If you play a game for about an hour to get all it's cards, you sell the cards, then refund the game, do you lose the money you earned for cards? Even if you don't sell the cards, do you lose the cards themselves? This seems exploitable.

9 years ago

Comment has been collapsed.

No.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It is exploitable and it was pointed out along with a few other flaws on the first day. I do not think that has been handled yet, other than the general statement that they will be looking out for people exploiting the policy.

Refunds discussion: http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/618463446166409587/

9 years ago*
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Except it already states in the FAQ that if they think you are abusing it, then you cant get anymore refunds.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That would be covered by "other than the general statement that they will be looking out for people exploiting the policy."

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It's not like you can opt to not receive any card drops during the allowed 2 hours of gametime.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Refunding isn't an automated process, so abusing it would lead to Steam revoking your ability to refund.

http://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds
ctrl+f "abuse"

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I assume they'll stop giving you refunds if you abuse this.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

They'll of course check if you have received the card drops or not and may act accordingly.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

No way to exploit it as they will remove your right for refunds so i suppose you could exploit it a few times,but is it really worth it.

But no you should keep your cards,but i would only ask for refunds if you really had issues with the game,but still your choice since it can be for any reason.I just think you should save them for serious matters,not just because you did not like that game,as they are not to clear on how they handle abuse and what will trigger it,or how many in a given time.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

+1

(Assumption) Do it two times in short time (like, in 12 months) and you get a spot on red-list. Then do it third time and that will be your last refund, ever. Even if you buy game that will give people cancer.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Or buy a game a day before it goes 80% off.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

In the FAQ it states that asking for refunds if the game goes on sale then buying the game on sale does not constitute abuse

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

PsyKo said

Then do it third time and that will be your last refund, ever. Even if you buy game that will give people cancer.

So I was continuing him by saying that if you get locked from refunds, you won't be able to refund if you bought it for too much before a sale.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

sorry, i was sleepy and didn't understand your comment.
My apologies.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I wonder how they check if it's the real playtime with the game. As far as I remember when you enter a game and alter the clock of your computer the playtime changes according to this meaning you can alter your playtime (not sure if this holds anymore though).

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

And the time played offline isn't counted, at least for now. I assume they are working on a fix for that.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Ask for refunds if the game has poor rating by other users and they most often have problems with it. Then it would be not abuse. Like scam games i.e Temper Trantum. Oh yes,they refunded me with no problems.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

The best thing with refunds is not that you can get your money back. If the rules are similar to Appstore and Google Play (I can't see the reason way Valve will make something deferent), then all developer that scam people will be in big trouble :) Apple and Goggle gets their cut of the price in the moment of pay transaction... but if there is a refund after this (actualy they can return it in some conditions, but only first minutes after payment), the developer must return full price... so if there is a lot of refunds he will pay more money that gets... and this means no more scam or totaly broken games in the market :)

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I don't think it works that way. The publisher doesn't immediately get their cut from each sale, so they don't have to return money with each refund.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It's the same in Apple's Appstore and Google Play. In example you sell 10 games for 10 euro each anf this makes 100 euro, online market gets 30% and there if 70 for you. But 3 people gets refund, so you need to return 30 euro and this means that you get only 40 euro on "payday"... but if there is more then 2/3 refunds you start to own money to online market.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Are you sure about that?

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

For Apple and Google yes, for Valve not... but I can't see a reason for them to do something deferent... it's not like that they are less gready for money then Apple and Google.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I'd say they are a bit better than Apple and Google, yes. I also don't understand how this idiotic, unfair refund policy is accepted by anyone.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Also, I found this: http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/05/16/google-quietly-implemented-automated-refunds-apps-15-minute-window/

It's from one year ago, so I'm not sure if it's stil 100% accurate, but the basic idea is in the first 48 hours after purchase, the refunded sale is lost for the developer (I still don't think they have to retun Google's slice which they never got to begin with); after 48 hours Google pays refunds out of its pockets and the developer gets to keep the money.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Probably the alternative of not selling at all may not be an alternative.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Maybe. It's more likely that it just doesn't work that way.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

The question is : since the card drops are random and out of the customer's control, how do you NOT exploit this ?

This seem to be an easy "no refund" answer because a card droped and you didn't even want it.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

What you get is random, but the time intervals seem to be set. And maybe even game-specific.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Like I wrote higher - remember that Valve gave themselves right to revoke your ability for refunds. Exploit this and lose all rights to refund - not sure if those like 20 cents profits are worth it, but that might be just me...

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Maybe they'll have a janitor bot to collect cards dropped by refunded games. A bit like the Trashbot: http://steamcommunity.com/id/trashbot

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

i see them at some point in the future to not allow card drops til after the 2 hour window has passed to prevent anyone from exploting this. It would be good for valve and the game makers you have to play the game more than 2 hours to get any cards from it and valve does not have to worry about anyone abusing refunds to get more cards. Also will keep people from just getting games to farm cards cause it will take a lot more time I would say normally at least double game time to get your cards from the game. It will make cards worth more and valve will make more off each card sold in the market.

9 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Sign in through Steam to add a comment.