Automatic Refunds + Staged Payouts to Prevent Abandoned Early Access Games

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Tangylink 15 Oct @ 3:46pm

Automatic Refunds + Staged Payouts to Prevent Abandoned Early Access Games

Short summary
Hold most Early Access revenue in tranches and automatically refund customers if a title is determined Dead (no further meaningful updates). Delist until developer repays debt or ships a verified meaningful update; show a per‑title history note for inconsistent update behavior.

Why this helps
• Protects buyers from abandoned projects.
• Keeps funding available to legitimate indies.
• Uses automation to minimize Steam’s manual workload.

Key policy (scannable) • Payouts — 30% immediate to developer; 70% held in escrow and released quarterly over 12 months (reduced hold for trusted devs).
• Meaningful update (hybrid verification) — an update counts if ANY one factor passes: ◦ Binary/content diff (e.g., ≥75 MB changed), OR
◦ File-type weighted diff / source-change metric (counts code/script/level changes for small/text/math games), OR
◦ Structured changelog: FEATURE/CONTENT entry (50–200 chars) tied to a roadmap milestone, OR
◦ Subsystem touch detection (changes to core systems: levels, rules, progression, physics, parser, netcode), OR
◦ Playable-content metric (e.g., +1 full level, +50 puzzles, +10k words of narrative), OR
◦ Submitted verification evidence (30–90s gameplay video or QA log).
◦ Multiple small updates within a 3‑month window may be summed to meet thresholds.
• Dead-title determination — automated inactivity checks trigger warnings; failure to remediate or clear evidence of abandonment/insolvency → title may be marked Dead. Once Dead, refunds are final — all EA purchasers are refunded regardless of purchase date.
• Automatic refunds & delist — Steam issues refunds automatically (escrow applied first); any shortfall advanced by Steam becomes developer debt. Title is unlisted and developer blocked from new EA listings until debt is cleared or remediation accepted.
• Relist conditions — developer repays debt, OR ships a verified meaningful update and accepts temporary higher platform fee + larger escrow until debt repaid. On relist, Steam notifies previous EA supporters with a one‑click repurchase link (prior refunds not reversed).
• Per-title history notes — store pages display: “This title had inconsistent meaningful updates between [dates].” Note remains until 1.0 or after a sustained period of verified updates.
• Anti-abuse & verification — automated checks require non-trivial diffs + structured changelogs; token/metadata-only edits don’t count. Cumulative changes within the evaluation window are considered. Appeals allowed; manual review reserved for disputes and fraud.
• Buyer transparency — store pages show escrow status and last meaningful update with a short verification note (e.g., “Verified: +1 level added”).

Suggested parameters (examples) • Inactivity trigger: no meaningful update for ~6 months → warnings → 30-day cure → possible Dead determination.
• Escrow split: 30% immediate / 70% held.
• Build-diff threshold for large projects: ~75 MB changed.
• Small/simple thresholds (examples): +1 full level, +50 puzzles, or +1k words for text games.
• Cumulative window: 3 months.
• Relist temporary fee: +20% platform cut until debt repaid.

(This was made with the help of AI, but I still took more than an hour to hammer out details.)

I love the idea of Early Access but over this last year and half about a 1/3rd of the games I've supported are what I would deem as dead. Worse yet with the rise of AI I've been seeing several listings in Early Access heavily using AI to what seems like a cash grab with little intention of a full release.

This new shift would almost strong arm games into full release with the bad actors not able to completely get away with all funds and minimizing the risk to invest into an Early Access game to the customer.

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Showing 1-15 of 150 comments

fluxtorrent 15 Oct @ 3:49pm

The problem isn't Early Access, the problem is you. Read the blue box.

Dr.Shadowds 🐉 15 Oct @ 3:53pm

Simple answer don't buy Early Access games.

Point of Early Access is to support the dev DURING their development, holding funds from them means they might as well not bother doing EA at all, and have to enjoy half bake games on release because no one will make feedbacks, or suggestions during their development hence the point of the whole thing.

There things can't control in life either, if Dev fell ill, or worse can you blame them for not meeting your standards of pushing updates on time, getting things done how you want compare to others, and so on? Kind of the point, and problem can't force gun to indie dev head as just deter games being made, or just make bad games because why bother.

Also Early Access has a warning can't miss it's BIG banner just can't missed unless you choose to ignore it telling you the VERY risks. Same as Kickstarters, Patron, or etc..

Crazy Tiger 15 Oct @ 4:14pm

You can't strongarm devs to finish games. The problem is users and their crappy expectations management. Like somehow thinking they're owed a finished version when they buy an incomplete game. Or thinking they "invest" when in reality they simply purchase an incomplete game.

People need to learn that Early Avces is literally as it ia described. An unfinished game that may or may not be further developed or finished. If a person purchases an Early Access game and they can NOT accept that development stops the next day, that's entirely on that person.

Brian9824 15 Oct @ 4:22pm

All this idea would do is force developers and steam to argue and fight in courts over what a meaningful update is and what finished is. Steam isn't going to police thousands of games when you KNOW that its entirely possible the game might die and not finish

Tangylink 15 Oct @ 4:29pm

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:
You can't strongarm devs to finish games. The problem is users and their crappy expectations management. Like somehow thinking they're owed a finished version when they buy an incomplete game. Or thinking they "invest" when in reality they simply purchase an incomplete game.

People need to learn that Early Access is literally as it is described. An unfinished game that may or may not be further developed or finished. If a person purchases an Early Access game and they can NOT accept that development stops the next day, that's entirely on that person.

Yes, Yes you can and my plan outlines how. I doubt the title of "early access" should just give blanket immunity to games not being finished or scam games with no intention of being finished. In good faith a developer has intentions to make a fully flushed out game and me investing into thier idea is me trying to help them achieve that goal I as the consumer shouldn't be stiffed with an incomplete game with no intention from the devs to finish it because they already got the money.

Kicking or screaming from the devs, my idea (or some form) will need to be implemented or Early Access eventually will become a dumpster fire with nobody willing to risk any money helping develop possible dead/scam games.

This take is honestly why the games industry is allowed to just get away with the stuff they get away with. It can be better, and should be better.

Tangylink 15 Oct @ 4:31pm

Originally posted by Brian9824:
All this idea would do is force developers and steam to argue and fight in courts over what a meaningful update is and what finished is. Steam isn't going to police thousands of games when you KNOW that its entirely possible the game might die and not finish

Wouldn't be a fight in court. The outline gives examples of what a "meaningful update" would be. Once the rules and outlines are finalized, there would be no fighting it. It would essentially boil down to follow the rules or sell your game off of Steam.

fluxtorrent 15 Oct @ 4:35pm

Yes, because alienating the devs, who steam REQUIRES to have games to sell, is a good idea.

There is a reason you don't run a billion dollar company

Crazy Tiger 15 Oct @ 4:37pm

Originally posted by Tangylink:
Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:
You can't strongarm devs to finish games. The problem is users and their crappy expectations management. Like somehow thinking they're owed a finished version when they buy an incomplete game. Or thinking they "invest" when in reality they simply purchase an incomplete game.

People need to learn that Early Access is literally as it is described. An unfinished game that may or may not be further developed or finished. If a person purchases an Early Access game and they can NOT accept that development stops the next day, that's entirely on that person.

Yes, Yes you can and my plan outlines how. I doubt the title of "early access" should just give blanket immunity to games not being finished or scam games with no intention of being finished. In good faith a developer has intentions to make a fully flushed out game and me investing into thier idea is me trying to help them achieve that goal I as the consumer shouldn't be stiffed with an incomplete game with no intention from the devs to finish it because they already got the money.

Kicking or screaming from the devs, my idea (or some form) will need to be implemented or Early Access eventually will become a dumpster fire with nobody willing to risk any money helping develop possible dead/scam games.

This take is honestly why the games industry is allowed to just get away with the stuff they get away with. It can be better, and should be better.

No, you can't strongarm them by being a bully.

You aren't stiffed. You buy an incomplete game, nothing more. As I said, crappy expectations management on users end is the problem, you showcase it.

You auggestion doesn't need tk be implemented. Don't kid yourself. As a customer it's your duty to inform yourself of what you're purchasing. Start with that.

Tangylink 15 Oct @ 4:50pm

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:
Originally posted by Tangylink:

Yes, Yes you can and my plan outlines how. I doubt the title of "early access" should just give blanket immunity to games not being finished or scam games with no intention of being finished. In good faith a developer has intentions to make a fully flushed out game and me investing into thier idea is me trying to help them achieve that goal I as the consumer shouldn't be stiffed with an incomplete game with no intention from the devs to finish it because they already got the money.

Kicking or screaming from the devs, my idea (or some form) will need to be implemented or Early Access eventually will become a dumpster fire with nobody willing to risk any money helping develop possible dead/scam games.

This take is honestly why the games industry is allowed to just get away with the stuff they get away with. It can be better, and should be better.
No, you can't strongarm them by being a bully.

You aren't stiffed. You buy an incomplete game, nothing more. As I said, crappy expectations management on users end is the problem, you showcase it.

You auggestion doesn't need tk be implemented. Don't kid yourself. As a customer it's your duty to inform yourself of what you're purchasing. Start with that.

at no point is my outline being a bully its being fair. Its just the most pro consumer idea thats fair and still gives early access developers the chance to make money and withholding funds will insure that they continue to develop the game or lose out on held funds as the game enters its refund phase.

As I said in good faith games enter into EA with the intention of completion and my outline just is added insurance to that idea. I refuse to let Early Access give the rights to just leave a product unfinished. It is noted that it can be but my outline would minimize people being left with an unfinished product while also developers to finish what they started if they want to fully benefit from early access.

I think we (as players/consumers) need to push back on unfinished games being okay in early access and stop rewarding half baked projects with full payouts. You have a better idea lets hear it. Or is your defense only relying on its "unfinished" and consumers shouldn't have any guarantee to a finished product?

Knee 15 Oct @ 4:51pm

Players already know they’re running the risk of buying an unfinished game and forever owning an unfinished game, if they read the big blue box that appears before the purchase button.

All you need to do is hide early access games from your store and let the adults decide for themselves whether they want to buy them.

#10

Crazy Tiger 15 Oct @ 4:59pm

Originally posted by Tangylink:
Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:
No, you can't strongarm them by being a bully.

You aren't stiffed. You buy an incomplete game, nothing more. As I said, crappy expectations management on users end is the problem, you showcase it.

You auggestion doesn't need tk be implemented. Don't kid yourself. As a customer it's your duty to inform yourself of what you're purchasing. Start with that.

at no point is my outline being a bully its being fair. Its just the most pro consumer idea thats fair and still gives early access developers the chance to make money and withholding funds will insure that they continue to develop the game or lose out on held funds as the game enters its refund phase.

As I said in good faith games enter into EA with the intention of completion and my outline just is added insurance to that idea. I refuse to let Early Access give the rights to just leave a product unfinished. It is noted that it can be but my outline would minimize people being left with an unfinished product while also developers to finish what they started if they want to fully benefit from early access.

I think we (as players/consumers) need to push back on unfinished games being okay in early access and stop rewarding half baked projects with full payouts. You have a better idea lets hear it. Or is your defense only relying on its "unfinished" and consumers shouldn't have any guarantee to a finished product?

Your outline is being a bully. You want to strongarm Valve in being a publisher to these games, withhold funds and do refunds just because you don't understand Early Access. You want to force devs to do things. You want to be a bully.

You keep showcasing the problem I highlighted, wrong expectations. You keep talking about finished games. You have the wrong mindset. When you buy an Early Access game, you don't buy a finished game.you should not expect a finished game. You should expect an unfinished game, since THAT is what you purchase. Your purchase does not come with a guarantee that it'll be finished, nor can you strongarm them in doing so.

I have outlined my idea: Consumers should properly inform themselves of what they purchase and adjust their expectations accordingly. Any customer who does will realise that an Early Access game might never be finished, decide whether they like that and then decide to do or do not purchase it.
As I said, when you purchase an Early Access game and you cannot accept that it never gets finished, the problem is with you. You buy the game as it is now, not for what it could be in the future.

If you want finished games, wait til their finished. Do I as well, I keep them on my wishlist til they have the content that I want to see.

Customers should stop trying to shift responsibility away from themselves. Customers are responsible for their purchasing decisions, nobody else.

That's not "defending" anything, it's simply applying common sense.

Last edited by Crazy Tiger; 15 Oct @ 5:00pm

#11

Tangylink 15 Oct @ 5:00pm

Originally posted by Knee:
Players already know they’re running the risk of buying an unfinished game and forever owning an unfinished game, if they read the big blue box that appears before the purchase button.

All you need to do is hide early access games from your store and let the adults decide for themselves whether they want to buy them.

I don't want to, I like the idea of some of these early access games (Palworld comes to mind) and I want to help insure they make it to the end as they intend to finish it and giving how great it was received in early access should be finished. I'm only asking that we as players expect more and Steam can easily adopt something like my plan and drop the blue box warning that early access allows games to go unfinished. Yes, I could stop, but we could just as easily make early access rules clearer more defined and more pro consumer so bad actors can't use Early Access as a reason to not finish a game with while benefiting from all the funds and no promise to continue development. I want a change and what I'm asking is not unfair.

#12

Crazy Tiger 15 Oct @ 5:01pm

What you don't realise is that game devs can slap the "finished 1.0" sticker on their game at any time and release it as full. Only the game devs decide when a game is finished, not Valve or players.

#13

Tangylink 15 Oct @ 5:09pm

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:
Originally posted by Tangylink:

at no point is my outline being a bully its being fair. Its just the most pro consumer idea thats fair and still gives early access developers the chance to make money and withholding funds will insure that they continue to develop the game or lose out on held funds as the game enters its refund phase.

As I said in good faith games enter into EA with the intention of completion and my outline just is added insurance to that idea. I refuse to let Early Access give the rights to just leave a product unfinished. It is noted that it can be but my outline would minimize people being left with an unfinished product while also developers to finish what they started if they want to fully benefit from early access.

I think we (as players/consumers) need to push back on unfinished games being okay in early access and stop rewarding half baked projects with full payouts. You have a better idea lets hear it. Or is your defense only relying on its "unfinished" and consumers shouldn't have any guarantee to a finished product?
Your outline is being a bully. You want to strongarm Valve in being a publisher to these games, withhold funds and do refunds just because you don't understand Early Access. You want to force devs to do things. You want to be a bully.

You keep showcasing the problem I highlighted, wrong expectations. You keep talking about finished games. You have the wrong mindset. When you buy an Early Access game, you don't buy a finished game.you should not expect a finished game. You should expect an unfinished game, since THAT is what you purchase. Your purchase does not come with a guarantee that it'll be finished, nor can you strongarm them in doing so.

I have outlined my idea: Consumers should properly inform themselves of what they purchase and adjust their expectations accordingly. Any customer who does will realise that an Early Access game might never be finished, decide whether they like that and then decide to do or do not purchase it.
As I said, when you purchase an Early Access game and you cannot accept that it never gets finished, the problem is with you.

Customers should stop trying to shift responsibility away from themselves. Customers are responsible for their purchasing decisions, nobody else.

That's not "defending" anything, it's simply applying common sense.

Your take just allows developers of Early Access blanket immunity. NO. I'm not being a bully, I'm just asking for what fair for the consumer no shifting needed. I"m tired of early access games being abandoned when the intention is that there will be a fully playable game at the end of early access.

Right now they get to enjoy the protection of "early access" all I'm asking that we redefine early access with stricter rules that are consumer forward and fair and would stop early access being used as a way to walk away from a project with full access to all funds.

#14

Start_Running 15 Oct @ 5:10pm

Originally posted by Tangylink:
Short summary
Hold most Early Access revenue in tranches

Launche. Okay dev Changes the Build number 1.0, takes down the Early Acces banner and boom the game is launched.

Originally posted by Tangylink:
and automatically refund customers if a title is determined Dead (no further meaningful updates). Delist until developer repays debt or ships a verified meaningful update; show a per‑title history note for inconsistent update behavior.

You do realize that every game reaches that point eventually right, where there's nothing more to be done.. Also Updates aren'ty really part of what you're purchasing. Athe term 'as-is' is there for a reason m8.

Looks like you, not unlinke some others, bought early access without understanding what it is.
Let me tell you a secret, There is NO early access game that did not deliver what the buyer opaid for. None.

#15

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Date Posted: 15 Oct @ 3:46pm

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