Update on Umbra Anomaly Ticketing - Discussion
What do you guys think about the update on Umbra Anomaly Ticketing?
Here are the topics shortened:
- Poor timing acknowledgement. We understand the timing of this announcement was poor and provided very little advance notice of the changes. We apologize, and going forward, we will proactively explain significant changes to events, the game, or policy with advanced notice to POCs and to the wider Ingress community.
- Onsite Activation (Free) ticket to every Anomaly city. This ticket will allow you to have your actions counted for scoring, and does not include the Anomaly medal.
- Double AP, medal, and report eligibility. Onsite Activation (Paid) or Offsite Activation (Paid) ticket to receive 2X AP during your Anomaly event, the Umbra Anomaly medal, and to receive a report of your Anomaly actions on the local leaderboard.
- Offsite Participation = Recharging. Decoding. Intel. Remote participation includes recharging an Anomaly portal in the city you registered for during the Anomaly, successfully submitting any decoded anomaly code during the Anomaly period... remote Intel Op[erator]s will need to have their Agent names verified and submitted by their Faction POCs a week before the event.
- We're sorry. Here's a 3 for 1 treat. For the Umbra Anomaly Series, we’re also going to provide two one-time use promo codes to Agents who purchase (or purchased) an Onsite Activation (Paid) ticket before Wed, October 9 @ 5PM UTC. These codes can be given to any Agent attending the same Anomaly city onsite event as you for a free Onsite Activation (Paid) ticket.
- Sustainability ideas Needed. Lastly, we need your help as we explore ways to make Ingress more sustainable, and we need your help now. Adding paid options for Anomaly events is one of several updates coming to Ingress to help us achieve our goals around better viability as a team that can stand on its own.
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Adding paid options for Anomaly events is one of several updates coming to Ingress to help us achieve our goals around better viability as a team that can stand on its own.
Please Niantic, if you already know what other things you will do to take in more money, LET US KNOW NOW!
We apologize, and going forward, we will proactively explain significant changes to events, the game, or policy with advanced notice to POCs and to the wider Ingress community.
We're sorry. Here's a 3 for 1 treat.
https://media3.giphy.com/media/KsUKNNUEeryJa/giphy.gif
The promo code is a little bothersome to me because I finally convinced a couple friends to pony up only to find out if we'd waited a day, it wouldn't have cost them. How about refunds for those who want them now or the ability to use the promo code for yourself and get the refund? Heck, even credit for a future purchase would be fine.
I'm thrilled I waited to get my recruits signed up. I was quite disturbed after convincing them the join the free event only to find out it's no longer free. I felt like a liar and was procrastinating dropping on them the new situation. My recruits don't give a hoot about badges, they're just joining to spend time with me while I'm in town and to support me and my team.
My only hope was that my actions would be counted since I'd already invested a ton of time figuring out how to get to the event. My anomaly actions haven't been counted in the past a couple of times due to an error on Niantic's part and therefore couldn't be added to the score, nor could I collect my double AP after the fact. I also have never received promised score board listings more than once even after having paid for them.
I won't be paying to get a badge for my Intel volunteer work. It's a little sad that kind of recognition isn't simply a "thank you" badge anymore.
Luckily, a friend is going to give me their spare "we're sorry" badge for the on-site portion of my contributions. I'm thankful I'll have some kind of souvenir proof I participated.
Donate your codes to Orga or poc
Sell the codes for 7.50 each... 😂
Could you run afoul of local scalping laws?
That's the plan to make the best of a bad situation.
Still find a response of "Hey, sorry you just paid for this thing yesterday that's now free today, but if it makes you feel better, now other people can also get in for free." a little unpalatable.
I booked my flights and vacation time back in March/April, Niantic has had that long and MORE time to make this change in ticketing for anomalies. Yet the whole time they have said nothing about changing the established offer and expectation that the badges are a free participatory reward.
If they had announced it would be for future anomalies, and offered stuff of substance to it (especially putting more effort into organizing the events themselves) I would have been okay with it, but this last minute surprise charge for something long established as free is a real slap in the face. I refuse to buy a ticket or accept one of the paid codes unless they do a big turn around on this, and also unless they do for this event Niantic won't see one cent of my money again.
"Thanks for planning to travel the long distance required to go to an anomaly site! Welcome, but that'll be $15 so you can get what we said you'd originally get for free!"
How the hell they thought this would be a good idea is beyond me.
I believe the price is warrented going forward myself, though it should have been applied to future anomaly events with advance notice and not the upcoming anomaly event with short notice.
A price might be warranted but not this price. That's 3 days wages on some countries hosting anomalies.
Adjust for economic conditions for each country independently then, though just because one country may pay <1$ USD due to desparity, does not mean the same price should apply for the US or Europe which I believe can and still should pay the current marketed prices.
Im sure they are planning to do this now that it's been brought to their attention.
Good to know.
I bought a ticket before the free option came out how do I get a refund? Already submitted a ticket and haven’t been heard back.
Tap the main menu button > Events > Nemesis: Umbra Anomaly: City > Redeem a promo code (below the “Claim Tickets” button). Promo codes will be sent to Agents via the email address confirmed during the in-app ticketing checkout process weekly, starting Fri, September 20
@jellylily I don't believe they're offering refunds. Only 2 promo codes for free tickets to be redeemed in the same city the agent purchased the ticket. For example, two of your friends who will be attending on site.
When I bought the ticket there wasn't a free option. I can always do a chargeback, but hopefully Niantic will just offer a refund to anyone who purchased a ticket before the (many) changes.
Taking the money and running, I fear. 😑
Don't be evil.
#boycottMoneyGress
Charging for services is far from evil. I can't wait for paid subscription services honestly if it will help in further development and aid in putting food on the table for the developers and their families.
I am still immensely disappointed in Niantic. I don't know how you can deal with your fans that way. Many players invest hours of their free time in the game and are willing to pay for it and give it back. But not like that, it's just terrible.
The anomaly badge must remain free. Niantic needs to be more creative. Why not just offer an anomaly badge in team design (i.e. a bit more blue for the RES, a bit more green for the ENL and a shimmer effect like the prestige frames in HPWU) and charge $5 - or $10 if you still want the double AP and the item pack? But suddenly asking for some money for a feature that has always been free is not fair. Many agents go to great lengths (including financial) to participate in the anomalies. Niantic should reward this and "give" the badge to the players. In my opinion, the anomalies are what makes Ingress interesting after all this time.
The whole action of Niantic seems for me simply incredibly conniving. First you kick out the free badge and charge 15$, only to get a half-hearted free version one day later. So please, you can't be serious.
I am more than willing to support the people behind this game. That's why I bought stickers, coins and additional badges for the profiles. But it is just a no-go to charge for the anomaly badge. Especially so close to the anomaly itself.
This “update” response from Niantic seems to me to be mostly about avoiding lawsuits or regulatory penalties and costs.
Sorry not sorry. Here, have a lolly.
A legitimate apology and a legitimate answer would have been to keep Umbra free and, if this is the way Niantic is going, which is your right to by all means, apply it to subsequent anomalies, where people can plan for them with the entry fee in mind and organize recharge rooms with entry fees in mind, with people on the ground who are doing all the organizing bearing in mind that they are volunteering for you to get paid (or maybe, dunno, pay them) and, maybe, with legal things handled. That would be okay, and I'd consider paying for such an event.
Like this, you've still screwed a lot of people, a lot of people who've transported keys across half the continent, who have in some cases sacrificed their regular gameplay due to their inventories being full, people who actually honestly can't afford it, etc. etc. This whole "apology package" simply does not cut it. People don't know nor do they care why you suddenly have the need to draw money out of nothing because the fact remains - you've drawn people to attend a "free" event just to suddenly announce you'll be charging them. That's shady, inconsiderate, almost grey area business.