Indie Dev Says Steam Refund Policy Lets Players Enjoy Games Then Refund
The developer's complaint highlights a tension between consumer-friendly refund policies and the financial viability of short, completable indie games on Steam.
Reporting from 1 source: GIGAZINE.
Mateo Covic, solo developer of cooperative game Paddle Paddle Paddle, stated on X that Steam's refund policy is easily abused. He claims over 55,000 refunds have been processed, with some users posting positive reviews while requesting refunds after clearing the game in under two hours. Covic supports refunds for legitimate issues but calls for system changes to prevent abuse. The claim lacks public evidence, as noted by GamesRadar+.
The developer of cooperative rafting game Paddle Paddle Paddle says Steam's refund policy has a loophole. Mateo Covic reports that 55,000 refunds were issued, a 21% refund rate, despite 90% of reviews being positive. Some players wrote glowing reviews and then requested a refund after finishing the game in under two hours, the threshold for no-questions-asked returns. Covic supports refunds for technical issues but wants Valve to prevent refunds on games the player enjoyed and reviewed. He has not yet provided public evidence for the refund numbers, as GamesRadar+ noted.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.