New Xbox game refund policy is an early hit with gamers, and Sony PS4 fans are jealous

The Xbox community was excited to learn yesterday that Microsoft would be bringing the ability for self-service refunds to Windows 10 and Xbox One digital purchases. This announcement has spread like wildfire across the gaming community, even in areas that you’d least expect.

In case you missed it, yesterday, an Xbox One Insider discovered that Microsoft will be implementing their own digital refund policy, letting users return most games with a specific list of criteria. Games that have been bought within 14 days, played for a maximum of two hours, and at least played once will be eligible. This consumer-based announcement tends to favor purchasing games to try them out and feeling safe enough to return them if it doesn’t meet standards. Of course, if it is abused, accounts will be blocked from using the service.

Now, the Xbox One announcement is now the top voted Reddit post of all time on the r/PS4 subforum. The request is aptly titled, “Let’s put the pressure on Sony to implement something like this as well.”

Micolash explains in the post that such a refund service would be a benefit for everyone involved.

This is the kind of forward thinking customer-centric thinking that helps all users. No dealing with customer service, no hassle, easy. Someone buys something on your account? Game is buggy or broken? Trailers really misleading? Simply refund the game (not season pass or DLC) yourself within 14 days as long as you haven’t played it for more than 2 hours.

Consumers of Sony PS4 have their own refund policy in which they are not allowed to download or try the game if they want a refund. With over 46.7 thousand upvotes within only twenty hours, it looks like the PS4 community is in unrest.

Some of the Reddit user responses are optimistic, hoping for the change in refund policy. “That would be a nice feature,” says one person on the top comment with over 3000 upvotes. Others seem to be settled that Sony won’t base their change off the Xbox One announcement. One devoted fan of Sony shared from their experience:

It would be, but it won’t happen. I’ve owned every home console Sony has ever put out and still have them all set up in my entertainment center (If I could get my hands on a black dev-kit PSX my entertainment center would be as black as an emo’s soul.) Sony has had some pretty abysmal policies with refunds, especially chargebacks (even when accidental.)

Many Xbox One Reddit users seem to be supporting the request made to Sony by PS4 users. As Todd2r puts it:

Honestly, this is a win for all gamers so I can see why it’s a hot topic over on the ps4 side. We are all gamers and just want to be treated fairly. Hopefully, Sony does the same thing, and I think they will, and they get it done soon for PlayStation gamers.

It’s worth noting that Xbox One isn’t the first to implement this service-friendly refund. Other digital markets such as Steam and Origin have similar self-service refunds with guidelines very close to these. The idea is that gamers will spend more money to try games they are on the fence about instead of not making the purchase at all.