Steam Refunds.

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

Wow. The Witcher 3 is the best game I've played for a while. Not sure two hours is really enough for it to sink its hooks into you! But at least now you're able to get a refund having decided it's not for you.

[Trev123]

Since TS DLC isn't an in-game purchase (with the possible exception of workshop items) and it isn't a consumable (ie buying a Class 90 doesn't level you up!), I don't think DTG can opt out according to the Steam press release.

I think you are 100% right on this.

[cilldroichid]

I'm not sure this applies to individual items of DLC. How would they know how many hours you've "played" that DLC?

'and if the underlying title has been played for less than two hours since the DLC was purchased'

If I'm understanding correctly playing anything on TS2015 will count towards the 2 hours play time, not just the DLC in question.

Donal.

[gptech]

Yes Donal, you're understanding it right.

"....less than two hours since the DLC was purchased" refers to how long you've played the underlying title (TS in our case) since you purchased the DLC (extra content such as the class 442)

That does mean though that you could have it sat on your machine for a week, but you'd still be able to get a refund if you'd only actually played the game for less than 2 hours in that week.

[johnlee]

Thanks for the clarification guys.

John.

[dan5324]

Well I've just put in a request to have my money refunded for the dreadful 442 DTG released. Will see what happens!

aaaand just like I expected, my refund request for the 442 was rejected!! Reason given, "We are unable to refund this purchase to your Steam Wallet at this time. Your playtime of an included product exceeds 2 hours (our refund policy maximum)." Which is pretty BS tbh since I've only used the train for about 45 minutes! Looks like i'm stuck with this dreadful model now. Ah well...lesson learnt.

[johnlee]

dan5324,

Had you run TS2015 for more than 2 hours after you bought the DLC?

That appears to be the test, not how long you had run the individual item of DLC.

John.

[Easilyconfused]

Well I've just put in a request to have my money refunded for the dreadful 442 DTG released. Will see what happens!

aaaand just like I expected, my refund request for the 442 was rejected!! Reason given, "We are unable to refund this purchase to your Steam Wallet at this time. Your playtime of an included product exceeds 2 hours (our refund policy maximum)." Which is pretty BS tbh since I've only used the train for about 45 minutes! Looks like i'm stuck with this dreadful model now. Ah well...lesson learnt.

Did you read the policy from end to end?

For DLC it also says if you used the base product for more than 2 hours then you can't get a refund.

Refunds on Downloadable Content
(Steam store content usable within another game or software application, "DLC")
DLC purchased from the Steam store is refundable within fourteen days of purchase, and if the underlying title has been played for less than two hours since the DLC was purchased, so long as the DLC has not been consumed, modified or transferred. Please note that in some cases, Steam will be unable to give refunds for some third party DLC (for example, if the DLC irreversibly levels up a game character). These exceptions will be clearly marked as nonrefundable on the Store page prior to purchase.

For already issued DLC I don't see the refund policy working that well. Going forward the message is clearly to download and play immediately. If you download and then go off and play other scenarios for a few hours yourfall into the clause and if the underlying title has been played for less than two hours since the DLC was purchased. Now there is also the question on how this time is measured - if you download something and then load TS2015 to the main menu does that start the clock running if you then wander off to grab a bite to eat? Based on my experience I would say yes - my Civilization V playtime goes up when I leave the game paused at menus whilst eating or doing other stuff.

[gptech]

Now there is also the question on how this time is measured - if you download something and then load TS2015 to the main menu does that start the clock running

I'd say 'yes' John, as the RailWorks.exe file has been run.

[Trev123]

So if you play TS for a week then decide to run the DLC you purchased a week a go and it doesn't work you won't get a refund.

[johnlee]

I think that "it doesn't work" is very different from "I changed my mind" or "I don't like it". If it's faulty then there would be no two hour limit.

[Varney]

So if you play TS for a week then decide to run the DLC you purchased a week a go and it doesn't work you won't get a refund.

It would appear so.

I guess that Steam has no way of knowing how long any DLC has been used for, so uses the base game time usage instead.

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

So if you play TS for a week then decide to run the DLC you purchased a week a go and it doesn't work you won't get a refund.

Correct.

And to expand a little on what gptech said about the TS executable running, it's not necessarily just if a game is running do the hours played tick up. Any game with a separate launcher in Steam (eg Elite Dangerous) will cause the hours played to increase regardless of whether the game executable is running. Be on the lookout, particularly, for closing a game down but leaving the launcher running.

[pjt1974]

I just tried the refund procedure on the stand alone Epic Journey's package and got so far then It informs me

Code: Select all

This refund will remove the following products from your Steam Library:
Train Simulator 2015	3655 hours of playtime	122 of 585 achievements unlocked
Train Simulator: London-Faversham High Speed Route Add-On	DLC
Hitachi Class 801	DLC
Academy - UK, US and German Training Zones	DLC
Train Simulator: The Rhine Railway: Mannheim - Karlsruhe Route Add-On	DLC
Train Simulator: Epic Journeys	DLC
Total: £19.99 will be refunded to your Steam Wallet

If I press to request a refund, does this mean I lose my original TS2015 purchase?

[37114]

I just tried the refund procedure on the stand alone Epic Journey's package and got so far then It informs me

Code: Select all

This refund will remove the following products from your Steam Library:
Train Simulator 2015	3655 hours of playtime	122 of 585 achievements unlocked
Train Simulator: London-Faversham High Speed Route Add-On	DLC
Hitachi Class 801	DLC
Academy - UK, US and German Training Zones	DLC
Train Simulator: The Rhine Railway: Mannheim - Karlsruhe Route Add-On	DLC
Train Simulator: Epic Journeys	DLC
Total: £19.99 will be refunded to your Steam Wallet

If I press to request a refund, does this mean I lose my original TS2015 purchase?

The best people to answer that question would be Steam.