{
  "id": 156110,
  "title": "Joke Game Priced at 200 Dollars Rakes In $1.3 Million on Steam Before Thousands of Players Refund It",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/joke-game-priced-at-200-dollars-rakes-in-1-3-million-on-steam-before",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-04T23:59:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IGN",
    "slug": "ign",
    "url": "https://www.ign.com/articles/joke-game-priced-at-200-dollars-rakes-in-13-million-on-steam-before-thousands-of-players-refund-it"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The developer behind the joke game \"This Game Costs 200 Dollars\" nearly earned over $1 million before thousands of players refunded it. The creator, 18-year-old Michael Major, launched the game as a playful joke, anticipating no one would actually purchase it due to its prohibitive 200-dollar price tag, which is the highest price point allowed on the Steam platform. In his game's \"About This Game\" section, Major described it as \"the swindle to end all swindles,\" encouraging curious players to buy it, a prediction that proved surprisingly accurate.\n\nDespite Major's initial disbelief, approximately 6,717 units of the game were sold, with the majority of buyers hailing from China, followed by small purchases from the US, Hong Kong, Spain, and several other countries. The majority of buyers promptly refunded the game, significantly reducing the projected earnings, leaving Major with a meager $2,045. Speculating on the buyers' motives, Major suggested they may have been attempting to accumulate Steam Points, which can be redeemed for virtual swag and customization options in the game.\n\nMajor also expressed concern that his prank game could potentially be used for money laundering, a theory he entertained but acknowledged as mere speculation. When he discovered the unexpected revenue, Major admitted he would have quit his job if he had truly earned that amount. Conversely, another indie game developer and Twitch streamer experienced a completely different outcome, witnessing a more modest but still impressive $31,942 within just thirty hours after the launch of his tower defense game \"Tangy TD.\" This turnaround in fortunes sparked a viral moment for the game, drawing even more attention to it.",
  "summary": "The teenaged developer of a joke game titled This Game Costs 200 Dollars almost made over $1 million before thousands of players refunded it.",
  "key_points": [
    "18-year-old Michael Major launched joke game \"This Game Costs 200 Dollars\"",
    "Approximately 6,717 units sold, majority from China",
    "Creator earned $2,045 after thousands of refunds"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The unexpected revenue from the joke game's brief popularity highlights how Steam's refund policy can quickly deflate windfalls for developers, while also raising concerns about potential misuse.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "PC Gamer",
        "title": "'I was this close': Teenage dev's $200 joke game made nearly $1.4 million on Steam before the refunds came flooding in",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/i-was-this-close-teenage-devs-200-joke-game-made-nearly-1-4-million",
        "published": "2026-08-04T21:35:33.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}