Teen Makes $1.3M Selling a $200 Joke Game on Steam, Retains Just $2K

Michael Major, an 18-year-old developer operating under Major Games, decided to test the limits of digital consumerism by pushing a title unironically called This Game Costs 200 Dollars onto Steam. Charging the absolute maximum price ceiling allowed for his account level, the project was designed as a cynical psychological experiment set in a digital world called Schizopia, where players wander around virtual landscapes strewn with beer crates, cigarette packs, and fast food.

Expectations for actual revenue were virtually zero, yet thousands of internet users unexpectedly bought into the gag. A massive chunk of the buyers originated from China, where users rushed to purchase the title en masse, turning a lazy joke into a temporary million-dollar grossing portfolio item on paper.

The entire financial empire evaporated almost immediately due to generous platform refund guidelines. A staggering 6,707 out of 6,717 buyers requested their money back right after purchasing, leaving the game with a 99.9% refund rate. Most buyers returned the title without even launching the executable, using the transaction as a brief social media flex before grabbing their cash back.

After platform cuts and near-total chargebacks, Michael Major walked away with barely over $2,000 from a sequel to his previous title, This Game Costs 10 Dollars. Meanwhile, the platform still hosts absurdly priced items like Congratulations On Your Purchase, which commands a flat price tag of $1,000.

Modern gaming storefronts have officially evolved into high-stakes meme exchanges where buyers use automated refund windows as temporary loans for clout. The line between performance art, digital trash, and financial arbitrage has never been thinner.

Source: WMUR