i got this

Hello Huntlol,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

Support for this title is provided by the original developer or publisher. Please refer to the following article for more information on contacting the support team for this title:

Title: Monsters & Munitions
Link: http://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5180-IDKM-8521&tpg=1

It is recommended that you complete any applicable steps on the page linked above. If you are still unable to resolve the issue, you click the blue "Contact Support" link provided in the article to contact the support department for this title.



As an alternate resource, please check Steam Discussions for other users that may have resolved this issue. You can find this game by using the search box near the top of the page:

http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/#games



wow nice steam support.

bottom line, the message valve is sending is 'dont buy early access, because if the game is abandoned, you are ♥♥♥♥♥♥'

yep
and i dont have much money to spare on steam so this is really big pain for me :/
i was expecting so much from this game but we only get 1 update

Its actually not a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ game, very enjoyable but shame they just ran off.

glad youre enjoying it. i posit you are in the minority, and judging by it being pulled for sale, someone somewhere in valve thinks it is ♥♥♥♥♥♥ enough not to sell... which is really saying something, judging by the kinds of things they DO continue to allow to be sold.

also, its not a 'shame', its something closer to theft, and at the very least fraud. this is not kickstarter. we all know an early access game is not complete... but the expectation IS there that it WILL BE completed... that it WILL BE released... and that it WONT be abandoned by the developers after absconding with our cash.

in some ways, i realize it is unfair to expect valve to provide a refund. after all, the money is gone, its been paid to the developer (some portion of it, at least). however, i do believe there is some kind of covenant between valve as the provider and creator of the 'early access' category of products and the customer... at least one of good faith... and, depending upon your locality, possibly a legal covenant as well.

valve's pulling and refunding of earth: year 2066 indicated that valve is beginning to recognize this... but one has to wonder who makes the call on whether a game gets pulled, and if so whether it warrants a refund. i would submit that if it is un-sellable then it should by definition be refundable to those rooked into a sale before it was pulled.

this puts the burden of recovering money (from the developer) on VALVE, where it belongs, and not on the customer.

i intend to see if my locality's consumer protection laws give me recourse for a refund, and if so, to pursue one through my state's AG... not because i really need the 10 bucks or whatever it was i spent, but because it is important valve be put on notice that they have an obligation to their customers that goes beyond the initial sale.

Originally posted by radio_babylon:

Snip
i intend to see if my locality's consumer protection laws give me recourse for a refund, and if so, to pursue one through my state's AG... not because i really need the 10 bucks or whatever it was i spent, but because it is important valve be put on notice that they have an obligation to their customers that goes beyond the initial sale.

You should be able to. Though in any case it sounds like you people need to clarify to Steam that this isn't a simple case of you not liking an Early Access game. Either way you need to be persistent with Support because they almost always say "no" the first time regardless of what you say, probably because they hope you'll give up so they can keep your money.

Originally posted by radio_babylon:

bottom line, the message valve is sending is 'dont buy early access, because if the game is abandoned, you are ♥♥♥♥♥♥'

Exactly right. People who don't fully understand what they're getting into should not be buying Early Access titles.

Originally posted by Knives:

Originally posted by radio_babylon:

bottom line, the message valve is sending is 'dont buy early access, because if the game is abandoned, you are ♥♥♥♥♥♥'

Exactly right. People who don't fully understand what they're getting into should not be buying Early Access titles.

I don't remember reading anywhere that by buying an EA game you run the risk of the developers running off with the cash and leaving you with an alpha prototype. I mean, I scoff at people who act surprised that the item they're buying is CURRENTLY in an unfinished state on a regular basis, but I don't see why people shouldn't expect a completed product in the future.

But hey, if that's really the case then I'm simply not going to buy any more EA games. I don't mind giving a developer a leg-up but I expect them to be held accountable if they decide to ditch the game.

Originally posted by The Milkman Conspiracy:

I don't remember reading anywhere that by buying an EA game you run the risk of the developers running off with the cash and leaving you with an alpha prototype. I mean, I scoff at people who act surprised that the item they're buying is CURRENTLY in an unfinished state on a regular basis, but I don't see why people shouldn't expect a completed product in the future.

But hey, if that's really the case then I'm simply not going to buy any more EA games. I don't mind giving a developer a leg-up but I expect them to be held accountable if they decide to ditch the game.

It wasn't, but they've added it in now:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06/05/steams-updates-its-early-access-faq

Originally posted by IGN:

Valve now warns that development of some Early Access games may never reach completion.

BY KATIE WILLIAMS

Following numerous controversial events in which development of Early Access games has been abandoned, Steam has updated its Early Access FAQ to warn that some games may never reach completion.

As documented by GamesBeat, the updated FAQ now includes the following warning: "You should be aware that some teams will be unable to 'finish' their game. So you should only buy an Early Access game if you are excited about playing it in its current state."

Originally posted by Revised Steam Early Access FAQ:

When will these games release?

Its up to the developer to determine when they are ready to 'release'. Some developers have a concrete deadline in mind, while others will get a better sense as the development of the game progresses. You should be aware that some teams will be unable to 'finish' their game. So you should only buy an Early Access game if you are excited about playing it in its current state.

Valve's director of marketing, Doug Lombardi, also made a statement. "The changes to the FAQ are intended to help set customer expectations of what may or may not happen over the course of development of an Early Access game."

"In this case, it became apparent that further clarification would help customers evaluate their potential purchase of Early Access titles. We think of Steam, Early Access, and game development as services that grow and evolve best with the involvement of customers and the community."

Towns is one such Early Access story with an unhappy ending; the city-builder was recently abandoned by its developers. Earth: Year 2066 is another Early Access game that recently came under fire for false advertising. It charged US$20 for what players reported to be an unplayable mess. Steam recently took it off their store and is now offering refunds.

Online retailer GOG recently discussed the downsides of early access, suggesting that if it was to start a similar program, it would look after gamers' rights by heavily curating entries.

It's also worth noting that they did give refunds for the Early Access game Earth: Year 2066 when that was removed but negative attention got into the gaming press about that game so they probably felt pressured to do it. Seems this one is flying under the radar so I don't think they'll be shamed into refunding people's money here.

well, knowing that valve is explicity disclaiming any expectation of completion and all retailer responsibility for selling a product that never achieves delivery, i have definitely purchased my last early access game. when i pay money for a product, even a currently unfinished product, i do so with the expectation that it will at some point BECOME a finished product. if i have no recourse in the event it doesnt, then im not purchasing.

if i wanted that, id do kickstarters. which i dont, and wont. im not 'investing' im purchasing.

Originally posted by Motoki:

Originally posted by The Milkman Conspiracy:

I don't remember reading anywhere that by buying an EA game you run the risk of the developers running off with the cash and leaving you with an alpha prototype

It wasn't, but they've added it in now:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/06/05/steams-updates-its-early-access-faq

That's just... I don't... WHAT?!

Oh, bad move, Valve, very ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ bad move. If this is honestly the level of responsibility developers have, that they can simply ditch a game whenever they want and take the cash, I've well and truly bought my last EA game and I'm going to encourage others not to buy them too, which is sad because I used to be the FIRST person advocating them and defending them on the forums (keyboard warrior yay). That is just a complete crock of ♥♥♥♥ and not acceptable.

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to have to go eat crow: I've been telling a LOT of people that they're stupid if they think Valve would let EA devs get away with not finishing their games.

ive definitely bought my last EA game. id love to say ive bought my last steam game, but... lets be real. that means uplay or origin, and id rather shoot myself in the testicles with a 45 before i used either of those.

maybe i just need to play one of the 400 games ive never even ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ installed and stop giving money to valve entirely until they get this ♥♥♥♥ sorted out in a way that doesnt ♥♥♥♥ the customer (eg, ME)

I wonder how this will effect sales, now that people know they have zero security while shady devs have more incentive to make crap and run off with the cash while waving off criticisms with 'LOL BETA!'. I have a feeling that legitimate developers will suffer from this.

Originally posted by The Milkman Conspiracy:

I wonder how this will effect sales, now that people know they have zero security while shady devs have more incentive to make crap and run off with the cash while waving off criticisms with 'LOL BETA!'. I have a feeling that legitimate developers will suffer from this.

its not crap, its actually a well built game as it is and it is very fun to play, I think they went "bankrupt" rather than running away with cash

Originally posted by (°o°):

Originally posted by The Milkman Conspiracy:

I wonder how this will effect sales, now that people know they have zero security while shady devs have more incentive to make crap and run off with the cash while waving off criticisms with 'LOL BETA!'. I have a feeling that legitimate developers will suffer from this.

its not crap, its actually a well built game as it is and it is very fun to play, I think they went "bankrupt" rather than running away with cash

I was talking in general so I'll thank you kindly not to act like a paranoid fanboy.
But fine, since you mentioned it, care to provide any proof that they ran out of cash rather than simply gave up?