The debacle surrounding Cyberpunk 2077, not for the first time, has revealed an open flaw in the PlayStation Store. We’ve talked about returns before – funny way, when No Man’s Sky was infested for not keeping its promises – but another previous title has fallen short of expectations, so here we are again.
Sony’s official policy is as follows: If you purchase a game from the PS Store and do not download it, you will be able to get a refund on the condition that you request a refund within 14 days. It’s an incredibly weak stance, especially considering that pre-orders are automatically downloaded before you place them these days.
For a comparison, Steam will issue a refund on any purchase, as long as the playing time does not exceed two hours and request a refund within 14 days. Google Stadia’s return policy is identical. Both are infinitely more reasonable than the PlayStation policy, where even downloading the game (but never booting it) can revoke your eligibility for a refund.
Worse, the Japanese giant’s approach is everywhere. Over the weekend there were numerous reports of disgruntled Cyberpunk 2077 owners receiving refunds; today it seems that things have turned in another direction. Customer service representatives may have been told to stop issuing refunds for the title, but this is poorly reflected in everyone.
The whole situation is a disaster: CD Projekt RED’s statement was deliberately vague, but it certainly alluded to the fact that refunds would be eligible through PS Store. If so, why does Sony deny them now? Could it be that the Polish company, irresponsibly, published the comments without even contacting the owner of the platform and consulting their position in the firm?
It seems unthinkable, but make no mistake, no one comes out of this fiasco looking good. Sony’s inconsistent approach to returns is totally confusing; if some customers have already received refunds for Cyberpunk 2077 (as several users have demonstrated on Reddit), why is it now preventing others from returning the title? Here it has to be consistent.
The CD Projekt RED shouldn’t try to pass the dollar either. Today he has apologized for not showing PS4 images of the role-playing game before the release; we had been in constant communication with the company for months and did not receive a review code until hours before the release. This was clearly a calculated decision, and management cannot help it.
The only good that can be derived from this debacle is whether it forces Sony to look more closely at its returns policy and make some meaningful decisions going forward. Its existing stipulations seem stingy at a time when the PS5 digital edition it exists, and it is clear that there is no coherence in the way it implements them anyway.
Viously, obviously as consumers, we can all be a little more proactive with the way we spend our money, and perhaps this is a new strike against the dreaded “pre-order culture” that we are all guilty of falling victim to as well. But all these companies, whether Sony, CD Projekt RED or another party, want our money earned and now it is up to them to regain our trust.
How do you feel about Sony’s return policy for PS Store purchases right now? What do you think would be a fairer approach? Have you tried and failed to get your money back for Cyberpunk 2077? Request a refund in the comments section below.