3 wk. ago • 97%

'I want to acknowledge that we messed up': NZXT addresses concerns about its controversial Flex gaming PC rental program and commits to taking action

www.pcgamer.com 'I want to acknowledge that we messed up': NZXT addresses concerns about its controversial Flex gaming PC rental program and commits to taking action

The company's also tried to clear up some misconceptions.

This response is not nearly enough in my book.

PC Gaming @lemmy.ca 'I want to acknowledge that we messed up': NZXT addresses concerns about its controversial Flex gaming PC rental program and commits to taking action

43 comments

All this proves is that we need to keep on supporting Gamers Nexus because that shit is working! 💪

153
- Bought a T-Shirt and 2 dice sets directly after watching the NZXT video 😇
  
  24
- I had heard of it but I don't really watch YouTube. I watched that whole video and what a shitshow. I went straight to my wife and said we have to watch out that the kids don't get caught up in this.
  
  We give an allowance to our young niece and nephew, who both game on PC sometimes, and it seems like this is exactly the kind of shit that would entice our nephew. He has my old PC and it's really showing its age.
  
  This apology is bullshit.
  
  12
- He is taking on the noble fight for consumers. Exposing them for the crooks they are.
  
  11
NZXT Flex customers have never experienced a pre-tax subscription price increase and will never experience one unless they decide to switch subscription tiers.

I think they're forgetting the part where GN themselves were a NZXT flex customer who experienced subscription price increases. So this statement is already proven to be false before they even said it.

130
Nah, fuck them. They thought they could get away with this predatory debt-trap system that was marketed at children and they are clearly salty that they got caught. Not to mention the whole idea of not even owning your own PC or the data within which would set a bad precedent for everyone everywhere.

There are so many competitors in the industry NZXT operates in; it would be very easy to avoid ever buying their stuff again. And I intend to do just that. Get bankrupted, you pieces of shit.

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'I want to acknowledge that we ~~messed up~~ got caught'

71
Here at NZXT, we strive to deliver the best products and services to customers, but sometimes, we don't fulfill that desire.

Sure, we spent thousands upon thousands of man hours intentionally designing a pc rental service to rent out falsely advertised, subpar pcs, at stupendously high cost to you, our loyal customers...

And sure, we're only issuing this statement because we got caught, and even while apologizing, we are heavily qualifying our actions and emphasizing things we think we so well...

But what is most important is that we want you to know:

58
"we didn't think that there would be coverage like this"

52
I don't really buy youtuber merch, but I bought a couple things from GN after their investigative work with the latest Asus warranty debacle. Excellent channel and Steve and crew deserve all the support they can get.

39
- I looked at ordering a soldering mat to support them, but couldn't justify $50 when aliexpress was selling them for $3.
  
  5
  
  AliExpress will somehow find a way to ship you a mat that doesn't work after waiting 2 months for it to arrive.
  
  10
  
  I have both sets of the coasters on the GN store, the rubber ones and they're the best coasters I've had since they're flexible and washable, highly recommend them
  
  2
https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxVO5Fp6lepwAP6lXZ4z_SuxmDypXfhgj8

NZXT has posted a statement which not only misrepresents facts, but distorts the reality of their predatory rental computer program. The statement ignores major points and introduces several new concerns. GamersNexus has become aware of deeper elements connected to this story that GN has begun independently investigating. While we will put together coverage of NZXT’s inadequate and manipulative response in short order, we are also actively beginning work on a longer form investigation that could take weeks or months to finalize, depending on the depth of the rabbit hole. We will have more for you as it becomes available, starting with a deconstruction of NZXT’s statement.

36
Never buying from NZXT ever again. Trust completely and utterly gone.

33
Oh, I don't think they messed up at all. I think it was intentional and calculated. Business decisions don't just materialize out of happenstance, they are written, proposed, and approved by multiple people. They came up with and implemented the pricing and the bait-and-switching of components. Their lawyers wrote, reviewed, and approved the contract. Their public relations personnel came up with the untrue statements that should be said in sponsored videos. And now that the shift has left the ass, the CEO wants to pretend it was all a mistake? Fuck off.

25
- Their lawyers wrote, reviewed, and approved the contract.
  
  This is what most people, who've never worked for a large business, never seem to get.
  
  As an employee I can never say anything about my company unless I want to be fired. For people farther up the chain who have responsibility for making public statements, everything is first vetted by the legal team.
  
  Hell, at times we peons are given stock responses to give to certain questions.
  
  18
Steve from Gamer's Nexus is a hero. Full respect for that guy.

25
Renting a gaming PC seems dumb as fuck.

17
- Renting most things long term is dumb as fuck, yet Rent-A-Center is a thing. Technically they do rent to own, but they will set you up with a whole shitty bachelor pad. $10 a month for the table, 20 for the couch, and only 50 for the TV. Over a five year loan. They will and do repo shit and rent it to the next dumbass. Quick what's 50 times 12 times 5? Doesn't matter I have a shitty big screen for only fifty bucks!
  
  4
  
  Even if it works out to spending $3000 on the end, that's still only $80/month, and their demographic is people living paycheck to paycheck who don't have the few hundred at any one time to buy the stuff outright.
  
  1
lol nice try NZXT

17
Nah, I think this should tank them as a company. Once a scammer, always a scammer.

12
Back to you, Steve.

11
the availability of different components requires specification changes, sometimes in real-time. In fact, customers may experience a free upgrade based on changing inventory levels.

They couldn't help but try and make "getting randomized components" sound like a good thing

10
- The surprise spec mechanic gives buyers a sense of pride and accomplishment.
  
  19
  
  Are you in marketing?? If not, you should look around and see if you could.
  
  1
Throw the entire company in the trash immediately. Lmfao

6
- Let 'em catch fire, just like those faulty PCIe risers they sold a few years ago.
  
  0
That's an understandable take, I hope that when he drags himself out of the ashes of his failed company, dusts himself off, and starts a new company when his bankruptcy ban expires, it's a scooch more ethical to start with.

3
Too late.

3
This should have been stated day one.

It's still hollow until they actually do something, but it's the least they should have done.

1
What a shame, they have the best looking cases imo.

Well anyone knows of a company that I can replace them with?

1
- If you're looking for pretty, Fractal Design have great looking cases. Not cheap though.
  
  12
  
  Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out
  
  Edit: dang these are snazzy
  
  4
- Fractal, Antec, Lian-li just to name a few.
  
  12
Seems legit

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