Mateo Covic, the developer behind the PC rage game Paddle Paddle Paddle, has spoken out regarding a viral controversy involving Steam’s refund policy. After more than 55,000 players requested refunds for his game, Covic took to social media to criticize what he views as an exploitable system, though he now stresses he remains a supporter of consumer rights.

Quick Facts

  • Game: Paddle Paddle Paddle
  • Developer: Zoroarts (Mateo Covic)
  • Platform: PC
  • Release Date: July 25, 2025
  • Refund Context: Over 55,000 refunds on 270,000 units sold

The core of the issue lies in Steam’s “no questions asked” policy, which allows users to request a refund for any game played for less than two hours within a two-week window. Covic argues that while the policy is designed to protect consumers from misleading information or broken software, it is currently being used by players to finish and return games for free. “I'm 100% pro refund but the current policy just makes it super easy for players to abuse this rule,” Covic said.

Following his comments, Covic faced significant backlash, including “hateful DMs and insulting comments.” The game’s Steam review score also shifted from very positive to mixed due to review bombing. Despite this, the developer clarifies that he is not dissatisfied with the game’s overall performance. He acknowledges that a 20% refund rate is standard for the rage game genre, where the average refund rate for titles on the platform typically sits around 10%.

The Impact of Pricing and Playtime

Addressing why his game saw such high volume, Covic points to the game’s $2.99 price point. He suggests that the low cost encouraged people to try the title, with many players willing to make the purchase because the financial risk was minimal. He rejects the notion that developers should artificially inflate game length just to move beyond the two-hour refund window, noting that such pressure could negatively impact the creation of short-form games.

“My tweet was targeted towards the people who enjoyed the game, wrote a positive review, and refunded the game just because they can,” Covic explained. He also highlighted that he would appreciate more specific feedback from users, noting that while he can see if a player refunded because a game was too difficult, he often lacks the context of a written review to help him improve the experience.

Ultimately, Covic views the ordeal as a major learning opportunity. Despite the controversy, he remains focused on his career in independent game development, noting that Paddle Paddle Paddle has been a life-changing project that allowed him to move into full-time development following his previous work on Makis Adventure.