The refund process for the PlayStation Store has been notoriously difficult in recent years. Players have accused Sony of being intentionally obtuse, especially in comparison to other video game platforms like Steam, which offers a comparatively much quicker and consumer-friendly refund experience. Now, Sony appears to be taking a hint from Steam and others in its latest attempt to offer PlayStation users a better experience, but are the changes sufficient enough?
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Players logging in to the PlayStation Store will now see a “Request Refund” button that streamlines the refund process by utilizing a player’s transaction history. Previously, players would often have to go through a dreaded support chatbot or even fill out a form as part of the refund process, which created extra hurdles for getting their money back — if they got their money back at all. So, how does this new process work?
- First, people will need to navigate to the PlayStation Store, either through the PS app or by visiting the PlayStation Store website.
- Next, users must select the three-dot icon (…) located at the top right to access their transaction history.
- From there, any player can browse their purchase history and choose the game they want to have refunded.
- Now, there is a convenient, bright blue button labeled “Request Refund,” which, after being selected, concludes the customer’s obligations in the process.
This new update to PlayStation Store refunds does not alter previous rules regarding the 14-day processing period for refunds or certain policy restrictions, such as the inability to refund games that have already been downloaded. These items will likely remain sticking points for many disgruntled PlayStation users. However, while there are still issues to address with PS Store refunds, this latest step is fulfilling an earlier promise by Sony to refine the PlayStation Store user experience.
In an August 14th blog post, Sony announced that it was focused on “evolving” the PlayStation Store experience by adding new convenience features, including Apple Pay support, passkeys for PlayStation accounts, and making the store more accessible. Additionally, Sony teased that more unnamed improvements were on the way, and this new refund process appears to be one of them.
“We hope you’ve enjoyed the features we’ve introduced to PlayStation Store during the PS5 console generation,” said Sony Interactive Entertainment. “Keep an eye out for even more improvements that we’ll be working on to continue evolving the player experience.”
Sony and PlayStation have been notoriously stingy about refunds in the eyes of gamers, only seen as rarely generous when games have significant technical issues, such as with the MindsEye refunds earlier this summer. While these changes are more convenient for users, it seems unlikely that they will be enough to improve that perception anytime soon. This is especially true after Sony raised PS5 prices across the board, citing challenging economic conditions. The commonality of removing games from the PlayStation Store has also contributed to this sour reputation among PlayStation players.
Have you had a chance to use the new refund process for the PlayStation Store yet? Is it significantly more convenient than the previous process, or is the new process only a minor improvement?
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