I wish I could post screenshots...
Big Fish's system works with credits! They take 6.99 a month out of my credit card, just like RA takes 9.99 a month out of yours! I can save the credits and use them anytime, even if I don't belong to their club anymore, they NEVER expire! With RA you have 2 months to use the credit or your 9.99 credit goes bye bye!
When I first left RA and joined BF in 2006, I bought 12 games in one month(83.86), thus fulfilling any obligation to stay with them! They even worked with me when I switched credit cards to get my billing date on the same cycle...they put my account in a hold status till I chose the date for it to be taken out again!
You don't have to belong to their game club to get service...if you have ever gotten one of the games that are posted here, you had to sign up for a membership which does not require a credit card...you can email them...do live chat whatever you like...they will listen! You can play their online games and voice your opinion on their forums!
Taken from BF's site: $9.99 per game!
1 game - no minimum, cancel any time
So that price is equal to RA's, with the exception that you can buy as many games as you want for 9.99, or buy the credits, which is what they are and use them anytime, they don't expire like RA's even though you quit!
GameHouse is indeed owned by Real, they have been in bed together since the old days, but just made it public...Hipsoft also is in bed with RA!
Taken from GameHouse: GameHouse is just like Real, no new games, just old stuff that's already out somewhere else!
$5.99 per game - Save 70%!
12 FunTickets over the next 12 months
$6.99 per game - Save 65%!
6 FunTickets over the next 6 months
$8.99 per game - Save 55%!
2 FunTickets over the next 2 months......this is the one I believe you mixed up with BF!
So you lack of wanting to commit is your choice, but Fish's 9.99 club is the same as RA's, with one difference...you don't have to wait a month for your next credit and you don't have to pay 14.99 for the second game, just 9.99!
I have gotten so many Free games from them, any problem they give you coupon codes to use...not satisfied with the game they give you a coupon code and you still keep the game! I had this happen only twice....I email them and they are back to me within 72 hours(with the exception of the Christmas/New Year Holidays when they are getting caught up)...it usually includes yet another 1 or 2 free game coupons!
BF doesn't outsource to India, the keep it in the USA where they are based in Seattle, Washington!
If RA was smart they wouldn't have upped the price from 7.99 to 9.99 in 2007 and would have included the option to buy as many games as you wanted at that price...they also wouldn't have an expiration date on your credits!
To stay competitive they will have to lower their prices, that's what they did with GameHouse!
Taken from GameZebo:
"Let the pricing wars truly commence. Today, Reflexive announced that all games on both Reflexive Arcade and Amazon.com (which bought Reflexive a few months back) will be $9.99 or less. No clubs. No sign ups. Just one set price.
Online storefronts for games compete for customers like you based on three factors: price, customer service, and content (i.e., exclusives). It'll be interesting ot see how this plays out, but one thing is for certain. With the recession not ending anytime soon, expect prices for casual games to continue to go down, not up. And Gamezebo will tell you about any price change!"
This is why RealArcade will never be my cup of Tea again! However I do screw with them just like you, or shall we say take advantage of them! I have gone back and signed up, I did it this last October when they were running deep discounts and there was a game I wanted...I got the game I wanted for free, then bought 4 others for a total of 10.00, then I quit! I don't feel like this is right, but hey if they are that stupid to let it happen so be it!
Is this the info you couldn't find? This was taken from the left side of their homepage!
http://www.bigfishgames.com/store/gameclub.html
I still belong to RA's Eval program this past Thursday, which is when the evals come out I got "mystery Legends-Sleepy Hollow" which came out on BF's site Dec 20th of 2008, it was also out on the publishers site, PlayPond at the same time, there price was and I believe still is 10.00.....now this might have been due to the fact that Fish had it as exclusive, but I know from doing their evals for so many years that they are behind everyone else by at least a month or more! Their evaluation program is not a true beta testing program, it is more like would you buy this game from RA, lmao!
Suki
P.S. Thanks Wizz....I know I can uninstall the downloader, but what a pain in the butt way to do things, lol! Hopefully they will see the error of their ways!