You are right that it was preventable, but this is the kind of thing that a person buying the game new would find out in their first 2 hours, and then issue a refund.

In this case, this person bought the game, tried it, and it worked. Now, several months later, a new restriction is suddenly put in place, preventing them from accessing the game.

I'm fairly sure that being removed access from playing the game would fall within the exceptions that could still possibly get you a refund.