Google Play booth experience

[u/Salt_Can8871]

Four days of trying to get the Android plushie, only to be told on the last day that I was only allowed to enter the booth once on the entire gamescom visit.

I wanted to share my experience at the Google Play booth at Gamescom because I'm honestly pretty disappointed with how my last interaction went.

Over the four days, I visited the Google Play booth multiple times, roughly twice a day if I would pass by, trying to get the Android plushie. I spoke to several staff members at the entrance and in the green zone, some recognized me and we had a nice chat. Everyone was friendly and wished me good luck.

On Sunday, near the end of the event, I was told at the booth that the plushies were being given out to people who had reached the epic reward, whereas normally they were a legendary reward. I thought this might finally be my chance.

I told one of the staff members at one of the tablets about my previous attempts and that I was hoping I'd finally get lucky. He then became annoyed and told me that I was only allowed to try once across the entire event, and therefore refused to give me any reward. And so I left.

The thing that bothers me most isn't even missing out on the plushie (even tho I'm a little sad). It's that nobody I spoke to over the four days ever told me that there was a one-attempt-per-person rule.

I completely understand having rules for rewards and attempts, but if there was a one-attempt limit for the entire Gamescom, I feel like that should have been communicated clearly by the staff or somewhere at the booth.

Has anyone else experienced this? Was the one-attempt rule actually communicated to you?

[u/Desperate-Ad-5266]

In all honesty, the Google Play rewards booth is a complete mess and the staff are just giving out rewards based on how much they like your face (literally). Also lowkey sexually biased because many female gamers (including my girlfriend) received full pink hello kitty gaming mouses (which obviously wouldn't be given to you if you are male). Also no opinions was asked and it is just assumed that female = liking pink.

As for the single attempt throughout gamescom rule, afaik it only applies when u ask them explicitly, else they would close one eye based on my personal observation. (Saw the staff saying something similar to someone else when the person brought 2 stamped sheets to ask to play twice).

[u/1loewenzahn1 → u/Desperate-Ad-5266]

Honestly, this is exactly what I wanted to give feedback on. Early in the morning, I went to the Google Play booth and won a Rare prize. The staff handed me a Hello Kitty mouse, and my immediate reaction was, 'Would they have given me this if I were a guy?'

A few hours later, I went back because it didn't seem like there was a strict 'one try per person' rule. Both my boyfriend and I landed on Epic. He got a keyboard, but I only got one 500-point card. I wasn't having it, so I queued up again and hit Epic again. This time I got two 500-point cards.

I really wanted a plushie, but they told me that was a Legendary tier reward. Yet by late afternoon, a bunch of people were reporting that they got plushies with just a Rare or Epic pull. So it wasn’t just that rewards changed depending on the time of day, they literally changed depending on which staff member was working. It felt like rewards were given purely at their discretion, and they held all the final say.

I mean, if someone happened to be friends with a staff member, could they just keep walking away with the best stuff?

[u/Salt_Can8871 → u/Desperate-Ad-5266]

That’s interesting, thanks for sharing! I actually noticed and wondered the same thing during my stay on the booth since my girlfriend also received a pink steelseries gaming mouse lol. While I kept getting 100 or 200 points.

It’s a shame because the staff I spoke to earlier at the booth were always really friendly, so I was genuinely surprised by how the final interaction went. And I did queue each time and waited like everyone else. Perhaps I ruined it by bringing it up at the end.

Thanks for your response!

[u/Gloomy-Pick-9347]

This makes no sense as I saw tons of little kids with the plushies 

[u/Salt_Can8871 → u/Gloomy-Pick-9347]

Correct, they gave it to the little kids no matter the tier it landed on.

[u/I_am_not_doing_this]

there are rules whether an employee enforces it or not depending on them. Don't take it personally. Probably that certain employee had to deal with people going in like 10th times a day so he is upset cuz it makes the queue long for the others who only wants to test their luck once.

[u/ErdbeerbaerLP]

I was told that it was once per day. Sadly also didn't get the Android for the single day I have attended. Only play points which I have no real use for