Mateo Covic, the solo developer behind the co-op rage game Paddle Paddle Paddle, is pushing back against the exploitation of Steam's refund system. Following reports that over 55,000 players have refunded his short-form title—sometimes after completing the game and leaving positive reviews—Covic is calling for a fix to the current policy while doubling down on his commitment to small-scale game development.

The Pressure on Short Games

Because Paddle Paddle Paddle can be completed in under two hours, it falls directly into the window where Steam allows players to request a refund. While Covic describes himself as "100% pro refund" and acknowledges that Valve’s policy is generally beneficial for the consumer, he argues that the current system is easily exploitable for games designed to be brief and punchy.

Despite suggestions from some in the community that he should simply make his games longer or more replayable to push past that two-hour threshold, Covic is rejecting that path entirely. "A game is ready when it's ready, and I don't even think about the playtime during development," Covic said. "I will never stretch out a game with more content just to avoid refunds."

Prioritizing Design Over Metrics

Covic noted that he has attempted to expand game length in the past with his previous title, Makis Adventure. He found that adding extra content to reach a longer playtime often resulted in those sections feeling like the "weakest link in the chain." In contrast, he views Paddle Paddle Paddle as a success, citing fantastic reviews and popularity among streamers.

For Covic, short-form games like A Short Hike and the Fears to Fathom series represent the kind of experiences he wants to create. He maintains that he is happy with the performance of his latest PC release and is willing to accept the reality of the "hard market" on Steam rather than compromising his creative vision.

"I will shut up and take the refunds in the future and this tweet showed me that Steam is a hard market but I'm not willing to change my development approach!" Covic stated.