If you’ve been using Steam for a long time, then you would know that they have some of the best refund policies around. In a time when people are cautious about Sony’s plan to go all digital, when they have a crappy storefront, Steam will always be there. However, it does have some problems, and a developer for a game raised his concern.
What was the issue with the refund policy for Steam?
There is a game on Steam called PADDLE PADDLE PADDLE. The game’s concept is the simple: you play alone, with a friend, or someone online. You control a paddle on a tiny raft in a physics-based mechanics where you have to reach the end of the levels to progress. The game is fun but short, and unfortunately, that is where the problem lies.
It seems the game has been selling well, but over 50,000 players have had the game refunded. That is because they finished the game in less than 2 hours. They basically bought the game, played it, finished it, and got their money back. This is due to Steam’s refund policy, and people are eligible for it.
What is the refund policy for Steam?
Steam’s refund policy falls down to time. When you buy a game, there are several requirements for you to qualify for that refund. It doesn’t matter what the reason for refunding it is (i.e., the game is buggy, the PC cannot handle the game’s requirements, etc.); players can get that refund when they have the right time allotted.
DAYS BOUGHT
When the game is bought, players can have it refunded in two weeks (14 days).
TIME PLAYED
The player should have less than 2 hours played with the game upon purchasing. Steam records the time played, so you can see how long you’ve played the game.
When it’s been past two weeks, or even if you haven’t reached the two-week mark, and you played past 2 hours, then you cannot avail of the refund. There may be some loopholes, and you’ll have to take that up with Steam support.
Was it right for people to refund?
The key issue for some people is that the game is really fast to beat. This meant that the game was just short. Think about those NES games that you could beat for less than an hour or 30 minutes. In this case, modern games should have more content to them to keep the people engaged. It is unfortunate for the developer of the game, but that’s just the case right now.
There’s nothing wrong with him hoping that Steam changes the refund policy. However, this policy has worked for years, and changing it might bring bigger problems. Maybe they should just make longer games next time, but his concern is understandable to some extent.
Final Remarks
Steam’s refund policy isn’t perfect, but it is very effective. Why fix something that isn’t broken, and a lot of people have benefited from it. It keeps the developers motivated to make sure that their games are good and functioning when they are released. Plus, it is important to make sure that customers are happy on their end.