Steam must take responsibility for unfinished games!: A purchase contract obliges delivery, otherwise the money must be returned.

[Das Panoti]

What is happening in the gaming industry would not be possible in any other industry, including the software industry.

Half-finished programs, some with errors, or just the name to 1.0 to declare it as a release.

And Steam doesn't care at all, but you offer it and I think that it can't be the players' risk whether a game is finished, but rather that Steam bears the responsibility for it and has to take it on at its own risk and All players can get their money back if the game is unfinished.

And for this, a lobby must be created that asserts the general legal principles for Steam and enforces them against Steam and its customer-unfriendly and ignorant policies.

[YotsuMD]

Have you read the terms of purchasing Early Access games? All your purchase entitles you to is access to the game in whatever state it is in at that moment. I know buying into games during early access is tempting, but if you do, then it is entirely your decision to buy something that is unfinished and may never be completed. If you're unhappy, you have the option to refund.

[Das Panoti]

yes, but this is nor right. Normaly games must be sell, so steam changed from buy to license. And all games you had befopre were solen and transformed to license.

Only because something is written. It is not right!

[Wipfmetz]

But you do get a delivery, though? The game is de facto abandoned and bad, but you do pay money and thet get something which you can start and play.

If it doesn't run or if you consider it otherwise unplayable, then refund it within 2 hours.

But if you play something for more than 2 hours, then you obviously got a game and know that.

[Nef]

Originally posted by Das Panoti:

Only because something is written. It is not right!

Contract Law says Hi

[YotsuMD]

Originally posted by Das Panoti:

Normaly games must be sell, so steam changed from buy to license. And all games you had befopre were solen and transformed to license.

What do you mean "changed from buy to license"? This is how it has always worked, and Steam has nothing to do with it. Even buying a physical copy of a game is only a license to access the content, you don't actually own anything other than the physical medium it is stored on. Same with blueray movies or music, or even books. Your copy represents a single license to the owner to access the content.

[Das Panoti]

Bevore 20 years i think, there was in europe a law that they must give the option to sell stuff wich you baught, electronical too - and to this time you bught the game over steam.
And they changed the Conditions. (At least this is betrayl)

In everz other branche it would be not counting what steam is writing in there conditions, because the law says something othger, but because the gameing customers - mostly underage, acept everything, in this branch you can do everything which would you bring for the council in every other software branch

[Hemmingjay]

Originally posted by Das Panoti:

What is happening in the gaming industry would not be possible in any other industry, including the software industry.

Half-finished programs, some with errors, or just the name to 1.0 to declare it as a release.

And Steam doesn't care at all, but you offer it and I think that it can't be the players' risk whether a game is finished, but rather that Steam bears the responsibility for it and has to take it on at its own risk and All players can get their money back if the game is unfinished.

And for this, a lobby must be created that asserts the general legal principles for Steam and enforces them against Steam and its customer-unfriendly and ignorant policies.

Your argument starts and dies when you agree to buy an Early Access game. It's a willing contract between you and the developer that grants you a single wish based on nothing more than good faith and grants the developer a small amount of money and a vote of confidence. It clearly states that the developer may never finish the game and you are simply buying access to what they have made so far. It also says that at any point even that can go away and you have no recourse. The game can become completely unplayable a year later and that is acceptable to you the buyer- because you agree to the contract and give them money. You have no mythical rights to anything outside of the very generous 2hr playtime refund.

The bad actor exception. In a rare case where a developer is operating in outright bad faith by misrepresenting their product or intentions from the start, Steam may intercede and shutter a store page and refund any assets not already paid out(it takes almost 90 days for Steam to pay developers for initial sales). I think this has happened less than 3 times in 15 years.

What you need to understand as you grow and mature is that making games is a business first and foremost. Early access has attracted a LOT of unqualified prospective game developers who have big dreams and small bank accounts. They truly want to make the game you both wish for and in most cases they have spent every cent of their life savings and many thousands more in debt to try and make it. When a dev stops working on a game in early access, it's usually because they went broke months ago. They work countless hours behind the scenes trying to make it work but it almost never recovers.

The simple truth is, most of these games are economically nonviable. A game like this is a niche sub-genre with a relatively small potential market size. To further complicate the matter, the potential customers are spread out all over the world and internet. Reaching them to make them aware of a game is expensive and time consuming. Even then, you don't just advertise once and they buy. With game marketing, gamers usually have to hear about a game half a dozen times or more and from at least three separate sources before they commit to buying. Even then, if they recently spent their gaming budget on a more mainstream big release game, they probably won't remember to return and buy the indie game later.

Most indie games fail for one or both of the following reasons:

not enough marketing/awareness
&
not enough budget

They are intertwined and a lack of business education means many devs don't even truly understand the correlation. If you don't do enough initial marketing, launch sales won't be enough to fund ongoing marketing which means sales die on the vine within 3-9 weeks post launch. Most early access devs are already in debt before they launch early access and don't have money for marketing and are dead before they even start selling. 1/3 of my clients hear the advice but fail to execute it. Another 1/3 think they can cheat the system and will somehow get lucky("discovered"). Even when you do the right thing, success is not guaranteed. The marketplace is super random. With so many amateur releases on the store each week, many good games get buried by RPGMaker and visual novel clutter or a deluge of ridiculous DLC releases. Solo developers and amateurs making their first "major" game are at a huge disadvantage and don't have expertise on staff. They learn by failing.

This developer is actually very clever and talented but didn't have a lot of business expertise/experience. They got screwed by a pump & dump publisher but were already in a fair bit of trouble based on the market and their marketing efforts initially. Still, they stuck it out and kept trying to salvage the project for the fans even when it was VERY apparent that they wouldn't be profiting in the end. For that, I will continue to support them in their next efforts(if any).

[Antearz]

Originally posted by Das Panoti:

What is happening in the gaming industry would not be possible in any other industry, including the software industry.

Half-finished programs, some with errors, or just the name to 1.0 to declare it as a release.

And Steam doesn't care at all, but you offer it and I think that it can't be the players' risk whether a game is finished, but rather that Steam bears the responsibility for it and has to take it on at its own risk and All players can get their money back if the game is unfinished.

And for this, a lobby must be created that asserts the general legal principles for Steam and enforces them against Steam and its customer-unfriendly and ignorant policies.

1.
Yeah. Sorry to Dissappoint You.
But no. This kind of stuff is unfortunately also pretty common in a number of other Industries.
Especially in Development, Engineering and Construction. But it actually even happens in Retail and yes also in Software Development.

2.
This is not 1.0.
Its a Failed Project. And was Announced as such.
This is part of the Risk one Takes when Supporting an Unfinished Game.
It can Fail. This is Noted and Explained over and over.
Investing into the Game means You help with it being Finished.
But doing so is no Guarantee that it actually will be Finished.

The thing You should Complain about. Is that Steam still Allows the Publisher to Sell this and doesnt take the Shop Offer down after the Game has Failed.

3.
Steam wont Refund You for Risks You take.
As said above. Steam still offering it is something to Complain about.
Steam should Shut down the Shoppage and make clear that the Game is Dead.
But for Past Purchases. The Game was known as a Development Title and it was clear that the Game had the Risk of never being Finished.
Steam is not Responsible for You Supporting a Project that Fails.

4.
You may like the Developer. But Responsibilities dont Change.
You cant expect Steam to take Responsibility for a Developer being Scammed.
Steam has no Authority to even Influence much less intervene in this.
If a Dev decides to make a Deal with a Publisher that turns out to be Bad.
Then its that Devs Decision. Not Steams. And Steam is not Responsible for this.

[Stormbow]

Originally posted by Das Panoti:

What is happening in the gaming industry would not be possible in any other industry, including the software industry.

Half-finished programs, some with errors, or just the name to 1.0 to declare it as a release.

And Steam doesn't care at all, but you offer it and I think that it can't be the players' risk whether a game is finished, but rather that Steam bears the responsibility for it and has to take it on at its own risk and All players can get their money back if the game is unfinished.

And for this, a lobby must be created that asserts the general legal principles for Steam and enforces them against Steam and its customer-unfriendly and ignorant policies.

Don't be stupid, stupid.

[lasnochesnel]

Its called Early Access. This is not a finished game. Maybe Early Access titles aren't for you. They are kind of a gamble sometimes but there are some that turn into gems and its totally worth it in my opinion. I've purchased some terrible titles. I've also purchased some unfinished/deserted titles as a show of support for the developers. Most of them are a work in progress that take years to complete, but as a supporter, its satisfying to see the game and the devs grow throughout the development of the game with new updates and fixes.

[Das Panoti]

It is about responsibility. But that you all understand the difference between real risk investment and what you get here, i made it for you to compare

[Das Panoti]

Risk Investment vs. Early Access Games: Risk, Rights, and Protection Mechanisms in Case of Project Cancellation
Imagine you're investing in a startup that develops an innovative product.

As a risk investment investor, you have various rights and protection mechanisms:

1. Shares and voting rights:

You receive shares in the company and thus have voting rights in company decisions.
You can, for example, vote on the election of the supervisory board, changes to the company's strategy, or the use of the collected funds.
2. Information rights:

You have the right to receive information about the company's finances and business development.
This includes, for example, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, cash flow statements, and business plans.
You can use this information to assess the company's development and make your investment decisions.
3. Inspection rights:

You have the right to ask questions of the company's management and receive answers.
These questions can relate, for example, to the use of the collected funds, product development, or the market situation.
The management is obliged to answer your questions truthfully and comprehensively.
4. Minority rights:

As a minority shareholder, you have certain rights that are designed to protect your interests.
These rights may include the right to convene a general meeting or to challenge company resolutions in court.
These rights can help you represent your interests against the majority of shareholders.
Example:

Startup: Develops an innovative electric car.
Problem: Development becomes too expensive.
Possible consequences:
Founder: Cancels project and starts new one.
Investors: Lose money.
Rights: Investors can sue, but chances of success are low.
Important:

The specific rights and protection mechanisms may vary from country to country and from company to company.
It is important to inform yourself about the exact rights and obligations before making an investment.
This can be done, for example, by inspecting the articles of association or by consulting a lawyer.
Conclusion:

Risk investments are associated with high risks, but investors also have various rights and protection mechanisms.

These rights can help them protect their interests and defend themselves against misconduct by the founder.

[Das Panoti]

Risk Investment vs. Early Access Games: Risk, Rights, and Protection Mechanisms in Case of Project Cancellation
Early Access Game Purchase: Rights and Protection Mechanisms

1. Limited rights:

No shares or voting rights: As an Early Access player, you do not receive shares in the company and do not have voting rights in company decisions. You have no say in the game's development direction or strategy.

No information rights: You do not have the right to receive detailed information about the game's development progress, funding, or potential risks. You rely on information provided by the developer, which may not always be complete or accurate.

No inspection rights: You do not have the right to inspect the developer's records. This limits your ability to verify information and assess the developer's financial health.

No legal recourse: You generally have limited legal recourse against the developer. This means you have few options if you feel the developer has misled you or breached your rights.

2. Limited protection mechanisms:

Steam's refund policy: Steam's refund policy may allow you to get a refund if the game is unplayable or if the developer has made false claims about the game. However, this policy has limitations. You may not be able to get a refund if you have played the game for a certain amount of time or if you have used certain in-game items.

Consumer protection laws: In some cases, consumer protection laws may provide additional rights to Early Access players. However, the specific protections available will vary depending on your jurisdiction.

Example:

Game: "Dreamworlds".

Problem: Development drags on, bugs pile up, communication with developers difficult.

Possible consequences:

Developer: Cancels project and starts new one. In this case, players have no legal recourse against the developer.
Players: Lose money and are disappointed. Players may be able to get a refund through Steam, but this is not guaranteed.
Rights: Players have few rights and cannot defend themselves. Players have limited rights under Steam's refund policy and no other legal rights.
Conclusion:

Early Access games are associated with high risks, and players have limited rights and protection mechanisms.

[Das Panoti]

And this rights are it what steam would had to do, when they would be not so how they are and if they would show interesd for the player and when they would be interested in protection the player, but it cost only money, and the player base is not interested, because they don´t have a problem to get fooled. "Read the Conditions" is what they write, so hey, we make billions of dollars and are happy, whzy protect the player for abuse?!

[Nobidi]

Dev' got in over his head, we all got stiffed. Dev' abandoned as he needs food and shelter.
It's a crummy situation and is why over time i've become more discerning over early access.
I want my 20 quid back for beer, not gonna get it.
Bummer. Move on.

King Under the Mountain is now an open source potential project, i have no idea if anyone is running with it.
Don't care, either.

Just chalk it up as a warning of the pitfalls of early access, man.
I've got games i've sat on since biblical times, slowly getting more fleshed out that i really don't care about anymore. I've games that fulfilled, to varying degrees, their promise.

I also have Rimworld and Neo Scavenger and a few others that blossomed.

Mostly it's not worth getting on board until there's a good 3/4 of the game done.

KUtM/Mountaincore was a big part of teaching me that.
Using Early Access to fund development is, the majority of times, questionable in it's logic.

Only younger gamers should be unaware of this.

I've wasted some cash, but i also have Rimworld...so all is forgiven.