5. Hellgate: London
When Hellgate opened on Halloween, 2007, s*** hit the fan. Never mind the ongoing demonic invasion and dimensional gash in no-longer-jolly-old England; players paid up to fight it off. But persistent crash bugs were a bad start. And while lost progress in an action-RPG is always painful, double and triple billings chafe in any context. Many subscribers to Hellgate: London's optional membership program, who exchanged $9.99 a month or a flat lifetime fee of $149 for priority server access, easier in-game transportation, and other perks, reported massive problems and mistaken charges. According to popular gaming site Shacknews, one user claimed that he was "charged two times on November 3, one time on November 4, and one time on November 5" and summarized the situation as "the worst online gaming experience I have ever had." On developer Flagship Studios' support forum, others claimed to have proof of payment with no subscription to show for it.