallow hard and ACTUALLY boycott an entire company's line of products?

I am materialistic to some extent.

[Ming]

Thank you kormer...
The list of names you provided is perfect.

If you really want to be heard on this issue, send a personal letter (not a form letter or email) to the people on his list.

Again, be nice. Don't rant and rave. Say how many games of theirs you own, discuss why you don't like their decision, and tell them you have lost faith in them because of their treatment of customers. Tell them WHY you aren't going to buy a game from them again.

A well thought out letter will get to their desks!

Now... let's just do it!

[Jerk]

I'm in on the boycott. I don't care if one is official or not, I personally am never buying any of their products again. Regardless of the game genre what is to keep them from repeating this?

I think what we as users should push for is emailing all those game sites that have rated it, and request that they rerate the game based on the fact that Activision pulled the plug and it will never be a fully functional game. Additionally I'd like to recast my vote in the "CTP2: Did it match your expectations?" poll. How about we get a new poll: "CTP2: Now that it's scrapped, can it ever meet your expectations?" or "CTP2: What would you pay for it?" When I cast my vote for "CTP2: Did it match your expectations?" I based my opinion on the overall improvements to the game with the expectation that the various glitches would be fixed eventually. REVOTE!

Activision Management: All I wanted was simple bug fixes, not an entire overhaul, not PBEM or hotseat, just a working version of what I purchased. You lost 3 paying customers in this house alone.

CTP2 Programmers: I feel sorry that the company you work for did not give you the chance to produce the product you are capable of making. I would definately keep this in mind next time another game company tries to lure you away. Your names are unfortunately attached to a product that your employer ruined the name of.

- Jerk -
Who should have known better the moment he saw old obsolete CTP1 files still packaged in CTP2.

[This message has been edited by Jerk (edited January 24, 2001).]