Maybe there is such a thing as happy endings in real life? …nah. Anyway, on an unrelated note Blizzard is acknowledging that sometimes mistakes are made and that if you're a Linux user who had your account banned and you feel you were on the receiving end of a false-positive from the automated security service Warden, they're encouraging you to contact them for a re-review of your account.
The refund brouhaha with a Linux WINE user going by the handle Vexorian managed to get a lot of people riled up enough to hopefully bring some resolution to the matter once and for all. It also spawned a change in Blizzard's tune, as they're now reaching out to players who feel they've been falsely banned. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about here is a short recap:
1.) Some Linux users felt they were unjustly banned back in July.
2.) Bashiok said even though Linux is unsupported it won't get you banned, cheating will.
3.) Linux users felt the bans were unfair and worked with media to get their accounts investigated.
4.) Bans stayed in place. No refunds were being offered. No further investigations were taking place.
5.) More Linux users claim they were unjustly banned back in October.
6.) More users came forward asking for a more thorough investigation into their accounts.
7.) More Linux users are banned in November, with no clarification on why they were banned.
8.) One Linux user managed to get a refund after being banned and then buying a second copy of the game.
9.) Bashiok was appropriately called out for drinking salty tears and getting tea-bagged by Master Chief.
10.) Internet exploded. Fanboys cried. Blizzard sang a new tune.
Now that we're all caught up, we can safely put all that behind us because Blizzard really wants to work with their customers and player base.
We recently reached out to Blizzard following the fallout, and according to a press representative, the company's official stance on the matter is that they're willing to be flexible...
For your reference, any player who feels his or her account has been banned without cause is encouraged to contact us and request a re-review. It’s honestly a rare occurrence that such a mistake has been made, but we won’t hesitate to make a correction if our action was taken in error.
Poor Vexorian felt that Blizzard was being brought into a very bad light after the article involving his refund went public. However, thanks to Vexorian it helped bring to light a possible avenue of recourse for banned Linux users who felt that they were unjustly locked out of their accounts and denied both refunds and an account investigation.
The rep for Blizzard also wanted skeptical gamers and enthusiasts alike to know that Blizzard isn't out to ruin your fun (although, really, come on now...they have ruined some people's fun with that always-on DRM nonsense, lawsuit anyone?), saying...
We understand where your suspicions and concerns come from, and we don’t claim to speak for anyone but ourselves, but I can tell you that Blizzard’s main focus is and always has been on its games and its players. We don’t have malicious objectives in mind; we just want to make good games, and we know a lot of people out there share our passion, so we want as many of them as possible to be able to enjoy what we’ve created.
I understand it's a PR response, but I'm also hoping that we can literally take this at face value. I'm hoping that for those of you out there who have been falsely banned and denied refunds or account investigations, can use the appropriate channels to get in contact with the right Blizzard representatives for standard account resolution.
Even if Linux is unsupported it doesn't mean your $60 should head into a vacuum. Lack of support does not equate to lack of abiding to trade practice laws. As I've always said, as consumers, you have rights. Don't let those rights get abused by a $12 billion dollar company. Everyone must take responsibility for their actions and stand accountable for their choices, no matter how big or small.
If you'd like to talk directly to support be sure to call or e-mail them using their support page to discuss your situation. Be thorough, clear and courteous, and make it known that you'd like your account to be re-reviewed if you've been stonewalled before. If you live Stateside or in Canada, you can contact Blizzard support directly with the following number: 1-800-592-5499.
For more information be sure to visit the official support page.
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