Thought's on the latest dbrand controversy (Project Killswitch)?

[NovaNightmare]

Haven't seen any discussion about this here and wonder if they'll discuss it today on the WAN Show

 

over on https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/

 

dbrand's Project Killswitch final form and pricing was released yesterday and there is a bunch of controversy over the components they are not including in the kit that they originally alluded to being in when they took your reservation payment ($3), their response as well has been going over like a lead balloon.

 

For myself, pretty unhappy with them over the whole thing. Certainly like the look of their case and kickstand but the whole apparent change in what comes with the product, and the seeming cost of $99 for what would be all the original parts listed in the project (Broken down as Case, Kickstand, Skin, Travel Cover, Thumb Grips and Screen Protector)

[TetraSky]

For those of us who don't feel like going through an entire subreddit because you didn't post a proper source...
What's the issue here?

[PopsicleHustler]

Dbrand making false promises and selling cases for ridiculous prices. People are #mad

[tikker]

I see posts of people accusing dbrand of lying and being expensive, but no clear explanation what they supposedly lied about exactly, so: what happened?

 

[Edit] so basically just people being mad about general vagueness surrounding the product.

 

In summary I gather this: dbrand announced project killswitch (not product killswitch), gave people the option to reserve an early bird buying spot for $3 for when it actually releases, and have recently announced how exactly the package(s) will be sold and people are now upset that it's expensive and doesn't include everything in one single package but are instead multiple "tiers"?

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/x3ogx5/what_did_we_learn_from_the_killswitch_project/

Quote

More or less DBrand did a bad job managing customer expectations. Their long anticipated SteamDeck Case got split into 2 tiers, each with a bunch of extras most people don't want. If you want the front travel cover (which most people do, it's the one thing that distinguishes this case from the competition) you gotta pony up $75 in total, which is more than most people seem to be willing to pay, at least the vocal ones.

The main complaints are about the price tiers, lack of screen protector inclusion, and the general expensiveness of the product. There's also confusion around people thinking they won't get free thumbsticks for reserving anymore, but this is false. If you reserve the killswitch, you will get free thumbsticks AND you get another set you have to buy with the travel cover.

Quote

I learned there are a many people here who made their own assumptions how a product would be priced and sold - and got salty when the manufacturer announced how they'd actually sell it. While I think the fault is largely on the customer's side, I hope Dbrand learns from this and manage pricing expectations better if they do pre-orders again.

I also learned that a disconcerting proportion of people here don't understand the difference between the words 'project' and 'product'. I'm at a loss for what to tell those people.

On the positive side, I learned that I'll be paying less for the KillSwitch than I had expected, so I'm pretty stoked.

 

At the moment I think it's just the usual tochers and pitchforks over a spilled glass of milk.

[NovaNightmare]

14 minutes ago, Caroline said:

I have reddit blocked on my network so care to clarify? I know dbrand is known for ripping off people with low quality "skins" for devices but that's about it. If I had to guess they wanted to release a skin for the Steam console thingy, Valve said no but they released it anyway at a ludicrous price.

Here are some of the images from the sub

 

https://imgur.com/a/qmA5uns

[NovaNightmare]

18 minutes ago, tikker said:

I see posts of people accusing dbrand of lying and being expensive, but no clear explanation what they supposedly lied about exactly, so: what happened?

 

[Edit] so basically just people being mad about general vagueness surrounding the product.

 

In summary I gather this: dbrand announced project killswitch (not product killswitch), gave people the option to reserve an early bird buying spot for $3 for when it actually releases, and have recently announced how exactly the package(s) will be sold and people are now upset that it's expensive and doesn't include everything in one single package but are instead multiple "tiers"?

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/x3ogx5/what_did_we_learn_from_the_killswitch_project/

 

At the moment I think it's just the usual tochers and pitchforks over a spilled glass of milk.

 

Yes and no. They billed it as containing a certain set of items when they announced and took your reservation fee, and then announced the contents were not the same.

 

Personally annoyed over the screen protector aspect being "separate" now and their attitude regarding it (there were some posts by their brand accounts stating most people have the screen protector already, which wasn't asked in their survey they sent out a couple of days ago).

 

There are also people overreacting about it as well.

 

I wish they'd have given you the choice for the third item.

 

Case, Kickstand and Choose (Skin, Screen Protector, Travel Cover, Grips) in their base configuration before trying to hit you up for extra $$$.

 

I still do think their case and kickstand look the best out there, but I've no interest in the skin on top of the case.

[Marhfg]

6 minutes ago, Caroline said:

I have reddit blocked on my network so care to clarify? I know dbrand is known for ripping off people with low quality "skins" for devices but that's about it. If I had to guess they wanted to release a skin for the Steam console thingy, Valve said no but they released it anyway at a ludicrous price.

I think I can sum it up a bit as I am a backer myself. From what was on Dbrands page, they has project killswitch listed with 6 components that will be part of the package.
 

Spoiler

 They have released the details onto the steamdeck reddit page where they list out prices and what it includes.
You can still go to the site to see what it includes here: Dbrands page link
 

Spoiler

From what I've gathered, those in the subreddit didn't take to kindly to the post, branched off the post and made their own to complain more. I think they do have in their right to complain about what was said and what was done. Which may need to take into considerations on LTT's sponsorship with DBrand for the time being with anything steamdeck related.
Added some comments from reddit here in the spoilers.

I reserved but I'll likely just refund that and go with another brand, not much harm. However sucks that what was expected is what may of not been given. Price wouldn't of been an issue if it was 70-80 for the entire kit.
 

Spoiler

 

[Vishera]

22 minutes ago, Caroline said:

I have reddit blocked on my network so care to clarify? I know dbrand is known for ripping off people with low quality "skins" for devices but that's about it. If I had to guess they wanted to release a skin for the Steam console thingy, Valve said no but they released it anyway at a ludicrous price.

 

When people saw the details of what they are getting they got mad because it wasn't what they imagined when they paid $3 to reserve a unit.

[NovaNightmare]

8 minutes ago, Vishera said:

 

When people saw the details of what they are getting they got mad because it wasn't what they imagined when they paid $3 to reserve a unit.

Just to be sure you know that it isn't what people imagined, but what dbrand themselves listed as the parts of the kit. The $3 wasn't even to reserve, but to express interest. You do get a $3 credit on ordering, but again, you still have to order on a first come first serve basis with everyone else who wants one. Or you can email to get a refund of your $3. 

 

I believe it is likely many fewer people would have put in their money had they listed their plans and what would be in the kit on release.

 

 

[Crash The Noise]

This has 0 to do with the price. If people expected a whole unit for $3 they're probably not familiar with how reservations work. Which seems odd because they'd have to have reserved and bought a steam deck...

 

But anyway dbrand promised that it'd come with screen protectors and it doesn't. It's extra cool cause they still have "tempered glass" as included listed on their site and "won't refund you for purchases made over 6 months ago." Last time I got f**ked this hard I was in College.

 

Current dbrand site:

 

Final contents for Killswitch Bundle revealed via email:

 

Support email I received asking about this:

 

 

Thanks dbrand. You lost a customer forever.

[Needfuldoer]

Sounds like dbrand did a bad job of messaging. They should just sell each component a la carte.

 

As for your $3, they offered to PayPal it to you because their ecommerce platform won't directly issue refunds after 6 months.

 

But the important question is, does Killswitch come with a warranty?

Edited September 2, 2022 by Needfuldoer

[Ravendarat]

14 minutes ago, Crash The Noise said:

But anyway dbrand promised that it'd come with screen protectors and it doesn't. It's extra cool cause they still have "tempered glass" as included listed on their site and "won't refund you for purchases made over 6 months ago." Last time I got f**ked this hard I was in College.

 

Support email I received asking about this:

 

 

They arent refusing to refund you, they are saying you need to send your paypal address to them so they can send you $3 as they cant just use the refund option as they normally would as its been over 6 months.

[Razercake]

17 minutes ago, Crash The Noise said:

This has 0 to do with the price. If people expected a whole unit for $3 they're probably not familiar with how reservations work. Which seems odd because they'd have to have reserved and bought a steam deck...

 

But anyway dbrand promised that it'd come with screen protectors and it doesn't. It's extra cool cause they still have "tempered glass" as included listed on their site and "won't refund you for purchases made over 6 months ago." Last time I got f**ked this hard I was in College.

 

Current dbrand site:

 

Final contents for Killswitch Bundle revealed via email:

 

Support email I received asking about this:

 

 

Thanks dbrand. You lost a customer forever.

They are telling you to give them your PayPal email, cause they can't issue refunds made 6 months ago. did you totally gloss over the part where they are telling you how to get the refund?

the last sentence they wrote is saying they will send the refund directly once they hear back from you ????

[dizmo]

3 minutes ago, Ravendarat said:

They arent refusing to refund you, they are saying you need to send your paypal address to them so they can send you $3 as they cant just use the refund option as they normally would as its been over 6 months.

 

Just now, Razercake said:

They are telling you to give them your PayPal email, cause they can't issue refunds made 6 months ago. did you totally gloss over the part where they are telling you how to get the refund?

the last sentence they wrote is saying they will send the refund directly once they hear back from you ????

 

 

Worth noting that not everyone can use Paypal, or chooses to use Paypal.

Some providers allow chargebacks up to 1 year after the purchase, so that might be a venue.

But it's $3. I'd just suck it up as a loss and move on.

 

 

I find it odd that dBrand decided to do this, and their reasoning of "we already offer it on sale, why would we include it" just wreaks of poor marketing.

[NovaNightmare]

Want to reiterate that dbrand sent a survey out a couple of days ago gauging willingness on price, but did not also survey us on whether or not we thought it was redundant (what if we thought the skin was redundant?)

 

Honestly, I wish they'd have simply made their "Essential Kit" the "Case, Kickstand and You choose" so you could choose the travel cover, or the screen protector or the grips, or the skin. 

 

Now I know dbrand is a "skin" company, so they'll need to push those, but still. Having bought the backpack, and two screwdrivers, I don't exactly relish a total cost of $99 for the entire kit, but I'd have respected that more than sending us the price survey and going, here is the price you chose and these are extra.

[Crash The Noise]

7 minutes ago, Ravendarat said:

They arent refusing to refund you, they are saying you need to send your paypal address to them so they can send you $3 as they cant just use the refund option as they normally would as its been over 6 months.

Fair enough I I'll take that hit if they do issue me a refund. The wording is mega-unclear & I assumed they were saying that since I made it back in February I would not be able to be refunded.

 

BUT That still doesn't excuse them still listing "tempered glass" as a component of this bundle on their site: https://dbrand.com/killswitch 

[Razercake]

4 minutes ago, dizmo said:

 

 

 

Worth noting that not everyone can use Paypal, or chooses to use Paypal.

Some providers allow chargebacks up to 1 year after the purchase, so that might be a venue.

But it's $3. I'd just suck it up as a loss and move on.

 

 

I find it odd that dBrand decided to do this, and their reasoning of "we already offer it on sale, why would we include it" just wreaks of poor marketing.

That's fair, but given the email. I just assumed the purchase was made through PayPal, but you're right lot of my friends don't use PayPal.

[Ravendarat]

1 minute ago, Crash The Noise said:

Fair enough I I'll take that hit if they do issue me a refund. The wording is mega-unclear & I assumed they were saying that since I made it back in February I would not be able to be refunded.

 

BUT That still doesn't excuse them still listing "tempered glass" as a component of this bundle on their site: https://dbrand.com/killswitch 

Actually the paragraph about the refund is remarkable clear even explaining why they need your paypal address. BUT You are 100% correct about how its inexcusable that they dont include the tempered glass after saying it was part of the package and their reasoning for not including it is absolutely rubbish

[NovaNightmare]

6 minutes ago, Crash The Noise said:

Fair enough I I'll take that hit if they do issue me a refund. The wording is mega-unclear & I assumed they were saying that since I made it back in February I would not be able to be refunded.

 

BUT That still doesn't excuse them still listing "tempered glass" as a component of this bundle on their site: https://dbrand.com/killswitch 

 

I am actually surprised it is still up that way, I thought it would have been removed at this point which is why I collected some of those pictures and popped them on imgur in an earlier post.

[Arika]

It's dbrand, so that means their edgy social media manager is going to respond to this in a way reminiscent of the trust me bro warranty. 

 

Now I see why lmg keeps working with them....

[Ethnod]

Honestly I'm a little confused about this "controversy". 

I do completely understand people are pissed about the pricing, it's a little on the steeper side but it's not $100 like the OP mentioned and as others have complained that it should be 70/80... The total price for the entire kit is $75 ($74.95 to be specific).

 

Honestly I feel that's expensive and I'm not sure if I will pull the trigger yet, will see his it goes. I'm hoping to see a full review of the finalised product before I decide. 

Nothing I've seen here raises to the level of a need fir LMG to even consider examining their relationship with dbrand. 

 

I saw a couple of comments (one outright and others hinting at) dbrand's history of over charging and under delivering (cheap skins was one specific complaint)... I'm lost here, I'm not aware of any history, events or issues. Dud I miss something? Can people talk about their ripoff history please? Point to something else I can read? Am. I just missing something or is this just histerics? 

[NovaNightmare]

28 minutes ago, Ethnod said:

Honestly I'm a little confused about this "controversy". 

I do completely understand people are pissed about the pricing, it's a little on the steeper side but it's not $100 like the OP mentioned and as others have complained that it should be 70/80... The total price for the entire kit is $75 ($74.95 to be specific).

 

Honestly I feel that's expensive and I'm not sure if I will pull the trigger yet, will see his it goes. I'm hoping to see a full review of the finalised product before I decide. 

Nothing I've seen here raises to the level of a need fir LMG to even consider examining their relationship with dbrand. 

 

I saw a couple of comments (one outright and others hinting at) dbrand's history of over charging and under delivering (cheap skins was one specific complaint)... I'm lost here, I'm not aware of any history, events or issues. Dud I miss something? Can people talk about their ripoff history please? Point to something else I can read? Am. I just missing something or is this just histerics? 

This is incorrect. 

 

The total price for everything is $99 dollars. 

 

For $59.99 you get the Case, the Kickstand and a skin. 

 

If you want the optional travel cover, and grips, you pay $14.99. 

 

You would also need to now separately add the Screen Protector for $24.99.

 

The total price being roughly $99.

 

Previously, including today, the screen protector showed as part of the kit, but it was excluded. 

[Yoinkerman]

People are mad that they have the option of spending $60 or $75 instead and getting to pick and choose what pieces they want instead of only being able to buy the whole pack for $99?

 

I don't get it.

 

Dbrand is already expensive.

The steam deck is a niche premium product.  

 

Were people expecting the $39.99 kit for a game boy that has a shitty light, bad grip, ridiculous earphones, pistol grips and other various garbage that was better off never being manufactured?

 

Did dbrand say they were aiming for $60 or something and now it's 2x?

[Imbadatnames]

13 hours ago, Marhfg said:

I think I can sum it up a bit as I am a backer myself. From what was on Dbrands page, they has project killswitch listed with 6 components that will be part of the package.
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 They have released the details onto the steamdeck reddit page where they list out prices and what it includes.
You can still go to the site to see what it includes here: Dbrands page link
 

  Reveal hidden contents

From what I've gathered, those in the subreddit didn't take to kindly to the post, branched off the post and made their own to complain more. I think they do have in their right to complain about what was said and what was done. Which may need to take into considerations on LTT's sponsorship with DBrand for the time being with anything steamdeck related.
Added some comments from reddit here in the spoilers.

I reserved but I'll likely just refund that and go with another brand, not much harm. However sucks that what was expected is what may of not been given. Price wouldn't of been an issue if it was 70-80 for the entire kit.
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

LTT care about anti consumer practices? Wait it’s another company not LMG isn’t it? BURN DBRAND! 

[Crash The Noise]

12 hours ago, dizmo said:

 

 

 

Worth noting that not everyone can use Paypal, or chooses to use Paypal.

Some providers allow chargebacks up to 1 year after the purchase, so that might be a venue.

But it's $3. I'd just suck it up as a loss and move on.

 

 

I find it odd that dBrand decided to do this, and their reasoning of "we already offer it on sale, why would we include it" just wreaks of poor marketing.

The attitude "it's $3. I'd just suck it up and move on." Is precisely why companies pull this pre-order bullsh*t, and not to put them on a pedestal but why LMG wouldn't take preorders for their backpack, screwdriver, etc. ( i.e. $3 x 10,000 uncompleted pre-orders = free money)

 

& Regardless of whether I get my $3 back I take umbrage with the fact that they're STILL TAKING PREORDERS WHILE HAVING THE SCREEN PROTECTORS LISTED.

 

Even if you discount the fact that the screen protectors are still listed as included on their site by math:

 

They admitted in the product update #4 email that the $99 price tag was exhorbitant. But removed the $25 screen protectors, (which were ostensibly included when people voted on those prices ^.) And the final complete bundle is $75. So for being robots dbrand are pretty bad at math because $75 + $25 = $100 (a self-admitted "exhorbitant" price.

 

So yes I'm a bit upset because false advertising is illegal. If you're going to claim that you "have nothing to hide" and list a sardonic breakdown of your own prices that is self-admittedly high, thus rendering the self-joke/irony meaningless, at least fix your f*cking website first.