Only a "handful" of people requested refunds of their Retake Mass Effect 3 Child's Play donations.
The wildly successful Retake Mass Effect 3 Child's Play donation drive took on a tinge of ugliness when Jerry Hokins, better known as Tycho of Penny Arcade, announced that Child's Play had asked the Retake people to pull the plug. The drive raised a ridiculous $80,000 in donations - ridiculous in a good way, to be clear - but according to Holkins, some contributors thought they were paying to finance a new ending for Mass Effect 3, which led to a "high number of people asking for their donations back."
The thought of hordes of angry gamers willing to fork over a few bucks for a "better" ending to a videogame but not to help out seriously sick kids doesn't make the best impression ever, but as it turns out, things weren't actually as bad as all that and the demand for refunds stayed pretty much flat even in the wake of the Retake drive.
"PayPal disputes are not uncommon - people have stolen cards, donate in error or a host of other things, and we are always happy to refund money," Child's Play Project Manager Jamie Dillion told Joystiq. "It does make it impossible, though, to pinpoint which refunds may have been from Retake Mass Effect and which are related to regular disputes."
"Essentially, there were a handful of people who requested their donation returned, which we did," she said. "The large majority of the funds were not returned and will be distributed to the hospitals as normal."
That's good news. No matter what you may think about the Retake campaign, coming up with 80 grand to support such a worthwhile charity is an amazing show of kindness and generosity, and it's heartening to hear that the stories of aggrieved Mass Effect fans demanding their money back because it wasn't going to buy them a new ending were overblown.
Its good to see the charity finally come out and confirm this. People were really blowing the refund thing out of proportions. Generalizations are a specialty of the gaming community >.>
Fappy: Its good to see the charity finally come out and confirm this. People were really blowing the refund thing out of proportions. Generalizations are a specialty of the gaming community >.>
Hey the people in charge of Retake Mass Effect said as much when they announced the cancellation two weeks ago! But no one listens to a bunch of spoiled fanboys. Did you hear about the campaign to take Dark Souls off GFWL? FIRST they want a company to keep it's promises and NOW they want to actually be able to PLAY a game!?!THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE! Why Back in my day...
Fappy: Its good to see the charity finally come out and confirm this. People were really blowing the refund thing out of proportions. Generalizations are a specialty of the gaming community >.>
Hey the people in charge of Retake Mass Effect said as much when they announced the cancellation two weeks ago! But no one listens to a bunch of spoiled fanboys. Did you hear about the campaign to take Dark Souls off GFWL? FIRST they want a company to keep it's promises and NOW they want to actually be able to PLAY a game!?!THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE! Why Back in my day...
Yeah, what a bunch of assholes! God forbid the gamers actually TRY to hold publishers/developers responsible and fix the shitfuck fuckshit that the industry has gotten itself into because greedy asshats.
Back in your day, a single game would be released on a book of floppys in episodic format, and you would sometimes even get the third episode of a game in any given series.
Back in your day, a single game would be released on a book of floppys in episodic format, and you would sometimes even get the third episode of a game in any given series.
Back in your day, a single game would be released on a book of floppys in episodic format, and you would sometimes even get the third episode of a game in any given series.
MPerce: A....third episode? Such a thing is possible?
Yes and when we were darn grateful when it did!
You Dam Kids!PHA+PGltZyBzcmM9Imh0dHA6Ly9ibHVudG9iamVjdC5maWxlcy53b3JkcHJlc3MuY29tLzIwMTAvMDQvZ2V0LW9mZi1teS1sYXduLmpwZz93PTY1NSIgYWx0PSJpbWFnZSIvPjwvcD4=
Fappy: Its good to see the charity finally come out and confirm this. People were really blowing the refund thing out of proportions. Generalizations are a specialty of the gaming community >.>
Well actually the only thing the article says is that its impossible to determine the number of people from the mass effect donations wanted refunds.
Fappy: Its good to see the charity finally come out and confirm this. People were really blowing the refund thing out of proportions. Generalizations are a specialty of the gaming community >.>
Well actually the only thing the article says is that its impossible to determine the number of people from the mass effect donations wanted refunds.
No, it says that they couldn't tell how many of the refund requests were related to pissed off Retakers, but that the number of refunds given was around the same level as it usually is.
This was my first thought as well. Mr. Holkins actually lied, or at least misrepresented facts, to the detriment of a group supporting his charity. Considering how much I respect the PA guys, that is rather disappointing.
Considering the nature of EA/BW's response, thus far, I think the majority of those mindlessly raging for and against the matter have been placated/gotten bored.
So was I. Because I TOTALLY fucking Called everything that happened. Not specifically, But I totally called Some charity was going to get protest money. Didn't see the cupcakes coming though.
Nice to hear that the fans realize taking money away from children because it wasn't directed at making a new ending for them doesn't help their cause. Good on you. Now send me cupcakes.
Oh, it's good to know it was only a handful. Though asking money back from a charity is still a messed up thing to do. Anyway, hurray for the children :)
Abedeus: In before "OMG THIS DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING" and "YOU ARE ALL STILL TOO ENTITLED WTF BBQ" posts.
Or the more annoying variant, "This is just a vocal minority, the truth is out there!!".
il get in on this inb4.
I am glad it was only a handful of people, and I am also not surprised the previous statement about hordes of people wanting the money back was a spin.
Abedeus: In before "OMG THIS DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING" and "YOU ARE ALL STILL TOO ENTITLED WTF BBQ" posts.
Or the more annoying variant, "This is just a vocal minority, the truth is out there!!".
il get in on this inb4.
I am glad it was only a handful of people, and I am also not surprised the previous statement about hordes of people wanting the money back was a spin.
Fappy: Its good to see the charity finally come out and confirm this. People were really blowing the refund thing out of proportions. Generalizations are a specialty of the gaming community >.>
Hey the people in charge of Retake Mass Effect said as much when they announced the cancellation two weeks ago! But no one listens to a bunch of spoiled fanboys. Did you hear about the campaign to take Dark Souls off GFWL? FIRST they want a company to keep it's promises and NOW they want to actually be able to PLAY a game!?!THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE! Why Back in my day...
The entitlement of gamers who feel they should be able to play a game they paid for is apalling.
Fappy: Its good to see the charity finally come out and confirm this. People were really blowing the refund thing out of proportions. Generalizations are a specialty of the gaming community >.>
Hey the people in charge of Retake Mass Effect said as much when they announced the cancellation two weeks ago! But no one listens to a bunch of spoiled fanboys. Did you hear about the campaign to take Dark Souls off GFWL? FIRST they want a company to keep it's promises and NOW they want to actually be able to PLAY a game!?!THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE! Why Back in my day...
The entitlement of gamers who feel they should be able to play a game they paid for is apalling.
so you're comparing a game not having an ending you like to a game not being functional? Yeah, those 2 things are totally equivalent.
Redlin5: Nice to hear that the fans realize taking money away from children because it wasn't directed at making a new ending for them doesn't help their cause. Good on you. Now send me cupcakes.
My donation served a dual purpose in that...
1) It was $10 going to a nice charity. (I've donated to Child's Play before.)
2) It was $10 I wouldn't be spending on ME3 DLC. (A message to EA.)
Hey the people in charge of Retake Mass Effect said as much when they announced the cancellation two weeks ago! But no one listens to a bunch of spoiled fanboys. Did you hear about the campaign to take Dark Souls off GFWL? FIRST they want a company to keep it's promises and NOW they want to actually be able to PLAY a game!?!THE NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE! Why Back in my day...
The entitlement of gamers who feel they should be able to play a game they paid for is apalling.
so you're comparing a game not having an ending you like to a game not being functional? Yeah, those 2 things are totally equivalent.
Or he's saying that the ending isn't functional. Which is an argument one can make, purely from analyzing the narrative. (Not even taking into account core game mechanics and promised features.)
So a few people within a large group with a contentious goal did something less than generous and it gone blown way out of proportion on the internet and by the news media that eventually picked it up. I am so SHOCKED. In fact, I am dumb-founded. I would never have expected this.
In other news, the sun rose today and a politician was caught snorting cocaine off a prostitute paid for by a third party corporation. After the commercial break we'll present the 30% chance of rain forecast.
It's heartening to hear that the stories of aggrieved Mass Effect fans demanding their money back because it wasn't going to buy them a new ending were overblown.
Everything about the Mass Effect 'movement' was overblown. Which is why it took so long for people to understand it and discuss it in a serious manner. The internet as a whole (including outlets and individuals I had come to expect better from) decided from the get-go it would be more fun just to go 'lol, entitled' then to actually look at the matter at hand.
The fact that these guys even used the charity as a front for this whole "movement" disgusts me. Seriously, what did "retaking Mass Effect" have to do with helping unfortunate kids? Are the kids gonna make a "better" ending for ME3 for you?
To be honest, I dunno what's worse: people demanding their money back for donating or the entire movement to begin with...
SageRuffin: The fact that these guys even used the charity as a front for this whole "movement" disgusts me. Seriously, what did "retaking Mass Effect" have to do with helping unfortunate kids? Are the kids gonna make a "better" ending for ME3 for you?
To be honest, I dunno what's worse: people demanding their money back for donating or the entire movement to begin with...
So what, you would rather there not be a charity drive than said drive have a less than perfect reason? It disgusts you that people were given a focus for donating their money? Who gives a fuck what that focus was. Are the kids going to care that the Retake Mass Effect drive was the one that paid for their stuff? Do you think they should turn down any money that isn't 100% altruistic in origin?
Mass Effect Fans Stand By Child's Play
Only a "handful" of people requested refunds of their Retake Mass Effect 3 Child's Play donations.
The wildly successful Retake Mass Effect 3 Child's Play donation drive took on a tinge of ugliness when Jerry Hokins, better known as Tycho of Penny Arcade, announced that Child's Play had asked the Retake people to pull the plug. The drive raised a ridiculous $80,000 in donations - ridiculous in a good way, to be clear - but according to Holkins, some contributors thought they were paying to finance a new ending for Mass Effect 3, which led to a "high number of people asking for their donations back."
The thought of hordes of angry gamers willing to fork over a few bucks for a "better" ending to a videogame but not to help out seriously sick kids doesn't make the best impression ever, but as it turns out, things weren't actually as bad as all that and the demand for refunds stayed pretty much flat even in the wake of the Retake drive.
"PayPal disputes are not uncommon - people have stolen cards, donate in error or a host of other things, and we are always happy to refund money," Child's Play Project Manager Jamie Dillion told Joystiq. "It does make it impossible, though, to pinpoint which refunds may have been from Retake Mass Effect and which are related to regular disputes."
"Essentially, there were a handful of people who requested their donation returned, which we did," she said. "The large majority of the funds were not returned and will be distributed to the hospitals as normal."
That's good news. No matter what you may think about the Retake campaign, coming up with 80 grand to support such a worthwhile charity is an amazing show of kindness and generosity, and it's heartening to hear that the stories of aggrieved Mass Effect fans demanding their money back because it wasn't going to buy them a new ending were overblown.
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