Valve Fined $3 Million For Not Offering Refunds to Australians

[MonsterCrit]

Those who would pirate, were never going to be your customers anyway.

That's a rather bold statement. Prove it.

OT; I think that this will pressure Valve to institute fairer refund laws.

People who steal , generally have little interest in legal acquisition.. Particularly where the product has no shortage of supply.

Fairer? They have thee fairest Digital returns policy on third party goods around. Also keep in mind this had nothing to do with Steam's Refund policy. BUt rather their disclosure of the refund policy.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Fairer? They have thee fairest Digital returns policy on third party goods around. Also keep in mind this had nothing to do with Steam's Refund policy. BUt rather their disclosure of the refund policy.

How is "2 hours of gameplay and/or less in two weeks" fair to the consumer?

 

[MonsterCrit]

Fairer? They have thee fairest Digital returns policy on third party goods around. Also keep in mind this had nothing to do with Steam's Refund policy. BUt rather their disclosure of the refund policy.

How is "2 hours of gameplay and/or less in two weeks" fair to the consumer?

Well...it gives the consumer a fair window to determine if the product will actually run on their system as wella s cover any ppurchase errors or mistakes.

IT's also a bitrch of a lot more than you'll get anywhere for PC products.Once that plastic seal is broken. you're fucked.
2 hours is pretty fair. If you need more than that. You aren't being serious or are looking to play for free. Perhaps maybe research the game before buying and develop self awareness so you actually have a better idea of the sort of things you like.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Once that plastic seal is broken. you're fucked.

Not in Australia you aren't.

And that two hour rule is exploitable. Devs can front load their games with all the best content, then be lazy once the 2 hour window has passed. There are more than a few games on Steam already which have done this. No Man's Sky for example. Then you have Greenlight games that have done such massive overhauls of their games that people who originally bought them are no longer able to play them due to the change in system requirements.

 

[Cap'nPipsqueak]

So...The Australian Government gets the money, even though the Australian citizens were the ones complaining. Someone please try to explain this logic to me, and how it is fair in any shape or form.

In explanation - our government is kind of a massive asshole. I could expand on various legalities or what-not, but honestly, the 'massive asshole' is really far too fitting when it comes to our government and their approach to money.

Well, your country did start out as a prison colony. Just sayin'.

 

[MonsterCrit]

Once that plastic seal is broken. you're fucked.

Not in Australia you aren't.

Really? Try it,m go buy a piece of software, open the packaging and break the seal on the case, then try to return it.

And that two hour rule is exploitable. Devs can front load their games with all the best content, then be lazy once the 2 hour window has passed.

And? Did you ever consider that its a simple matter of perception. The mechanics for most games aren't very complex. The begining of the game is when you're new to the mechanics and the environs. Once you get used to them, is when you realize how repetitive the mechanics are. And this is a time honoured tradition. Doom, Wolf3d, Quake, Duke nukem. They all did this. It's also done by any game that has a demo.

Me thinks this comic more or less sums up whats really going on: https://media0dk-a.akamaihd.net/16/50/872956604cb9ef0628227214b653a8bd.jpg

There are more than a few games on Steam already which have done this. No Man's Sky for example.

NMS was actually well liked by those who didn't spooge over the hype. It's no more or less boring than any other mine craftesque crafting simulator.

Then you have Greenlight games that have done such massive overhauls of their games that people who originally bought them are no longer able to play them due to the change in system requirements.

This happens with all games. It's a factor of software. To support newer tech , they have to depreciuate older tech.. Or they need to up the reqs to bring it in line with the actual requirements.

Joke is, if this happens within 3 months of purchase steam will give you a refund.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Really? Try it,m go buy a piece of software, open the packaging and break the seal on the case, then try to return it.

I don't have to try, I have done it. Australia has awesome consumer protection & fairness laws. We have government agencies whose sole purpose is to ensure consumers aren't taken advantage of.

And? Did you ever consider that its a simple matter of perception. The mechanics for most games aren't very complex. The begining of the game is when you're new to the mechanics and the environs. Once you get used to them, is when you realize how repetitive the mechanics are. And this is a time honoured tradition. Doom, Wolf3d, Quake, Duke nukem. They all did this. It's also done by any game that has a demo.

And how many AAA games have had free demos released in the last few years?

 

[MonsterCrit]

And how many AAA games have had free demos released in the last few years?

Very few, . That goes across all games. Demos are a money-sink for development and very seldom actuallymake matters easier., since they offer time compressed experiences (or virtual slices) they reflect a pacing that does not exist in the main game.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Very few, . That goes across all games. Demos are a money-sink for development and very seldom actuallymake matters easier., since they offer time compressed experiences (or virtual slices) they reflect a pacing that does not exist in the main game.

Back in the Way Back When, demos were a section of the completed game. You could tell what the game was going to be like, how it played. People actually liked that, it gave them a real world metric to help them decide if a game was worth their money. Now while the cost of producing a demo may factor in why they are no longer being released, it's also a convenient excuse to hide all the flaws.

 

[MonsterCrit]

Very few, . That goes across all games. Demos are a money-sink for development and very seldom actuallymake matters easier., since they offer time compressed experiences (or virtual slices) they reflect a pacing that does not exist in the main game.

Back in the Way Back When, demos were a section of the completed game. You could tell what the game was going to be like, how it played. People actually liked that, it gave them a real world metric to help them decide if a game was worth their money. Now while the cost of producing a demo may factor in why they are no longer being released, it's also a convenient excuse to hide all the flaws.

Actually. I remember those days. And that's sort of the problem. The problem with Demos is that really, these days the games and their mechanics and style are a bit more complex. They don't really have stages anymore.

Plus as said. Money sink. COnsumer behaviour has proven that out of 9 possible scenarios , onl;y two result in a sales increase. One in a bad way and one in a manner that was basically marginal. Everything else. lead to no difference or a l,oss of sales.

Considering the time and money required to actually craft a good demo these days. and you understand why.

Long story short. Devs noticed that while demos had a cost factor proportional to the game. They did not attract any sales. and in fact were aptr to cost them sales since if the demo was really good. people would just keep playing the demo .

Besides. Aliens colonial marinse shows that demos can be very misleading .