Wild Tangent preinstalled games

[ladydrc]

I just bought a new HP laptop that cames preinstalled with games from Wild Tangent, a game company.  I thought I was purchasing a game for my grandchildren for $6.99. However, that was deceptive advertising.  Unbeknownst to me, I purchased a $6.99 per MONTH access to a game with no way to cancel without heavy penalty and no way to call the company by phone.  I warn you all - remove this software.  It is my intention to tell all computer manufacturers to NOT preinstall this consumer rip-off software.  Google this company's complaints.  They are many.

[uburpee]

Yes - essentailly the PC software configuration - as supplied by HP - is in fact a "vending machine." There's no such thing as preloaded "free" software.There are a number of other hidden software features that will continue to help you make wise technology purchases in the future.

[bob505]

Exactly the same thing happened to me.  According to my understanding, I signed up for $6.99 worth of "Wildcoins", but they say I signed up for a 12 month subscription at $6.99 a month, and are billing me accordingly.  When I attempted to cancel, they say that I cannot cancel without paying the outstanding balance (currently $69.99) for the remainder of the year.  All this was not indicated when I made the purchase, or, if it was, was buried deceptive ly in the fine print.  This company is nothing more than a ripoff artist, and I am deeply disappointed in HP for installing Wildtangent software on their machines. 

Folks, beware that if you want to buy a few "Wildcoins" you are likely to be on the hook for a monthly bill for a whole year!  Do not patronize these slugs!

[buttoni]

I've known for years Wild Tangent was dodgy and was planning to uninstall from my new HP desktop.  But after reading your thread, I think WT may have stooped to a new low.  I was shocked to find it on my new pc and am even more shocked that a company of Hewlett Packard's standing in the industry would perpetuate a relationship with a company that has such disreputable, deceptive sales practices.

[ladydrc]

Do what I did.  File a report with the BBB online.  Wild Tangent will cancel your subscription or, at least, they did for me.

[bitobonnie]

Good tip, thanks. I was able to play them for a while, but suddenly and without warning, could no longer open the shortcut on my desktop nor could I open the presinstalled games anywhere else on the computer. 😞

[lovable16981]

The same thing just happened to me today. not even the HP Support person could help me via online chat.

[coadydome]

I TOTALLY agree with you about warning ALL manufacturers to NOT re-install this product.  I did the same thing and thought  I was purchasing a game for $6.99 NOT $6.99/month for a year.  File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  They have 210 complaints against them as of 5/18/2011.  Below I am pasting a complaint I found on a forum but doing a Google search on WildTangent sucks.

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Wildtangent has teamed together with HP and Compaq to install their game console on OEM computers.  Often these games come with a free trial period, and if you like the game you can buy it or join their wildclub.  And that's the problem.  You like one game, and you have to pay $83.88 ($6.99 x 12 months) for it, plus the $6.99 extra for the game.  Or, you can get ripped off and pay $20 and own it without the wildclub subscription.

Before, they did not make it clear you would need a membership just to buy a game at a discounted price, but now they do make it clear, and if you change your mind later, sure, you can cancel--but you have to pay the remaining balance in full, right now, before it will let you cancel, and then it will credit your online account with the unspent wildcoins.  You get 50 wildcoins per month for 12 months, minimum, and as I mentioned, a cancellation does not mean you get out of paying.  You are trapped, under the guise of your own click on the "I Accept" button.

Wildtangent game consoles also do not make it clear that you can use these unspent wildcoins on an outright purchase.  So, if you have fulfilled your one-year commitment, as I did, and you have say, 450 wildcoins in your "account", then you can use these wildcoins, in blocks of 100, to purchase a game outright without a new one-year commitment.  So, at this rate, it still comes out to about $20 per game, so be sure that if you do this, you really want to play the game at least four times before you spend your wildcoins.  The problem is that you have to go to the Wildtangent website to purchase the game after you've found it, even though it is already on your computer, from the game console there is no option to buy with already-purchased online wildcoins--you have to subscribe again, so BE CAREFUL, otherwise, you will find them dipping into your checking account every month for $6.99.

[sookvic]

Please someone tell me how to get rid of thing!!!! Thanks
Live in canada if it makes a difference on where to get help.

[ladydrc]

You did not say what operating system you have, but to uninstall any program, go to the control panel & find the option that lets you uninstall programs. Follow the directions.