Solo developer Mateo Covic reported refunding 55,000 copies of his game Paddle Paddle Paddle due to Steam's two-hour policy. The title maintained 90 percent very positive reviews overall despite a 21 percent refund rate.
Covic said many players completed the game in under two hours, left positive reviews and then requested refunds. He planned for a total playtime of around four hours but noted that speedrunners finished faster.
The developer stated he supports refunds for legitimate reasons but believes the no-questions-asked rule within two weeks and two hours of playtime enables abuse. Covic added that he received increased hateful messages after raising the issue on social media and that recent reviews turned mixed.
Marketing consultant Indie Game Joe responded that the same policy helped drive 270,000 sales for the title by letting players try it risk-free. Valve reported $11.1 billion in revenue for the first half of 2026.
