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This Game Costs 200 Dollars is a game that really does cost $200, doesn't look very good, and almost made its dev $1.3 million
Rock Paper Shotgun • • technology
Key Points:
- Michael Major, an 18-year-old developer, released two intentionally low-quality games titled "This Game Costs 10 Dollars" and "This Game Costs 200 Dollars" to test if anyone would purchase them.
- The $200 game briefly appeared to generate $1.3 million from 6,717 sales, but 6,707 copies were returned, mostly by buyers in China who refunded immediately without playing.
- Major suspects the purchases and refunds may be related to a points or rewards system or potentially even money laundering, but he is uncertain about the exact reason.
- After refunds, Major is left with just over $2,000 in revenue, highlighting the unusual dynamics of pricing and sales on platforms like Steam.
- The situation also raises concerns about the future of game pricing, as $200 games may become more common, prompting reflection on the evolving gaming market.
