Gree, what you did in relation to the gold bonus program was unethical!

[Captain Torgue]

I realise that the conditions state that you can change the gold bonus program at any time and that is not what annoys me.

What does annoy me is that you did it without prior notification after many people spent their allocated money at the beginning of the last war to make sure they would make their respective tiers to get the gold next month.

If a landlord is renting out a house to a couple for $500 a week and they stop by the real estate agents office to pay their rent the real estate agent cannot simply say "hey its $600 now". They have to give notification prior to raising the rent.

If you decide to reduce the gold bonus program you should have sent an e-mail as well as posting in the forum of your intentions and given at least a months notice to CC players.

This is a slap in the face to your paying customers and the ethical business practice would be to award all gold bonus tiers that were presently in place when the gold was purchased for the month of October and then make the changes apply to purchases made in November.

I don't think you realise how much this effects the gold spenders in CC and just how many players will either be spending a great deal less, playing gold free or quitting from here on out.

P.S

This is not about making the game fairer for other people. This is simply about profit, after all the bonus for the final tier remains unchanged.

[Muffhole]

Well said.....
I would very much like an explanation to why this has changed with no notification, and after many people had already purchased to get them to a certain tier.
One of the biggest companies in the world pays there staff bonuses every month to keep them working there, can u imagine they said "sorry guys were chopping your bonuses in half"

[SilentAssassin]

Capt. The weird this is so far this gold bonus program change was only for crime city, and not any other gree game

[ablankone]

They couldn't give a fiddler's fart so of course they're not going to explain the reasons why. Why should they?

Ever thought that they may be deliberately trying to alienate audiences, put company performance on a mini free fall, suppress share prices and (for those major shareholders with ambitions and knowledge) buy back yet more equity for less...

... just before launching a corporate game changer that'll see the shares rocket again...

It happens. And you mean nothing.



Well said.....
I would very much like an explanation to why this has changed with no notification, and after many people had already purchased to get them to a certain tier.
One of the biggest companies in the world pays there staff bonuses every month to keep them working there, can u imagine they said "sorry guys were chopping your bonuses in half"

[Vito Corleone]

Capt. The weird this is so far this gold bonus program change was only for crime city, and not any other gree gameFrom a GREE point of view they would be happy if the Crime City players started playing another GREE game instead. There have been threads about CC is on an old platform and they cannot add hood extensions for example. GREE is trying to squeeze out as much as possible from a dying game...

[kuksluk]

From a GREE point of view they would be happy if the Crime City players started playing another GREE game instead. There have been threads about CC is on an old platform and they cannot add hood extensions for example. GREE is trying to squeeze out as much as possible from a dying game...

If they think people will just quietly move to another Gree game and continue spending there after being slapped in the face like this they're in for a big surprise...

[Vito Corleone]

If they think people will just quietly move to another Gree game and continue spending there after being slapped in the face like this they're in for a big surprise...The question is how much they make on CC ? Perhaps it requires much more in maintenance compared to MW and KA for example. It's no secret MW is a much bigger money maker for GREE.

[evj]

I'm not saying I disagree with anything in your post about bad ethics but why do you have SAS 1 in your sig as a top 1-3 team? Maybe top 2 team would be more ethical. Just sayin'

I counted in PVP events too ;) Sry for misunderstanding

[TMI]

I counted in PVP events too ;) Sry for misunderstanding

Quoted for truth lmao :D

[montecore]

From a GREE point of view they would be happy if the Crime City players started playing another GREE game instead. There have been threads about CC is on an old platform and they cannot add hood extensions for example. GREE is trying to squeeze out as much as possible from a dying game...

So how about coding crime city 2 and exporting the existing database?

[The_]

Hey guys, we expected a lot of people to be angry about this. It was either make the changes or remove the program entirely, so we went with this. Keep in mind that it's a courtesy program we don't have to run at all, and we give out free stuff. Anyone that enrolled agreed to us making changes at any time.

You're right... it's unethical to give out less free stuff. Let me know when you hire a lawyer to sue GREE for their unethical free gold rewards.

[Randolph]

You're right... it's unethical to give out less free stuff. Let me know when you hire a lawyer to sue GREE for their unethical free gold rewards.

Well tbh and according to law its not free stuff when you have to pay a certain amount to achieve a prize/extra gold or whatever. It would have been smart to announce it at least one month ahead to not interfere with current purchases and gold bonusses.

[montecore]

You're right... it's unethical to give out less free stuff. Let me know when you hire a lawyer to sue GREE for their unethical free gold rewards.

It's quite possible to do something that is both legal and unethical. I would argue that changing a monthly agreement in the middle of the month (such as for those who already spent 2000 expecting the previous 2000 tier) to be quite unethical. If Gree had the common sense and common courtesy to make this change effective November, while I would still disagree with the change, I would at least consider it ethical.

[montecore]

Well tbh and according to law its not free stuff when you have to pay a certain amount to achieve a prize/extra gold or whatever. It would have been smart to announce it at least one month ahead to not interfere with current purchases and gold bonusses.

I already spoke to a lawyer about this and was quite surprised to hear that they thought the contract would hold up in court in Gree's favor. I do think changing it mid month without warning is unethical and very poor treatment of their customer base.

[Dipstik]

This is probably why they never advertised the bonus program... so no one can argue that they've advertised a product that they should be bound to deliver as advertised.

[The_]

Well tbh and according to law its not free stuff when you have to pay a certain amount to achieve a prize/extra gold or whatever. It would have been smart to announce it at least one month ahead to not interfere with current purchases and gold bonusses.

"Please note that this is a program that could end or be altered at any time.
As this is a courtesy program, we reserve the right to remove participants from the Bonus Program or withhold Bonuses at GREE’s discretion to uphold our Terms of Service and policies."

I don't see how it's unethical when they have it written clearly on the program agreement. I admit it was a D-bag move, but nonetheless it is entirely legal, ethical, and even obvious to the people participating in the bonus program. As for the rent analogy, anyone with common sense would be able to point out that it has no modest similarity to the alteration of the bonus program. Paying rent is an obligation, and participating in the bonus program is a perk.

[Randolph]

Well they posted the changes to the gold bonus program here on the forum so thats advertising technically speaking but you would need a good lawyer indeed lol but doubt it will be worth anyone's time to persue. Best thing for GREE to do in my opinion is to postpone the changes to november so everybody will get what they expected.

[reticlover]

why is it that people always complain about changes to something that the agreed to could be changed at any moment or complain about something that is free, stop your whining or stop playing. you all act worse than my 3 month old baby

[The_]

why is it that people always complain about changes to something that the agreed to could be changed at any moment or complain about something that is free, stop your whining or stop playing. you all act worse than my 3 month old baby
Some people spend their life savings on this game so a little frustration is warranted. Good luck suing a game company that has an online ToS agreement where they could alter and end the bonus program ANYTIME they want:

"Please note that this is a program that could end or be altered at any time.
As this is a courtesy program, we reserve the right to remove participants from the Bonus Program or withhold Bonuses at GREE’s discretion to uphold our Terms of Service and policies"

[Dipstik]

The fact that Gree has the right to change the program doesn't mean their customers don't have the right to be upset. This is a matter of common sense, not contract law.

On that note, they also don't have to let you use their forum to complain about it.

[montecore]

It's worth pointing out that Gree could offer a 90% off gold sale for 72 hours and then pull the plug forever when the sale is over.

[Molly's Voice]

"Please note that this is a program that could end or be altered at any time.
As this is a courtesy program, we reserve the right to remove participants from the Bonus Program or withhold Bonuses at GREE’s discretion to uphold our Terms of Service and policies."

I don't see how it's unethical when they have it written clearly on the program agreement. I admit it was a D-bag move, but nonetheless it is entirely legal, ethical, and even obvious to the people participating in the bonus program. As for the rent analogy, anyone with common sense would be able to point out that it has no modest similarity to the alteration of the bonus program. Paying rent is an obligation, and participating in the bonus program is a perk.

Please stop. Your command of logic and reason is too much for the masses to handle.

[dgwalker]

I just don't understand why they would do this in the middle of a cycle?
It just angers the big gold spenders and they are GREES bread and butter.
It just doesn't make sense from a business perspective.
Keeping the program the same for 2 more weeks doesn't negatively affect Gree in anyway.

-Dgwalker



The fact that Gree has the right to change the program doesn't mean their customers don't have the right to be upset. This is a matter of common sense, not contract law.

On that note, they also don't have to let you use their forum to complain about it.

[montecore]

I just don't understand why they would do this in the middle of a cycle?
It just angers the big gold spenders and they are GREES bread and butter.
It just doesn't make sense from a business perspective.
Keeping the program the same for 2 more weeks doesn't negatively affect Gree in anyway.

-Dgwalker

What's interesting is it actually doesn't impact the BIG gold spenders. As in the 5K/10K tiers. It impacts the 2K and below tiers.

[djl]

What's interesting is it actually doesn't impact the BIG gold spenders. As in the 5K/10K tiers. It impacts the 2K and below tiers.

This puts me in a tough spot. I've been playing no-gold for a year, but just sold my house so I could participate in the gold program and quit my job so I'd have more time to spend the gold. Now what am I going to do? I had planned to start slowly, moving up a tier at a time in the program. It's disappointing to have to go right to the top tier to start. D*mn you GREE!

[Asvaldr]

...It's about fair and transparent business practice. You don't announce the change after many of players have made the transactions relying on the already existing rules. Sure, GREE has the right to change the Bonus Program anytime, but must not violate fair and transparent business practice. And with this one GREE has no defense!!

[TMI]

they do this in the middle of a cycle because obviously time is of the essence. there doesn't seem to be any other logical reason. the question then become, WHY is time of the essence. maybe they're see this is a sinking ship so grab what you can before it sinks? i dont know.

This mess up that they've done might actually be a good thing, at least for myself. i was seriously considering just getting $5k, and make that gold last for a few months. and then it dawned on me. $5k every few months, for a video game?! i guess i thought 2k wasn't a big deal, cuz ppl can spend 2k here and there in a couple months and that's life. but 5k? that's a big chunk. can i afford it? yes. but 5k on a video game?! how many PS4's with games can i buy with that? how many vacations can i take with that? I'm considering going free now and just taking a week or weekend vacation every few month to mexico or somewhere south (i'm from Canada).

This screw up has given me the time to ponder the amount of money i'm spending, instead of just being rushed, event and event, dropping 2k every couple of months.

If i do decide to go free now (i still have 90k gold left, so i can try to stretch that out for at least 4 months, and see where this all goes), maybe i can actually thank GREE for allowing me to realize that i've been misallocating funds for the past half year. It's like at a casino, shutting down all the gambling and turning on all the lights bright for 30 min, to give thought to what is happening around you. That i can actually spend money on something else in life. hmmm. i don't know. i guess i'll have to see where this all goes (doesn't look good for the company), but to be honest, it looks like mexico is looking good right now :) Because there's no way i'm dropping another penny in a game that may disappear in 4 months

If i go free, thank you GREE, for opening my eyes.

:)

Edit: i think i'll still have the important things in this game, the social aspect, friends in the game, and the funny posts here in the forum. :)

[Dat Guy]

Anyone know if Gree has an ADR? I could only find them on the TSE under 36320.

[aphroKEN]

Players will move on and adapt to the changes as they always do, while b!tching and moaning in the process. NOT SUGGESTING YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO B!TCH AND MOAN.

You have every right to b!tch and moan. Carry on.

[TMI]

Players will move on and adapt to the changes as they always do, while b!tching and moaning in the process. NOT SUGGESTING YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO B!TCH AND MOAN.

You have every right to b!tch and moan. Carry on.

You're right. Many will adapt by playing free

[aphroKEN]

You're right. Many will adapt by playing free

This game is like a blackhole for many. They get sucked in and there's no release. I think most spenders will continue to spend. They may initially reduce their spending out of anger but probably would gradually return to their usual spending levels.

[TZora]

If they think people will just quietly move to another Gree game and continue spending there after being slapped in the face like this they're in for a big surprise...
i second that! although i have nothing to do with the gold bonus, i've never bought that much in one go lol .. and my last money spent on cc was months ago.

however, if gree closed crimecity, that will be the end of mobile gaming for me. enough with the so called "FREE" games .. there are like thousands of similar games titled "free" when there's nothing free. oh yea, there's something free when it comes go gree .. continuous fkups whenever there's a new update, u got those for free :D

[Molly's Voice]

TMI, I completely agree with you. Obviously to everyone this will most definately put an end to a large amount of income from big gold spenders so why do it? Why? Because time is of the essence of course. It is the only logical explanation to intentionally cut their income like this. Perhaps they will declare a winner and start over, perhaps they're sick and tired of taking our money? One thing for sure is that there must be a reason for their actions here, being specific to CC. They know that no new customers in their right mind will ever spend as much money as recent retirees have spent. It is just not possible for anyone to catch up to the top dogs in this game right now, so they begin trying stat increases to help get weaker players stronger faster, but oh look, doesnt work too well when everyone is able to receive such epic items moded out like crazy. That was the bait. The weaker players who just doubled their stats in a couple months mostly didnt bite tho, they aren't spending the thousands as others have in the past, because no matter how strong they get, top dogs will ALWAYS be stronger and rank so much higher. So what should gree do? Either way they gamble. Cut gold bonuses for now to attempt to piss off top gold spenders and make them quit; thus allowing everyone else to see a light at the end of the tunnel and prompting them to take the risk and buy more gold to get there. OR they pray that everyone will simply move on and continue to spend as they were, because if ppl wil spend 2k on a phone game, they'll spend 3k next month to keep up with the majority. Afterall, who wants to be left behind right?

Afterthought: Really, what does a multi-million dollar company with many successful, and relatively cheap to maintain, phone games have to lose? What's a few million dollars to them? They'll simply launch Crime City 2 and REALLY see a boost in profit.


Paragraphs.

Learn em, love em, use em.

And also, TL;DR

[The_]

Paragraphs.

Learn em, love em, use em.

And also, TL;DR

Hahahahaahhahahaha

[N41LZ]

TMI, I completely agree with you. Obviously to everyone this will most definately put an end to a large amount of income from big gold spenders so why do it? Why? Because time is of the essence of course. It is the only logical explanation to intentionally cut their income like this. Perhaps they will declare a winner and start over, perhaps they're sick and tired of taking our money? One thing for sure is that there must be a reason for their actions here, being specific to CC. They know that no new customers in their right mind will ever spend as much money as recent retirees have spent. It is just not possible for anyone to catch up to the top dogs in this game right now, so they begin trying stat increases to help get weaker players stronger faster, but oh look, doesnt work too well when everyone is able to receive such epic items moded out like crazy. That was the bait. The weaker players who just doubled their stats in a couple months mostly didnt bite tho, they aren't spending the thousands as others have in the past, because no matter how strong they get, top dogs will ALWAYS be stronger and rank so much higher. So what should gree do? Either way they gamble. Cut gold bonuses for now to attempt to piss off top gold spenders and make them quit; thus allowing everyone else to see a light at the end of the tunnel and prompting them to take the risk and buy more gold to get there. OR they pray that everyone will simply move on and continue to spend as they were, because if ppl wil spend 2k on a phone game, they'll spend 3k next month to keep up with the majority. Afterall, who wants to be left behind right?

Afterthought: Really, what does a multi-million dollar company with many successful, and relatively cheap to maintain, phone games have to lose? What's a few million dollars to them? They'll simply launch Crime City 2 and REALLY see a boost in profit.

I wouldn't say Gree is a "multi-million" dollar company... you gotta remember as App games are less complicated to maintain, i would bet on it that they also have a skeleton crew to staff each game (CC, MW, etc)...
Would make sense as to why tickets never get responded to unless it's a simple ABC request.

And if they make millions, doesn't mean they'll invest more back into their staff/product/service, most of it will just be gobbled up by the upper level corporate fatcats

Why do you think rich people are rich?

[Dipstik]

I wouldn't say Gree is a "multi-million" dollar company...

Then you're wrong?

[Captain Torgue]

Then you're wrong?

If that was supposed to be a statement you should have ended it with an exclamation mark instead of a question mark.

[Rodimus]

When did this turn into a Comp I thread?