The developers of The War Z, Hammerpoint Interactive, were accused of fraud by numerous gamers who had purchased it upon its release earlier today. Many of its buyers complained about the game's unfinished state. The game's sales page on Steam contained a features list that blatantly lied about the state of the game.
The game's description has been changed (before / after) since our last report, omitting references to character skills, private servers, and the multiple non-existent maps the game was supposed to be released with.
Most telling is the omission of the "key feature" which read: "Single Purchase. Downloadable Client with ability to play the full game without subscriptions or requiring in-game transactions."
Hammerpoint Interactive has since released a new patch for the game on Steam, which its buyers argue is proof of the developer's "money-grabbing" and "game-breaking schemes" (via Reddit).
Steam users have flooded the game's official Steam forums with complaints that the respawn timer has been increased from 1 hour to 4 hours. In addition to the lengthier duration, players now have the new option to revive their character instantly at the cost of 50 Gold Credits, which is equivalent to about half a dollar.
Additionally, the company now forces you to agree to a new Terms of Service to play the game.
According to complaints on Reddit, users who've complained on the forums have since been banned. One user was banned under the reasoning that "User us only hear to spread hate and not contribute to the community." [sic]
Hammerpoint Interactive has since posted a new list of guidelines on the Steam forums which prohibit posters from asking for refunds, and a stern rule that requires moderators, administrators, developers, and forum members "be respected".
In what appears to be an attempt to hide serious problems about The War Z, one of the new rules also prohibits users from complaining about hackers, hacks, or from making any reference whatsoever to these problems.
"NO Hacker threads period. Nothing related to Hackers/Hacking/Hacks. If it has the word "Hacker" In it; don't make it," reads the new rule.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
"I don't much care where –"
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
