Fuck Rockstar. I changed my email accounts a few years ago but forgot to change Rockstar first. This wasn’t a problem. Now, after buying GTA V on Xbox and Steam and sinking a lot of time into it over two accounts, they added some mandatory launcher on Steam that forces you to login to their Social Club. Mandatory launcher calls an account that I can’t unlink, triggers mandatory 2FA to an email that doesn’t exist. They refuse to help despite my willingly handing over a lot of private information - their support system is as good as fake. The end result is I have sank >£100 in buying their games and they ensure that not only do I not get to continue my account on GTA V, but I have been permanently locked out and actually impossible to play any Rockstar Social - walled game on Steam.
Partial ‘correspondence’ of my third attempt to get help from them. Twice they ignored the support subject.
Judging by other complaints online this exact issue has persisted and screwed over players since the creation of GTA V, so at least 12 years.
I have the same issue with Activision, and here’s the kicker. They’re exactly the same blueprint. Same support. Same result. Same fake-ass Western names on their signature.
I feel like Rockstar needs to be continuously pressured, injustices talked about, just in case they give.
Just don’t give corps like Rockstar money.
Additional:
(from Schwaggaccino • 2y ago • Reddit)
I emailed Rockstar and started a request ticket and they want me to log in to get me to reset my 2FA which is preventing me from logging in.
THIS IS PEAK CLOWN WORLD I CAN’T BELIEVE SOMEONE ACTUALLY GOT PAID TO IMPLEMENT THIS JOKE OF A SYSTEM
Edit: For the time being it seems they have disabled all support as none of my support requests are going through, even with omitting data and using VPN multiple times… I’ve had seven unsuccessful tickets and was just brainstorming how to automate the requests.
Final Edit: Thanks for your responses everyone, looks like legal is the only route. After 24h my support requests are still being auto blocked (not submitting as there’s no delay before response), and I am skeptical they switched off support for that long, even if it is fake, so they just blacklisted my details I think.
You must log in or # to comment.
Yep, I have the same story verbatim dude. Fuck Rockstar, permanently. Haven’t played one of their games in like 5 years, and I never will again.
I mean, rockstar hasn’t release a new game in like 5 years. So you have not missed out on anything yet.
yeah this is the circle of ownership because the only way to get your account back at this point is social engineering, which is a serious topic about getting accounts hacked which different companies will handle seriously, as it requires a level of “trust me bro” on identity, If possible, id try to look for a CS that will take receipts of the game purchases to help further prove your identity.
Ok, I won’t. I don’t like launchers anyway.
One way to fix this is buy your own domain and own all the email accounts.
First of all, I agree entirely. Now: Pounds, so you’re in the UK. Have a read about your options with the ombudsman service: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/how-to-use-an-ombudsman-in-england/
the Financial Ombudsman Service sorts out problems with banks, insurance, PPI, loans, mortgages, pensions and deals with other money and financial complaints - read our advice about getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal
If nothing else you’re putting them on blast with the government, and that contributes to the paper trail for eventual action. In the meantime it might get your complaint resolved. Did you try tweeting at their official account too? Sometimes that can help get things moving.
Thank you! I didn’t think an ombudsman would be at all helpful against a game company, I should reconsider aha. No Twitter account but that’s good advice!
It’s not a game company. It’s a company period. It sold you something that you’re not able to use.
Yes but the financial ombudsman regulates financial services.
Through “no fault” of the company and years after the purchase.
Its not the companies fault he couldnt be assed to :
- Diversify his email addresses in the 1st place
- Update his email address.
When you put all your eggs in one basket, you’ve really got no one else to blame when you then decide to throw the basket away.
Still paid them money and they’re not allowing him to use what he bought.
But they are also required to make sure noone else gets access to the account, and so it’s OPs job to prove ownership of the account - which he can’t, or else the situation would have been resolved after Rockstar supports questions.
You’re right, this is more of an issue with your purchase not being complete. I think your legal remedies would either be through your card provider (probably too late) or civil action directly to Rockstar.
Mandatory launchers can fuck right off. I was lucky enough to get Rockstar support to accept my Steam purchases but even then I had to try twice because the first time they pretty much blew me off.
I also had a similar issue with Ubisoft. There it was actually easier to restore my old email than get Ubisoft support to cooperate.
In short, fuck forced launchers and anyone who says “it’s just another account”. Yeah, it is at the moment but who knows 10 years from now. You’ll be locked out of your games because some fuckery happens and support won’t do shit.
Mandatory launchers can fuck right off.
… Iike Steam’s? 😛
You know what I meant. If I buy a game on one launcher it shouldn’t open another launcher that then launches the game. The other launcher is completely unnecessary but it is mandatory to launch the game, hence mandatory launcher.
Oops, I misunderstood and agree; I didn’t realize a second launcher was the issue here. That is messed up.
Think the complaint is where a launcher is required on top of a launcher. Like if you buy Cyberpunk 2077 from Steam, GOG, or Epic it doesn’t required another launcher on top of the launcher you bought it from.
Good thing is that it does seem like majority of games don’t do that. Even EA is moving away from it.
That’s not the best example, because CP2077 has its own launcher (at least the steam one)
–launcher-skip
And I’m talking about launcher the type you have to log in again.
Example being Ubisoft games where you get it from Steam or Epic and then have to install UPlay and then log into UPlay.
I’ll even use Finals as an example which isn’t DRM free. You install on Steam and go on playing with no additional login into a secondary launcher. Or you install from Gamepass with no additional login for a secondary launcher.
I am aware of this list. Try comparing it to itch.io and GOG, though.
Step one: put this on your tinder profile:
I have been permanently locked out and actually impossible to play any Rockstar Social - walled game on Steam.
Step two: reel’em in. You’re free now!
Not a fan of Rockstar in particular.
GTA (as in, the first one) was a wonderful gaming experience. GTA 2 changed the game in some interesting ways, yet it remains the black sheep of the series for some reason. 3, 4, and 5 were iconic. Then 4 came out again (oops, the OG 4 is actually just Vice City, it’s not the fourth game but it’s also not DLC, not sure how that works. Interestingly while GTA 4/VC and GTA 4 were in different cities, GTA 5/SA and GTA 5 both took place in San Andreas (and surrounding areas). Anyway, I couldn’t get into the new GTA 4. GTA 5 was better, but I never finished it. Then they paused GTA to do a sequel to their Red Dead games, neither of which really went anywhere (popularity wise) but whatever, RDR2 (sequel to Red Dead Redemption, itself a sequel to Red Dead Revolver) ended up being a massive hit. Wasn’t for me, but I enjoyed what I played (the intro and maybe a couple hours after).
I don’t think GTA VI will be worth $100. I’m not interested in paying more than like $40 for it, tops. But, that’s just me. I know even at $100 it will break records and then everyone will think they can sell their games for $100 each. I don’t like it, but it’s going to happen.
Maybe I was lucky, but I had the same issue where I no longer had access to my old e-mail account and they sorted it out for me within a few hours (after a few e-mails back and forth).
It probably helped that I was able to provide them with a screenshot of the game in my Steam library as well as a list of all the games linked to my Rockstar account with dates of purchase. To find the dates of purchase on Steam I went to “account details” and “view purchase history”.
Thanks - from what I can gather the support member is a roulette spin with each message - hopefully I can use your tips and increase my chances of success
God, can these companies fuck off with their third party launchers? Its why I don’t buy any game off Steam which has that warning, not worth the hassle
Lol, YDI. When asked to provide the identifiable information, you just say “Stop and do the thing I want.” You seriously expect them to just hand over an account to someone who can’t provide basic information about it? You owned yourself, pal.
Social Club is the kind of account you use a throwaway email for, and just use whatever random nickname isn’t taken yet. I, personally, have no idea what the email or nickname to my Social Club account are. I also have bought GTA V through Steam back in 2015 and haven’t lived into Social Club since. I think it’s perfectly fair to expect that your Steam account shouldn’t be hijacked by Rockstar upon linking it to one Social Club account once.
At the very least, if they’re gonna have a Rockstar launcher, it should allow you to unlink your Steam account through it, using your Steam credentials, and free it up to link to a new Social Club account.
Look at the timestamps, the conversation is from top to bottom. So technically I guess he tried to answer, but he probably missed the answer and instead had a tone that happened to match exactly how a scammy email would sound.
If legitimate, it’s probably better that they didn’t get to successfully automating spamming the support system. Nothing screams legitimate requests like bot spamming… Don’t know the tone of his follow ups, but best to take a breath and reset their tone and try again, asking what other details aside from nickname can be used, given their steam access.
Ah, yeah, I totally misread those screenshots. My mistake. Still not good, though. I take back that YDI, but yeah, not surprised they’re getting ghosted after all that.
I think you meant “bottom to top”. But yes, that does change the tone a bit.
Just wait until that guy learns about Crypto
I’m just imagining their pure rage when reaching out to a Bitcoin Dev/maintainer whatever with something like „I don’t know what my Wallets name was, idk my 10 phrase password, but give me back my 10$ in Btc right now”
And then pasting this again with the Title DONT BUY BTC THEY SCAM YOU
Time to sail the high seas.
Exact same for me but an Ubisoft game linking my Steam account to a long gone email address of a long gone Ubisoft account.
Absolutely hopeless customer support saying there is no possible way for them to help me.
Good thing I wasn’t planning on buying any Ubisoft game ever again, problem pretty much sorted itself out.
Why don’t you request a refund from Steam? If the game doesn’t work because they changed it then I want my money back.
I couldn’t play red dead 2 because of some old email I didn’t recognize was associated with my rockstar social account that was linked to my steam account where I bought the game. I didn’t even give a shit about cloud or online play. I just wanted to do the game all alone but it wouldn’t let me without that email. It was the dumbest shit ever and i eventually just got a refund. They definitely use people over seas for support and it takes them forever to reply.
