A TRULY FINAL FANTASY

This weekend I tried to re-sub to Final Fantasy XI. To this day, I still have uncomfortable flashbacks about the PlayOnline launcher and its steel-toed kicking aimed at my nether regions, but I had resigned myself to weathering a new flurry of attacks in order to participate in stabbing the kneecaps of some Notorious Monsters with a co-worker.

It had been about a year since I had last camped Vana'diel so I was not gobsmacked to discover I had forgotten my password. No worries, I thought. I can just try the few passwords I have been using for the past 10 years for various accounts (MMO, banking, pr0n and etc). It's sure to be one of those. However and dramatically, regardless of how many variations of capital letters and key smashing I tried, my PlayOnline ID would not accept a PlayOnline password. Determined not to be defeated by the recall capacity of my own cerebrum, I hit the FFXI website in order to search for knowledge in a database, a knowledge database if you will.

"How do I change my password?". Hmm, not quite. "A message states that my PlayOnline ID and PlayOnline password are wrong.". Close, but no cigar. "How do I purchase a Content ID?". You're asking me?? Somewhere in the area of 10 Q's and A's concerned with the term "password" sat before me, but none would dare own up to offering help in regards to retrieving a forgotten password.

In between bouts of pounding alternative password combinations into the PlayOnline launcher I got around to emailing FFXI customer support with my conundrum. 3 full days later and I still have no reply. Backtrack to earlier today, and taking a deep gulp of computer fan-blown dust I took the plunge and dove into the web-based chat program advertised as a third alternative to the knowledge database and email on the PlayOnline website.

Now, I've been around the virtual block a few times, so I've dipped my toe in a few and varied chat programs, web-based and otherwise. But nothing had quite prepared me for the 30 minute wait-fest that followed, a flash of text appearing every 2 minutes letting me know that the chat program was having errors connecting, as if that were not already apparent. I was about to minimize the window into the depths of my monitor's background once again when a ray of hope greeted me. "Hello, this is FFXI TSR Xxxx. Please wait a minute while I review your ticket.". You can take a minute, take a damned leap-minute if you want, has anyone told you how beautiful you look right now?

Verifying my rightful existence through 6 craftily created questions designed to weed out everybody but me, I then waited like a 7-year old listening for the lunch bell. After a pause between my comments that made me question whether this TSR was actually trying to talk to several poor fools like myself at the same time I eventually was presented with a reply, and at best, closure.

"I'm sorry. This account has been deleted due to inactivity."

Oh, that's a shame, I thought to myself. Most MMO companies only really ever delete low level inactive characters in order to free up space, and many still offer account recovery if you are graced with a caring customer representative. Before the NGE debacle I had re-subbed to SWG briefly and my Creature Handler/Bio Engineer that had been sleeping for over a year was still there upon log in, eager to be ganked by rabid durnies once again. Rest in peace, my little WHM/BLM.

"Ok, well, can I delete my PlayOnline ID and use the PlayOnline registration key (note: essentially the CD key) to create another account?"

Pause while the TSR talked to another helpless fool.

"I'm sorry. Only one PlayOnline ID may be created for each PlayOnline registration."

"So, I can't create another account? Is there some way I can get a new PlayOnline registration?"

"In order to obtain a new PlayOnline registration you will effectively have to purchase another copy of FFXI."

"..."

Sitting there, peering at what was typed before me from every sideways, upside-down and inside-out angle, I tried to ponder why me wanting to give a monthly fee to Square-Enix was proving to be so difficult. Looking over at the computer game boxes lining my shelves I mentally checked off all the games, besides the apparent FFXI, that allowed me to keep playing it as long as I held the CD key. I arrived at 100%. Before closing the chat program and squeezing my dreams of my new Taru-taru RDM /panicing for money in the middle of Jeuno out of my head, I left the TSR with a helpful tip in the hopes he/she had some super-duper powerful conduit to the upper management.

"You know, you might want to reconsider making registration keys one-time use only. I'm sure this needlessly complicated and inane business model has lost you a number of potential customers that have been looking to re-subscribe on a whim."

So, apparently the moral of my little adventure is that Square-Enix doesn't want my disposable income. So I ask, is there anybody that does?

…Smedley?

Comments

[Jiffy]

You did yourself a favor. Any company that makes it that hard to resub doesn't deserve your money.

[Ethic]

My brother played the heck out of that game and then took a break. Finally getting the desire to play it for another 12 months, he went back. Same thing, account deleted. He said oh well and went back to WoW - never to return to FFXI.

[aytch]

Same thing happened to me.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks their business plan is wacked.

[zombieninja0083]

Wow, I was actually going to resub for FFXI also, and BOOM, the registration codes are invalid.

Back to WoW then.

[Joe]

Hulariously PlayOnline still charges me a dollar a month for tetra master which I have no played two years. I haven't had any luck with a password recovered manually and I'm hoping that the online chat will at least help me log in so I can cancel my account and stop getting charged. I'm assuming that they have to have a way for me to cancel my account without having any of my information. The whole system is screwed up. Just in the interface to the games you have 2 usernames and passwords which are very forgetable and no "forgot your password?" link. Come on. This is elementary.

[Psyk]

Well if that doesnt just suck... On a whim yesterday i installed it and wanted to play again... no PW working same as that guy.. guess i wont bother waiting for the live chat tommarow... back to wow.

[Chaba]

Well ,I just want to say:
FUCK YOU SQUARE ENIX/ PLAYONLINE CO.! thats just the very best way to get rid of potential customers ! , there´s no way Im purchasing the game again.-

[Israel]

muchas gracias por los tips.. me acaban de aorrar mucho tiempo.. ya que tenia pensado chatear con los de square enix para q me den mi id y mi pasword.. pero veo que es inutil.. lol realmente solia usar muchas muchas veces esta palabra en FFXI.. ^^ lol
thaks for the tips.. all of you have just save my time.. because i thougt thath chating with some one of square enix can healp me get bak my id and pasword.. but i see that it is a waste of time.. thaks guys.. lol.. i realy use to write many many times this litle word on FFXI.. ^^ lol

[Devin]

Same thing happened to me, i tried to sign up with ffxi again for a birthday present for my little brother... guess what, no FFXI birthday gift for him!

Fuck you square you just lost my respect.

[Ben]

Yeah, this is no joke. The same happened to me. I just wanted to start playing it again for some random reason. Was trying to take a break from WoW. But ya, account deleted. Now they want me to dish out for another copy of the game, and still pay the fee? Wtf is that? That system is messed up. Even WoW leaves your account there.

[Paul]

Supirse supirse same thing just happened to me also, Maybe if I buy the new expansion I may get a new Playonline registration code, anyone no if this thought is correct?

[Jack]

Hey I'm having the same problem too, and I had the same thought as Paul above. Would getting a new PlayOnline code from the new expansion solve this issue?

[Cosmik]

"Would getting a new PlayOnline code from the new expansion solve this issue?"

It is my hope that it would. But then again, I'm not sure I could trust anyone that made this damned system to not screw people around again.

Your best bet appears to be to contact a GM. Otherwise, I believe there is a bundle of FFXI and all its expansions that is relatively cheap.

[Jack]

"I'm not sure I could trust anyone that made this damned system to not screw people around again."

Agreed man. Right now I'm beginning to wonder why I should bother spending more money on FFXI, not to mention the additional monthly fees.

Guild Wars seems a much more attractive option at the moment.

[Ben]

Same story for me. I tried Google to find a way to recover FFXI 'deleted' accounts and I came upon this discussion.

This system is totally screwed up. I have 3 Lv 60s in WoW (one which is completely epic'd out); I'm bored of Lineage 2 and I was really, really looking forward to playing FFXI again.

I talked with a representative via the Chat system on the site and the guy told me "I found your account, but it can't be renewed. You'll have to buy a new copy of the game and all of the expansions you purchased to be current." I thought it was a joke. But nope, SquareEnix ruined all chances of receiving my $13/month--as well as hundreds of other could-be customers.

GG SquareEnix.

-

[luke]

Same story here, i cant even email Playonline cause you have to enter your POL email address and christ knows what that is... This is a joke something has to be done theyve ripped us all off!

[Xemis]

You guys are hilarious. Here is the solution. Call em up. have your mailing address. name on your account. registration code. first 4 and last four digits of your credit card number. and Pol ID and have them do a character retrieval. and Tada! your old character is back. takes a few days though. but but then totally restarting. granite some of your guys's problems cant be solved like this. if you forgot your password you just need your id. and vise versa. if you lost your registration codes. point and laugh

[Jess]

Not true, after so long they delete your character and information. The only solution is to buy the game again. On the pc they have a welcome back to vanadiel package that includes all expansions except the newest release, it has all the codes and stuff, and a month free. It costs $30. I figured with the free month and the expansion I didnt have before I could justify the money.

[Chaosal]

this is soooooo fucked up, i wanted to play ffxi over summer again and wow...have to buy the game again >.< but im figurin the monthly subsription is £9 and the game with all the expansions and a free 30 days at £10 from play.com aint a bad way to go to play the game i love ^^

[Richard]

i had this problem, and have also just had to buy another copy of the full game.
play.com is by far the cheapest place to buy guys!

[Reese]

i knew something like that was going to happen so i bought 2 copies of the game just in case.

[Kelsey]

Ick, same thing about the registration codes. Spent all that time installing, was all excited to start playing with my brother again, and BOOM. Invalid. Good thing i still have WoW ^_^

[osman]

can anyone please tell me how to contact playonline within the uk !!! please thanks.

[Angela]

Hi guys I cancelled playing the game cause i lost my job finally got a new job and know I cant reinstall playonline the code I have comes up error is that the problem you are having?

[Alex]

Same thing happened to me jsut now! Anyone know where I can get a keygen lol!?