Valve is Actually Refunding Destiny 2 Players With 2,000 Hours After Bungie Region-Locks the Game
Just when you thought the news around Destiny 2 couldn't get any worse after what was already being called its "worst week in history," Bungie found a way to up the ante: by making the game literally unplayable for thousands of its players.
In a sudden and poorly explained move, Bungie has blocked access to Destiny 2 in several countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. In a surprising turn of events, Valve has apparently decided this is one of those "major issues" and has started breaking its own sacred refund policy, issuing refunds to some players with an absolutely insane amount of playtime.
Access Denied
Players in the affected regions woke up to find their hobby, and all the expensive DLC they've bought over the years, had been taken away from them. The only way to access the game now is through a VPN, which is a risky proposition in itself.
Bungie's only official comment on the matter has been a single, vague line of corporate-speak: "Destiny services are not available where access is restricted by law." No further explanation has been offered, leaving a huge chunk of their player base completely in the dark.
Steam Breaks Its Own Rules (Sometimes)
Normally, getting a refund on Steam is impossible if you've played a game for more than two hours. It's a rule as old as time. But this situation is apparently different. According to a report from The Game Post, one player with over 2,000 hours logged in the game successfully received a full refund for the €99.99 Destiny 2: Year of Prophecy Ultimate Edition.
But don't get too excited. It seems Valve is playing refund roulette. While numerous reports of successful refunds have surfaced, just as many players have reported having their requests denied with no explanation. It's a complete coin toss whether Valve decides you're worthy of getting your money back for a product you can no longer use.
A Franchise on Fire
This whole debacle just pours gasoline on an already raging dumpster fire. The region-locking came right after a week of intense community backlash over poor gameplay decisions. It has also reopened old wounds, with players online once again bringing up Bungie's controversial practice of "vaulting," where they deleted huge chunks of paid content from the game. As one user put it, "Good for those players. I wish I got all my money back from all the content they deleted."
It's a hell of a situation when getting a refund on a game you've dedicated thousands of hours to is seen as a victory. Both Bungie and Valve have remained mostly silent, leaving their customers to twist in the wind. It’s a mess, and it’s one that the players, as always, are paying the price for.