Refund This Game Challenges Players to Beat Steam's Refund Window

Two developers, dofhouse and Cactile Games, have released Refund This Game on Steam, a first-person physics-based platformer designed as a race against Steam's two-hour refund window. According to gamesradar.com, the goal is to reach the top of a lofi dreamscape before the window closes.

The game costs $5, or $4 on sale, and includes an on-screen timer counting down alongside a Steam achievement for beating it under two hours. Its Steam description invites players to reach the summit in under 2 hours and earn a refund.

Co-developer dofhouse cited the discourse surrounding Steam's refund policy this summer as a huge inspiration, and tipped their hat to indie curator Indie Game Joe. The two-hour window had drawn scrutiny from developer Mateo Covic, whose frustrations with the policy sparked wider debate among players and developers interrogating Valve's approach.

Early response has been positive, with some players reportedly beating it in time to get their money back. Steam user Sklett's two-hour review simply read ":(".

Getting Over It, Bennett Foddy's physics game of a man in a pot using a sledgehammer, is often described as the gold standard of ragebait platformers — a comparison point for this new release.