Eighteen-year-old Michael Major wasn’t expecting his silly game idea to blow up on Steam earlier this year. He had already published a variation of the same concept a couple of days prior, and that title didn’t really find an audience. But when Major logged in to see how his new PC game was doing, he couldn’t believe the numbers on his screen.
As originally reported by New Hampshire’s WMUR TV, Major’s first release on the PC gaming platform was a title called This Game Costs $10. It was a joke, and Major didn’t try to hide it. The game’s description dares users to purchase the “psychological thriller” game because he worked very hard on it and “deserved” it.
“Go ahead, spend,” the page taunts. On Steam’s screenshot carousel, half of the screenshots are either abstract shapes or text that breaks the fourth wall. Here, Major expressed disbelief that anyone purchased his troll game — and noted that he only expanded it to make it non-refundable. Per Valve’s policy, any recently purchased game can be refunded provided it has been played for over two hours.
When Major learned that the maximum price developers can charge on Steam was $200, he wondered how far he could push things. In January, Major published a follow-up called This Game Costs $200. It looked almost exactly like his first game, but with a higher price tag.
“This game is unlike anything you’ve ever seen or ever will see,” the game’s description reads.
Despite the obvious gag, thousands of Steam users in China actually bought the game. A few months after release, Major discovered that his revenue amounted to $1.3 million.
The figure disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared, however. As Major told WMUR, the majority of those purchases were refunded by players who never even opened the game. Perhaps the most shocking part is that Major still made $2,000 with his game — meaning that at least ten people out there burned $200 on a jape.
Major theorized that these players might’ve been seeking Steam points, or perhaps something darker is afoot. “I have heard of expensive games on Steam being used for money laundering,” Major said.
The game might not be serious, but the stunt has still expanded Major’s audience. One multi-paragraph review on the $200 title claims that they purchased the game expecting to write an equally trollish review, but they were surprised by what they found. “There are 10 different endings,” the review said before listing a number of other unexpected features. The player did refund the game, but their attention was piqued nonetheless.
“I would be willing to buy your next game fully if it priced lower,” the review says, before adding “MUCH.”
Major responded graciously, and reiterated that he didn’t expect anyone to buy it even as a prank. “There will never be a price drop as that would ruin the joke,” Major wrote before he encouraged the player to purchase the more affordable $10 game instead.