A weird bug in The Elder Scrolls: Blades could see you spending hundreds on in-app purchases
Update: Bass isn’t the only person affected. An email received by Trusted Reviews from a reader explains he went ahead with a loot boxes purchase and is now hoping Bethesda will refund him.
“I just got suckered into a 90-something pound lootbox labelled as ‘FREE,’” he said in an email. “I’ve filed a refund request with Bethesda but I’m shocked they’ve not done anything about this like taking the store down until it is fixed.”
Original story: Mobile game The Elder Scrolls: Blades has emerged, blinking, into Early Access, although you can only play it if developer Bethesda has invited you. However, one player has discovered that Blades biggest day one bug could cost you big money.
Educational specialist Chris Bass discovered that the in-game currency store, allowing you to buy the in-app purchase (IAP) driven currency gems, currently has every bundle of gems listed for the princely cost of £0.00, at least on the Android store.
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According to Bass, he was pushed towards IAPs early in the game, and after Bass selected one of the £0 options, he was given a pop-up asking him if he was sure he wanted to spend £92.99, which he luckily managed to back away from.
We’re still waiting to deliver our thoughts on the game, but Bass enthused about his early experiences. “The gameplay itself actually feels great,” said Bass. “It seems like a great time-killer, although it’s a shame IAPs are pressed on you so early on, and that they currently show as £0.”
Image courtesy of Chris Bass
Currently, Bass has 1-tap payments turned on via the Google Play store. “The panic I felt at nearly spending £92.99 did somewhat outweigh the joy I felt at making a six-foot tall cat wizard.” added Bass.
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I personally played Blades a bit last year, and enjoyed it. However, this bug could force a big payment out of people that aren’t paying enough attention, and as the payments currently read as costing £0.00, it’s not entirely clear how much you’re paying, and what for.
No doubt this will be fixed, but if you’re in The Elder Scrolls: Blades early test phase, do make sure to be careful with your in-app purchases to avoid nasty surprises.
In the Blades early tests? Let us know how you’re getting on, and hopefully you haven’t accidentally spent a load of cash. We’re on Twitter at @TrustedReviews
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
