A class action lawsuit has been waged against Scopely Inc. by users claiming that the online video game company decreased the value of virtual goods purchased on the video game Star Trek Fleet Command (STFC).
Plaintiff Vernon Ackies says that he purchased virtual goods on the Star Trek video game and found out that Scopely decreased the value and the effectiveness of the goods after he bought them.
“Simply stated, Scopely took advantage of, and defrauded, its players through numerous unconscionable commercial practices and fraudulent acts to extract as much money as possible from them,” the Star Trek video game class action lawsuit notes.
The plaintiff states that Star Trek Fleet Command is a multiplayer online game, or “MMO,” which allows players to participate at the same time over the internet. STFC is free to play, but players can buy virtual goods with real money to enhance their abilities compared to other players on the game.
The Star Trek Fleet Command class action states that, for as high as $99.99 players can purchase “resources,” “materials,” “character cards,” “faction credits,” and “ship blueprints.” In addition, the plaintiff notes that game players can purchase “packs,” like “Master Station Upgrade Pack” and “Ultra Ship Power Pack,” which encompass tokens which are used to upgrade a player’s character, space station or space ship.
“Making upgrades to a player’s space station and space ship through the purchase of virtual goods is an important function in STFC. Without making these upgrades, which cost real money, competitive players are unable to advance far in STFC and are easily defeated by other players who have made such purchases and upgrades,” the Scopely class action lawsuit states.
In addition, the plaintiff claims that the defendant represents the importance of upgrading a player’s space station and space ship.
The Scopely class action lawsuit alleges that STFC misrepresents to players the cost of Star Trek Fleet Command’s virtual goods. The plaintiff claims that STFC subtracted more in-game currencies from a player’s balance than the stated cost prior to purchase.
The plaintiff also claims that players pay for virtual goods that had stated benefits and capabilities at the time of the purchase, but that the players did not get those benefits and capabilities that they paid for.
The Star Trek Fleet Command class action lawsuit also claims that in February 2019, after complaints from STFC players, Scopely released an “update” to the game, which was supposed to fix parts of the software that was causing issues.
The plaintiff claims that these updates made changes to the “rules” of STFC, which had an effect on the “in-game economy and cost structure.”
“The February 2019 update, as well as a series of subsequent updates, substantially changed the rules of STFC and the in-game economy, effectively devaluing all prior purchases made by paying players,” the Scopely class action lawsuit alleges.
The plaintiff also alleges that Scopely makes it hard for Star Trek Fleet Command players to file complaints and refuses to issue refunds to players who have lost purchased virtual goods bought with real-world money.
“Refunds are not issued even if the virtual good was lost through no fault of the player…or if a virtual good does not operate as represented,” the Scopely class action lawsuit states.
The plaintiff has filed this action under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, conversion, unjust enrichment, and legal fraud.
Did you purchase virtual goods while playing Star Trek Fleet Command? Leave a message in the comments section below.
The plaintiff is represented by Bob Kasolas and Mark E. Critchley of Brach Eichler LLC.
The Scopely Star Trek Fleet Command In Game Purchase Class Action Lawsuit is Ackies v. Scopely, Inc. Case No. 2:19-cv-19247, in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
©2008 – 2024 Top Class Actions® LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
513 thoughts onStar Trek Fleet Command Players Lose Virtual Goods, Class Action Says
Add me
I have brought several packs which didn’t do what they were supposed to do
This is a typical comment on the Star Treck Fleet Command (Bug Command)discord:
“When are y’all gonna make this game playable?!?
Can’t see ships on mines… everything disappears.
What are we paying you for?!?
This is the buggiest game I’ve ever played.
Fire the high school kids and hire real coders.”
The bug/issue is always something like that. There’s always one. It takes weeks and/or months to fix these glitches/lack of functionality.
“They’re working on it.” Which everybody that plays the game knows means “maybe they’ll fix it in a couple weeks, but probably several months, if at all.
Once there was a glitch in the players’ favor. It was fixed within the hour. And within same 24 hour period, they punished players that ‘egregiously’ took advantage of the glitch (that looked like it was working properly).
We like to joke that the coders are incompetent. They’re not. They can fix things if/when they want. They just don’t.
Which is better to think about, because the alternative is that they are REALLY REALLY incompetant.
LOL this game.
Many officers have been broken since the game started a year ago.
Text on various ships etc incorrect and uncorrected since game started a year ago.
The timers on mines/miners don’t match, never have.
Broken objects (mines, armadas, etc) remain unfixed, or get fixed for a week or so and then break again and remain unfixed for weeks to months. Repeat.
Armada targets broken since day one.
Shield glitch remains unfixed. I haven’t mined overnight for 6+ months, and thus haven’t been raided. Easy to lose $100+ in resources that cost real money because of a glitch that scopely can’t identify and thus can’t/wont fix.
AFAIK, scopely only hires volunteer hobbyist coders. And probably only two of them. And only lets them work an hour a day. Any serious company would fire the incompetant coders that ‘keep this game running’.
The lack of skill and interest that the company puts into this game is staggering, only made more unbelievable by the rich guys that sink thousands and tens of thousands of real money into this broken turd of a game.
Scopely doesn’t need to fix this game, or make it work, or give refunds. Guys continue to play, and continue to spend real money on it.
Oh, and 80%+ of the time, the purchases (names on products showing in purchase history) are misnamed.
Just lucked out on getting a refund from both Apple and Scopely. I wanted to advance some things but then systems started to be shown as empty and unusable and the app started to randomly fail. How can I add my name to this as well?
TIM player; LUKE2020
First purchase went sour right away, when game glitched and no screen to confirm goods received. Searching my inventory came up with nothing as well. Scopely reps kept saying they needed more info, yet every piece of info I could supply was never enough. Escalating to a point where Google got involved and relayed my info and I finally got the supplies, or so they said, which was 2 & 1/2 weeks later making it even harder for me verify receipt of exactly what I purchased. Never bought again.
add me in
Game Play has become impossible and have spent well over 1000 dollars. Updates create more problem than they fix and all you get from support is the same standard answers ! I have played lots of games and this by far is the worst customer support and value is in the tank !
They are huge predators and I have had it as of this morning purchasing technology that does absolutely nothing. Many other times I have purchased things that then turn out to be different than advertised and virtually useless. Some technology and building upgrades are clearly not even remotely working as advertised. I have an IT background and I would get fired if I made even 1/10 the amount of false claims that this company does.
I believe a full refund a punitive damages are in order
All statements are true. I have been affected by the exact same predatory business practices employed by Scopely. They consistently allow software problems that cause you to lose massive amounts of real money resources. They will admit that it is a problem, promise to look into a fix but still refuse to refund virtual goods. It’s a scam.
Good Luck! I am rooting for you guys. I am a long time player of the TWDRTS game and I can say without a doubt that Scopely is the most un-ethical greediest companies I have ever seen. They treat their customers like garbage and deserve to be taken for everything they have.