[Guide] BUYER BEWARE! DELUXE IMPLANTS AND ISO-4 SCAM

BUYER BEWARE DELUXE IMPLANT PACKS AND ISO-4 RECYCLER:

I decided to try my luck at getting an exceptional implant and placed an $85.00 purchase of DBC for 9 Deluxe Implant Packs. Keep in mind, I already have all the basic implants with most at leveled up to 4 and 5. I expected to have a lot of duplicates and I was not wrong. Not a single exceptional implant to be had. After breaking down the duplicates, I ended up with 5,000 ISOs. Wow! Such a measly amount for $85.00 which can be earned by playing at least 10 continents whether you faction wins or loses them.

So, I decided to recycle those 5,000 ISOs using the ISO-4 Recycler. I thought that is what it’s for. Well, my 5,000 ISOs ended up into 300 ISOs with NONE of my basic implants leveling up and of course with no exceptional (honestly, I didn’t expect it). What I also didn’t expect is to see $85.00 turn into 300 ISOs. Nothing dishonest to see here. Right? A while back I did this and not at this amount and didn’t realize how much of a scam this really is. This is not acceptable. In many states, this may be considered fraud without fully disclosing what can happen.

My understanding the company is based in California, if so, I am too. This means I am considering a call to weights and measures to see what can legally be done to force a change here. This is no way to treat your customers and if they are serious about people who cheat in the game, then this is more egregious and downright criminal comparatively. So not cool. I spend a lot of money in this game because I like to support the artists, developers, people who make the game content, as well those who use PlayerStudio making camo, helmets, etc. You don’t want to lose customers like me who spend and especially ones with the resources to initiate litigation.

I've been saying this forever. It's the wild wild west with these sort of schemes. No oversight, we just have to take the company's word for it.

To all aggrieved, file a complaint with you're states Weights and Measures. It's there to protect consumers from dishonest companies.

o7

I spent 30 or so bucks + my 500 monthly dbc and I bought I think 9 deluxe packs. My intent was to fill out some of the "common" implants that I have yet to acquire.
What I ended up was 10 of this and 15 of that and not a single new "common" implant.

I hate the stupid implant system it's an endless money sink that rarely pays out.

It's a lottery. Some people just spend certs and get the best implants on their first try, others like you and me will spend massive amounts or real money and certs/iso to get 150000 ammo printers that break down to form 2 iso. I don't like it, it's unfair, but it's exactly what to expect from a loot crate system. Even on my main characters, I haven't gotten all of the implants.

And I'll admit the iso recycler and the breakdown of implants is disgusting.


Here are the theoretical drop rates.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Planetside/comments/97slxw/pts_new_implant_drop_rates/

I would disagree that it's a scam, except that you can try your luck with real life money, which yeah, I admit, is kind of dubious.

There's been a lot of high profile cases recently regarding loot box, if you're American, you can probably get a lawyer with a contingency fee (you only pay him out of anything you mayn win).

I searched it up, I don't think you'll have much success filing a lawsuit against loot crates. It doesn't mention anywhere that the amount of money you invest in the system is proportionate to what you receive. It's like gambling. The system isn't based on winners, it works because a huge majority of players are losers.

You got to pretend it's like going to a casino: you plan on losing. You don't invest all your life savings gambling thinking you're going to strike it rich, you play small amounts you don't care about losing. If you win; hooray, if you lose; who cares, it's what you were expecting.


I'm no lawyer, nor do I follow California law, but I don't think you'll have much success filing a case against a gambling system. In the end, you decided to spend your money on it, it said nowhere that it was going to give it back. I feel sorry for you, you support the game, and it spits in your face. Unfortunately, there's really not much you can do. Just invest in boosts or concrete stuff you're sure to benefit from. Try dumping all your extra certs into the packs, and don't bother using the recycler unless all your implants are upgraded.


Also, no offense, but if you don't mind hiring a lawyer for a videogame investment gone wrong, either you probably didn't need those 85$ or you shouldn't have spent them on the game. Anyways, good luck whatever you do man, I feel bad for you, but that's just how stuff like that works.

If you are interested ;

https://gameworldobserver.com/2019/10/25/video-games-lawsuits/
https://gameworldobserver.com/2019/11/01/video-games-lawsuits-2/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...anies-making-hundreds-millions-gambling-like/

this one more recent : https://www.online-casinos.com/news/society/lawsuit-filed-against-ea-in-france.html

basically, as the Guardian says :

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2...es-should-be-classed-as-gambling-says-commons


If it's classed as gambling, then it should follow the laws relevant to gambling. (for example, adults only, or, in some places, gambling is down right illegal).

There's a ton of stuff out there, I disagree, I think he could win, or, what is more likely, strike a deal before it even goes to court.

Also, depending on where you live, there are lots of options to either get a free lawyer (get a association to represent you) or one that will get payed by taking a commission of the winnings.

That's not the same in every country of course, so it depends.

I have filed a complaint with California Department of Consumer Affairs and Federal Trade Commission after Daybreak Game LLC refused to refund my account, or at least restore my DBC and remove the ISOs. Soon, they will be hearing from the San Diego District Attorney's Office. I'm not playing around. This is online fraud where consumers are not warned they are gambling using virtual currency to gamble. There is an expectation of product, not a removal of product provided - albeit as paltry in what is provided. There is no warning you will lose paid-for ISOs and end up gaining nothing if using the ISO-4 Recycler.

Absolutely dubious and this should not go unchecked and questioned. This is a disgusting way to business. I am no longer going to purchase any packs, camo, implants, or any more product from DBG and I'll let my All-Access Membership run out. What a dumb way to do business. Defraud your customers who pay for things. Real bright guys!

Here's the point. It should be disclosed you are gambling and that you may lose whatever currency you've invested. There is NO indication of such. You are left with the expectation of at least getting something using ISO-4 Recycler and not losing 5,000 ISOs which apparently is equal to $85.00 USD. My God, that is a paltry amount of ISOs for $85.00. This is a bad look, a real bad look for this game. Granted, I'm sure they don't care because they keep it in and at the cost of losing customers. So be it. I did my civic duty to warn people to beware of this fraudulent scam. I wished DBG LLC would do its part in being a responsible company. This is just disgusting. It's only $85.00 and I'll live, it's just the thought they would do this to people, and particularly to All-Access members is just not cool. Not cool at all.

I think if they gave paying members a higher chance of winning good implants, it might be more fair, but it could also be considered pay 2 win. Here everyone gets robbed equally.

Maybe send the customer service a letter explaining: "my character is ___, I've spent ____ amount on this game. Last week I bought 85$ worth of implants, I was disappointing that I got nothing, for this reason I will cease all transactions with this game until the system is made fair." If they see they're losing a loyal customer due to their foolishness, maybe they'll react? Then again, they haven't been know for their good customer relations or proper management.


Let us know how your lawsuit goes, I'm really interested to see what happens!

I think it's an issue that hasn't been properly addressed. However if everyone could sue companies for loot box systems, I think many companies would have stopped or switched systems long ago.


Of course, I no longer live in north america, I wish him all the best, but personally, i think if it was unlawful to have a loot system in the game, then we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. I definitely think they should pass some laws in this regard though.

If you want implants, DO NOT buy packs.
Buy a subscription (and use the 500 DBG that comes with it on an xp boost!), you'll get a lot of certs,
Use 750 certs to get implant packs (don't go for the little ones)
Don't gamble real money, because the odds are so low.

Liewec123 is correct, if you're looking for implants then the way to do it isn't buying packs or recyclers with real money that's CRAZY, instead just put your certs into the deluxe packs.

By the time you've played long enough that you're desperate for that last implant then you've already bought everything you can for your character anyway, so it's not like there's anything else to put certs into. Every time you hit 750 pop another deluxe pack and before you know it you'll be swimming in ISO (Which allows you to outright make most of the implants) and eventually you'll get those exceptionals too.

That is how I did it and my "main" character has every single implant that is available except for Failsafe, not showing off just trying to say that at least for me this method has worked fine. No frustration at "gambling" or anything of the sort, just buy deluxes for certs. Essentially you just play the game and every now and then you get a roll of 9 implants.

With regards to the "Not being told that i'd lose everything by turning all my money into ISO and then putting that ISO into recyclers again and again", well, you don't really need to be told with a message do you? You already know that duplicate implants produce 25 ISO and the recycler, even with its buffed odds, is more likely to give you a non-exceptional than an exceptional (Effectively an implant of 25 ISO value, once you get to that point). So if you keep pumping everything into the recycler of course you're going to be putting in 500 and getting out 25, that's just common sense.

Why can't the consumers get factual verification from their states Weights & Measures regarding these so-called odds? I'm not trusting DBG/RPG's word for it.

I don't want some unaccredited 3rd party company telling me the odds are legit. Especially when the unaccredited 3rd party company has to relying on ad revenue from video game publishers to make money. Alas, I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine.

Funny how all the veterans figured out they were paying the dummy tax, but the new players don't know the unwritten rule. Every new player has to figure out their paying the dummy tax and meanwhile DBG/RPG profits from the smoke and mirrors.

Its completely disingenuous to the consumers.

This is not a scam, and I'd be super surprised if anything other than dismissal comes out of this. RPG makes it very clear exactly what's on offer. The average drop rates are available with only old-people's google-fu. You had every opportunity to know what you were getting into. RPG has not covered it up in any way.

It *is* an obnoxiously over-priced *macro*-transaction loot-box system. It is *not* a scam.

If I was Daybreak I would be sweating really hard right now. Remember it was California law that brought Blizzard to its knees with a lawsuit regarding its treatment of a trangender gamer in WoW. Given that both agencies even took the complaint is a bad sign - it means they A) consider it serious enough to warrant further looking or B) they're already looking. Anything else would have been dismissed within 24 hours of the original complaint filed.

If anything I wouldn't be surprised to see a case brought in another 3 or 4 years. Attitudes towards corporations are changing and that includes tolerance for the whole "buyer beware" excuse.

spends money to get common implants, doesn´t go and just create them himself ... welp ...

i have only one question here: do meltdowns still provide iso4? ... if yes then there is no problem here ... cause i have not interest in spending certs for random drops .. sure won´t spend money on it ...

if meltdown = the alert

then yeah, can't remember exactly cause I never really cared for it but 1, 2 hundred maybe, something like that

wait till your mom gets home and you gotta tell her about the $85