Are publishers using loopholes to get around steam refund policy?

[Plague, M.D.]

Was looking at purchasing Microsoft Flight Simulator, and I saw in the reviews that people were complaining that the steam download is just a launcher that you must run and download the actual game through. While running the launcher to download the game, steam thinks you are actually in game and starts tracking your game time. Downloading the game will eat up the time frame you have to refund the game via steam policies, making the game virtually non-refundable. My question is, is this being done purposely by game publishers to get around steam’s refund policy? If this style of game purchase continues, will steam adjust their policy to reflect launchers NOT counting towards game time? Am I just being paranoid? Discuss.

[Washell]

Most MMO's on steam do this too. I'm guessing they find it too much hassle to roll out their updates from their own servers and to steam. Which is somewhat understandable.

Given that people have been complaining about this since day one, it doesn't look like steam is adjusting their policy or changing the client to make it detect the actual game's executable rather than both the launcher and the game's executable.

[Spawn of Totoro]

You can submit a manual ticket and explain the situation.

Help > Steam Support > Purchases > (Game Name) > "I have a question about this purchase"

Explain the situation there.

Do not click "I would like a refund" as that will be denied again.

I doubt it is being done to purposely get around the refund policy, but just a fact of how they designed their game.

[rawWwRrr]

No refund loophole. Publishers have been doing that for a while now. Warframe is one that comes to mind. More about controlling the distribution of their game content than about circumventing refunds.

[Plague, M.D.]

I may have just not noticed it, but it seems like all the games I have that include a launcher didn’t download the game via the launcher. The launcher may connect to a server to download updates and whatnot, but the game itself was downloaded via steam as I remember. I didn’t even know they had a launcher until I went to play the game after installing. I don’t play any mmo’s really so maybe that has been standard for years and just never came across it.

EDIT: Thanks for clarification and for steps to request refund if needed.

[ElvisDeadly]

I doubt Steams refund policy is the reason behind the devs design choices. Rather the launcher is the way they ensure the game is patched and up to date.

Yes, Steam could do that but, again, the online store that would sell the game was unlikely to be at the forefront of the devs minds during development.

I think you're just being paranoid.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Plague, M.D.:

I may have just not noticed it, but it seems like all the games I have that include a launcher didn’t download the game via the launcher. The launcher may connect to a server to download updates and whatnot, but the game itself was downloaded via steam as I remember. I didn’t even know they had a launcher until I went to play the game after installing. I don’t play any mmo’s really so maybe that has been standard for years and just never came across it.

EDIT: Thanks for clarification and for steps to request refund if needed.

No, Steam Downloaded the launcher, then the launcher downloaded the game. I have a few friends who were complaining about large downloads for the game. One stated something about 1TB being needed or something.

I wouldn't say it is standard, just that some games do it and some do not.

[Black Blade]

With what others say, just wanted to say that the separate launcher thing was around before the refund come in
So really unlikely to be any way trying to get around it
And besides that, you can still request and if at all il say its worst for them as its easier for users to say they were just on the launcher so can even kind of "extend" the time

[Crazy Tiger]

The launchers often are used as DLC and mod managers and to advertise other products they own. There have been launchers in games for a long while now. Sims 3, for example, also had it and through that launcher you also managed the custom content.

It's a known thing that Steam Support knows about, though, so it certainly isn't a way around refunds.

[MancSoulja]

Anyone who understands MFS knows why it requires an external launcher.

[Plague, M.D.]

Originally posted by Spawn of Totoro:

No, Steam Downloaded the launcher, then the launcher downloaded the game.

That can’t be 100% though, right? I mean I have a couple games (Prison Architect off the top of my head) that didn’t have a launcher originally when I purchased it. A launcher was added later on, so the game itself was still downloaded from steam servers. Now it has a launcher, is that to mean the game is no longer downloaded from steam servers? I’d assume it just means they added a launcher for advertising dlc and forums and what not.

[Plague, M.D.]

Originally posted by MancSoulja:

Anyone who understands MFS knows why it requires an external launcher.

I have no issue with an external launcher. My question is more about how I have never noticed before having to download a launcher from steam and then the game downloads in launcher and is counted towards play time. Every other game I have that has a launcher, I don’t recall being this way. Like I said, I didn’t even know they had a launcher until after downloading the game and starting it. Some didn’t even have launchers yet when I bought them. And again, I’m not saying it never happened, just never noticed it before. Seeing as I have no idea how well MFS will run on my pc, I didn’t want to get stuck with it because the download is counted as play time.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Plague, M.D.:

That can’t be 100% though, right? I mean I have a couple games (Prison Architect off the top of my head) that didn’t have a launcher originally when I purchased it. A launcher was added later on, so the game itself was still downloaded from steam servers. Now it has a launcher, is that to mean the game is no longer downloaded from steam servers? I’d assume it just means they added a launcher for advertising dlc and forums and what not.

Yes I don't think all games are like that with launchers some also seem to download the game, then just download some extra stuff maybe updates with the lancher after its downloaded
But very much change from game to game

[MancSoulja]

Originally posted by Plague, M.D.:

Originally posted by MancSoulja:

Anyone who understands MFS knows why it requires an external launcher.

I have no issue with an external launcher. My question is more about how I have never noticed before having to download a launcher from steam and then the game downloads in launcher and is counted towards play time. Every other game I have that has a launcher, I don’t recall being this way. Like I said, I didn’t even know they had a launcher until after downloading the game and starting it. Some didn’t even have launchers yet when I bought them. And again, I’m not saying it never happened, just never noticed it before. Seeing as I have no idea how well MFS will run on my pc, I didn’t want to get stuck with it because the download is counted as play time.

Only a few games do that, usually ones that will potentially have massive updates 50GB+ say.

Final Fantasy XIV handles it's updates in a similar way.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Plague, M.D.:

Originally posted by Spawn of Totoro:

No, Steam Downloaded the launcher, then the launcher downloaded the game.

That can’t be 100% though, right? I mean I have a couple games (Prison Architect off the top of my head) that didn’t have a launcher originally when I purchased it. A launcher was added later on, so the game itself was still downloaded from steam servers. Now it has a launcher, is that to mean the game is no longer downloaded from steam servers? I’d assume it just means they added a launcher for advertising dlc and forums and what not.

I was specifically talking about the game you are referring to in the OP.

[cinedine]

Originally posted by MancSoulja:

Only a few games do that, usually ones that will potentially have massive updates 50GB+ say.

Update size has nothing to od with it.

Games that are sold across multiple platforms and require everyone being on the same update or that have frequent updates usually do this. It's easier for the developer to push one update through their own system instead of updating repositories on a dozen different services.
The games might be updated on these services still, but not as often.