Does the Annual Pass guarantee instant beta access?
by Mathew McCurley 
Mar 23rd 2012 at 12:00PM
A number of WoW Annual Pass subscribers are upset over a change to the Annual Pass terms, which now grant access to the Mists of Pandaria beta test over successive invite batches as opposed to the originally advertised "when it goes live." When the Annual Pass was announced at BlizzCon, I had never dreamed that Blizzard would let in press, fan sites, players, Annual Pass holders, opt-in players, and more at the exact same time. It has not been the norm for Blizzard to run things in such a way, but these days, it's hard to expect the norm from Irvine.
My honest reaction to this whole controversy is that in the course of four weeks, it won't be a huge deal because a majority of people looking to get beta access immediately will probably have it. The people who have or had beta access will do what a majority of players do -- play for a little bit, check out the pandas, show their friends, and then they're gone until release day. That's fine and dandy, no doubt about it, but a lot of the rhetoric coming from the community is that beta was a chance for them to try the game and see for themselves. That's not what a beta is about, in principle.
As it turns out, Blizzard has been talking about beta invites going out in waves since shortly after making the announcement at BlizzCon, where beta access for Annual Pass subscribers was confirmed. On Oct. 25, 2011, support forum blue Vrakthris posted:
Vrakthris addresses Mists beta access
Quote:
Should be enough room? Should be?!? Wait a minute. I thought that one of the benefits was guaranteed access to the beta. Your post now leaves me with the following questions (none of which are addressed in the FAQ):
Should be enough room? Should be?!? Wait a minute. I thought that one of the benefits was guaranteed access to the beta. Your post now leaves me with the following questions (none of which are addressed in the FAQ):
Yes, there should be plenty of room, with a smiley face. I'm not entirely certain why you have the impression that you wouldn't be given access to beta. That is one of the benefits of doing the Annual Pass.
Vrakthris addresses Mists beta access
Quote:
Will this access be granted on day one of the beta?
Or is it possible that we won't get access until, say, the last 3 days?
Is there a possibility that we will not be given access to the beta at all?
Will this access be granted on day one of the beta?
Or is it possible that we won't get access until, say, the last 3 days?
Is there a possibility that we will not be given access to the beta at all?
Access to beta is sent out in waves. I don't have details as to what wave you may be in but it will likely be when testing moves to the open beta phase.
No, to the last two questions.
Only two days after wrapping up BlizzCon did Blizzard see things already turn -- numbers have been calculated, and it looks like there are going to be a lot more people in this thing than they thought.
Just poorly worded marketing
Many subscribers are citing the original text of the Annual Pass blog post that said access to the Mists beta would be guaranteed when the beta went live. Mike Morhaime also stated during the opening ceremonies of BlizzCon 2011 that "in addition to getting Diablo III free you will also get guaranteed access into the next World of Warcraft expansion beta when it goes live." You can easily read into his statement that a player will be given immediate access to the beta when it goes live. That's the plain text, right? Well, you don't get to asterisk a press conference, and the statement almost feels a bit puffed up for the fans to get excited about access to the beta.
If we want to get nitpicky, Morhaime focused on the "guaranteed" part of the beta access and not its timetable. "When it goes live" is not necessarily "the moment we flip the switch."
Technically, Annual Pass subscribers have guaranteed access to the Mists of Pandaria beta when it goes live -- a guaranteed spot. Due to foreseeable limitations in server hardware and architecture, in addition to the reasonable expectation of what beta access entails, are we really surprised that it might take some time to dole out the beta invites? What about the very fact that you never have unhindered access to a beta, as there are no promises when the servers will be up or down for testing, since it is not a retail product?
Unforeseen?
Remember when the first successful MMO launched and the servers crashed? You do, because that's how most MMOs enter the market -- crashing and burning before they got out of the gate. The unforeseen dramatic MMO launch is an imagination of the past. These days, you need infrastructure that supports the rush. So why then didn't Blizzard realize that so many people would want into the WoW Annual Pass and have to swap to the beta wave system?
Simple -- Blizzard's never done something like this before. Pets and mounts in the store are one thing, but a year commitment is an entirely different product for a type of gamer who might not even exist. That turned out to not be the case, but could you imagine if we had been at BlizzCon 2011 when Mike Morhaime announced the WoW Annual Pass and the crowd had been silent? You'd be able to see the sun against the Durotar sky, finally not blocked out by the wings of thousands of Tyrael's Chargers.
Business development does all that it can to open up new markets for revenue, and the Annual Pass turned out to be a hit. When the beta became too huge for "immediate" access, the circumstances of the present changed the rules.
Law and our society are concerned about the "reasonable" everything. What does the reasonable man do when he backs his car out of the garage? We need a concept of reasonableness so we can have a point of comparison for our topic of discussion.
The reasonableness of the statement "you will get beta access when it goes live" is sound when the number of people who signed up for the Annual Pass was that of a reasonable beta server, yes? Or, in Blizzard's case, a company of Blizzard's size with the assumed cash flow and operations that come with that size, and a reasonable number of servers for beta testing. When over a million people want in, the task becomes unreasonable. What about the layman who sees beta access and assumes?
One million players downloading the Mists of Pandaria client, even over a peer-to-peer system like the Blizzard downloader, is still taxing. Then there is the back end process of creating invitations, flagging accounts, running support, fielding a million more phone calls about a technically unsupported beta ...
Do you see where this is heading? A million people signed up for the Annual Pass. More sign up every day. More people signed up for the Annual Pass than most MMOs have in total population. The Mists of Pandaria beta client alone is already a healthier, larger game than tons of MMOs out there. Blizzard should have expected this response -- and for the most part, it did.
Game development is fluid
Making promises about game development is a fool's errand. Ask any game developer. The best you can do is trust in the schedule and milestones, arm yourself to the teeth with food and high spirits, and make a damn good game. Somehow, it all works.
Zarhym posted about the current state of the beta and what is available to the tiny number of people who got in so far, which have mainly been press, an initial small wave of opt-ins (most likely to test the system and get people downloading the client), and some Annual Pass subscribers (again, to see if all the knobs and switches work.) Currently, the continent of Pandaria isn't even up on the beta servers, meaning a good 95% of the game is absent from testing.
Zarhym discusses the Mists beta
Not only are there other threads on the subject of Annual Pass holders not getting invited in this very tiny wave of initial participants -- where the continent of Pandaria isn't yet available -- this one is incredibly misleading.
The Mists beta is, as of this point, an extremely limited experience. You can throw a million people onto four servers and watch them complain on the forums, but that's not really fun. I have a feeling that this could all have been avoided if Blizzard let everyone download the client and only give access to the invite waves, just to placate those who wanted to have the client ready to go when they did get invited.
Expectation
Is it our fault for being excited about a compelling program? Not at all. Should we expect clarification from Blizzard? I think an explanation of the terms is perfectly acceptable. Remember, at least you're getting in before the unwashed masses, and the players who signed up day one of the Annual Pass are getting priority.
The real issue here is not the commitment made or the money paid but something deeper. Many players had the assumption and expectation of how things work without understanding the mechanics behind a million-person live roll-out of a game admittedly not ready for release. The real problem is that players' feelings were hurt immediately after an exciting information reveal.
How will Blizzard rectify this situation? I don't think it has to. Players, however, feel like the company must answer. Over the course of the next few weeks, everyone in the Annual Pass promotion will most likely get the chance to be a part of the beta like they were promised -- a place to log in to once or twice, roll around on a pandaren, and log out until release.
Boilerplate warning
Edit: I added a bit to this paragraph to make its intent a bit more clear. Please excuse me.
This one is going to hurt. Oh, this is going to be painful, specifically for those of you emailing me about subscribing after the wording was changed. If you're one of those people who gets a little queasy around boilerplate, you're going to want to scroll back up. I'm so sorry. Just rip the Band-Aid. Just rip the Band-Aid...
Provision included in original Annual Pass terms
Offer subject to change without notice. No delay or omission by Blizzard Entertainment in exercising or enforcing any right or remedy contained in this offer shall operate as a waiver thereof or of any other legal right or remedy available to Blizzard Entertainment.
This column is for entertainment only; if you need legal advice, contact your lawyer. For comments or general questions about law or for The Lawbringer, contact Mat at mat@wowinsider.com.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, The Lawbringer
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 10)
eleoth08 Mar 23rd 2012 12:57PM
For those people who read these forums and do NOT know how beta invites work:
Beta is for testing a game before live release.
Let me repeat: Beta is for TESTING a game to potentially catch any bugs, problems and/or glitches BEFORE the game is released live.
Beta invites go out in "waves" because:
1. All of the content that needs to be tested is not put onto the beta server at once, some of it is still in development and will be added to the beta server later.
2. At different time (days/weeks) they are testing:
A. How the beta client works on different types of computers (so people with a slower
video card might be invited before people with a newer video card or vice versa, the
same with processor speed, MAC vs PC, sound cards, etc.)
B. . How different game mechanics work (does the panda kick work every time, does it
look as good on male characters as it does on female, is it easy for the user to use, is
the user able to determine the best time to cast the kick, etc.)
3. How different dungeon/raid mechanics work.
Therefore, they have to invite beta "testers" in waves, depending on what they need and what they are testing for. They also make changes daily/ weekly, sometimes hourly as they find bugs. Which then may generate another wave of beta invites... Its NOT a working version of what the expansion will be like. You may NEVER see some of the new things that will be in the expansion out on the server.
Carry on!
mattmac123 Mar 23rd 2012 12:38PM
the boilerplate warning would not apply to an existing Annual pass contract. Once the first payment has been made, the promises of BOTH sides are binding. The offer nay be subject to change without notice - but not for existing sign-ups. lets be clear about that (not enough space to debunk most of the guff you have written in this "Article")
Youre trying to make excuses for Blizzard with rubbish reasonings. The "peer to peer servers couldn't handle 1million users at once" one made me laugh - i wonder how they cope on expac launch nights with 10million people using the Blizz downloader at once?!!
Daedalus Mar 23rd 2012 1:49PM
How do they cope on expac launch nights with 10million people using the Blizz downloader at once?
The same way they coped with than for wrath and Cat; by "pre-downloading" the bulk of the data in the weeks leading up to the launch. (Even for people who haven't bought the expansion.) That way, all they have to do on launch night is flip a switch making that data accessible knowing that most people will have let the download finish a long time before so as not to have to wait when it goes live.
TypicalJeff Mar 23rd 2012 12:39PM
The vocal minority yet again makes a big fuss over something that nearly everyone who has been plying this game for longer than a few months knows already. Beta don't invite everyone all at once. I, too, was a bit surprised to see so many people signing up. Do I want in right now even with a lot of content not present at all? Of course I do. Am i losing sleep over the fact that I am not in the beta yet despite having signed up day one for the Annual Pass and also being a paying subscriber since Launch? Nah not really. Besides.. I have Jesse Cox and Wowcrendor streaming to watch if I get the itch right now. Good enough for me.
MysticalOS Mar 23rd 2012 12:39PM
Honestly, i've watched the video of Mike on stage 4 times now. This is what i heard.
You will also get, Guaranteed access, into the next world of warcraft beta. When it goes live."
I noted a pause between "beta" and when". A pause is an end in statement, making the following part a new statement, not part of first. this completely changes the meaning of the words. It's hard to emphesize this when it isn't writen, so a case for either way would be hard to win. but ultimately i don't think the vid would be tangable in any argument.
Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Iu1gXWq7E
Also, lets look at ad:
http://i.imgur.com/z8Vyc.jpg
Now it's hard to see cause of someone drawing on it, but i'm pretty sure there is a period in here so statement reads as follows:
"You'll be able to download and play Diablo III as soon as it's available and once you complete the one-year term, it's yours to keep, even if you cancel your subscription. Tyrael's Charger will be available with Patch 4.3, and beta access will go live with the beta launch."
Again, two different statements with a paused break. Second statement not being part of first they are not one in the same. So by proper interpretations. Both the video and the add never promised YOU access when it goes live. They promised YOU would get access period. Then the following sentence promises access when beta launches as a generalized statement not directed at "YOU", refering to the annual pass program itself. Annual pass program did send out wave 1 of invies day 1. If you look at these facts, the terms in both video and ad were honored. YOU will get beta access guarenteed. Annual pass program will gain access day 1.
On top of that, both the FAQ AND the actual ToS were very specific you were only promised beta access, neither one mentioned day 1.
Galizur Mar 23rd 2012 2:15PM
So does that mean i cant play D3 till November (when i signed up for the annual pass) even tho its coming out in may? this makes it seem that way and i will be very sad :(
slythwolf Mar 23rd 2012 2:41PM
@Galizur, no, it means that if you cancel your WoW subscription before your year is up they can take your D3 away.
Rob Mar 23rd 2012 12:41PM
Y'all are doing a nice job of making excuses for Blizzard. It didn't seem to tax their servers one little bit, when they billed a million credit cards. When every WOW social media site I visit is streaming live MOP footage, I think we've reached "as soon as it goes live".
eleoth08 Mar 23rd 2012 1:07PM
Um... do you actually think that their "billing and accounting" systems are on the same servers as the dungeons, games or test servers?
Wow...
Rob Mar 23rd 2012 1:51PM
No, I don't think their billing and accounting systems are on the same servers as the dungeons, games or test servers. I do think they sold capacity they don't have. Not unlike selling more tickets to a concert, than the venue holds.
Briggs Mar 23rd 2012 12:42PM
The question that I pose is in regards to False Advertising. The company's advertisements (up until 3/20/12) indicated "Access when the beta goes live". To many people this indicated immediate access. Blizzard must have realized themselves that this was misleading because they changed the wording on the advertisement on 03/20/12.
As for the CMs commenting after BlizzCon that it would be in waves, this does nothing for those of us (like myself) that ordered the Annual Pass on the first day.
This may not be a breach of contract, but I think that one could make a case for false advertising.
silver_ice_dragon03 Mar 23rd 2012 12:46PM
I'm a little peeved that Blizzard invited more press gamers than regular gamers. They should've evened out the ratio of press, opt-ins and beta testers so that everyone gets an equal share. As for the content and the wave invites, I'm cool with it. But like most of the people who commented on this, I don't want to play the beta when the whole game is near release. As for the content, they should've had at least 50% of it available. That would be reasonable. I wonder if Scholomance is available on the beta right now.
rovingbandit21 Mar 23rd 2012 1:00PM
Why?
Press gamers are sure to get the content out to the masses, where as "regular" gamers are just going to play for a minute and throw their hands up in the air at the bugs and incomplete content. So do the business analysis and figure would Blizz like well written articles showcasing new content; or forum posts full of "Thz new gmae sukz!!!1!!ONE!"
Charlie Mar 23rd 2012 12:45PM
Listen, I'm not in a hurry to get into the beta, I'm really not. That being said, here's my problem:
In my opinion, Blizzard has been doing a horrible job with these types of miscommunications. They don't say things until the walls start shaking from all of the QQ. They honestly need to work on their transparency. It's something they keep saying they would like to do, but It's just not there yet.
For me, I think it's these little things that are leading to the drop of subscribers. Did they know that they had a million AP people? Yep. Did they know they weren't going to get them in all at once? Probably. So just say that? Deal with that QQ early.
They could have been very upfront about this and had less of an issue. But they choose not to. You would think they would have seen all the yelling and moaning about SWTOR giving early access in waves and learned from it. And that was a matter of a couple of days AND they would tell people who was invited daily.
Personally it comes across to me that they want the hype and the excitement of people waiting more than they care about all of the people they upset. The problem is, that a lot of people are tired of getting upset.
Just my two cents.
vegetto375 Mar 23rd 2012 12:52PM
I can say that not everyone who bought the pass day one got in the first wave, as I was one that bought in the second it was announced. A lot of people that bought the pass expected access on day one cause of the way the annual pass was presented and hw the wording was phrased. Is it wrong of them to have expected it? No! They mearly when by what was said and most of these people had never had access to a Beta testing before.
I had the opportunity to get into the Cataclysm Beta as I had opt-in and bought the Annual pass so I would be garanted access into mist, however I also did not expect day one entrance only cause of my previous beata invite which came after 3 or weeks into beta and after dozens of fake beta emails.
Don't belittle peoples intelligence if they though they would get day one access, they only beive in what they were told with the limited knowledge they had.
Larangatang Mar 23rd 2012 1:03PM
They should just call this extended Alpha and move on. It's clearly more about getting MoP into the press and checking certain computer specs than actually stress testing servers and trying out gameplay. That will come soon enough.
Daedalus Mar 23rd 2012 1:59PM
I'm surprised because I really thought that was exactly what they were planning when I signed up for the annual pass. The terms I read left the words "beta" and "gone live" ambiguous, therefore making the time I got access completely subject to however Blizzard wanted to handle it at the time.
Frankly, I'm kind of pleased they didn't take that route and double talk with definitions, because you know people then would have just complained that Blizzard was weaseling out of the agreement by redefining "beta."
RetPallyJil Mar 23rd 2012 12:56PM
No, it doesn't. They never said it did.
Boo hoo, go cry more.
Jed Mar 23rd 2012 1:02PM
I'm so bored of WoW.. its been 7 years.. I was a fool and signed up for the annual pass.. Im thinking about putting a stop payment through with my bank. Im a little upset over beta stuff but I completely understand.. this is more of a lack of wanting anything to do with the game in general..
Shrikesnest Mar 23rd 2012 1:06PM
Rock: Blizzard is required to allow a million people onto its beta servers, and has made a contractual promise that is pretty easy to interpret as day one beta access (if you say otherwise, as the article does, you are simply being a semantic weasel; the original intent of the Annual Pass announcement is very clear.)
Hard Place: Unexpectedly, a million people signed up for that guarantee, which nobody could reasonably have foreseen. This is nontrivial. Beta Testing isn't some kind of candy, used primarily to reward loyal subscribers. It's a vital process. A poorly handled beta test can sink an otherwise promising product.
Blizzard's choice here is gut-wrenching, but there is literally only one right choice. They cannot, and will not, screw up this beta test, even if it means Mike Morhaime telling his own mother that she has to wait for beta access. Pissing off a segment of your most vocal and loyal part of your fan base stings, it's bad PR. But releasing an unplayable expansion, with the Tera and GW2 wolves at your door, is far worse. Quality counts, and maybe We as Blizzard's fans can condescend to their competitors, but Blizzard themselves can never afford to get lazy like that.
So yes. People without the Annual Pass will get in before you, because Blizzard needs to test on their rare hardware configurations. People who have been playing for a shorter amount of time than you will get in first, for similar reasons.
I'm not in yet, either, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't upset me a bit. But suck it up; some pain and inconvenience are worth it. We should be thanking Blizzard for this - even though they made an (in my opinion unforeseeable) mistake, they're still dedicated to turning out a quality product, no matter what they have to do to make sure it's properly refined.