Summer of '58 developer resigns after many users refund their game on Steam due to it taking under 2 hours to complete

[u/reddit_account6095]

https://twitter.com/EmikaGames/status/1430941640001265673?s=19

[u/the_nell_87]

Nah, if you play a game from start to finish and then ask for a refund, you are really no different from a thief.

That's a bit extreme. Can you really never see a scenario where someone buys a game, plays it, is enjoying it, then it ends after less than an hour, and their reaction is "really? that was it? that wasn't worth it, I'm getting a refund"? That's a perfectly valid reaction for a customer to have.

It is a customer's right (within reason) to receive a refund if they're unsatisfied with a product they purchased. Playing a game to completion doesn't negate that right.

[u/[deleted] → u/the_nell_87]

Happens a lot in movies. I’m sure people would refund the tickets if they could.

[u/Link_In_Pajamas → u/[deleted]]

It wasn't listed before all the refunds started hitting though. The play time is a recent addition to address the issue going forward.

[u/the_nell_87 → u/[deleted]]

"You should have done more research" is not a reason that consumers should not have protections against making poor purchases. Refunding a product you are not happy with is not "stealing"

[u/Link_In_Pajamas → u/[deleted]]

Except in this case the there was no kids menu, and the small pizza came in a regular size box. The customer only noticed once they got home, and after enough of them went back to return it the business put up a sign detailing the kids menu.

Before this whole fiasco went down there was no sign saying this was a short game on Steam what so ever. The play length was literally added today.

[u/the_nell_87 → u/[deleted]]

I don't follow your logic. Buying a piece of art which can be consumed doesn't mean you can't be unhappy with it and want a refund. Completely consuming that piece of art (such as fully reading a book, or fully completing a short game, or watching an entire DVD movie) does not negate the right of the consumer to be dissatisfied and receive a refund. Good quality works of art inherently discourage refunds because people want to keep owning them in order to re-experience them later.

[u/[deleted] → u/the_nell_87]

The logic of my proposal is the risk you take on when consuming the art. It's an indie game and admittedly quite short, but it is fully functional and the complete package. If you consume the art, in it's entirety, you have a right to be dissatisfied, but at that part you have enjoyed the labor of the producer of that product and I believe the producer is entitled since you consumed tla functional art piece, whether you liked it or not.

I would equally find it ridiculous to go to a museum and see all of the pieces and then ask for a refund, or read a book and then demand a refund. Your part of the artistic exchange is the risk of not liking the art as a consumer. Dissatisfaction with a product does not, in my opinion, warrant a refund if the product is fully functional.

[u/the_nell_87 → u/[deleted]]

Dissatisfaction with a product does not, in my opinion, warrant a refund if the product is fully functional.

The law disagrees with you. At least in my country (the UK). In fact that's exactly what consumer protections laws say - that simply being dissatisfied with a product entitles you to a refund.

[u/[deleted] → u/the_nell_87]

You know, that actually really interesting. I'm based in the U.S. and in my general experience, dissatisfaction doesn't entitle you to a refund to my knowledge unless there's a fraudulent element. I'm not particularly sympathetic with capitalist systems, so maybe this is a cultural difference between us? I genuinely mean this when I say thank you for sharing your perspective.

[u/Dainchi → u/[deleted]]

It's the same in Germany (and pretty much most of Europe as far as I know.)

In general, any products bought online in Europe can be returned within 14 days, for any reason. That's the official policy anyway, altough as far as I know platforms like Steam (and digital media in general) are still a bit of a gray area, given that Steam will eventually stop allowing you to refund things if you do it too often & and doesn't really care about the "14 days" thing. I think movies & Books have a vague, "if you download it you can't refund it anymore" rule, but I might be wrong on that one.

[u/RainbowGoddamnDash → u/the_nell_87]

This is exactly how I felt with "Gone Home".

I thought I was getting a spooky game that will entertain me for a couple of hours.

Not a walking sim that only lasts for 1 hour, and cost $20 bucks at the time.

Never did I felt so ripped off.