Gree founder in trouble......

[Rhino72]

I'm pretty sure we have different expectations. ROI on enjoyment from for example Call of Duty is tenfold of that of CC. It’s just that CC gives you much leeway in terms of time and place to get that enjoyment.

Not when you can't get your K/D ration over 1.10 :-)

[Vince the Fist]

Can't recall where I read it or saw it but something to do with enticement to purchase items in game to increase odds of getting a set of rare items. I don't see what's wrong with that but the Japanese have a different spin on gambling. Only potential issue I see is with underage players getting addicted.

The events would be illegal in Australia as they are likely to mislead and deceive consumers. The people who founded Funzio made their $200mill and got out. I'd say it's all going to be downhill from here.

[sexkitteh]

I thought jack and jill went up the hill and after jill blew jack jack killed jill but now jill's back????

WTF?!

[mnju_03]

Longterm...this game and or company wont even be a thought on our brains. Anyone still play Yahoo pool? or use Mplayer? How about those little keychain digi pet thingys? ...Oh well

[cookie monster]

Actually, that's entirely different from a "bait & switch" scheme. In a "bait & switch," the company will advertise something unrealistically cheap ($1 laptop or something) in order to get people into the store and then for some reason not have that item available once people are in the store. "The games" (assuming you're talking about games similar to CC, because I don't know what else Gree offers, and I'm not defending something I don't know) are exactly what they claim to be.

Also, I'd note that "bait & switch" is legal so long as you're clear up front in the ads that the "bait" is limited quantity or only available with another purchase, etc.

Thank you, exposition boy. However, we're still talking about a free game that once you begin playing you realize that you are at a decided disadvantage without spending real money. I didn't say it was bait and switch, I said that it was similiar.

[cookie monster]

The events would be illegal in Australia as they are likely to mislead and deceive consumers. The people who founded Funzio made their $200mill and got out. I'd say it's all going to be downhill from here.

Agreed. The gameplay is largely repetitive, too. It'll pass.

[Dipstik]

So the "illegality" that I asked about was the fact that it's similar to (but not) a practice that is entirely legal? Thanks for the explanation!

[mnju_03]

I believe it's legality... Jus sayin'

[Dipstik]

Nah... an illegality is an illegal act. I was asking what advertising practice gree was engaged in that was supposedly about to be come illegal.

[Dorian Gray]

Nah... an illegality is an illegal act. I was asking what advertising practice gree was engaged in that was supposedly about to be come illegal.

I'm wondering where you saw anything about advertising?

[Dipstik]

See OP. extra characters.

[John Snow]

That's what happens when you make an online gambling system with no posted odds that is accessible to children.

You are so right on. I learned this the hard way, spending on my first event.

[John Snow]

From an article in GamesIndustry. The mechanics sound very, very familiar...

"The game mechanic in question is known as "kompu gacha" (complete gacha). Gacha is a game mechanic based on the coin-operated toy vending machines you find everywhere in Japan; it's essentially a lottery spin to get a virtual item. Nearly every game from DeNA and Gree use the "gacha" mechanic, as do games like PopCap's Bejeweled Blitz. With the "complete gacha" players who want to get a special/rare item must get a set of other items through gacha first. For instance, the user must first get item A through gacha, then item B (also through gacha), then C and D - and only if they can get items A-D (complete gacha) do they get the rare item.

This leads to users spending an inordinate amount of money to get extra "gacha" chances, which has already led to some crackdowns by Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency and an agreement by Gree and DeNA to limit spending by children. Apparently this has not gone far enough for the Japanese government, which has seen the number of complaints soar.

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the agency will ask social-network game operators to stop using the system because it prompts customers to pay excessive fees."

[Jill]

I thought jack and jill went up the hill and after jill blew jack jack killed jill but now jill's back????

WTF?!

And it's good to see you again too, I'll tell Jack you were asking for him......