Mateo Covic
Reporting and statements that mention Mateo Covic.
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Dev defends short games after criticizing Steam for making it easy to refund them: "I will never stretch out a game…
Developer Mateo Covic defends the creation of short games and argues against the perceived pressure to extend playtime solely to avoid Steam's refund policy. While acknowledging the exploitability of the refund system, Covic maintains that games should be released when they are ready, regardless of length, and that short, fun, and affordable games have a valid audience.
Steam's "no questions asked" refund policy makes it "super easy for players to abuse this rule", says indie developer
An indie developer, Mateo Covic, has voiced concerns that Steam's "no questions asked" refund policy is being abused by players, leading to a significant number of refunds for his game, Paddle Paddle Paddle. Despite positive reviews, Covic argues that players can complete games within the two-hour window and still receive a refund, which he believes is unfair to developers. While Covic is not advocating for the removal of refunds entirely, he suggests that the current system makes it too easy for players to exploit the policy.
Steam refunds are "not for people to play games for free," says dev of short game who criticized Valve's…
Mateo Covic, developer of the short game Paddle Paddle Paddle, has criticized Steam's refund policy, stating it's exploitable and allows players to play games for free. While supporting the refund system overall, Covic argues that the current 'no questions asked' policy within two weeks and under two hours of playtime is too easily abused. He clarified his intention was not to remove refunds but to address players who enjoyed the game and left positive reviews before refunding it.
Indie dev defends criticism of Steam refund abuse amid review bombing of his game: 'It's wrong to refund a…
Indie developer Mateo Covic has spoken out against players who refund games on Steam after completing them, despite his own game, Paddle Paddle Paddle, experiencing a high refund rate. Covic clarified that his frustration stems from players bragging about finishing and refunding games, not the refund policy itself. The controversy has led to some review bombing of his game, though he maintains his stance that completing a game and then refunding it is unethical.
Cool Story, Bro! A party game about writing stories is OUT NOW!
The party game Cool Story, Bro!, developed by solo developer Mateo Covic of ZoroArts, is now available on Steam. Players write short stories based on four random words, with options to add genres and use items to disrupt opponents. The game also features Twitch integration and a single-player mode.
Cool Story Bro! – A friendslop game about writing stories
Cool Story Bro!, a party game developed by solo developer Mateo Covic (ZoroArts), challenges players to write short stories using four random words. The game features fast-paced typing mechanics, player sabotage, and a voting system for story presentations. It is scheduled to launch in April 2026 on PC and is available to wishlist on Steam.