It is no longer possible

GameHouse Forums > Support

I have a new computer and was trying to sign into an old account to redownload my games. I wasn't able to. I didn't have the old bank account number that was used years ago.
It would not have mattered because they are no longer available. When you click a game to download it, you get a message saying to redownload the demo of the game first.
this is no longer possible like it was just a few months ago. I have posted that it was possible to. Now it isn't.
What happened to the games being yours forever? I now have serious reser vations about buying games here. They are not yours forever. If you forget a password it is too hard to get another.
I will now buy my games from the big bos stores or from sites that are now selling copies of many on the games.
I am very disappointed in this company and its policies.

Posted on Wed Dec 08 20:19:13 PST 2010

What happens if you download the demo, like the meassage says? If you already own the game, can you redownload the demo, then use the 'Register' tab in the box that comes up when the game launches?

Suki

Posted on Thu Dec 09 10:18:36 PST 2010

Some games are no longer offered. They were are one time. After the merger, I redownloaded a lot of game by starting with the demo. Now if you the redownload button, it tells you to download the demo first. At some point gamehouse and real arcade changed things so that some games are not available for download anymore. This means that I have lost about fifteen games. I am not pleased.

Posted on Thu Dec 09 13:20:34 PST 2010

Yes, I had that problem. RA made a change that caused loads of my games to just vanish overnight, then a short time later in the move to GH I lost even more that GH don't run.

I hope you are in the US, as American customers were well compensated for their lost games, typically with a game credit per lost game, so you're in with a good chance of some replacements at least. (Those of us in the UK and Europe are obviously not such worthy customers, we were either not compensated at all or were offered a single game credit to cover all our losses, no matter how great! I was (eventually) offered a game credit, but I couldn't get it to work, go figure

Suki

Posted on Thu Dec 09 15:23:21 PST 2010

(Part Two, due to the stupid character limit)

I understand GH's point of view, that they can't offer a game that simply isn't available from the makers any more, but a) many of the games are still available elsewhere, so those of us who bought them should at least be refunded so we can re-purchase elsewhere, and b) they should make it VERY CLEAR that you only 'own' the game for as long as GH choose to make it available, this will NOT be forever and may only be for a couple of years.

Suki

Posted on Thu Dec 09 15:24:42 PST 2010

After the merger, I complained that a number of my games were gone. If I ever went to redownload them I would not be able to.
I know some of them are offered elsewhere. I don't understand why they changed almose overnight. these games were available until a few weeks ago.
When I complained the first time I received two credits for the twenty games lose.
I got my first computer in 2003, I have downloaded and bought games from real arcade and gamehouse. Now I am changing my mind.

This is another account that I used when the merger happened. I couldn't sign in with my other one for a few days. I used penny 61 when I first signed in and then changed it to Darlene 16.

Posted on Thu Dec 09 16:16:08 PST 2010

Hello darlene16 (penny61) and Suki...

I appreciate your posts and comments. There are many factors that determine a game being discontinued for sale and re-download, and it is not possible to address your concerns with generalities.

I'll obtain the transcripts of your contacts with GameHouse Customer Support to learn the details of your experiences. Then I will contact you individually, outside of these forums, to address your specific concerns.

You'll hear from me either tomorrow, if I receive all of the information by then, or early next week. Meanwhile I appreciate your patience.

Thank you,

Bill

Posted on Thu Dec 09 16:49:44 PST 2010

Well, call me the devil's advocate, but what do you buy, really, that is forever? Even if you pay off your house or your car, they're not really yours because if you don't pay the taxes, the government can confiscate them.

I think Gamehouse should have a disclaimer that the games are "yours" as long as they are available. I know to buy backups of download software you have to pay extra, so people could go to wherever they sell games and get a hard copy, but I doubt it will be the same price as here.

Anyway, just out of curiosity, I looked at my RA game list and there are several that aren't available anymore. Of the most that are, I don't really even want to play them anymore. That's why I go with the rental system now. I play for as long as I want, uninstall and don't have them cluttering up my computer. I'm kind of a minimalist and don't like extra things around, even if they're hidden in my computer.

Well, I got carried away. Hence, the word restriction?

Posted on Thu Dec 09 21:56:51 PST 2010

Yeah out of curiosity, I went and looked at my games as I can't recall the last time I even looked at that. I also like yusef see some on my list that are no longer available and out of all them games as I'm glad I was sitting down when I looked at that I could probably count on one hand how many I've actually replayed that's why back in March of this year I also became part of the "rental system" as well better known as the Fun Pass and well worth it for my game play. I can actually play the whole game all the way through and don't have to "buy" the game. Uninstall it when I get done so I don't have clutter on the computer and if I ever got the urge to play it again, if still available of course , I could always redownload it.

Posted on Thu Dec 09 22:56:38 PST 2010

Rental systems are nice if you can afford them. I can't.
After the merger, I could go to real arcade, to my account and download my real arcade games. As of just recently they no longer offer this. I find it I know that some of my games are from a developer that was with real arcade years agon. They have pulled there games.
One game is from a developer that went out of business a number of years ago.
The games were available for redownload, now they are not.

Posted on Thu Dec 09 23:22:33 PST 2010

I also cannot switch to Fun Pass, for the same reason as Darlene

Darlene, you are right, I logged in to my Real account and found all the download links have been disabled, I just get an error message if I try to use them. Some of my games have well and truly vanished without a trace - I had a lovely game called Word Harmony, I bought it with RealArcade, and GameHouse have it listed, but it's nowhere in any of my lists of games for me to redownload, which is such a shame as I've been missing it for ages. I couldn't remember the name of it to search around for it, until today I described it to my Ma, and she remembered the name! (Mums know everything ) I wouldn't mind so much if it wasn't available any more, but it is. There are others too, that GH don't have but are still widely available elsewhere - for $19.99!! Why should I have to pay for them all over again?? What with the other (unresolved) issues I'm having, I'm not very happy with GH at the moment.

Suki

Posted on Fri Dec 10 10:56:36 PST 2010

SilverSuki wrote: I had a lovely game called Word Harmony, I bought it with RealArcade, and GameHouse have it listed, but it's nowhere in any of my lists of games for me to redownload ...... I wouldn't mind so much if it wasn't available any more, but it is. There are others too, that GH don't have but are still widely available elsewhere - for $19.99!! Why should I have to pay for them all over again?? What with the other (unresolved) issues I'm having, I'm not very happy with GH at the moment.

GameHouse can only offer what they have the rights to offer. If a company decides not to let them have the rights to a particular game anymore, there's nothing they can do about it - even if that game is still available to the general public via other legitimate avenues. It's frustrating when that happens, but it's the same for all of the legitimate game sites. None of them are immune to it.

Posted on Fri Dec 10 11:43:40 PST 2010

We called gamehouse and real arcade to get a password to an old account. I was able to download all of the games but one.
I now have a new computer, windows 7. I just checked my other computer and I was able to log in to each account. I have two or three. I have one game completely missing.
Mahjong Gardens to go. Where it is I haven't a clue. The games are Gold Miner Vegas and Gold Miner special edition. Joining to the list are Chicktionary, Tip Top, Twisty Tracks, and Noah's Ark. These belong to one developer. They are still available if I use my other computer.
Everyone of my games are still available. I would really like to know what the problem is now and what it has to do with Windows 7.

Posted on Fri Dec 10 12:37:02 PST 2010

darlene16 wrote: We called gamehouse and real arcade to get a password to an old account. Everyone of my games are still available. I would really like to know what the problem is now and what it has to do with Windows 7.

Darlene, Some games just won't run on Windows 7, the older ones I suppose, and some do. The scanner I used on my XP won't run on Windows 7, either.

I keep my xp around so if I have to scan something or if I absolutely must play one of the RA games that runs on xp but not on Windows, it's there.

That's my experience. I guess Gamehouse needs to answer what they're going to do if you buy a new operating system that won't run games that were current when they released them but aren't anymore. Would seem to me it's not Gamehouse's problem if someone buys a new computer and games designed for another OS don't run on it.

Posted on Fri Dec 10 16:04:39 PST 2010

sportygal2009 wrote: . . . I also became part of the "rental system" as well better known as the Fun Pass . . .

I used the generic "rental system" because for several years I was "renting" from another company until they sold out to a kid company and started releasing super crap games for an oldie but goodie like me. Fortunately, at the time I became extremely unhappy with the other place, RA and Gamehouse merged (or married or started cohabitating or something) and now offer the rental system known as FunPass. And it's a very fun pass indeed.

Posted on Fri Dec 10 18:57:48 PST 2010

darlene16 wrote:
. . . I now have a new computer, windows 7. . . I have one game completely missing.
Mahjong Gardens to go. Where it is I haven't a clue. The games are Gold Miner Vegas and Gold Miner special edition. Joining to the list are Chicktionary, Tip Top, Twisty Tracks, and Noah's Ark. These belong to one developer. They are still available if I use my other computer.
Everyone of my games are still available. I would really like to know what the problem is now and what it has to do with Windows 7.

Darlene, Of your list, I have Mahjong Gardens to Go and Noah's Ark. They still show as available, even though at least Noah's Ark doesn't come up in a game search. I just downloaded and played Noah's Ark, just to check. I have Windows 7 professional. Maybe it's kicking into xp mode with these games, although I haven't made any adjustments (that I know of). Hope you get your games. All of my animals drowned in Noah's Ark.

Posted on Fri Dec 10 20:57:32 PST 2010

yusef wrote:

darlene16 wrote:
. . . I now have a new computer, windows 7. . . I have one game completely missing.
Mahjong Gardens to go. Where it is I haven't a clue. The games are Gold Miner Vegas and Gold Miner special edition. Joining to the list are Chicktionary, Tip Top, Twisty Tracks, and Noah's Ark. These belong to one developer. They are still available if I use my other computer.
Everyone of my games are still available. I would really like to know what the problem is now and what it has to do with Windows 7.

Darlene, Of your list, I have Mahjong Gardens to Go and Noah's Ark. They still show as available, even though at least Noah's Ark doesn't come up in a game search. I just downloaded and played Noah's Ark, just to check. I have Windows 7 professional. Maybe it's kicking into xp mode with these games, although I haven't made any adjustments (that I know of). Hope you get your games. All of my animals drowned in Noah's Ark.

Posted on Fri Dec 10 21:12:24 PST 2010

What do you do when the games just show up missing. It is like I never bought them at all. Majhong Garder to go is missing for some reason. I can download and play it. I can't unlock it. Super Pool is also missing. I don't know where they went. Maybe into outer cyper land.

Posted on Fri Dec 10 21:15:49 PST 2010

Tried again this morning to get my games back. I was able to get Noah's Ark Deluse and Tip Top back. Now when I go to register them. I get an error message. Need an online connection. Still have no idea what happened to Mahjong Garden to go along with Super Pool. I guess they are out in cyperland someplace. the other three games were discontinued by real arcade.

Posted on Sat Dec 11 23:25:54 PST 2010

Hello everyone,

Please send an email to help@gamehouse.com for help with specific details on download, installation and/or registration of purchased games.You will receive a reply within 24 hours.

Thank you
Jason.

Posted on Sun Dec 12 22:02:08 PST 2010