What's up with the bizarre upgrade edition pricing?

[wthomas33065 994]

3 hours ago, pjs37 said:

The only mess is people who were here perpetuating this idea that the DLC upgrade would somehow include the base game at a $35 less then the game does outright simply because you paid $1 for game pass despite all common sense to the contrary.  CS Reps are notoriously unreliable sources of information and I am not surprised from the confusion given their lazy approach to using the exact same description text from the store which made people think somehow the upgrades included the base game despite the fact that you can only see the upgrades from the game which assumes you owned the game so yeah their bad but as posted several times most people really didn't think this would be a real thing.  The idea that as a result you should get it for free makes no sense but at least they refunded your costs over the confusion.

First of all the idea that you can "buy" an upgrade to something that is essentially rented is stupid to begin with.  I understand that GamePass gives you access to the game, but the fact that you can buy add-ons to something you don't own is outright preposterous.

Now I MIGHT understand purchasing a Third Party add on to a rented game and not expecting to own the game.  But being able to purchase an UPGRADE to the rented game shouldn't even be an option.  

Therefore your initial premise is ludicrous.  

Now let's get to the case in point that the actual verbiage claims that purchasing the upgrade INCLUDES all the standard content.  That is not something that was implied or assumed, it was OBJECTIVELY STATED.  This clearly could be considered part of a class action lawsuit for misrepresentation, but no one is going to sue Microsoft for essentially 60 bucks and they know this.  (I guess it would be too much to ask to find a lawyer who's also a flight simulator enthusiast, who has too much time on their hands and itching for a fight)

I am a game pass ultimate subscriber and it's a "good deal" so I will keep my subscription for the near future.  I also know that software is often discounted in the MS store for Game Pass subscribers, so for me I will continue to play my PREMIUM DELUXE RENTED game until the standard edition is put on sale (probably around Christmas) and will then secure the purchase.  

In contract law, an offer was tendered, accepted and money changed hands.  In theory, MS is in breach of contract as there was NO disclaimer that stated that a subscription was required to maintain access to the upgraded content.

Edited September 2, 2020 by wthomas33065

[pjs37 319]

Every game on Xbox Game Pass operates the same way.  You buy DLC?  You don't own the main game license.  You own the license to the DLC.  If you buy the license to the game after you stop game pass you get access to that DLC again.  If you keep your subscription up you continue to have access to the DLC.  This was not rocket science.

Now I will fully agree the description on the in game marketplace is simply a copy and paste job from the store and that is misleading but (and you can see it in this thread here) but you have to have the game in some level to be able to access the marketplace anyways.  A simple read through the thread shows that even most people really either thought it was a mistake or wouldn't work (since if you stop the your game pass you lose access to it)

 

[wthomas33065 994]

1 minute ago, pjs37 said:

Every game on Xbox Game Pass operates the same way.  You buy DLC?  

True.  But this was not marketed as DLC.  It was marketed as an upgrade that included standard content.  Also, the pricing was out of line of what most people would expect DLC to cost.  

The difference in price between The standard and Premium deluxe edition was $60.00.  So the MOST one might expect to pay for the additional "DLC" as you call it is $60.00.  But the pricing in the marketplace was much higher.   

Secondly.  DLC does not have the words "Includes standard content" in the description.

DLC in Game Pass is clearly marked as such and it clearly is marketed as DLC, not an upgrade.  The second you use the words "upgrade" and "includes standard content" you are objectively stating that you are purchasing standard content and the upgrade for the said price.

 

[pjs37 319]

Just now, wthomas33065 said:

True.  But this was not marketed as DLC.  It was marketed as an upgrade that included standard content.  Also, the pricing was out of line of what most people would expect DLC to cost.  

The difference in price between The standard and Premium deluxe edition was $60.00.  So the MOST one might expect to pay for the additional "DLC" as you call it is $60.00.  But the pricing in the marketplace was much higher.   

Secondly.  DLC does not have the words "Includes standard content" in the description.

DLC in Game Pass is clearly marked as such and it clearly is marketed as DLC, not an upgrade.  The second you use the words "upgrade" and "includes standard content" you are objectively stating that you are purchasing standard content and the upgrade for the said price.

 

I absolutely agree the description and the actual pricing is just bizarre or flat out wrong.  And if someone bought it under that premise they absolutely should be getting a refund from MS because its not the product as described.  And the CS people who held this up as that should be re-trained.  I do not disagree with any of that. 

[wthomas33065 994]

3 minutes ago, pjs37 said:

I absolutely agree the description and the actual pricing is just bizarre or flat out wrong.  And if someone bought it under that premise they absolutely should be getting a refund from MS because its not the product as described.  And the CS people who held this up as that should be re-trained.  I do not disagree with any of that. 

Like I said.  I got snookered, but I value my time a bit more than to spend endless hours dealing with script kiddies and playing the let me transfer you to my supervisor - hold please game.

At worst, I will end up paying 30 bucks more.  That's 6 Starbucks that I haven't been buying during Covid, so I'm trying to keep things in perspective.  Secondly, I already have Game Pass Ultimate and didn't buy it simply for MSFS.  So I really am not out of pocket any additional cash until I decide to terminate my Game Pass subscription.  

That doesn't mean I don't think it was shady.  It's just that it really isn't worth me fretting too much more over it, and I'd rather be flying then talking to some dweeb in Customer Service.

[109Sqn 1,563]

6 hours ago, Griphos said:

Report:

Well, this has been a week from Hell. 

 

 

...

  But I also don't want folks to have to go through what I went through. 

 

5 hours ago, Griphos said:

The language in the game says clearly EVERTHING PLUS.  This is not wishful thinking.  It's a clear promise. 

...

Hopefully, my report about the circus that is MSFS/MS/MSXbox support will help inform others in an actual, factual way, as opposed to idle speculation.

 

Well, I for one absolutely appreciate you being the Guinea pig for this (as I said previously), and I sympathise for the way you've been messed about. MS have totally misled with their description of the 'upgrade which includes the full content, but doesn't include the full content' and ought to have made that clear in the Marketplace listing by now.

Thank you for the updates and I hope you get your refund soon, even if that wasn't what you would have originally been hoping to get when you first thought of 'upgrading'.👍

[Griphos 138]

Final update.  I kept trying.  MSFS support was no help. They just told me I don't own the game and they would "elevate" my request to those who can address the "wording" of the Marketplace offer.  I notice it's still the same.  MS Store support wouldn't help.  There was a Xbox support reference ticket created by another person which was supposed to provide supervisor approval to issue refunds for people in this situation as this is a known issue.  I tried using that reference ticket # over four more phone calls and three different people and they wound up saying they couldn't help and I had to just use the web refund request, which I'd tried several times and was denied.

So, I just got Paypal involved.  They resolved it in about a day. 

Two weeks of trying to get this resolved, talking to over 20 different people and I don't even know how many phone calls. 

Still the worst customer support I've ever experienced.

I know some people have gotten refunds without having to work so hard, so if you're in this situation, maybe you'll be lucky.  But I recommend just getting your bank or CC or Paypal involved.  MS pays more attention to other companies than it does to its customers. 

[109Sqn 1,563]

On 9/5/2020 at 5:57 PM, Griphos said:

Final update.  ...

What a ridiculous amount of hassle for a situation MS caused through misleading wording! Glad you got it sorted but it's very poor of them not to have refunded you directly and not to have updated the wording.

[howevr 39]

On 9/6/2020 at 2:57 AM, Griphos said:

So, I just got Paypal involved.  They resolved it in about a day. 

Curious,

Even though you have received a refund are the bundle/s you originally purchased still shown in the Marketplace as Owned and Installed? The "My Content" listing should also show around 110 items installed if they have not been removed.

A "happy" side effect if true.

Cheers,

[Jimbowal 0]

Just noticed this topic - as the posts are a year old believe this is for the Game Pass for PC version?

I have just received my new XBox Series X and have downloaded the XBox Game Pass version. In the Marketplace tab where the ad for the Deluxe Premium version is, it clearly states in the first line - DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR BASE GAME. This upgrade pack requires a separate purchase of Microsoft Flight Simulator.

However they are charging AUD 127.95 just for the extra bloody 10 aircraft and 10 enhanced airports. Currently the XBox store has the Deluxe Premium version for Game Pass members 20% discount for $143.96 down from $179.95. Don't know if this is for a digital download or a physical copy of the disk though. I've just purchased a Standard copy from Big W for $79 and I'll wait and see if a separate upgrade DLC becomes available at a later date through the XBox store.

Now I just have to wait for the new flight peripherals to arrive in country - I see the new Turtle Beach Velocity One has all been pre sold by the major game stores but I'm looking at the new Honeycomb Alpha, Bravo and possible Charlie models to also hit our shores.

[CJ1045 469]

if you have the game pass base game version then you can just buy the upgrade from the market place but the latter will only work if you continue to subscribe to game pass. it is by far the cheapest option for deluxe.