Steam’s Refund Policy Under Fire

Steam’s refund policy has been called into question after a developer criticized the system for allowing players to receive full refunds, despite leaving positive reviews.

Developed by Zoroarts, the indie boat adventure game ‘Paddle Paddle Paddle’ has been praised by players, with a 90% Very Positive review average on Steam. However, the game’s developer has stated that 21% of players who completed the game and left positive reviews still managed to receive a full refund.

Zoroarts took to X/Twitter to express their frustration with Steam’s refund policy, stating that it is ‘punishing makers of smaller experiences’ and allowing players to ‘get free games’ by taking advantage of the system.

The developer pointed out that the game was intended to be a short experience, with a planned playtime of around 4 hours, but many players were able to complete it in under 2 hours and still receive a refund. Zoroarts included an image of a Steam review that labelled the game as a ‘GREAT GAME, finished within 1:40 hrs (refunded)’.

‘People really like the game,’ the developer continued. ‘Look at the almost 1,400 reviews on Steam. You can NOT say that the game is bad or trash if you have not even played it and the most basic approach to check if its a problem with the game is checking the Reviews.’

Zoroarts also backed the idea of better labelling when a game is intended to be a short experience, stating that this would ‘at least ‘Too short’ can NOT be a refund reason anymore.’

Valve itself includes a section on ‘abuse’ of its refund policy in the platform’s terms and conditions, stating that refunds were not ‘a way to get free games’ and that anyone unfairly taking advantage of this would have their refund privileges suspended. However, it remains unclear how much this is actually policed in practice.

Steam’s Refund Policy

Steam’s refund policy allows players to refund any title played for less than two hours, up to 14 days from purchase. This policy is intended to ensure players are happy with their games up to a couple hours of playtime, but Zoroarts argues that it is also punishing makers of smaller experiences.

Zoroarts called for a change in Steam’s refund policy, stating that ‘it would be cool if you could finally do something about your refund policy.’ The developer also included a statistic that over 55,000 refunds had been made for the game, despite its positive reviews.

The response to Zoroarts’ comments has been mixed, with some stating that Valve was unlikely to change its policies. However, Zoroarts’ comments have sparked a wider discussion about Steam’s refund policy and the impact it has on game developers.

Game Developers’ Concerns

Game developers like Zoroarts are concerned that Steam’s refund policy is allowing players to take advantage of the system and receive free games. This can be damaging to game developers, who rely on sales and revenue to fund their projects.

Zoroarts’ comments highlight the need for a change in Steam’s refund policy, and the importance of supporting game developers who create smaller experiences. By better labelling games as short experiences, players can make more informed decisions and avoid taking advantage of the system.

The issue of Steam’s refund policy is complex and multifaceted, and it will be interesting to see how Valve responds to Zoroarts’ comments and the wider discussion.