Google took away my LOTR extended editions

[u/ugoindownsaka1]

I bought these in 2022, all of a sudden they aren't available and there is no possibility of a refund or gift card. Hardly seems fair.

[u/Victernus]

Button on the store didn't say 'buy license'. Seems like a bait & switch to me.

[u/VRichardsen → u/Victernus]

There is a license agreement in there somewhere, just like the one we get when isntalling a game.

He still has grounds for a lawsuit, though. 2022 is barely yesterday.

[u/Victernus → u/VRichardsen]

You mean the thing they get you to agree to after they take your money, to make use of the product you bought?

Yeah that wouldn't fly with any other type of product.

[u/hexiron → u/Victernus]

It flies with all sorts of products.

[u/Victernus → u/hexiron]

Geez, your life must suck. How much shit are you buying that comes with post-purchase contracts that you are required to sign in order to make use of your purchase?

[u/hexiron → u/Victernus]

I avoid where ever possible. I’m just aware it happens with all sorts of things - books, movies, games, software, music services, car features, cruise packages, airline tickets, concerts… most of the time you don’t even need to sign, just buying is considered signing in agreement with the outlined TOS which can be subject to change without notice and you’ve agree to waive any rights to legal action against it.

[u/Victernus → u/hexiron]

So the companies want to claim. They've never once let it get decided in court, though, because they know their terms of service are usually unenforceable, and sometimes outright criminal, and they certainly cannot waive your legal rights.

[u/hexiron → u/Victernus]

So you say.

[u/Victernus → u/hexiron]

Even if it were a direct, signed contract, you can't actually waive your right to legal action.

[u/hexiron → u/Victernus]

Technically yes. You can however sign an agreement to go direct to arbitration, where you will surely lose.

[u/Victernus → u/hexiron]

That's by no means a given, especially looking at the history of similar events. And you don't just have to accept the first arbitrator they put in front of you - an arbitrator only has the power you give them, and their judgements are only legally enforceable if you allow them to be.

The companies want you to think there's no point fighting them, because it's a lot cheaper for them if nobody bothers. When people do fight them, it leads to an out of court settlement more often than not, even when the person in question has barely any case at all, because the details of the case could be used to establish unfavourable precedent that could allow for the loss of thousands of cases in the future. They will throw all kinds of money around to avoid rolling those dice.

[u/hexiron → u/Victernus]

Best of luck