Hey thanks for providing the coupons. I used them for azada and hidden expedition:everest and right now downloading the games.

Thanks for the codes!
Will I have to joint the Big Fish's "club" if I get those games for 99c? Or is it one-off payment?

You do not have to join the Big Fish game club to get these games, but you do need to register with a valid email address.

Hidden Mysteries: Buckingham Palace
Use: PALACE99

credit to AdvOfJet @ cheapassgamer

If you don't want to use your real e-mail address to make an account to get the free games, I recommend mailinator.com.

POSSIBLE DIRTY TRICKS ON BIGFISHGAMES SITE?

I hope not, but now that I have your attention....

I've been buying games from BFG for years. Game quality is great (and you try before you buy), and - most important - their customer service has always been terrific. They take both complaints and compliments seriously, and help you out until YOU, the customer, are totally satisfied.

I picked up a couple of those "memorial day games." Then noticed an email telling me that my "next Game Club payment will be on June 23" for "6.99." Say WHAT?!

Of course I followed every link I could find and hit 'unsubscribe' everywhere I could find it. Took a few tries, but got the "aaaw...sorry you're leaving us!" screen. Just in case, I also wrote to BFG, told them I bought games, I don't WANT a membership, and I'd best not see any charges.

As usual I got a fast and courteous reply. The following is a direct quote from Leah, the customer service rep who answered my letter:

"As you know, purchasing games on our site activates a subscription to Game Club, which offers great services like games for only $6.99. The other member benefits to Game Club are (etc)....."

I have purchased many games. I have never wanted a GC subscription. I have never "activated" such a thing. (Of course BGF made sure I had canceled, and double-checked to ensure I wouldn't be billed. The quality of customer service hasn't changed, thank heavens!)

If you've taken advantage of this sale, please check your account and/or your email. You may find your credit card getting charged monthly for something you didn't even know you joined.

BFG: If this a new policy of "sneaky-subscribing": SHAME ON YOU! If it's a glitch on the site FIX IT! You've got a good reputation both for game quality and customer care. Don't blow it.

(And thanks for the chance - and the place - to tell players about this, Jay. )

Update:

I purchased the Buckingham Palace game (w/ discount - many thanks to AdvOfJet/Hakee for the code). And this time there was a pop-up saying "Hello! Now you're a member of the game-club!" First time I've seen it.

At least now it's clearly stated AND there's a "Cancel Now" button right there. Perhaps the server was having hiccups over the weekend. Best to still check, I think....

Thanks for the recount of your experience there, Merricat. It will serve both as a caution and a validation to anyone visiting this thread curious about the offer.

From my experience, I have subscribed to their game club for years because at $6.99 a game, it's a very inexpensive way to play all the latest games.

The fact that you can now cancel at any time makes the subscription a minor nuisance.

Thanks, Merricat, for your heads up on the Game Club issue. I was the one that alerted Jay to the .99 cent sale for Hidden Expedition: Amazon. I was so excited about all the .99 games that I went a little crazy and purchased several of them all at once, on May 18th. There certainly was no mention at all of the Game Club membership during the whole purchasing process. Sure enough, when I checked my emails on a little-used Hotmail account I use to sign up for things like that, I had the "Welcome to the Game Club" email in my inbox. I quickly cancelled my membership and I haven't been billed the 6.99. If you hadn't alerted me to this, I may not have known until it was too late! Thank you!! I do love Big Fish, and their games - but this tactic is definitely sneaky.

I'm glad my note saved you some trouble down the road, Susabelle23. I know I would have gone ballistic if I saw these charges on my Amex. It's so much easier to get it straightened out NOW, rather than play "yes-I-did-no-you-didn't" later with the credit card company.

Perhaps a short note about this might be put on the main page? I'm sure there are others who put in a "whatever" email address that they don't check (or check rarely), and they won't realize what's happened until their bill arrives next month. What do you think, Jay?

I just went through the process so I could see for myself, and I do not believe Big Fish is doing anything unethical or sneaky here, since anytime you purchase anything online you should read the terms of the purchase.

Big Fish clearly identifies all purchases now as being a "Game Club" purchase, with a link to the Big Fish Game Club Terms of Service immediately next to the "Submit Order" button. [Screen shot]

It should be noted that transactions for free games do not come with a game club subscription.

To help bring attention to this, however, I have just added the following paragraph to our page detailing how to use Big Fish coupons/discount codes:

IMPORTANT: If any coupon or discount code transaction ends in a game purchase where you must provide a credit card, PayPal, or other form of payment, be sure to read the Big Fish Game Club Terms of Service prior to your purchase. With the recent price reduction to $6.99 for every game, you will be automatically enrolled in the Game Club with every purchase. You are free to cancel your game club subscription at any time without penalty.

Wow! I have always been hesitant about "communities" because so many have slams and other stuff (I have a "black belt" in slams and never have I used one online). You guys really are cool. I had the same experience as Jay did in that I checked the "Game club terms of service" because of my suspicions of ANY site for profit. I then wrote to Big Fish about "what if we don't want to join?" Here was their courteous answer:

Hello there Matt,

This is Jon here at Big Fish Games with Customer Support in Seattle. Thank you so much for taking the time to write in to us.

I understand from your email that you have some questions regarding the Game Club Membership. Basically, the way this works is that no matter what, every purchase that is made from our site, signs you up for a Membership. The question then becomes whether or not you want to keep it. Immediately after the order goes through, you'll be prompted with two messages. You can chose to either keep the Membership, or you can cancel it. There are no requirements whatsoever. Pretty neat, huh?

If you click "submit order" you will not be charged any additional fees - that is, not until a month from when the order is submitted. If you should decide to sign-up, every month on the day you made that first purchase, $6.99 will be charged to your account for a Game Club Credit. This credit can then be used to redeem any game on our website for free.

For more information about the new Big Fish Game Club, please see the following help article:

Big Fish Game Club Membership
http://bigfishgames.com/help/index.html?rn=907

If you have any other questions about this, Matt, please don't hesitate to contact me by simply replying to this email. I’d be happy to help!

Happy Gaming,
Jon
Customer Support

I hope that this is helpful. Big Fish Rocks!!
You guys do too!!

I have taken advantage of the earlier (great!) free offers which were advertised on Jayisgames, and I went on to buy two more games at full price, avoiding this membership. With this development into ONLY subscription service, I will not buy another game from Big Fish.

I noticed the sneaky enrollment scheme through Paypal denying me the option to buy without registering my credit card. I suppose this is because BFG requires a registered credit card to be able to drain 7$ each month.

[Edit: While I agree that the forced subscription is less than desirable, at $7 a game, you really cannot find a cheaper source for games anywhere else right now. Simply cancel the subscription immediately after your purchase, and you end up the winner. -Jay]

Update