First, Greetings.. I am new to the forums here.
So for the last 3 months my son has been bothering me about wanting to play Champions Online. Being familiar with the franchise I was happy to oblige, only we don't have much money at the moment having just finished our holiday shopping. A few days ago I was about to purchase a digital copy of the game as it was $10 less.
I sat down at my PC and looked through my emails. Oh look an email from Gamestop.
Apparently they were issuing gift cards by email for anyone with unclaimed reserves from 2007-2008. I had $41.09 in credit.
How it was $41.09 is anyone's guess when a reserve is $5. Anyway I read all of the terms and noticed that the card was not good for online purchases and could not be returned for cash. I was a little upset because when the reserves are sold you are told explicitly that you can come get your money back if that is your choice. But since some of them could be as old as 2007 this is fair.
Well as it turns out I am one of the lucky folks that got the 2 feet of snow here on the East Coast. I live in the woods and there is literally no chance of my wife or I getting out to the nearest Gamestop.
So I decided to call Gamestop and see if there was anything they could do. They were very rude but in the end they told me I could in fact use it online.
I reiterated the fact the very terms listed on the gift card I had to print said I could not.
The woman on the line "Ashley" assured me I could. "Yeah you can use those online. You got a pin number right?"
I looked at the print out. Yep there is a pin number on it. I let her know.
"Oh then yeah you can use it. They changed that just after the email went out."
Cool! Despite the fact that she was seriously venomously hostile toward my simple "Is there anything you can do" from the beginning of the conversation, this news made me very happy.
Between now and then, things came up, people had to eat and such and I spent the last cash I have to spend until after Christmas.. literally.
So I come home today and my son has helped my wife do all the decorating and been just a cool kid all day. So I decide to surprise him.
I tell him we can go buy Champions Online.
WOOHOO!!!! His giant-eagle like cry tore through the atmosphere like a jet engine.
We go to the computer room and sit down. We add the digital download from Gamestop to the cart. We go to pay.
There is no option for a gift card.
Sigh...
I call Gamestop back and this time the guy is really cool. I explain it all to him and he is perplexed. His screen looks totally different than mine. I let him know I've already tried several times and that it doesn't work as there is no place to enter a gift card number. "Hrmm", he says. I repeat that I am buying the Digital Download of Champions Online and he says "Let me put you on hold for just a moment."
Sure why not.
He comes back. "Sir, I am sorry but you can't use gift cards for digital purchases."
So fine... I just have to use the other $10 and wait for shipping. I hang up and go to place the order after my son gives me puppy dog eyes. I get to the purchasing area and enter my code. Invalid. I try again. I have my wife try. I have my roommate verify our typing as we both try again.
So much for that.
"Well maybe there is a trial." my son suggests. What a bright lad!
Googling of "Champions Online Trial" commences.
The results don't look good. Lots of outdated stuff ..when out of no where.. FILEPLANET, my old home away from home is hosting a "Champions Online Trial Client".
Woot!
We download it... as it is just about to finish patching.. it dawns on me. I never got a key. This is an MMO there has to be a key?!?! GRRRR
At every corner my son remained optimistic. He saw the Fileplanet link on Google and the tiny little bit of sadness he WAS showing disappeared once again at this meekest glimmer of hope. Only to be crushed once again.
So I just got off the phone with Gamestop once again and they have to "look into it" before I can expect any type of resolution which they say could take up to 72 hours.
It's only 72 hours... but...
When he and who am I kidding, I myself (over his shoulder when not playing myself) can finally sit down and enjoy this game together it will be a moment to behold even if we decide the game isn't for us.
City of Heroes kinda sorta introduced him to comic books, or at least was the catalyst for his obsession. After watching videos of Champions I really think he's gonna love it.
I wanted to post this on the official forums, but even their off-topic forums are locked down to subscribers only.
I needed to vent and share my frustrations with my future community! I hope this story creates an image in your head of a father and his 9 year old son who after an epic journey with many hardships and obstacles at every corner, were finally able to reach the fabled treasure and reap the reward.
That of course, is not how he sees it lol.
