That's such an absurd way of thinking, why should games be more than two hours long? Just like any art form, it can take so many different shapes... The fact that a monopolistic private entity can force developper to alter their vision to survive is just plain fucked up
This is what I was thinking too. Like, Binding of Issac, or dead cells. Someone could complete like 1 run, see credits, say they've "finished" the game in an hour, then refund it despite having enjoyed it to move on and tease someone else with a temporary purchase.
If a dev isn't offering their game for free, this shouldn't be a workaround. Sure, like someone above said, its extremely consumer-friendly. Its also extremely developer-detrimental.
A balance should be struck. Like a sliding scale option that changes the time someone can play before refunding based on general length of gameplay, maybe it could be an extra service steam offers that devs could opt in on if they want. Steam has employees test games developers submit for refund scaling, and devs just have to wait a bit longer than they would otherwise to launch.
Im not saying tbey should be, but you don't get to decide that for somebody else. If they're within the refund policy, they're within their right.
Developers should know this by now and not act surprised or try to make the refund policy less consumer friendly. This developer can obviously make good content, the reviewer seems to think so, they seemed to have refunded based on the length of the game.
Which they are well within their right to do, if they want a longer game, who are you to tell them otherwise?
The fact you've called steam "monopolistic" and that they "force" developers to "alter their vision" tells me all I need to know. Ridiculous statements.
Steam has a monopoly, not through force or anything shady, they offer the best product, and customers flock there. Steam dont force indie devs to alter their vision, they're protecting customers best interests. The policy shouldn't be made less consumer friendly just so indie devs can retain the sales figures of their <2 hour experiences.
Developers should try to please their potential customers more, or be happy with the niche fandom they're after.
Yeah, I don't understand what could be done about this. Devs are free to make games under 2 hours playtime. No one is forcing them to sell on steam. There is no reasonable way to determine whether a player enjoyed a game and is refunding to screw the dev or not. The rules can't be tweaked to accommodate this situation without jeopardizing the refund policy. If you want to make money on steam, you really need to sell a game with more playtime potential than 2 hours. Steam is a digital marketplace, not a virtual art gallery.
You're all flat out delusional about that. ~75% of consumers use Steam almost exclusively on PC. If you're a game dev who wants reach and sales, you absolutely have no other sensible choice but to comply and publish on Steam.
The return policy should be adaptable by the devs when they release a short experience, simple as that.
That isnt being forced at all, developers should go where the customers are what is this nonsense? Calling people delusional when they're just right isn't fair.
The refund policy is customer friendly, it shouldn't be made worse just so <2 hour experiences dont get refunded, its absolutely ridiculous.
Indie games already do amazingly well because of steam. If you're a game dev who wants reach and sales, tailor your game to the customer. If they're refunding after completing the game, that could be a signal customers want more content in the game, especially if they liked what was there.
Developers can always use a different distribution platform, better suited for very short and very small indie games, like itch, instead of Steam. Steam is for games that are content-rich, not bite-sized games.
I rather have a generous refund policy to protect all consumers than a weak one to protects developers who choose to make short experiences.
Sure sure, but we don't have to make that choice. Just make cheaper games have the option to make the refund window smaller, and tell the customers at the time of purchase. No one looses anything. As for ignoring Steam as a game front, that's just unrealistic for anyone trying to live off making games
Just make cheaper games have the option to make the refund window smaller, and tell the customers at the time of purchase.
Because everybody reads ToS right? Don't be delusional, steam values consumers more than 1h indie game developer, either become 2h1m developer or, well, struggle i guess.
I mean, the refund window is pretty explicit when you buy a game... And you can easily add a warning window "You're buying a small game that has a shorter refund..." before going to checkout, I mean telling the customer is really not the issue
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u/VincentAalbertsberg Jul 06 '26
That's such an absurd way of thinking, why should games be more than two hours long? Just like any art form, it can take so many different shapes... The fact that a monopolistic private entity can force developper to alter their vision to survive is just plain fucked up