After a decade with no refund policy in place, a barrage of criticism and legal complaints led to Valve finally implementing a returns system in 2015. As Epic Games teethes its new digital marketplace, it looks to be implementing a similar refund scheme.
Like its competitor, the Epic Games Store will now offer refunds up to 14 days from the moment of purchase, provided that the title has been played less than two hours. Currently, the system relies on Epic’s support team, which has recently been criticised by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
We also changed our refund policy. Unlimited refunds within 14 days of purchase and under 2 hours played. The team is working on the self-service solution, but for now, you'll have to go through player support.
— Sergey Galyonkin (@galyonkin) January 11, 2019
While not a recognised authority, the customer advocacy organisation has issued Epic Games with its lowest ranking of “F” following 271 complaints filed within 2018. According to the Better Business Bureau, just 32 complaints have gone answered overall, leaving the majority of customers irritated at the service. This is perhaps due to Epic Games not being affiliated with the company and having to redirect all grievances from the site to its Player Support staff, not to mention the BBB having a notable history accepting bribes to bump up grades.
Regardless of how the company’s support has been received by fans, Epic and SteamSpy’s Sergey Galyonkin states that the platform is working on cutting out the middle-man. Unfortunately, no date has been revealed as to when the self-service solution will be released.
With a range of poached exclusives under its belt, the Epic Games Store looks to be making headway in providing a true competitor to Valve’s long-established Steam storefront. It still has a long way to go, though, lacking user reviews, a marketplace and the same level of social features as its competitor.
KitGuru Says: I can appreciate how far the Epic Games Store has come along in such a short space of time. Refunds are a necessity in today’s market, even if Nintendo is still struggling with that concept. How do you feel about Epic adopting Steam’s returns system?