Lost access to Playstation Plus free games permanently!! (Update: resolved)

Bizazedo said:
Them getting spammed eventually over any little problem would be bad, is all.
Click to expand...
I'm not suggesting to PM then if you can't connect your dualshock or something.
Calling this "a little problem" though...



EatinOlives said:
Who's getting "spammed"? The last time this happened when an MVP had to step in was once, well over a week ago (if not more). GAF only seriously suggests they be contacted (and the person with the problem usually only does) when they're completely out of options. You're making it sound like they're getting dozens of PMs of people going "HALP! I FORGOT MY PASSWORD!!! :( :( :("

And it's pretty insulting to the OP if you consider this "any little problem". It's a major issue. There's a technical error that's preventing him access to a gigantic library of games that he should have access to, and Sony's own incompetent customer service team is stonewalling him with no other avenues for a solution.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Took the words of of my mouth.
 
try deactivate your console --> reset to factory setting --> and then activate it again and download all your games back!!!

Dont forget to upload your save games of course!!
 
m@cross said:
Updated again

Support supervisor told me

If your Playstation plus subscription expires for more than 24 hours you will lose access to all previous free plus content permanently.

Nothing they can do, he doesn't know why anyone told me otherwise.
Click to expand...

Man, I know from experience this isn't true. I let my plus account expire for months and then re-subbed and all was well. This just seems like a technical fuck up, and support can't help you once it gets beyond the plug-unplug stage, as is the case with all tech support.

m@cross said:
Ugh

Mr. Yoshida just told me to talk to support.
Click to expand...

Well... you didn't actually expect the president of SWWS to personally go to bat for you did you? Might be worth directing support to that tweet though, for whatever it's worth.

jinto lin said:
try deactivate your console --> reset to factory setting --> and then activate it again and download all your games back!!!

Dont forget to upload your save games of course!!
Click to expand...

This is actually not bad advice, re-activating might do the trick.
 
Killthee said:
Go here and look for a plus game. You'll see your expiration date right next to it.

On a console you can either go to your account settings -> Transaction Management -> Services List or select a PS+ game -> Triangle (or Option on PS4) -> Info -> Expiration date.
Click to expand...

Or you could check your profile on playstation.com. Shows right there under your PSNID.
 
I remember asking about when ps+ games would expire last year over the phone. The guy at Sony had to get his supervisor to look it up. He said that you will lose access to the ps+ games after 30 days of being unsubscribed.

Maybe they changed it in the last year?
 
Talk to Consumerist, Kotaku, Polygon, any media outlet that will listen.

You need to get attention to this issue, and a headline saying

"You will lose access to your PS+ content permanently if you let the sub lapse for more than a day. One PS4 owners story of woe." etc.

Will get you that attention.

EDIT: Paging jscherier!
 
BumbleChump said:
I remember asking about when ps+ games would expire last year over the phone. The guy at Sony had to get his supervisor to look it up. He said that you will lose access to the ps+ games after 30 days of being unsubscribed.

Maybe they changed it in the last year?
Click to expand...

It would be pretty weird if the 30 days restriction was true as well, because there were people in this thread who were unsubscribed for months and didn't lose anything.
 
mentallyinept said:
Talk to Consumerist, Kotaku, Polygon, any media outlet that will listen.

You need to get attention to this issue, and a headline saying

"You will lose access to your PS+ content permanently if you let the sub lapse for more than a day. One PS4 owners story of woe." etc.

Will get you that attention.
Click to expand...
This is the best answer.
 
mentallyinept said:
Talk to Consumerist, Kotaku, Polygon, any media outlet that will listen.

You need to get attention to this issue, and a headline saying

"You will lose access to your PS+ content permanently if you let the sub lapse for more than a day. One PS4 owners story of woe." etc.

Will get you that attention.

EDIT: Paging jscherier!
Click to expand...

May be your best bet. As much as I can't stand people who tell me they're going to the media in my job, it is usually pretty effective at getting a result.
 
GVA1987 said:
May be your best bet. As much as I can't stand people who tell me they're going to the media in my job, it is usually pretty effective at getting a result.
Click to expand...

I'm not a fan of it either, but I don't see any other way. This support manager fed him a pile of bullshit and closed the ticket. But he also gave him the soundbite that he needed to get the media involved.

weird said:
Sooooo... Asking two people who are specialized in this is...to much, but alarming gaming media is the better solution because it helps his cause in what way?
It's the problem of one person with his account.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying not to contact the those people too, but in my eyes, after 45+ days, Sony had their chance to make it right and keep this out of the media.
 
CraZed said:
Or you could check your profile on playstation.com. Shows right there under your PSNID.
Click to expand...

I am curious; what do all of you have for expiration dates for your plus games? If I look at my current plus games it shows they expire 1 year from when I just renewed. Do your plus games have a listed expiration date as well?
 
mentallyinept said:
Talk to Consumerist, Kotaku, Polygon, any media outlet that will listen.

You need to get attention to this issue, and a headline saying

"You will lose access to your PS+ content permanently if you let the sub lapse for more than a day. One PS4 owners story of woe." etc.

Will get you that attention.

EDIT: Paging jscherier!
Click to expand...

weird said:
You wrapped his problem into a sentence that suggested that it would be a little problem.



Sooooo... Asking two people who are specialized in this is...to much, but alarming gaming media is the better solution because it helps his cause in what way?
It's the problem of one person with his account.
Click to expand...

This isn't an account problem, but just the reality of PS+ (and likely X1 Games with Gold) versus the expectation. If they are inconsistent in their execution of the policy, then some people may have had their games restored, or there may be some unstated grace period that has since changed.

The TOS/EULA covers this eventuality, and the FAQ answers do not cover the lapse in Plus content question properly.
 
m@cross said:
I am curious; what do all of you have for expiration dates for your plus games? If I look at my current plus games it shows they expire 1 year from when I just renewed. Do your plus games have a listed expiration date as well?
Click to expand...

Mine all list 06/03/16, the same day as my PS+ sub is set to expire.
 
weird said:
You wrapped his problem into a sentence that suggested that it would be a little problem.
Click to expand...
No I didn't. I said if they get pulled in and fix this as well and people get used to them being the heroes, they will bug them with every little problem. If that confused you or I worded it poorly fine, but that is what I was saying.
weird said:
Sooooo... Asking two people who are specialized in this is...to much, but alarming gaming media is the better solution because it helps his cause in what way?
It's the problem of one person with his account.
Click to expand...
Yes. They are private individuals, not companies. If ones main job is customer service and he is here for that specifically, great, hammer him. But otherwise let them voluntarily help, don't assume or expect it.
 
Coringar said:
This isn't an account problem, but just the reality of PS+ (and likely X1 Games with Gold) versus the expectation. If they are inconsistent in their execution of the policy, then some people may have had their games restored, or there may be some unstated grace period that has since changed.

The TOS/EULA covers this eventuality, and the FAQ answers do not cover the lapse in Plus content question properly.
Click to expand...
I don't follow the US blog that close, but the EU reps have been quite clear and consistent in that you get your content back if you resubscribe. And if you go to http://eu.playstation.com/legal, there should be full pdf explaining Plus that quite explicitly states that you regain your downloaded content when you resubscribe.

EDIT: The document is called PlayStation Plus Membership Guide, and to quote it directly (page 6):

If your PlayStation Plus membership expires and you renew it at a later date, you will regain access to content that you have previously downloaded through PlayStation Plus.
Click to expand...
 
Sony better fix this shit.

It's even in the official F.A.Q., because that would be one of the first things they'd need to make clear.

This pisses me off, and its unfair and even unlawful practice by Sony. If this is standard practice, to make you lose your games after a 24 hour break, they are doing false advertisement in their blogs. It's not like they haven't done false advertising though. But this one is the worst.
 
Coringar said:
This isn't an account problem, but just the reality of PS+ (and likely X1 Games with Gold) versus the expectation. If they are inconsistent in their execution of the policy, then some people may have had their games restored, or there may be some unstated grace period that has since changed.

The TOS/EULA covers this eventuality, and the FAQ answers do not cover the lapse in Plus content question properly.
Click to expand...

I guess this comes down to more the customer service aspect of the issue here rather than disputing what is being provided via PS+. I couldn't count the amount of times I've heard about support consultants not having any idea of the deals or products their company offer.

Poor service should always be addressed.
 
hesido said:
Sony better fix this shit.

It's even in the official F.A.Q., because that would be one of the first things they'd need to make clear.

This pisses me off, and its unfair and even unlawful practice by Sony. If this is standard practice, to make you lose your games after a 24 hour break, they are doing false advertisement in their blogs. It's not like they haven't done false advertising though. But this one is the worst.
Click to expand...

Yes, but according to support, the official FAQ can be posted in by anyone so it doesn't matter.....
 
Support is bullshitting you. My launch FAT PS3 died in early 2012, so a few months later I got a Super Slim that came with the free PS Plus trial, I added 3 extra months of Plus but let it lapse and didn't renew until the PS4 came out and they had the ps plus black friday sale.

That's almost a year later and was able to download every "free" game I had on my old PS3 FAT to the new Slim. Push the issue.
 
Bizazedo said:
No I didn't. I said if they get pulled in and fix this as well and people get used to them being the heroes, they will bug them with every little problem. If that confused you or I worded it poorly fine, but that is what I was saying.

Yes. They are private individuals, not companies. If ones main job is customer service and he is here for that specifically, great, hammer him. But otherwise let them voluntarily help, don't assume or expect it.
Click to expand...

OK. You are correct. I was wrong.

I'm to old for this shit!
 
BlackLagoon said:
I don't follow the US blog that close, but the EU reps have been quite clear and consistent in that you get your content back if you resubscribe. And if you go to http://eu.playstation.com/legal, there should be full pdf explaining Plus that quite explicitly states that you regain your downloaded content when you resubscribe.
Click to expand...

It's in this PDF right here: http://uk.playstation.com/media/MCd0gLKt/PS-Plus_FAQ-Guide.pdf

6. What happens when your PlayStation Plus membership is cancelled

If you cancel your PlayStation®Plus membership you will continue to have access to
all of your PlayStation Plus membership benefits until the end of any previously
purchased subscription periods. We do not provide refunds for subscription charges
previously paid in line with our Terms of Service and User Agreement, unless
required by local law.

Once your PlayStation Plus membership ends, content you previously downloaded
at no cost as part of the membership (such as the Instant Game Collection) will no
longer be available. However, free avatars and content you purchased at a
discounted PlayStation Plus price is yours to keep.

If your PlayStation Plus membership expires and you renew it at a later date, you will
regain access to content that you have previously downloaded through PlayStation
Plus.
Click to expand...
 
evil ways said:
Support is bullshitting you. My launch FAT PS3 died in early 2012, so a few months later I got a Super Slim that came with the free PS Plus trial, I added 3 extra months of Plus but let it lapse and didn't renew until the PS4 came out and they had the ps plus black friday sale.

That's almost a year later and was able to download every "free" game I had on my old PS3 FAT to the new Slim. Push the issue.
Click to expand...

What the support guy specifically said was, and I am not quoting him exactly as he was clear I did not have his permission to do so...

Sony does not guarantee you can download content you got on plus once it leaves the free period, that includes using already downloaded content. They only guarantee things you paid for will remain accessible. He seems to essentially be saying.. ok sure maybe it shouldn't do that, but we don't guarantee it won't so we don't need to fix it...
 
m@cross said:
What the support guy specifically said was, and I am not quoting him exactly as he was clear I did not have his permission to do so...
Click to expand...

Could you elaborate on this? This just sounds ridiculous and bizarre. He's feeding you bullshit but demands that you don't ever quote him verbatim or use his name? Sounds like he knows it's all wrong and doesn't want to be held accountable for it.
 
BlackLagoon said:
I don't follow the US blog that close, but the EU reps have been quite clear and consistent in that you get your content back if you resubscribe. And if you go to http://eu.playstation.com/legal, there should be full pdf explaining Plus that quite explicitly states that you regain your downloaded content when you resubscribe.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm in the US, and was unable to find anything that covered it specifically.
In the UK, the http://uk.playstation.com/media/MCd0gLKt/PS-Plus_FAQ-Guide.pdf does have the following:

If your PlayStation Plus membership expires and you renew it at a later date, you will
regain access to content that you have previously downloaded through PlayStation
Plus.
Click to expand...

But this is impossible, at least for my US PSN account. Once my account lapsed, my download/purchase history was purged of previously free content.

However, the "FAQ" is not their TOS. Their TOS states has a 14 day grace period:
http://legaldoc.dl.playstation.net/ps3-eula/psn/e/e_tosua_en.html

(vii) If you terminate a subscription at any time after the 14 day cooling off period, it will continue until the end of any subscription period(s) you have paid for and then termination will take effect. After termination, you may no longer be able to access or use all or part of the services and /or products you downloaded via the subscription.
Click to expand...


And then they cover themselves again, still in the TOS

PlayStation Plus Subscriptions
When you purchase a subscription to PlayStation Plus, the package of services and/or products in the subscription varies throughout your subscription period and some of the services and/or products may be available for non-subscribers to purchase. You may not be able to access all of the services and/or products that are part of the PlayStation Plus package. For instance, some of services and/or products may be:
(i) compatible with specified Sony systems only;
(ii) available for download during limited periods only;
(iii) rated and inaccessible to Sub Accounts with a lower registered age; and/or
(iv) unavailable or unusable after your subscription period expires (even if downloaded before expiry).
These restrictions may be outlined at the time of purchase or at eu.playstation.com/legal. Please make sure you understand these restrictions before purchasing.
Click to expand...
 
m@cross said:
What the support guy specifically said was, and I am not quoting him exactly as he was clear I did not have his permission to do so...

Sony does not guarantee you can download content you got on plus once it leaves the free period, that includes using already downloaded content. They only guarantee things you paid for will remain accessible. He seems to essentially be saying.. ok sure maybe it shouldn't do that, but we don't guarantee it won't so we don't need to fix it...
Click to expand...

Well he was straight up lying or VERY misinformed. See the TOS above.

Edit:

This is all very confusing. Is the NA TOS a different one?
 
GVA1987 said:
I guess this comes down to more the customer service aspect of the issue here rather than disputing what is being provided via PS+. I couldn't count the amount of times I've heard about support consultants not having any idea of the deals or products their company offer.

Poor service should always be addressed.
Click to expand...
Poor service is why this takes weeks to resolve - their basic CS is not properly informed how to handle this situation, why it took both the OP and I over a week to have someone on their end close the case due to their interpretation of the TOS.
 
weird said:
Well he was straight up lying or VERY misinformed. See the TOS above.

Edit:

This is all very confusing. Is the NA TOS a different one?
Click to expand...

The wording seems really similar, let me see if I can dig it up again.

I think this is the closest I can find for now
http://legaldoc.dl.playstation.net/ps3-eula/psn/u/u_tosua_en.html

Under Section 14: Subscriptions
Content that you downloaded onto a device and that was provided to you through a subscription at no additional cost beyond the subscription price may not be accessible.
Click to expand...
 
EatinOlives said:
Could you elaborate on this? This just sounds ridiculous and bizarre. He's feeding you bullshit but demands that you don't ever quote him verbatim or use his name? Sounds like he knows it's all wrong and doesn't want to be held accountable for it.
Click to expand...

Towards the end of my conversation with him I said "Ok I want to repeat this to be absolutely clear I am understanding you correctly. It is crucial that users understand this policy and are warned it does not work as it is being represented and I want to be sure I am understanding you"

To which he says.. You are not recording this are you?

"No, I would tell you if I was recording this, I just want to be sure I get this right so if I go to any media on it I am not mistaken"

He states it again.. blah blah, not getting it back etc etc no one should have said you where etc etc and you do not have my permission to use this conversation, any audio from it, nor my name in anything.

"I am not going to use your name, and I told you I am not recording this. I am however going to share this conversation with others as it is my right to do so."

To which he quickly ended the conversation....
 
weird said:
OK. You are correct. I was wrong.

I'm to old for this shit!
Click to expand...

/brofist

I was posting from my cell phone, so I'm sure I didn't type it properly anyways or in an easy to follow way, anyways.

I am really hopeful this gets fixed....perversely, the detonation of it being how the rules work now would also be explosive and entertaining.

Still, I hope it gets fixed.
 
Coringar said:
The wording seems really similar, let me see if I can dig it up again.
Click to expand...

On the other hand....

PlayStation Plus Subscriptions
When you purchase a subscription to PlayStation Plus, the package of services and/or products in the subscription varies throughout your subscription period and some of the services and/or products may be available for non-subscribers to purchase. You may not be able to access all of the services and/or products that are part of the PlayStation Plus package. For instance, some of services and/or products may be:
(i) compatible with specified Sony systems only;
(ii) available for download during limited periods only;
(iii) rated and inaccessible to Sub Accounts with a lower registered age; and/or
(iv) unavailable or unusable after your subscription period expires (even if downloaded before expiry).
These restrictions may be outlined at the time of purchase or at eu.playstation.com/legal. Please make sure you understand these restrictions before purchasing.
Click to expand...

This pretty much says PSplus Standart stuff. Nothing uncommon here.
You can't use your stuff if the subscription ended. And you can only use it as long as you are a plus member.

It says nothing about deletion of any kind.
The two week cool down period is completely different.
 
m@cross said:
Yes, but according to support, the official FAQ can be posted in by anyone so it doesn't matter.....
Click to expand...

That is false advertising of their service. They shouldn't be able to wipe your stuff and keep others' randomly.

They should be truthful in their FAQ, something that is on their official website.

If they are going to use "fear" of losing stuff permanently as means of getting people to renew their subs, a middle finger is in order for Sony. Just a big library of games should be enough incentive to keep your sub, but for whatever reasons, you should be able to halt your subscription and keep your library once you renew.
 
m@cross said:
Towards the end of my conversation with him I said "Ok I want to repeat this to be absolutely clear I am understanding you correctly. It is crucial that users understand this policy and are warned it does not work as it is being represented and I want to be sure I am understanding you"

To which he says.. You are not recording this are you?

"No, I would tell you if I was recording this, I just want to be sure I get this right so if I go to any media on it I am not mistaken"

He states it again.. blah blah, not getting it back etc etc no one should have said you where etc etc and you do not have my permission to use this conversation, any audio from it, nor my name in anything.

"I am not going to use your name, and I told you I am not recording this. I am however going to share this conversation with others as it is my right to do so."

To which he quickly ended the conversation....
Click to expand...


That is shady as fuck.

Seriously, this is bullshit.
 
m@cross said:
Towards the end of my conversation with him I said "Ok I want to repeat this to be absolutely clear I am understanding you correctly. It is crucial that users understand this policy and are warned it does not work as it is being represented and I want to be sure I am understanding you"

To which he says.. You are not recording this are you?

"No, I would tell you if I was recording this, I just want to be sure I get this right so if I go to any media on it I am not mistaken"

He states it again.. blah blah, not getting it back etc etc no one should have said you where etc etc and you do not have my permission to use this conversation, any audio from it, nor my name in anything.

"I am not going to use your name, and I told you I am not recording this. I am however going to share this conversation with others as it is my right to do so."

To which he quickly ended the conversation....
Click to expand...

He represents Sony in a support line, it's not a personal matter or conversation, does he really have the right to not allow you to record it or share that? Damn. Any LawyerGAF chiming in on the issue?
 
m@cross said:
Towards the end of my conversation with him I said "Ok I want to repeat this to be absolutely clear I am understanding you correctly. It is crucial that users understand this policy and are warned it does not work as it is being represented and I want to be sure I am understanding you"

To which he says.. You are not recording this are you?

"No, I would tell you if I was recording this, I just want to be sure I get this right so if I go to any media on it I am not mistaken"

He states it again.. blah blah, not getting it back etc etc no one should have said you where etc etc and you do not have my permission to use this conversation, any audio from it, nor my name in anything.

"I am not going to use your name, and I told you I am not recording this. I am however going to share this conversation with others as it is my right to do so."

To which he quickly ended the conversation....
Click to expand...

This is what has me so puzzled with the situation. It seems like they're trying to hide something. Why do this to some users and not others? If it were a widespread issue where everyone was losing access to these games then surely it would have come up by now.
 
And this is why I don't like PS Plus. It basically requires a lifetime subscription if you want sustained access to all of the content you are paying for.

HeadShake.gif
 
m@cross said:
Updated again

Support supervisor told me

If your Playstation plus subscription expires for more than 24 hours you will lose access to all previous free plus content permanently.

Nothing they can do, he doesn't know why anyone told me otherwise.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry you are dealing with idiots. Mine expired like July 7th or something and I just never bothered with updating it (I had two codes for two years worth) until sometime last week I think.

So judging by the date on your original post mine expired after yours, was left unsubscribed longer than yours, and all my games work (well at least one of them does... Trine 2 on PS4. I haven't tried opening any others). Just tried opening a few on my Vita to test and they all seem to work too. And I know it wasn't letting me in them before I re subscribed cause I got reminded I needed to do that when I tried to open up GTA: Tales of Liberty City on my Vita (Which works now. Trine I also tried after it expired and that's how I learned it was expired but I wasn't in a hurry to play it so I didn't get around to it).

It sounds like you have people who don't really know, have decided it's too hard figuring it out, and so they're trying to tell you it can't be done in hopes that you go away.

Unfortunately, if you've already kept asking to talk to some one else and they all say no, I would agree that the best thing to do is take it to the media and be pretty loud mouthed about this. Let everyone on FB know, post on the Playstation forums, post anywhere they can see you posting (twitter and @yosp and other people known to be attached to Playstation). Make comments in the Playstation FB group and G+ group (and try to do it in the official one if there is one). See if you can't get some article out about how bad your CS experience has been. Pretty much be as loud as you can about the matter and try to make it so they can hear you being loud (so they know you are sharing your horrendous experience with everyone).

Kagoshima_Luke said:
And this is why I don't like PS Plus. It basically requires a lifetime subscription if you want sustained access to all of the content you are paying for.
Click to expand...

No it doesn't. It does prove that Sony's CS when something goes wrong is totally ridiculous (and honestly, not the first time I've heard horror stories of how useless their CS is when something doesn't work like it should).
Edit: Ok, I read that as you having to make sure your PS+ account never expires. If you mean that if you want to play the game you have to have PS+, yeah, it does work that way. But you are supposed to be able to let it expire and have the games again when you feel like subscribing again. I never would have tried it if that wasn't the case. And I'd probably stop using it if Sony changed it. I don't mind it being a Netflix like service but I would mind them saying I have to never let it expire if I want to keep having access to the games I've acquired access to through PS+.
 
GVA1987 said:
This is what has me so puzzled with the situation. It seems like they're trying to hide something. Why do this to some users and not others? If it were a widespread issue where everyone was losing access to these games then surely it would have come up by now.
Click to expand...
It has come up before. If there is a "grace period", that probably was able to assist in the perception of "you'll get all your free stuff back when you re-subscribe".
 
Kagoshima_Luke said:
And this is why I don't like PS Plus. It basically requires a lifetime subscription if you want sustained access to all of the content you are paying for.

HeadShake.gif
Click to expand...

So does netflix. the games are offered to you at a price point drastically lower than buying them individually, even with the best sales you can find or buying used.

If you want a game permanently, there's nothing stopping you from just buying a copy if you like it on PS+ and can't live without it.
 
Kagoshima_Luke said:
And this is why I don't like PS Plus. It basically requires a lifetime subscription if you want sustained access to all of the content you are paying for.
Click to expand...

well, to be fair, you're forming this opinion based on one isolated case, enough people in the thread (me included) have asserted that you can recover your game licenses even months later, just renewing your subscription.

just think of it as a rental service and it makes sense.
 
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