Got my refund email as well

This all makes me sad. Super excited about this one. Phil's story is sounding plausible. DP better come out with their side of the story quick, and it better be a good one, or I'm guessing those refunds stay refunded. Mine will at least. If what Phil is saying is true, and he dumped back the money before the DP train could crash in licensing hell while spending that money, then does that make him our hero???

Again, it would be nice to hear from the other side first. A short email is not going to cut it DP. I hope everything turns out golden, games get made, and no one gets burned, but there is definitely smoke right now. Hope those wanting refunds get them.

The go* dam* plane has crashed into the mountain!

Yeah, this is what is putting me out of resubmitting my order. I got my unrequested refund, but after doing the math I think I was right at the 45 day mark when Phil hit the panic button. I was a day or two away from Paypal jail for my $4500. I feel for the people who are there right now. As the dust settles on this I'm reasonably comfortable believing that DP will still deliver a high quality game in the end, but how on earth can they not honor funds submitted to their own company? That is just absurd, and a terrible way to treat customers that showed faith in them. Their site promises multiple times that the money is fully refundable until production. Well, that is now a straight lie if DP just washes their hands of the Paypal USA funds. Honor that promise DP! If you don't stick to your word then you don't deserve success. I personally can't put money back into their hands after this behavior and rather pathetic reaction. Figure something out with Phil and the US account. It should not be impossible.

Yeah, I'm with you on this. I actually said in the past the only way I do a preorder or buy NIB is "if someone makes a Big Lebowski pin(hahahahaha)." DP called my bluff so I got into this preorder nonsense. I guess I was lucky to get my full refund when Phil hit the eject button. I'd like to be back in on this, but no way am I putting money back in their hands if other people are still asking for refunds without any satisfaction. I hope those still looking for their money hear something soon.

So what is the story with tha Jan 1st payment? If you're a preorder and you don't have $6500 in by Jan 1 do you lose your spot, $8500 price, chrome, rug, etc? I assume this is what happens, but does anyone know for sure? I'd ask DP but their response time has usually been averaging about 3 weeks in my experience.

Link to the initial resignation thread. Not started by Phil, but he does respond around page 4
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/uh-oh-phil-leaving-dp

You can scroll through the first half of this current thread to see Phil's thoughts on the whole situation. As for his resignation he sent an email to VIP's Nov 1.

Email Pasted below.

Welp, that about does her, wraps her all up.

To the VIPs,

As of November 1, I have decided to part ways with Dutch Pinball. I made this decision for for personal reasons, and not because of health issues.

As many of you know, I have been a professor of Marketing and a Marketing Consultant for the majority of my adult life, working in the US Military, with the Swiss Government and for many for profit companies and not-for-profit organizations. But the hardest, most creative, and probably the most fucked up job has been here, with you.

You pushed me to set the bar high, but your encouraging words and emails of support after each campaign made the challenge that much more rewarding.

Thank you.
.

And just remember that I was a good bowler,
and a good man. I was. . .

I was one of you.

I really, really hope that is true. However, these words also came directly from DP: "All deposits are fully refundable until your machine goes into production". Until that gets sorted out they are liars and their word cannot be trusted. Sorry if that sounds blunt, but I can't see any other way to look at it. Also, they should shout that Apr 1st date from the rooftops. Slap that in a newsletter so it means something. Why keep it in private conversations unless it might not happen?

I'm still considering getting back in, but no way until those refunds are sorted out. Saw the 100+ recent new posts and thought maybe something happened. Nope! Well, here is another uninformed post to throw in the pile.

If it makes you feel any better you weren't alone with the back and forth decisions. In the end I went the same way you did. Feel ok about DP and their situation now, but hope the drama is over.