The teenaged developer of a joke game titled This Game Costs 200 Dollars almost made over $1 million before thousands of players refunded it.
18-year-old Michael Major is behind the viral game, which is actually a sequel to his previous title, This Game Costs 10 Dollars. Major said he created the game as a simple joke, figuring no one would actually buy it due to its exorbitant price, which is the maximum amount of money that developers can charge on the Steam.
In fact, the Steam page’s ‘About This Game’ section describes it as “the swindle to end all swindles,” with Major writing, “I know some people will buy this game out of sheer curiosity, and I highly recommend you do, too.”
Image Credits: Michael Major, Stolen Valor Studios
Little did he expect that thousands of players would actually take him up on his offer. As reported by local New Hampshire news outlet WMUR-TV, Major’s simplistic, top-down game raked in $1,345,650… sort of.
As shown by Major’s Steam Works Sales and Activations Report, a total of 6,717 units were sold, with 6,705 of those purchases originating in China. Four were sold within the United States, three in Hong Kong, two in Spain, and one each in Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Singapore. Most of these buyers returned the game without even playing it (the average playtime for those who actually did play was around 10 minutes), getting refunds that whittled the impressive $1.3 million figure down to a measly $2,045.
“They might be buying it to return it instantly so they can get some kind of points for the highest amount possible without actually paying $200,” Major speculated, referencing Steam Points, which are rewards that players accrue with each purchase that can be used to snag profile swag and other customization goodies. Steam also allows users to refund any game within 14 days of purchase and less than two hours of total playtime, something these buyers clearly took advantage of.
Image Credits: Michael Major, Stolen Valor Studios
Major theorized that his prank game could have been used to launder funds, saying, “I’m not joking, I have heard of expensive games on Steam being used for money laundering. I have no idea. I could be on a ‘hit list’ right now.”
Speaking to WMUR-TV, Major joked that he “almost died” when he saw the $1.3 million figure in his Steam Report, saying he would have “quit his job” if he’d actually made that much.
On the opposite end of that spectrum, another indie game developer and Twitch streamer broke down in tears after learning that his tower defense game Tangy TD raked in $31,942 just thirty hours after launch, sparking a viral moment that made the game even more popular.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.