A developer from Germany should actually be pleased that his game is being very positively received on Steam. However, a rule on the platform makes it difficult for him to earn money from it.
Why doesn’t the developer make money from it? The 23-year-old solo developer Mateo Covic is frustrated that numerous players are returning his game “Paddle Paddle Paddle” on Steam. He shares on X a review that gives a thumbs up and thus recommends the game, but at the same time returned it.
The review states that it was a great game, but he finished it within an hour and 40 minutes and therefore returned it.
The problem: Under a playtime of two hours, any gamer on Steam can return the game and get their money back. This particularly affects small solo developers whose games rarely reach two hours of playtime or can be experienced in less than that time.
According to the solo developer, he currently has to endure a refund rate of 21%, which would correspond to over 55,000 returns. And this, despite the game standing at 89% positive reviews.
Developers Demand Changes to Steam’s Rules
What does the developer demand? He wishes that Steam changes its return policy. He reveals that the game is actually designed for four hours of gameplay, but many players have completed it within one to two hours.
His current solution is to display the expected playtime on the Steam page. He expects that players will then no longer have an issue if both the price and the expected playtime are displayed before purchase. For him, there would then be no reason to return the game because it is too short.
What kind of game is this? In “Paddle Paddle Paddle”, it’s about navigating solo or with a friend in a boat through obstacle courses. The problem is that the canoe or rowboat is difficult to steer, and you need to communicate well about which direction to paddle.
Another coop game on Steam was given away by the developers for over a year. However, over time they had to change their approach: A coop game on Steam had been free since its release, but with a heavy heart, the developers now have to charge money for it.
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