Overview
- Michael Major, an 18-year-old developer from New Hampshire, put This Game Costs $200 on Steam as a deliberate gag and follow-up to an earlier $10 joke title.
- Months after its January 2026 release the listing recorded about 6,717 purchases and roughly $1.3–1.4 million in nominal lifetime revenue before refunds were applied.
- Steam processed approximately 6,707 refunds, most traceable to buyers in China who reportedly did not open the game, leaving Major with roughly $2,000 after fees and returns.
- Valve has not publicly explained the surge and observers note Steam’s short refund window and play‑time rules make rapid buy‑and‑refund loops easy to execute; suggested motives such as point‑farming or money‑laundering remain unconfirmed.
- The episode highlights how storefront mechanics can produce headline revenue figures that do not equal real earnings and raises questions about platform controls, developer harm, and whether further investigation or policy changes are needed.