Machine Zone are behind popular phone apps:

Game of war: Fire age

FfxVane

mobile strike

world war rising

The company behind these applications has consistently deceived and misled its customers under the guise of a free to play application for a considerable time.

Outlined below are some key issues that they should be investigated for:

1. false and misleading advertising - many packages in game contain items that either cannot be used or are for expired events that do not return. Packages are often mislabelled.

2. Bait and switch - often “incredible” rewards or prizes are mentioned in the in game blogs but are never awarded.

3. Removal of player items despite an all sales are final policy. Player have complained about purchasing packages to acquire items that were advertised only to have them removed at a later time with little to no compensation.

4. Not fixing bugs between game cycles to ensure customers spend more money. The company knowingly released a bug in every version or timeline of world war rising which has cost players additional resources to complete tasks. The value of the resource increase at the time the error occurred was about $1,000 per paying customer or more for bigger spenders.

5. Events that are impossible to complete without spending. Flash sale events in the game are designed to get spenders to drop $500 at a time to obtain additional rewards while there is no real feasible way for people who do not spend to complete the events. There are a number of other events where points are capped for free to play or moderate spend players through hard caps that can be earned for certain actions whilst paid actions provide unlimited points when competing in the events.

We request that the bodies named thoroughly investigate Machine zone for violations of Google Play Developer TOS, Apple Developer TOS and potential violations of consumer rights. They should then publish the results of these investigations in an open and transparent forum. And where possible assist consumers in obtaining refunds for the purchases which contained the defective items or equivalent credit.

Machine Zone has violated the disclosure rules around chance to obtain items from certain loot box style elements within their sales packages as well and their terms of service appear to be aimed at removing any consumer right to redress in a court of law.

We request that Machine Zone reviews it’s marketing and advertising practices and actively seeks to engage its customers to fairly compensate for misleading and deceptive advertising or other consumer rights violations. We also request that they review their pricing structure and bring it in line with normal application costs for in app purchases. Maximum $50 usd for premium packages and options for players who want to spend but In smaller increments. 

As a gamer who has lost roughly $5,000 to this scam I would like you to publish your own struggles with MZ and what it has cost you to play their free to play game.