Crimson Desert player denied Steam refund for post-release date generative AI disclosure

Pearl Abyss confirmed suspicions that its open-world game contained AI images. Artwork in the title is overwhelmingly human-made. Nevertheless, the disclosure didn’t arrive until after the Crimson Desert release date. One gamer opposed to the use of AI tools in gaming filed for a Steam refund. Valve denied the request, sparking debate over how it should handle these scenarios.

Why did Valve refuse a Steam refund?

Redditor Extra_Lingonberry_79 asked for a refund after 4 hours of gameplay. Valve replied, explaining that the playtime exceeded the marketplace’s 2-hour limit. What angered the poster was that support insisted that the Crimson Desert Steam page included a generative AI disclosure.

The gamer contends that buyers seeing the notice before the release date would have led to fewer sales. The storefront requires that publishers detail any presence of generative AI in retail builds. Examples include artwork, character models, or voice-overs.

Unfortunately, Redditors weren’t sympathetic to Extra_Lingonberry_79’s argument. They point out that Pearl Abyss only shipped the game with a limited number of placeholder images. The developer claims it failed to replace the assets in time for the Steam launch and will correct the mistake with updates.

Many players think that the AI images couldn’t have impacted the enjoyment of Crimson Desert. Yet, barnabyjones1990 believes that there is a “very reasonable justification to ask for a refund.” Some critics fear that without pushback from Valve, studios will ignore the policy altogether.

More games are using AI without Steam disclosures

In this instance, Steam refunds could be rare, but there have been success stories with other titles. With Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Bricky received a credit for the purchase price even after completing its campaign. Activision neglected to mention that generative AI tools produced calling cards and emblems.

It appears that Valve will handle these requests on a case-by-case basis. Players may have to convince support that the current Crimson Desert Steam build differs significantly from how it was described.