G2A Charging Inactive Accounts And Gamers Are Outraged
This certainly isn’t good PR. Known as a “global digital marketplace” that features the sale of games, akin to the likes of GoG and Steam, G2A is in hot waters with gamers worldwide. Just like any other normal person out there, not everyone can keep up with all their online accounts and most people have several of them. Except there’s a wee problem, no one else is charging an “inactivity fee” except for G2A. After discovering an email from aforementioned web-based market, one user took to Reddit to make some sense of it all.
Why the hell am I being charged for not logging in? from r/assholedesign
Yes, the email is official and yes, this is listed in G2A’s terms and conditions under the “G2A Coins and G2A Wallet” section. It precisely states: “If User does not log in through the Website to User’s accont for over 180 (one hundred eighty) days, the Company is entitled to charge the User’s G2A Wallet inactivity fee in amount of EUR 1 (one) per each month, or less, if there is no sufficient funds on the User’s G2A Wallet to charge entire inactivity fee,” reads their terms and conditions. “The Company is also entitled to terminate User’s G2A Wallet, if there is no sufficient funds on it which allows to charge the inactivity fee. Charged inactivity fee is not returnable. The User is to be informed about terminating his account.”
Following the onslaught of concerns and outrage, G2A’s alleged response is as follows. To keep it as concise as possible, we only included the second half of their message, which reasons their recurring charge:
It costs money to upkeep accounts (IT infrastructure, server maintenance, etc.) and if someone does not use the account, it doesn’t make sense to upkeep it. We don’t require these users to buy anything, just log in at least once every 6 months, just so that we know they are still with us. As a financial institution we are also monitored, supervised, and audited and have to back up and explain all our accounts and the funds stored on these accounts. Once an account may be considered “abandoned,” we take certain steps to make sure we are in line with all regulations, jurisdictions and laws.”
Just to be clear, this was not the response people were hoping for and several Reddit users were calling “bullshit” with a downvote cast at -464 on G2A’s response. Despite the fact that the charge was listed on their terms and conditions page, G2A’s reasoning doesn’t sound justifiable to the everyday gamer. There has not been a follow-up since the company’s response on Reddit, and the charge is still listed on their page.
What are your thoughts on G2A’s odd “inactivity charge”? Do you think it’s within their rights as a company to do so, or should they do away with it altogether? Do you think all of this is legally dubious? Let us know what you think in the comments section below or start a conversation on DFTG Facebook page. To stay up to date on gaming news as it happens, follow us on Twitter! Here’s some of our latest to catch up on:
Hoi Duong2131 Posts
Hoi is an elusive figure at DFTG, whose favorite past-times include chillin' in the Fade, reading manga, watching anime, collecting novelty items, and gaming.
