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Visionary
Community Member

How do you try a game? No Trial Versions?

I'm not a gamer so have no idea what any of the games are like, what to expect or know if I would even enjoy them, so before I think about sinking £80 into a complete unknown (I didn't know you could spend £80 on a game!  That's more expensive than a controller!) is there any way you can try before you buy?

1 Kudo
8 Replies
BinaryJay
Gold Stadia Guide
Gold Stadia Guide

Not yet, but trials and demos will probably come at some point in the future.  For this launch there is no trial functionality, though.

2 Kudos
Ivan
Platinum Stadia Guide
Platinum Stadia Guide

@Visionary Just curious, which game cost £80? I think even full game should cost less than that, and the more expensive version is the one with extra DLC, add-ons.

Also just to let you know that you have 14 days and 2 hours of game time to return your game purchase. Obviously we shouldn't abuse this, but it's a good way to get some assurance if you're at the fence on trying certain games. This is based on US and Canada page though, so might be different depending where you're accessing Stadia.

Stadia return policy 

Refunds for games

  • You can request a refund within 14 days of your purchase if there is less than 2 hours of play time across all accounts (family and personal). Games may only be returned one time, so if you return a purchased game for a refund and subsequently re-purchase it, you will not be entitled to a refund. This refund is only available for purchased games, and not for add-on content or services.
  • If you return the game for a refund it will be removed from your library and you will no longer be able to play it.
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Stadia Guides are not employed by Google. Opinions are my own.
6 Kudos
Visionary
Community Member

@Ivan Assassin's Creed Odyssey - Stadia Ultimate Edition is supposed to be £79.99 reduced to £40 at the moment

Thanks for the pointer: it may takes me 2 hours to figure out how to just play! :winking_face:

1 Kudo
Mode
Community Member

So why not make it to where you "try and buy" then? That way, you don't have to go through the refund process. There are also those who don't have the funds to buy another game while waiting for their money to return on their card.

This will also prevent users from purchasing everything upfront or who are excited to play from not getting a refund on add-on items since the policy is, "This refund is only available for purchased games, and NOT for add-on content or services."

The easiest way, since the refund policy is 2 hours of game play, is to simply let people "just play it" for 2 hours and then block them from running it until they buy it. It would also be nice to know how long someone has played the game as well as a warning letting them know they'll lose access if they don't purchase within, lets say, 30 minutes or so.

3 Kudos

@Mode I imagine it's better to have it as it is for those unaware of the refund policy and those too lazy to bother to go through it. For customer experience, I agree this would be ideal. But for profit, I Think Google have followed Steam's lead on this one. 

And that's the way the news goes.
0 Kudos
LekoPhantom
Founder
Founder

So,

Are they going by the in-game counter for the two hours metric?

If not, is there a way to see how long we have played?

I ask because I started playing two purchased titles tonight.  I was watching the clock, but with hickups (every once in a while, my Chromecast just loses the controller) and preamble game play (the huge fight in the beginning of Asassin's Creed), my first save point was 10 minutes in though I had been "playing" for 45.

0 Kudos

@LekoPhantom as I said I think they're followed by Steam's footsteps if you've ever used that platform. So they are using the in game counter; 2 hours actually on the game, but I don't think there's any way for us to see that as of right now. I can imagine there is some leeway however, policies are just there to cover their backs after all. 

And that's the way the news goes.
0 Kudos
LekoPhantom
Founder
Founder

Thanks. I have hit my first "You definitely own this game" moment.  I noticed this evening that my refund button vanished on my FFXV game.  The load game counter says 1:07:47.  Just beware that this counter is something we cannot see, and odd hiccups that take time away still count (I do get dropped audio and stalled games every once in a while which require a reset).  I am psyched to own this game. It has been a while since I got deep into a FF.

1 Kudo