A successful game getting refunded isn't unusual. A successful game getting 55,000 refunds while maintaining a "Very Positive" rating on Steam certainly is.
That's exactly what's happened to Paddle Paddle Paddle, a quirky co-op indie game that has become one of Steam's surprise hits of 2026. According to Polygon, refunds have been requested more than 55,000 times, even though the game has earned over 1,300 "Very Positive" user reviews and is widely recommended by those who've played it.
The unusual situation has reignited a debate that has simmered among indie developers for years: Does Steam's refund policy unintentionally penalize shorter games?
Developer Mateo revealed the figures in a series of posts on X, where he shared both the refund numbers and screenshots of reviews from players who praised the game before asking for their money back. In one example, a player described Paddle Paddle Paddle as a "GREAT GAME" after roughly 90 minutes of play, then refunded it anyway.
This should not be possible @Steam
— Zoroarts 🦈 Paddle Paddle Paddle OUT NOW (@Zoroarts) July 5, 2026
Would be cool if you could finally do something about your refund policy... Got dozens of reviews like that and 21% refund rate even though the Reviews are 90% very positive...
Thats over 55,000 Refunds btw... pic.twitter.com/fSiuHjGRnD
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