VCS Store Problems (Discussion/Tips)

[+jeremiahjt]

I just bought Haunted House and Days of Doom with no problems.  Of course I have never had the zip code problem.  My card information was lost one time and I had to reenter it, but outside of that I have had no problems with the VCS Store.

[Gunstar]

Over a month later I go back to the VCS store to try and purchase games again and I get the exact same denial of purchase due to the ZIP code issue. I even tried adding a couple spaces before the zip code like was suggested to circumvent the error but no change!

 

Does ATARI even want to sell anything in their online store? It doesn't seem so. If they don't want my money I'll just spend it on my other systems. This is ridiculous!!! WHY IS THIS NOT YET FIXED? DO YOU REALIZE YOU ARE LOSING TONS OF MONEY IN ONLINE SALES ATARI?!?

[Gunstar]

I have been trying to purchase games for over a month with the same zip code error! Have you had any VCS store sales in the last month or two? If not this is probably why! You must be losing tons of sales, about $100 worth just from me currently!

 

[Gunstar]

double post

 

Edited October 27, 2023 by Gunstar

[Gunstar]

The double space before the zip code does not work!!! I have attempted to purchase games on half a dozen different occasions, with and without this so-called work around and several attempts each occasion. 

 

I have been trying to buy games since the beginning of September with the same issue. Instead I've purchased $300 worth of games and hardware for other systems that ATARI would have had in their pockets for VCS games otherwise!!!

 

What the h*ll ATARI? If you don't want sales, you guys are being quite successful in avoiding them, so kudos to you!

 

Atari would make thousands from me alone over the next few years for the VCS...if I could actually purchase anything, but I'm about to give up and move on to other systems and won't be buying anything for my classic and new Atari systems from Atari ever again. Including AtariAge store I'm so frustrated. 

 

The VCS is great for using as a PC with multiple OS's just a thumb drive swap away, but the VCS side has been nothing but headaches with OS and updates and buying and downloading from day 1. 

 

Where is Nolan Bushnell when we need him...to run Atari...

[Atari_JaguarVCS]

I've been able to purchase games absolutely fine, infact I've never ever experienced the zip code issue, other users have been able to purchase games to so its not exactly like its everyone that's being effected with this issue. Atari are doing there best to get this issue resolved, these kinds of posts aren't going to make a difference, it'll be fixed when its fixed its not a simple issue from what I've been reading on Discord to its actually quite complex but the good news is Atari are taking steps to sort it and that's about all they can do.

[davpa]

Yes, I am not disagreeing with you. Everything about what is happening, and has been happening off and on since July-ish, completely and utterly sucks.  I've worked really hard to bring in games to the VCS, and every time I feel I've got some positive momentum, crap like this happens.  I can not express how much I hate what is going on and, more importantly, how little control we have over this.

 

Basically, it is not the VCS that is broken.  The other half of the digital store, the eCommerce side of things, have been doing various updates to their systems and, well, basically broke things.  But broke in a way that only affects some people but not others.  Which in a way, is worse because now they have to figure out why it is only broken for some people but not others.  And since June, there is no clear pattern of "you can buy a game" vs "you can't buy a game."  If it broke for everyone, that would be easy to fix because you can point and say "hey, that broke."  Anyways, we are dependent on the eCommerce people to fix their stuff.  We can only help by sending info or data, but we have zero control over directly fixing anything.

 

And yes, we are looking at revamping the Store.  When it was originally created back in 2019/2020 it is the coding equivalent of a bowl of spaghetti.  It just needs to be burned down and start all over.  But that takes time to build the infrastructure.  We can't just whip it out over the weekend, as much as I wish for that to happen.  Right now our priority is to get what we have working again, then get something new and better in place.  It takes a lot of engineering work to switch to another payment platform.  These things are not interchangeable like switching batteries.  Ultimately, something like that has to be done.

 

At this very moment, at this very second, all I can do is apologize for the frustration you are feeling.  I'm as frustrated as you are.  I know those might sound like empty words, but they are not.  I'd love to take your money!  We are doing everything in our power to get things fixed.

[Gunstar]

Well, now that I know it's not an across the board problem, but only effects some, I'm less confounded by the situation as my line of thinking definitely was: "How can Atari allow themselves to lose so many sales with the site/store app not working properly for a month or more? Surely they'd have done something by now since they must be losing tons of money with zero sales through the site? 

 

Your answer reduces my frustration toward Atari since I felt the situation to be totally careless toward the VCS that I just got a month and a half ago, but it certainly doesn't reduce frustration over the immediate situation.

 

Digital download purchase-only gaming consoles already have two strikes in my book as I prefer owning physical copies and I worry about long-term availability of my software collection once a console is no longer supported. Not being able to even buy a digital download isn't just a third strike in my book, but a total game loss.

 

I wasn't going to purchase any brand of console anymore if/when things went digital only on them, which seems the inevitable trend, but the VCS was a gift. I may just give up and stick to all my classic systems and physical games, hell, they all have new hard-copy content coming out for them still too. Maybe just resign to use the VCS as a versatile thumb drive OS changing PC, nearly as portable as a laptop. I love it for just those features alone.

 

There is nothing else I even want from Atari other than new software. I'm not interested in the 2600+ or the Gamestation Pro hardware as I have all the classic systems and libraries already, even upgraded for modern displays and homebrews.

Edited October 27, 2023 by Gunstar
typos

[chriSBA28]

On 30/9/2023 at 21:40, davpa said:

Error de código postal : solución alternativa para comprar : Cuando se le solicite ingresar su código postal, primero ingrese dos (2 ) espacios y luego su código postal de cinco (5 ) dígitos . Esto debería permitirle realizar su compra como lo haría normalmente . ¡Háganos saber si tiene algún problema o si esto no funciona para usted !

I was traveling through Cusco and now that I'm back I can't buy any games. What should I do? I tried with my postal code from Peru and it didn't work (I always bought with that 5-digit postal code), I tried with the Miami postal code 33182 without result. I also left 2 blank spaces and then 33182 and no luck. I even tried 33182-2515 and I can't. What I do? I want to play, it really makes me feel sad that this happens to me

[PowerDubs]

8 hours ago, davpa said:

And since June,.....

 

It just needs to be burned down and start all over.  But that takes time to build the infrastructure.  We can't just whip it out over the weekend.....

 

And since June,.....

 

We are doing everything in our power to get things fixed....

 

And since June,.....

 

 

Read between the lines.

 

There is ZERO reason this couldn't have been fixed in 4 months if Wade wanted it done. 

 

Pick up the phone- there are people / teams / companies that not only have the capability to do it- but do it in much less than 4 months. 

 

All it takes is money...once the decision is made to get it done.

 

 

Sure it would cost much more to get it done fast, and get it done right....but it would save Atari from more embarrassment, lost reputation, lost customers, lost incoming revenue and potential impact on bringing in other indy devs who see how this mess is being handled (not handled!).

 

I'd be ashamed to have my company with such a flaw for a couple days unresolved.  4 months?  I'd do whatever it took well before that... new company, new software, if caused internally- heads would roll.

 

 

[digdugnate]

7 hours ago, PowerDubs said:

 

 

Read between the lines.

 

There is ZERO reason this couldn't have been fixed in 4 months if Wade wanted it done. 

 

Pick up the phone- there are people / teams / companies that not only have the capability to do it- but do it in much less than 4 months. 

 

All it takes is money...once the decision is made to get it done.

 

 

Sure it would cost much more to get it done fast, and get it done right....but it would save Atari from more embarrassment, lost reputation, lost customers, lost incoming revenue and potential impact on bringing in other indy devs who see how this mess is being handled (not handled!).

 

I'd be ashamed to have my company with such a flaw for a couple days unresolved.  4 months?  I'd do whatever it took well before that... new company, new software, if caused internally- heads would roll.

 

 

 

someone sounds entitled.

[RadiATIon]

In fact, the problem appeared around June 30th and was resolved on October 01st and unfortunately it reappeared on October 13th. This problem does not affect everyone, which makes it difficult to find out where it comes from between the atarios and the e-store. I'm not impacted by example.

[marss]

Seems that the Europeans are not impacted  😁

[thecaptain72]

Going on 3 weeks for me.

[jongolo]

I’ve been trying to purchase new games for a couple weeks now without success. I own a half dozen games that I purchased over a month ago and lately the VCS has been my most played system.  I love the recharged series of games.  But now I can’t purchase any new games!  I really wanted it on my Atari, but I had to purchase Haunted House for my Nintendo Switch.  It’s so frustrating!

[CommodoreCEO]

On 10/28/2023 at 12:42 PM, marss said:

Seems that the Europeans are not impacted  😁

I am. I tried to enter a new payment card last night and I encountered the zip code error.

 

I ended up using my saved card that I didn't want to use.

[Mockduck]

FYI, seems to be working this morning, no workaround needed.

[justclaws]

According to Reddit user, also, it's working.

For me, it's been working all the long, but I have a Dutch address code.

[+Sauron]

Yup, seems to be working again for me as well.

 

[Atari_JaguarVCS]

Its such a weird issue, everyone better buy what they want quickly before it glitches out again. 

[+Sauron]

34 minutes ago, Atari_JaguarVCS said:

Its such a weird issue, everyone better buy what they want quickly before it glitches out again. 

Yeah no kidding. Going forward, I think there's always gonna be a bit of tension whenever I go to purchase a game as to whether or not it'll work.

 

[+CyranoJ]

On 10/28/2023 at 8:54 PM, digdugnate said:

someone sounds entitled.

 

This whole thing has been really unfortunate, I get the fault is with a 3rd party.

 

However, I wouldn't call complaining about not being able to use the only means to purchase and install games onto a console that you obtained so you could purchase and install games on it "being entitled". By supporting Atari and purchasing into this tiny ecosystem, yes, you should be "entitled" to use the store.

There's some really blinkered vision going on in here   Glad its all fixed, anyway.

[jongolo]

I’m able to purchase games again!  No more zip code error.  Hopefully the store’s working for everyone else again. 

[E. King]

 

[scifidude79]

Unfortunately, I am still experiencing the zip code error. Rather than continuing to put in my CC info daily only to see "Zip codes must have 5 digits," I was periodically checking here to see if the issue still persisted. I saw the most recent posts about people being able to buy games again, so I went to my VCS, tried to purchase Haunted House again, and I got the same message again. I'm not mad or anything, just a bit frustrated. I know people are working on this problem. It's a shame that we can't put in support tickets from our VCS consoles, that would give Atari a better gauge of who is experiencing this issue.

 

I love Atari and I can (of course) buy Atari games on other systems. In fact, I own some of the same ones on the VCS, Steam, XBOX and Switch. I for sure own Asteroids Recharged and Centipede Recharged on all of those. However, what I like about the VCS is that, not only is it a cool system, but more of the money goes to Atari when I buy games for the VCS. So, I hope the eCommerce partner gets this figured out soon, so that I can buy games on the VCS again.