Indie Dev Urges Steam Refund Rules Update After Short Game Gets Praised

A Steam indie developer is pushing Valve to tighten how refunds work on the storefront, arguing that the current system can still allow players to get their money back after finishing a short game—despite leaving highly positive feedback.

Taking to X (Twitter), Zoroarts—the creator of the indie boat adventure Paddle Paddle Paddle—criticized Steam’s refund behavior in cases where players praised the title and still managed to refund it within the allowed window.

Steam’s refund rules and the complaint

Steam’s policy permits refunds for titles played for under two hours, as long as the request is made within 14 days of purchase. The intent is to give buyers a reasonable chance to decide whether a game is right for them during an early play window.

Zoroarts’ argument is that this approach can also harm smaller projects, especially bite-size releases that players may complete quickly. In the developer’s view, Steam’s threshold can reward fast completion with a refund even when the game is widely enjoyed.

In one post, Zoroarts claimed the boat adventure received strong reception but still saw refunds from players who wrapped up the experience inside Steam’s refund timeframe. The developer pointed to a refund rate of 21% despite the Steam review score being listed as “Very Positive,” and noted the game is currently discounted to $3.

They added that the situation appears widespread, saying they had “dozens” of reviews reflecting refunds and citing the 21% figure again. Zoroarts also included an image of a Steam review for Paddle Paddle Paddle that reads along the lines of: “GREAT GAME, finished within 1:40 hrs (refunded).”

Zoroarts further argued that the game’s intended length is longer than the two-hour refund limit. They said the full level was planned for roughly 3.5 hours, while the free demo reportedly takes around 40 minutes to complete. From that, the developer estimated the full product would launch with about four hours of total gameplay.

The creator acknowledged that some players will complete the game faster—citing speedrunners and “really good gamers”—and said that’s part of why certain reviews may show playtimes between 1 and 2 hours. They also said they received derogatory comments, including remarks like “Make a game longer than 2 hours.”

In response to pushback, Zoroarts emphasized that players do genuinely like the game, pointing to nearly 1,400 reviews on Steam. The developer argued that it’s unfair to call a short game “bad” or “trash” if a person hasn’t played it, and said the reviews are the most basic way to judge whether a title is problematic. Zoroarts also suggested that some PC players may simply dislike shorter experiences or feel they shouldn’t pay for them—while insisting that insulting the developer or the game isn’t justified.

Community reactions and calls for clearer expectations

Reactions to Zoroarts’ posts have been mixed. Some commenters suggested Valve is unlikely to change its refund approach. Others argued Steam should provide clearer labeling when a game is designed to be short, so players know what they’re buying and how long it may take to finish.

Zoroarts supported the idea of better transparency, noting that Steam already allows users to see pricing and expected playtime information clearly. The developer’s conclusion was that doing so would reduce the likelihood of “Too short” being used as a refund justification.

Valve’s policy on abuse (and what’s unclear)

Valve already addresses refund “abuse” in its terms. The rules state that refunds are not meant to be used as “a way to get free games,” and that users who take unfair advantage of the system may have refund privileges suspended.

How consistently that enforcement happens in practice remains uncertain, though, and that uncertainty is part of what has prompted this latest request from Zoroarts.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social