A game developer has criticized Steam’s refund policy after players who purportedly loved their short game requested refunds in droves. Called Paddle Paddle Paddle, the game boasts 88% Very Positive reviews, but the creator reports a 21% refund rate, equivalent to more than 55,000 refunds.
The complaint centers on Steam’s standard refund policy. Valve says most purchases qualify for a refund within 14 days of purchase and under two hours of playtime. But the issue is that this rule applies even to short games that most players complete in less than two hours. The developer, Zoro Arts, said this one-size-fits-all policy poses an issue for small games.
Suspecting that some players requested refunds because they thought the game was too short, Zoro Arts’ founder, Mateo, suggested that Steam display the expected playtime next to a game’s rating so that players know what they’re getting into.
Perhaps no one would have noticed Mateo’s complaint if Paddle Paddle Paddle had middling scores. But its very positive overall rating makes it impossible to ignore. Clearly, the problem is not that players don’t enjoy the game.
Steam has maintained its refund policy for years and has defended it as a consumer protection measure. The company says it can restrict access to refunds in cases of abuse, but it has not announced any change to its overall policy in response to this complaint.
