The Gray Gamers

According to a study released Tuesday by the Electronic Software Association of Canada (ESAC), more than 14,000 people are now directly employed by more than 247 Canadian video-game companies. The number balloons higher once related jobs such as those in retail and transportation are included.

The head count helped Canada leapfrog the United Kingdom to become the world’s third largest centre for video-game development talent, trailing Japan and the United States.

Interesting.

Thanks to generous tax incentives, Canada already has the world’s two largest video-game development centre – the Electronic Arts campus in Burnaby, B.C. and Ubisoft’s campus in Montreal. But hot spots for development are popping up across the country and companies in those regions are competing heavily for talent.

The competition is expected to grow. According to ESAC’s study, Canadian video-game developers hope to add as many as 29% more employees by 2011.

“Talent really is the most important ingredient,” said Ms. Parr. “Without talent, all of the tax incentives in the world aren’t going to help.”

I have a question.

Despite the slowdown in consumer spending, sales of games have remained robust. Video-game sales broke records in February, climbing 10% in the U.S. to US$1.47-billion. Comparable Canadian sales data are not available. However, video-game sales in Canada hit record levels in 2008, topping $2.09-billion, a 23% increase over 2007, according to market researcher NPD Group Inc.

Why isn’t Canadian sales data available? I can get UK data weekly why not Canadian data? Why the lag?
If  I understand correctly The NDP Group releases Canadian Game consumer information quarterly.
The first PC game I ever played was DX-ball, a breakout game developed by Canadians.
I still have the floppy disks, it’s like letting go of a favorite book.

A few facts:

• The average game player is 35 years old and has been playing games for 13 years.
• The average age of the most frequent game purchaser is 40 years old.
• Forty percent of all game players are women.

Quelle surprise eh?

Financial Post

Good news for consumers again.
Game cards are expected to be a big deal this year, which makes sense.
You can go into the corner store and get retail cards for your phone, stores, why not games?
They are available in the US at the Seven 11 chain.
I’ve seen game retail cards in the game store, specific for that store, it will be interesting to watch this idea expand.

PC games generated 11 million dollars last year.
The big deal remains delivery, as the game industry moves away from the higher cost of retail to direct download on stable platforms, broadband access, affordability and effective ways to pay for games.
It’s estimated there are a billion home computers world wide, and about a 1/4 of us have figured out PCs are a comfortable way to play.
The game industry grew again last year, we tend to look for affordable entertainment in recessionary times. Also I think that the industry is growing up and starting to cross platform and not just target single males who use their disposable income for consoles and toys.
The big debate on game sites is about Steam, an online library/delivery platform and gaming ‘community’ which still needs an up to date computer to use. Looking at the specs, I can’t afford a computer to use that delivery system. Online platforms are coming out that don’t eat up computers resources. Hooking up the PC to the TV to play is a consumer demand.

Multi-player (MMOG) subscription games such as WOW (World of Warcraft) are incredibly popular and profitable.
The North American gaming industry has some catching up to do.

From the PC Gaming Alliance:

North America and Europe have robust game markets across multiple platforms. Of course, the largest segment of the market are the dedicated console systems that attach to the television set. However, where there was once a lively debate about which system would win out, consoles or PCs, the answer now seems to be both. Consumers are accessing and playing games from multiple devices and it is all about having access anytime, anyplace,anywhere. This means console systems, portable systems and
the PC are all thriving.
One thing that is becoming clear,is that while the console market will generate more overall revenue,
it is becoming harder to make a profit. The most important factor is that, there is no longer a single dominant console system.
Sony has the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, Nintendo has the Wii, and Microsoft has the Xbox
360. Each of these systems has a large installed base, but they are really like four different platforms.
As a software platform, the PC is larger than any of these individual systems. This is even more apparent when one takes into account that all of the hardware revenue and a large portion of the console software revenue goes to Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. These three companies alone generated well over $30
billion in game related revenue in 2008.

The full report (.pdf) is an interesting read. I’ll go through it when I have time, I skimmed. I’m interested in the gray gamer or ‘casual’ industry interest, ideas and what challenges the industry faces to capture our market.

 Meddle not in the affairs of  the dragon for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

 
 Here is what iWin has done, and is doing to fix their purchase platform issue.  David Schroeder:

We have disabled e-Check with PayPal as an acceptable method of payment on our site. We will rectify the API between PayPal and iWin – test and then restore this capability at some point.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. It seems that method of payment was not very common for our customers and this problem was not identified until the clarity of your report came in.

You’re welcome.

Uppity date: I’ve received information that iWin returned the final payments to PayPal.
It’s Jan’s job to check with the bank, my job will be to close the PayPal account. While millions use PayPal successfully, I obviously haven’t. While thousands purchase games from iWin without a hitch, I didn’t.

I want to be fair to iWin.
The first support ticket was closed for a simple reason: support staff had fulfilled their obligation. I requested two things: stop payment and put me in touch with an executive.

The employee did their job.

Once I talked with Head of Customer Care, David Schroeder did what he deemed necessary to duplicate the technical issue with their PayPal/check out screen.
A new support ticket was opened.
That wasn’t virtual money it was real, life isn’t a game, he knew that, his focus was on getting tech staff moving.
I was kept informed of the steps the company is taking.
I received records from David today that iWin billing/customer departments did their job to return the funds through PayPal.

In online parlance the ticket has been resolved.

After a few intense days, did I get the game I initially ordered?
No.
That’s my choice, not iWins.

While I was focused on ‘vague’ gamers like grampa in Poughkeepsie
who might experience the same technical problems, it didn’t occur to me I was going through the stress I was hoping to keep grandpa in Poughkeepsie from experiencing. Duh. Lessons learned.

Opps. We have another failure to communicate. Jan just called. PayPal returned double the amount. sigh. I think we owe iWin. Tomorrows another day.

iWin has some explaining to do
iWin and I
David Schroeder of iWin and I

I am waiting for a call back from David Schroeder, head of Customer Service iWin.

He phoned this morning and gets full marks for following up,  when a support employee has a problem his job is to assist his support team.
However, even though I was half awake it was apparent he was in a bind because all the information he had was the support ticket. 
He was clear he felt insulted and was told me going to hang up.
I asked how I’d insulted him and he wouldn’t say.   I am sorry, he doesn’t deserve to feel that way.
The Gaming Industry is a trash talk industry and I will not trash talk or bully.

To his credit David hung in there when I told him the information is online. I told him that the problem had been tested from two locations. He listened as I gave him the technical issues, explained I had used self-help. He tried to duplicate, couldn’t access, and that’s where his tech people need to do their job.

His IT support personnel showed up,  they need time to find the problem.
I think once we could talk he realized he was not being had, was not being used or being lied to by a disgruntled, uninformed customer. I made it very clear I have used iWin since 2001.  

So far so good, apart from the font which was mentioned in the support ticket, this is what occurred.

I tried to to help David Schoeder see the problem technically so no one else goes through this.
I went in again after our conversation and the same screen problems occurred.
The transactions occur without iWins screen showing verification, even though it says, sorry we couldn’t process.
The transaction still goes to PayPal.

This is the screen that came up, the game Mr. Schoeder tried a game, and this shot shows the game I threw in today.

This is what we see at final check out. 

 I’ve made my case, and all I want is to ensure this does not happen to anyone else.

Update: David Schroeder called back. His tech people are on this, his accounting department is going to make sure the charges taken care of. I’ve sent the screen shots. They say this is not a common issue.
iWin is looking at expanding their payment options in the future, and okay, now that IT has these screenshots they can fix this issue.

Tehcnically I owe Mr. Schroeder an apology. iWin responded to the original ticket in under an hour. While it was again suggested most people wouldn’t test 15 times and write ’angry blogs,’  he’s right. Most people wouldn’t. We’re done. IT at iWin has what they need now to fix what’s broke.

 I implied their  support ticket response time is slow. That’s incorrect. We added it up, iWin responded (see below) in under an hour.

Mr. Schroeder is offended by my use of ‘farm out’ for the new customer support system -  the new system provides three things for iWin: better interface with self serve for the customer and for iWin support, faster support time on tickets. I have corrected that language. Mr. Scroeder says the new system enables  iWin  to respond quickly to customer support issues  and update their internal business response to help a larger number of clients. Apparently David was told there was an angry blog who is affiliated with Big Fish Games.

I run this site and he’s correct.  We use the PNP for Big Fish, so if iWin chooses to see me as an angry middle aged blogging female from their competition, that’s okay.  There is nothing I can do about that.
That’s distracting from the problem.

They have an issue in the check out, they’ve acknowledged that. I sent  an extra screen shot to the iWin techs.
 I have been assured by iWin the billing department will take care of the charges.  While I believe them,  I did call the bank. I will go to the local branch tomorrow and file a stop payment.

iWin is working to solve their problem, hopefully other customers don’t have the same issues.
PayPal was extremely helpful, the bank was very helpful, I’ve appreciated David’s efforts.

PS: iWin has a blog and the chatter is picking up over there, interesting comments.

The Gray Gamer slogan “The kids don’t get all the fun dammit” does not mean the grownups go through “buy an online game hell dammit.”

I decided to treat myself to a game and went over to iWin.
Simple, no?
Proceed to check out using PayPal using an e-cheque to pay for the game. I didn’t just fall off the snowmobile, I know a PayPal e-cheque takes several days to clear so there was no expectation of instant gratification.
What I didn’t know was the iWin checkout screen wouldn’t tell me the game had been purchased.

What I’ve experienced the past 24 hours is buyers remorse; shock, panic anger, shame and the cost of a long distance call to PayPal and a call to the banks 24 hour hotline. Add in the stop payment I’ll be putting on the account just in case. What a waste of time, energy and resources for a game.

First, kudos to PayPal.
There are approximately 20 e-cheques pending to iWin for one lousy game.
Shock.
Panic.
Anger.
Shame.
Wow. I read the iWin tech stuff, I thought I’d made a mistake.
I started routing around PayPal online and I was so frustrated I couldn’t find the resolution process to cancel them.
The shame started bubbling up when I thought about how I’ve recommended iWin to gray gamers.

PayPal has a phone number, Jan called, got a courteous and respectful person, a dispute was immediately filed and she was treated humanely.

I am ticked off a company’s technical problem means I have to take x number of steps.

After Jan talked to PayPal I called the bank hotline, the dispute with iWin had already been logged.
Kudos to PayPal, kudos to the bank.
The bank flagged iWin for me and told me what I needed to do at the local branch tomorrow. These steps sound like overkill, but this is about so much more than money.

Next I filed the support ticket with iWin requesting an immediate stop payment.
I have also requested an interview with an iWin executive.

It will take 24-48 hours for iWin to verify that:
a) they received the PayPal dispute,
b) they took action on the support ticket
c) they decide what they want to do publicly about customer relations

What matters far more than iWin responding to the ticket is an interview with an iWin executive.
I think it’s fair someone in a corner office at iWin be given an opportunity to publicly respond to this post, and that the representative is treated with courtesy and respect. Why?

Something is very wrong with the iWin check out.
They know that, they knew that. I didn’t.

I tried purchasing that game using XP, Vista, FireFox and IE Explorer.
I didn’t want 20 copies of the game.
Not once did the iWin check out screen acknowledge the purchase had been made, instead both Jan and I were bumped to a credit card screen telling us to use that method of purchase.

When I phoned Jan and asked her try off her computer, using the same Gray Gamer account, same game, sounds simple, no?
Same problem.

It’s funny but not funny.
I was so angry I threw the phone. Kids throw things, grownups talk.

How many people who don’t have the resources I do have gone through this issue with iWin?

I calmed down, fixed the phone and got my voice back.
iWin has a voice.

Let’s use them.

Why was I angry?
Throughout this process, the iWin checkout made the same error on every platform and OS I used.
There was no verification of purchase.
Font was squished. That should have been a major clue, the internet is a buyer beware world.
I was billed without the site ever confirming the purchase, not on-screen, not by email.
I thought I messed up. I felt stupid. Me feeling stupid is not a pretty sight.
I’d never made an online purchase, it will be a cold day in hell before I consider buying online again.
I don’t want the game, I don’t want an apology. I want to know other people are not going to go through this foolishness.

With damaged computer code, you can keep hitting head against the wall, but the result isn’t going to change.

iWin support can’t do or say much of anything.
That’s my money I put out and as far as I’m concerned electronic transactions are real thank you very much. I’ve recommended this site to friends and readers, they are real too, thank you very much.

While this iWin’s error and I finally figured that out, at least I knew what needed to be done.
What about people who don’t?

I am not going to yell at an iWin executive.
I’ve asked for an interview which can be posted here.
I play and work fairly. It is fair to ask who else has gone through this? Why? What is the company doing to resolve their problems?

iWin deals with thousands of gray gamers, they say they have 5 million users.
They have attracted thousands of casual gamers of all ages for several years and are working on their virtual world with hotel iWin.
I’ve promoted the company here and I’m angry and ashamed because I’ve been steering good people to their site.

iWin has serious technical problems.

Fine.
Well, now they have a people problem, and we need to talk.

CJ Wolf: There’s No Excuse for Exclusives A Case for Universal Release Dates