An 18-year-old from the USA almost earned $1.38 million with his game on Steam, but hardly any buyer keeps the title.
What kind of game is this? The 18-year-old American Michael Major developed a small 2D game that he sells on Steam for $200 (or €200). The price is, of course, no coincidence, as the game is pure satire and is called “This Game Costs 200 Dollars.”
Even the description of the game on Steam could not sound more generic: “This psychologically ‘comedic’ experience is worth your $200. Every single cent. This game is unlike anything you have ever seen or will ever see. It’s $200 full of pure joy, wonder, and uncomfortable conversations.”
It continues with the words:
“Have you ever been taken for a ride? Really taken for a fool? Because this game is the con of all cons. This game costs $200 or whatever that is in your currency. That is extremely a lot for a video game. And yet I know that some people will buy this game out of sheer curiosity – and I highly recommend that you do too. […] This game is also a psychological experience where I try to convince you that this game is really worth $200.“
In the end, Michael Major was right: The game was bought – and subsequently returned thousands of times.
Almost a millionaire, if it weren’t for Steam
This is what refunds are about: As reported by the American news show WMUR-TV (via YouTube), “This Game Costs 200 Dollars” was sold a total of 6,717 times on Steam. The total revenue was around $1.38 million – but the 18-year-old never saw that money.
Of the 6,717 buyers, 6,707 returned the game on Steam. This corresponds to a return rate of 99.9%. Major did not become a millionaire but “only” earned $2,045 with his game.
However, he appeared neither surprised nor disappointed by the development in front of WMUR-TV, as he never really expected the money to actually land in his account.
If you ever buy a game for €200 on Steam and shortly after feel that your latest purchase is not worth the money at all, Valve has established appropriate rules. You can easily return such games on Steam if you adhere to the present conditions. What exactly needs to be considered for a refund can be read here: Steam: Return a game – It’s that easy
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