Microsoft lost my copy of the game during the account transfer.
Despite me having an account, that had both re-downloaded the game and played it just a few weeks earlier, had a custom character skin stored in it, and other stuff - they claimed I didn't actually ever own Minecraft, and demanded I provide proof of purchase.
I provided as much as I could - including security questions+answers (which I had stored in my KeePass database, together with the password) - but I could not provide the original purchase email, since I lost access to that email years earlier.
Their support was quite hostile with just the thinnest veneer of superficial politeness on top. They refused to tell me why they believed I don't own the game. They refused to tell me what I could do to get my copy back (other than providing that email, that I no longer had).
Basically I was considered guilty unless I could proof my innocence - and they wouldn't accept any other proof than the original confirmation email.
And that's how - after nearly 10 years - I stopped being a Minecraft player. There's no way I'm going to repurchase the game and play again - not after being treated like that.
-> Basically I was considered guilty unless I could proof my innocence
imho this is not comparable. You are considered unknown (account-wise) until you can prove that you are known.
That's how a login system works.
Now why Microsoft didn't see your account, didn't accept your "proof" and left you in the rain, that's another story. A bad one. Big tech should care about the small man, they are their income after all.
Same for an account I bought via PayPal. I even did still have the PayPal transaction id since PayPal was connected to another email. But the email the account was linked to was lost.
Reply: "sorry we lost payment data for this time period. Fuck off"
Since that day my server allows cracked logins. Didn't migrate my main account to Microsoft either. I bought the game from Mojang, not Microsoft. Since from my pov, the online services of the game shut down, it is at least morally ok to pirate the game now.
IMO, if you bought the game it's morally OK to pirate it. I bought Bioshock 1 on steam and it required Games for Windows Live to play, so I just pirated it and played that instead.
Steam did the same for me. They wanted the first email of the account, which was like some hotmail.de throwaway. Except that they didn’t care that I were able to show them hundreds of purchases with several payment methods which were made over the years.
The account works and is connected to an email address I own.
I can login, I can reset the password, I can change the email. They never deactivated the account, or contested my ownership of the account or anything.
Only the game was gone - but evidence of that account having actually played the game in the past was still there.
Support refused to help me, unless I first provide that confirmation email, which I no longer had (the email provider went bankrupt, servers disappeared over night).
They never outright stated any reason for what happened, or answered any of my questions - but it would seem that they intentionally disabled all copies of Minecraft they thought might have been pirated, only re-instating them if the account holder could provide proof of purchase.
That seems to be the only plausible explanation for why they would refuse to look into my ticket or try to help me or even just answer my questions.
Uh, no. They have the account, which wasn't even under debate - they are missing the copy of the game. And no login system works by asking you the registration mail, ever.
Correct. I do have the account, the password, the security answers. I can login, I can see my skin, I can change my password, I can change my email. The only thing that is gone, is the game download.
I wrote support, asking them to look into this. They demanded that original confirmation email, and since I wasn't able to provide that - they refused to look into the problem, or answer any of my questions.
I agree with this sentiment a lot. I only make the exception here for this game specifically because:
- He has already bought the product
- It works offline and you don't need to ever update
- The game is fun as hell and there's really nothing like it
If this was the case with some other piece of software such as Windows (which funnily enough is also by Microsoft) where I do have alternatives, instead of pirating I just use Linux/Mac/BSD/whatever_else instead. I should note my personal experience with the game has been very pleasant specifically because I choose to play it "pirated"/"offline" even though I've purchased a copy of the game a long time ago, it's just more convenient, safer, and more private. If MineTest or something else ever gets to a state where it's as polished and fun as Minecraft 1.0.0 I'll certainly migrate.
Despite me having an account, that had both re-downloaded the game and played it just a few weeks earlier, had a custom character skin stored in it, and other stuff - they claimed I didn't actually ever own Minecraft, and demanded I provide proof of purchase.
I provided as much as I could - including security questions+answers (which I had stored in my KeePass database, together with the password) - but I could not provide the original purchase email, since I lost access to that email years earlier.
Their support was quite hostile with just the thinnest veneer of superficial politeness on top. They refused to tell me why they believed I don't own the game. They refused to tell me what I could do to get my copy back (other than providing that email, that I no longer had).
Basically I was considered guilty unless I could proof my innocence - and they wouldn't accept any other proof than the original confirmation email.
And that's how - after nearly 10 years - I stopped being a Minecraft player. There's no way I'm going to repurchase the game and play again - not after being treated like that.