Poll: Should you be able to get a refund on bad games?

[Chaotic42]

So I'm playing BF3 again, trying to get some enjoyment out of it. DICE completely ruined BF2 towards the end, and BC2 was literally one of my least favorite games. BF3 is better than BC2, but I still really don't like it.

It led me to think, should you be able to get a refund on games? Since this wasn't a Bad Company title, I thought there might be some hope for it. I was wrong. In general, should you be able to get a refund on games you don't like, or are buggy?

 

[shortylickens]

I'd like to say no, cuz people would end up abusing it.
But then again, people who dont wanna pay will just pirate the damn thing to begin with.

We need companies to stay in business so they produce games, but I dont see a good solution.

 

[ApexBoost]

Unless they game is literally broken, then no.

 

[Mem]

No since you can read reviews and possible demo before you decide to buy a game.

 

[shortylickens]

No since you can read reviews and possible demo before you decide to buy a game.

Thats it.
The customer needs to educate themselves with ANY purchase. For a car you should probably do months of research. For a game, one good afternoon on the internet.

Of course I spend 61 dollars a pop at the gas station, so for me a 20 dollar game I might play for years isnt a big deal. I guess I do research mostly not to be angry at getting garbage. Also to show gaming companies I wont support them if they put out crap.

 

[Chaotic42]

Thats it.
The customer needs to educate themselves with ANY purchase. For a car you should probably do months of research. For a game, one good afternoon on the internet.

Of course I spend 61 dollars a pop at the gas station, so for me a 20 dollar game I might play for years isnt a big deal. I guess I do research mostly not to be angry at getting garbage. Also to show gaming companies I wont support them if they put out crap.

Reviews don't usually tell you much. BF3 got good reviews, but the multiplayer gameplay is just terrible. I feel like I got ripped off.

 

[busydude]

So I'm playing BF3 again, trying to get some enjoyment out of it. DICE completely ruined BF2 towards the end, and BC2 was literally one of my least favorite games. BF3 is better than BC2, but I still really don't like it.

Why did you buy BF: BC3 if you didn't like BC2?

I am sorry, but you are part of the reason why game studios release recycled crap over and over again.

 

[PrayForDeath]

No. Do your research before you buy.

 

[Chaotic42]

Why did you buy BF: BC3 if you didn't like BC2?

I am sorry, but you are part of the reason why game studios release recycled crap over and over again.

It was supposed to be in the same branch as Battlefield 2, or so I was led to believe. Instead it's kludgy game meant to be played on consoles with a terrible UI and an even worse server browser.

Anyway, I just uninstalled it. I'd settle for any amount of money back from EA at this point, not just a full refund. If Planetside 2 isn't fun, I may take a break from gaming for a while. I can only play so much Civilization 4.

 

[Kalmah]

I really would like to be able to return a game, but like mentioned previously, this would get abused. I see no practical solution other than research before you buy.

edit:

A digital download might be different though. With the DRM keeping you from making copies, and them knowing exactly how long you've actually played the game because of Stream/Origin or whatever, I feel a refund is manageable.

 

[frozentundra123456]

No since you can read reviews and possible demo before you decide to buy a game.

Well, I used to trust reviews, but PC gamer gave ME3 over a 90%, and I just got a copy of Maximum PC and they also gave it a 90% plus. I knew I didnt trust PC Gamer anymore, but not I have lost all faith in Max PC game reviews too. Seems like the best source of information about a game is these forums. Some people will always be biased, but if you follow the overall tone of the treads, you can get a pretty good idea about the game. For instance I could not believe the ending to ME3 was as bad as everyone said: well it was!!

Anyway, in regards to the original question, I also dont believe you should be able to return a game just because you dont like it. You should only be able to return it if the game does not run satisfactorily on hardware that meets the min specs. Granted, "run satisfactorily" is open to interpretation, but something like Black Ops, with the stuttering problem even on high end hardware would come close to something I would feel could justify being returned.

 

[Chaotic42]

Well, I used to trust reviews, but PC gamer gave ME3 over a 90%, and I just got a copy of Maximum PC and they also gave it a 90% plus. I knew I didnt trust PC Gamer anymore, but not I have lost all faith in Max PC game reviews too. Seems like the best source of information about a game is these forums. Some people will always be biased, but if you follow the overall tone of the treads, you can get a pretty good idea about the game. For instance I could not believe the ending to ME3 was as bad as everyone said: well it was!!

Anyway, in regards to the original question, I also dont believe you should be able to return a game just because you dont like it. You should only be able to return it if the game does not run satisfactorily on hardware that meets the min specs. Granted, "run satisfactorily" is open to interpretation, but something like Black Ops, with the stuttering problem even on high end hardware would come close to something I would feel could justify being returned.

Heh, I didn't mind the ME3 ending. I felt like I got my money's worth out of the Mass Effect series. I don't know... maybe I'm just not a gamer anymore. With most games it seems like I'm killing time with something that barely keeps my interest anymore.

 

[busydude]

It was supposed to be in the same branch as Battlefield 2, or so I was led to believe. Instead it's kludgy game meant to be played on consoles with a terrible UI and an even worse server browser.

Anyway, I just uninstalled it. I'd settle for any amount of money back from EA at this point, not just a full refund. If Planetside 2 isn't fun, I may take a break from gaming for a while. I can only play so much Civilization 4.

EA hasn't released any game worthy of interest in a lot of time. Many people here decided not to by EA games at all. You won't fine many fans of EA here or any PC gaming forum for that matter. Same goes for Activision and Ubisoft.

Frankly, I haven't missed them in anyway. ME2 was the last title I purchased that involves EA.. even without big studios I have a backlog of games.

 

[mmntech]

If you don't like the game, no. However, if the game is known to be defective, definitely yes. Would definitely cut down on the lack of QC at many game companies. I'm looking at you Ubisoft.

 

[njdevilsfan87]

No since you can read reviews and possible demo before you decide to buy a game.

Yes except...

 

[shortylickens]

Well, I used to trust reviews, but PC gamer gave ME3 over a 90%, and I just got a copy of Maximum PC and they also gave it a 90% plus. I knew I didnt trust PC Gamer anymore, but not I have lost all faith in Max PC game reviews too. Seems like the best source of information about a game is these forums. Some people will always be biased, but if you follow the overall tone of the treads, you can get a pretty good idea about the game. For instance I could not believe the ending to ME3 was as bad as everyone said: well it was!!

Anyway, in regards to the original question, I also dont believe you should be able to return a game just because you dont like it. You should only be able to return it if the game does not run satisfactorily on hardware that meets the min specs. Granted, "run satisfactorily" is open to interpretation, but something like Black Ops, with the stuttering problem even on high end hardware would come close to something I would feel could justify being returned.

PC gamer also gave Doom 3 a 98%. You should have cancelled many years ago. And we all know about Gamespots bullshit.

I talk to people here and read other forums. I get a pretty good idea of whats going on.

 

[Maximilian]

Yes except...

lol so true.

Metacritic user reviews ftw. Professional reviews have been irrelevant for years IMO.

 

[PrayForDeath]

lol so true.

Metacritic user reviews ftw. Professional reviews have been irrelevant for years IMO.

Some sites are pretty good. Gotta know where to look

 

[power_hour]

Only if the game is defective or is completely unplayable due to bugs/crashes. I do think that all games should offer a demo of some sort. Too often the question of performance comes up and a demo would help consumers decide if their PC is good enough to enjoy it.

 

[coldmeat]

No. You bought a product like any other. Whether you like it or not doesn't matter. You weren't buying your enjoyment, you were buying a piece of software.

 

[darkswordsman17]

If you don't like the game, no. However, if the game is known to be defective, definitely yes. Would definitely cut down on the lack of QC at many game companies. I'm looking at you Ubisoft.

Yeah. But even then we'd get people arguing that Mass Effect 3 is broken or things like that.

Due to too many games not offering gameplay worth the cost, I am just about totally done buying games at $60. If I feel a game is worth it later, I'll give serious consideration to buying the sequel full price and I rarely feel ripped off then. That or I'll buy the game multiple times (I enjoyed Borderlands I bought 3 copies, the first time, then I bought it on Steam and a second copy for a friend to play; I'm looking forward to the sequel and I'll probably buy it full price).

I do wish there was a refund system though, I'd ask for a refund on several games. Frankly I think I'm done with indie games, way too many have just not lived up to the hype that I see from users (ignoring critic reviews). Its only like $5-15 but I actually feel even more ripped off as though they knew that'd be enough to get people to buy.

I bought Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet on Steam, and I swear I checked if it was a GFWL game and didn't see anything saying it was when I bought it, found out it is a GFWL game, and then uninstalled it, never actually playing it. It does say GFWL on the page now, so I guess I just f'ed up. I also bought Superbros. Sword and Sorcery EP and hate the controls. It makes just playing what is a ridiculously simple game irritating/frustrating.

 

[pontifex]

No since you can read reviews and possible demo before you decide to buy a game.

demos are increasingly rare these days, probably because they know this is how people will determine if they like their game or not.

someone on the fence might go out and buy it to take a chance if there is no demo. if there is a demo, that will give them something to decide on.

reviews are worthless. just because someone likes game A doesn't mean I will also.

 

[PhoenixEnigma]

In a perfect world, I'd love to say no - it's up to the customer to do their research before they buy.

In the real world, where professional reviews are bought off, demos are becoming more and more rare, and rental copies are loosing more and more stuff to D1 DLC, I'm much more inclined to say "screw the publishers, if it sucks they can pony up for the refunds." My goodwill decreases with the hoops I have to jump through to find things out.

 

[Chaotic42]

No. You bought a product like any other. Whether you like it or not doesn't matter. You weren't buying your enjoyment, you were buying a piece of software.

I can return virtually any product except games, music, and movies.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Electronics Boutique (remember them?) used to offer refunds on console games, if you really, really, didn't like them.

But then, at my local store, there was one guy that would buy all the new games, and return them in a week.

So I think that they stopped the policy. Or at least told him to shop somewhere else.

I returned one or two games, although I generally bought a bunch of them.