[Malevolent]

A consumer's difficulty in canceling a Final Fantasy XI account has led to a new Illinois law which mandates that MMO providers make an online cancellation option available. Companies are also required to provide online instructions on how to cancel.
As reported by Silicon Alley Insider:

Alex Edwards played Final Fantasy Online for a few months, then grew tired of the game... His parents Frank and Cinda, who were paying the $13 a month subscription, tried to cancel the account online.

But Final Fantasy didn't offer Cinda a way to do that online, and didn't offer her a contact phone number, either. The Edwards finally found the number via their credit card statement -- but when they called, they spent an hour and 45 minutes on hold before someone answered the phone...

But unfortunately for Square Enix, who makes Final Fantasy, Frank Edwards is an alderman in Springfield, Illinois and a good friend of his local State Rep. Raymond Poe.

After hearing the Edwards' story, Rep. Poe (R) introduced a bill, HB4178, which passed both the Illinois House and Senate in May. Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) signed it into law on Tuesday.
Here's a summary:

...an Internet gaming service provider that provides service to a consumer... for a stated term that is automatically renewed for another term unless a consumer cancels the service must give a consumer who is an Illinois resident: (1) a secure method at the Internet gaming service provider's web site that the consumer may use to cancel the service, which method shall not require the consumer to make a telephone call or send U.S. Postal Service mail to effectuate the cancellation;

and (2) instructions that the consumer may follow to cancel the service at the Internet gaming service provider's web site. Makes it an unlawful business practice for an Internet gaming service provider to violate the new provisions.

GP: From a consumer standpoint, it's hard to argue with this one. Plus, Gov. Blagojevich gets to sign a video game bill that might actually survive this time. His 2005 attempt to regulate violent game sales was declared unconstitutional and cost Illinois about a half-million bucks in legal fees.


Taken From: Final Fantasy XI Cancellation Woes Conjure Up New Law in Illinois | GamePolitics

[Yellow Mage]

BG beat ya to it.

And I don't even go browsing about BG!

[Ziero]

...but you can cancel FFXI using an online method...infact it's the only way you can actually cancel FFXI

...am I missing something here?

[Feba]

Originally Posted by Malevolent

web site

reading is fun.


Also, this is a good thing. There's really no reason NOT to offer this. Also, in before security bitching, your fucking bank probably offers this too. And an MMO is far less money to lose.

[eticket109]

Essentially the government just asked them to do something they already do. They offer an easy and secure way to do it online through POL itself.

Nice research on the part of both the legislature and the guy writing the original story.

[Malevolent]

I'm just a lil bothered about how it became law...Poe's buddy got pissed off...its kinda funny tho Rep. Poe has been foaming at the mouth to pass some kinda of video game law because everyone's doing it but depending on what it is usually gets shot down due to being unconstitutional...

i mean its kinda common sense to cancel your subscription before you toss or uninstall the game. I mean do you throw out your 360 if you no longer need its Gold/Silver membership. Also now on PO its so much easier to cancel FFXI and its hard to believe they couldn't find PO's number on their website...

[Mhurron]

I'd just stop selling in Illinois.

[Mog]

Originally Posted by Mhurron

I'd just stop living in Illinois.

FTFY

[Feba]

Originally Posted by Malevolent

I'm just a lil bothered about how it became law...Poe's buddy got pissed off...

YouTube - Schoolhouse Rock- How a Bill Becomes a Law

YouTube - Schoolhouse Rock- How a Bill Becomes a Law

"When I started, I wasn't even a bill! I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local Congressman, and he said "You're right; there oughta be a law." And he sat down, and wrote me out, and introduced me to Congress! And I became a bill. And I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law."

[Tickmeoff]

Of course it's available in the POL viewer, but this article suggests the person cancelling was a kid and it's likely he assumed just uninstalling the game and POL viewer was good enough. Every other MMO in existence already has this feature and it made no sense for FFXI to not have it.

Then again, this is Square Enix. It took them 5 years to bring us auto sorting inventory, something even the first MMO in existence had, and FFXI's auto sort is still worse than that.

I'm actually disappointed this is going to be law only in Illinois, account controls on the web site for any paid online service should be mandatory.

[Feba]

Tickmeoff: considering they'll likely have to do this if they don't want to cancel every subscriber in Illinois (which would actually be pretty fucking awesome and hilarious, in a "screw your lawmakers" kinda way), it isn't going to be just Illinois.

Unless they make the "online cancellation" service exclusive to people in Illinois, which again, would be pretty hilarious.

[Ziero]

Originally Posted by Tickmeoff

Of course it's available in the POL viewer, but this article suggests the person cancelling was a kid and it's likely he assumed just uninstalling the game and POL viewer was good enough. Every other MMO in existence already has this feature and it made no sense for FFXI to not have it.

Then again, this is Square Enix. It took them 5 years to bring us auto sorting inventory, something even the first MMO in existence had, and FFXI's auto sort is still worse than that.

I'm actually disappointed this is going to be law only in Illinois, account controls on the web site for any paid online service should be mandatory.

First off, he has to be at least 13 to play. By that age you should be old enough to READ THE FREAKING MANUAL.

No excuse.

[eticket109]

Originally Posted by Ziero

First off, he has to be at least 13 to play. By that age you should be old enough to READ THE FREAKING MANUAL.

No excuse.

Exactly... shit like this is exactly why we seem to get stupider as a society day by day. Instead of having to work for things and learn, more and more is just being handed to us to 'make things easier'.

[Wise Donkey]

Government - making life easier for the retarded.

[Feba]

Originally Posted by Ziero

First off, he has to be at least 13 to play. By that age you should be old enough to READ THE FREAKING MANUAL.

Secondly?

Even if it is in the manual, there are plenty of instances where you might be unable to use the POL software (for example, destruction or loss of the hard drive/installation disks) and need to cancel your account.