Sony And The Mystery Of The Missing Assassin's Creed Disc
Reader Martin sent his PS3 in to Sony because a game was stuck in the drive. When he got it back, the game was missing. Where did it go? Sony says there was nothing the drive when they received the unit. Martin is wondering why he would have sent his console in to Sony in the first place if it didn't have a game stuck in it. It is a mystery.
Martin writes:
I sent my Playstation 3 in for service for the a second time in 6 months, and this time they stole my Assassin's Creed game. Their compromise: they offered what is basically a trade for another game of their choosing- as long as I showed them a receipt!
My PS3's Blu-ray drive failed within 4 months of my receiving it as a gift from my wife in December 2008. I sent it in for repair in April, and received it back in fairly short order. In June, my Blu-ray drive had a problem ejecting a disc completely. The next disc that went in, my Assassin's Creed game, stuck for good. Unfortunately, there was no way to get my game out of the drive, and there was no emergency disc eject procedure to be found in the manual or online.
I created a support ticket with Sony for this issue, clearly stating that my game was stuck in the drive, and that despite my efforts of using the button to eject and the system's software, it would not come out at all. The result was I had to send the unit to Sony again for another drive issue. I was having flashbacks of the "disc read error" days of the Sony Playstation 2.The coffin/shipping box for the PS3 arrived once again, and on the form I clearly marked that a disc was stuck in the drive (it has a checkbox for it), and that was why I was sending it in for repair. I shipped it out, it arrived at Sony's repair center, and it was shipped back. When I received it, the disc drive worked, but Assassin's Creed was nowhere to be found.
I contacted Sony support number listed on Service Receipt (1-800-345-7669) and spoke with a support person named Michael. Within 5 minutes, he checked the technician's notes and stated there was no disc in the drive when received. I asked:
If the system's problem is that it doesn't eject discs, and the symptom is a disc doesn't come out, then how can there not be a disc in the system? And if there's no disc, that means there's no disc ejecting problem- which means there was nothing to repair in the first place!
Logic didn't get me very far.
After running into what amounted to a dead end, I asked for Michael's supervisor, who connected me to Rachel after a 10 minute or so wait. Rachel contacted the technician's supervisor Carl, who told Rachel that the technician's notes were correct and there was no disc in the system. I then asked for Rachel's supervisor, who stated there wasn't any more that could be done. I mentioned I would be happy to post this on the Consumerist and file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and she said she could connect me to Carl.
I explained the illogical scenario I was in to Carl. Carl said he would start a full investigation to see if there was any foul play involved, and would call me the next week on Tuesday. Carl contacted me Tuesday, August 11th, 2009, and told me that while there is no evidence that there was a disc in the drive, but he offered that if I sent him the receipt for Assassin's Creed, he would send me a "First title game". Needless to say I did not jump at the offer.
I don't want to trade out games with Sony, I want the disc that was stuck in their broken drive back. If there was no disc in the drive, then what was the problem with the system that needed repair at all? This is my fulfilling my promise to Sony last week and submitting this to Consumerist, and a BBB complaint will follow as well. Carl said I could post about this and submit it to where ever I want, so here we are.
What you mean you don't save all your game receipts in case the disc gets stuck in the drive and Sony loses it?
Filing a BBB complaint isn't a terrible idea, although at this point it's really a case of "he said, she said." The friendly thing to do would have been to just replace your game. Sony, particularly their warranty repair department, isn't really known for being friendly. Good luck.
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Comments:
I always stick my game receipts into the disk case itself, within the manual. (not that it will help now - but an idea)
Even though I feel sorry for the writer, It would be hard for the repair center to believe everyone who complains... I mean it was only about 5 months ago when the cops raided my place, and I quickly stuffed around $2,000 worth of $100 bills into the system and it would not eject it.... I sent the system in, and they returned the system without my $2,000 cash. I'm still fighting them for the return of my cash.
What is a "first title game"?
@JustinSane07: They're offering to replace it with a game that is not Assassin's Creed - which is what he paid for. He doesn't just want any game. He wants Sony to give him back the game that he sent the PS3 in with. Failing that, they should issue him a check for the amount of a new game.
@JustinSane07: Because what Sony is proposing doesn't mesh well with the real world. Not many people save receipts for their games. I only recently started doing this because of issues such as this. Even further, the situation is one of logic. If he is sending the system in because a game is stuck in the drive, then gets it back without a game, it seems illogical that there never was a game.
Sony is in the wrong because their proposed solution everyone is hyper-vigilant with their receipts and the attitude of the customer service chain of command needs to be examined too. Not only that, but "I understand that it's an inconvenience and an issue that shouldn't exist" outweighs any attempt to make amends.
@genegemperline: "First title game" does imply a first party Sony game, I'll admit (I think AC is Ubisoft), but shit, if they send him a brand new game, he could trade it in, buy AC used and end up with $profit.
And a check for the amount of a new game is not applicable, if I was Sony. Game prices decrease after release. AC I think is like, 30 bucks now, maybe even a 20 banger. If they sent him 60, the cost of a new game, he'd $profit again and Sony knows this.
@JustinSane07: "First Title Game" refers to first party titles, Sony produced games. So they're offering him a replacement game, just not a replacement for the game he lost. Just one that Sony created, which could be anything.
@JustinSane07:
He is resisting their offer because he is not going to get the same game, Assassins Creed back as he stated in the letter. They want to send him a "First title game" which I can assume means one that is made by Sony.
@JustinSane07: I am guessing that he purchased his copy of assassin's creed a good while ago. Do you retain every receipt to every purchase you make under $100? I keep receipts for 3-6 months, and then often lose track of them. Not saying this is the best of methods, but who really keeps track of every receipt they get? especially if you buy from a place that prints you out a book and calls it a "receipt".
Sony should've just replaced the game. AC is only $30 now since it recently became a greatest hits title. His logic is correct, why would he send it in if there was nothing wrong with the disc tray? He's also correct in the on the form Sony gives you a box to check off asking if there is a disc inside.
@ Smashville.
A first title (or party) game is any game published/developed by Sony. Assassins Creed was made by Ubisoft, therefore it doesn't qualify. Something like Warhawk, Killzone 2, God of War etc.
@JustinSane07: assassins creed is at least a year or two old. I don't keep any receipts longer than a few weeks...expecially not for a 60 dollar game that I can tell if it works in a few hours.
I'd be happy to send him my copy of Assassin's Creed. I got it for Christmas right when it came out and didn't like it.
@redkamel: Hence why I said "proof of purchase." If he bought with a CC or Debit card, it might be possible to look up the receipt from the store it was purchased at or even through the bank/cc company.
@sbcpunkrocker: He sent the PS3 in because the drive died. Whether or not a game was in there is open to debate, from Sony's end. You don't need a disc to be in there for the drive to die.
@kyle4: Shoot, let me clarify. A first title (or party) game is any game published/developed by Sony for their platform (the PS3). Assassins Creed was made by Ubisoft, therefore it doesn't qualify. Something like Warhawk, Killzone 2, Little Big Planet, God of War etc. which are exclusive to the PS3 and published by Sony would be part of the trade in.
If it were movies, 20'th Century Fox could only give you movies they made but if they lost your Sony Pictures movies you'd be screwed.
Sarchasm alert...
I'm totally with Sony on this.. Everyone knows the easiest way to rip off the man for a $30 game is to box up your console (without the claimed game in the drive), ship it to the repair facity and wait for them to ship it back to you along with a crisp new copy of your game of choice.
Serves him right for trying to scam them. I'm surprised he didn't box up a box of rocks and ship it to them to claim the post office stole it.
"first title game" probably means a first party game--a game make by sony. Assassin's creed isn't made by sony.
@Sepp_TB: I wonder if I can send them my 360 and tell them my PS3 is stuck in it...and get a first party game console...
@JustinSane07: There are easier and less time consuming ways to scam someone for a free game. This unreasonableness is where bureaucratic corporations fail to meet demand and satisfy consumers.
Wow you are very unlucky because this actually happened to me twice. The first time i was luck to get the disc out but my ps3 still failed. However the second time, I had call of duty 4 stuck in the system. Weeks later they sent me the ps3 back however the game did not come with it. Me being the biggest procrastinator on earth, I waited 6 months before calling back for the missing game. They tried to pull an excuse that it has been too long and there was no evidence of a game missing. Nevertheless, I started to get rough making sure that I got what I wanted. In 3 days, I got COD4 with a receipt from best buy just in case I wanted to return it.
Advice: Make sure you are in control of the conversation, and don't let them beat you with such a poor excuse. Give them a poorer excuse :P
@CaptainCynic: So, from a legitimate standpoint, if the console refuses to eject the game disc he's got an option of losing the game forever or not getting the console repaired (with game still stuck inside). So his options are get screwed or stay screwed?
If the game was stuck in the console Sony should have informed him of ways to possibly get it out or what to when sending it in to ensure the disc can be recovered. Question is what Sony does on these cases. Inform the consumer of what to do when the console gets sent in or just tell them to blindly ship it?
I guess he should send them the empty case to go with the game.
Actual I had the same thing happen with a Cd player at Best Buy, I just wrote that off has experience and stay away from Best Buy
I had same problems with my BD player. I went for the PS3 cause I thought it had less problems than the xbox 360, or so I thought. Don't get me wrong, I like my PS3. But it is getting harder and harder to justify paying more for a system (expensive one) when I have to dish out another $150 to fix it less than 2 years later?!!!!! AND xbox has much more functionality as it stands right now (Netflix streaming, Boxee,..). If so many people (google BD drive on PS3, many are failing) having problems, Sony should fix the issue.
Assasin's Creed is no big loss, I like the graphics and the story. The gameplay controls are frustrating ..
Maybe the technician misidentified the disc as a Creed CD and was trying to do him a favor by losing it?
@CaptainCynic: What's the point of putting 'Sarcasm alert' at the beginning of your post? It's like saying "WARNING: I AM GOING TO TROLL NOW."
But, I digress.
I wonder if there's any way for Martin to retrieve the support ticket and form that he filled out. They must keep these kinds of things on record. Moreover, there must be a way to find out who operated on the system. I'd be worried if the people at the repair centre aren't keeping track of who's doing what work.
@CaptainCynic: Dear Sony, My PS3 will no longer eject Super Box of Rocks Xtreme. Please fix it and give me a new copy of Box of Rocks.
@michaelthegreat: That's actually a good point. Maybe the reason they can't replace the game is that, since Assassin's Creed isn't made by Sony, they don't have any copies of the game to give him. That seems logical but it does obligate them to arrange some other compensation, such as offering him a first party game.
This happened to me once when I sent in a camera for repairs - the repair people took my CF card, although my camera broke while I was using it and the card got stuck in there. There was no way it wasn't NOT there.
So, what I did was:
1. Write to them and ask for it back (they said no - there was no evidence of it being there in the first place)
2. Write to Circuit City (the seller of the camera) and reported what happened, since it was the company they were contracting with that stole my card (they also said too bad)
3. Filed a BBB report
4. Wrote and wrote and wrote and basically annoyed everyone I could about this until, one day, a new card showed up in the mail
If you have enough time on your hands, then I'd suggest just being a pest. They'll eventually relent, if only to make you disappear.
I'm not familiar with the metrics of the PS3, but is it possible that the disc slid off of the tray during shipping, and is still loose somewhere inside the unit?
This happened with my audio CD player.
I think the idea here is that the technician can easily be a thief, write down "no disc in drive" in the report, and they believe everything.
Since you can open up a PS3 and remove a stuck disc, but the unit is still broken and needs to be repaired for the problem of "won't eject discs," the basic premise of this complaint is unfortunately flawed.
I think Sony's offer to provide a gratis substitute title from their own catalog is the best outcome he could reasonably expect.
@hungryhomer: Trolling is being a jerk just to get a rise out of people. Sarchasm is a way of making a point.
Let me restate my intended point for the sarchasm impaired...
There are far easier ways to obtain a free copy of a game than by using such a complex method to cheat Sony out of said game. Therefore, it is most likely that what the person claims is true and Sony has misplaced his game and should replace it. The individual in question should not lose his game due to the repair.
I've noticed a couple of the posts and see the Sony Fanboys are again jumping to Sony's defense. Jumping to the defense of a company that isn't giving you the product but a product you are paying a hefty premium for. I am amazed people still support the company after all the screwing they do to their own loyal customers. Have Fun.
@rdclark: Nope. I believe there's a sticker which is broken when you open the console. If that sticker is broken the warranty is void and Sony will refuse to service it.
I'm not sure I feel about people threatening to send things to the Consumerist. Obviously I want lots of articles to read for my entertainment, but saying something like "Do it or I'm sending this to the Consumerist" just seems backwards to me. Especially in the situation where Carl does seem like he is trying to help.
@INDYGUY100: Or if he did buy it at Best Buy, he can just go there and they will print off a copy of the receipt for him.
@kyle4:
"First title game" is an error in communication, probably on the receiving side. As you indicate, first party game is the correct term.
If they're offering him any first party game, he could probably get one that he could trade in for more than $30 and get a new copy of Assassins Creed with a small amount of money for his trouble. Not ideal, but it'll get the job done with some minor compensation for his inconvenience.
Or he could get a first party game he wants and rent Assassin's Creed, because it's a short game that can be completed within a rental period, and it has no real replay value (most people find it tiresome just to get through it the first time).
The problem is the receipt requirement - you generally can't return opened games, so most people throw the receipts away.
@calquist:
I wouldn't call it backwards, I'd call it blackmail. I wouldn't want anything about my company posted here.
@BathroomDuck: No, from someone who has disassembled his PS3 twice, this is not possible.
These drives aren't much different from an OEM drive for your computer.
@speedwell, avatar of snark: I somehow totally overlooked the "sarcasm" alert. I'm so used to the "blame the poster" stuff around here... heh.
@coan_net:
Um, are you serious or joking?
And, I think SONY is scamming the OP out of his game. But, it's kindof a he said / SONY said issue now.
Filing a BBB complaint is a terrible idea. You'll be wasting your time and you'll be sad when they tell you to fuck off.
@JustinSane07: No, he sent it in because a disk was stuck in it, something he actually checked off on the paperwork that accompanied the coffin he was sent. That's a little bit different than sending it back with unspecified drive issues. ;)
@coan_net: I don't know why it would be that hard in this case, given that he opened a ticket stating the issue pretty clearly, and even ticked it off on the paperwork that came with the coffin. There's no real way for them not to have known what was up with the PS3 before they got it, nor is there any reason for them not to have sent the game back to him when the repair was completed.
@Preyfar: Well that, and maybe you thought he was talking about a chasm full of sars or something. Heh, sarchasm. :P
@bigd7387: I don't see what you claim to be seeing, but then I apparently don't take videogames as seriously as you do. @_@
@Cant_stop_the_rock: That's what I tend to do. If I buy a game new and open it up, the receipt generall goes in the trash as long as the game works. No need to hang on to them, or so I thought. I might just hold onto them from now on, just in case.
If he can produce a receipt, or another proof of purchase, and Sony is offering to replace the game, then I don't see what the huge deal is. I understand that it's an inconvience and an issue that shouldn't exist, but Sony is attempting to make amends and he's resisting it because....???