The Emperor provides... a refund path? In a surprising and swift move, Saber Interactive has announced it will offer full Steam refunds to any player who purchased the *Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition*, regardless of playtime, following significant community criticism of the premium package's pricing and content.
The Master Crafted Edition, launched alongside the highly anticipated Space Marine II, is a premium bundle priced at $69.99 – the same cost as the base game itself. It includes the base Space Marine game (originally released in 2011), a selection of cosmetic DLC packs (Chapters: Imperial Fists, Blood Ravens, Ultramarines; Golden Relic Bolter & Chainsword Skins; Golden Relic Power Axe Skin; Golden Relic Armour Set), and the Traitor Legions DLC pack.
The controversy ignited immediately. Fans and critics questioned the value proposition, arguing that bundling a 13-year-old game with cosmetic items at the full price of the brand-new AAA sequel felt excessive. Many felt the pricing was out of touch, especially for existing owners of the original game who saw little new value. The backlash was vocal across forums, social media, and Steam reviews.
Saber Interactive clearly heard the vox-cast. In a statement posted on the official Space Marine Twitter account, the developer acknowledged the feedback and announced the unprecedented refund policy:
Key Points of the Refund Policy:
- Full Refunds: Players who purchased the Master Crafted Edition on Steam can receive a full refund.
- No Playtime Limit: Crucially, this refund is available even if you have played the original Space Marine game included in the bundle for any amount of time. This bypasses Steam's usual 2-hour playtime limit for refunds on games.
- How to Get It: Players must contact Steam Support directly and request a refund for the Master Crafted Edition, explicitly citing Saber Interactive's offer. Standard Steam refund procedures (like processing time) still apply.
- Keep the Items (For Now): Importantly, Saber states that players who receive a refund will NOT have the Master Crafted Edition content removed from their accounts. This includes the original game and all DLC. They explicitly say, "You will still be able to access and play the content."
- Limited Time? The announcement does not specify an end date for this special refund window, implying it's open-ended for the foreseeable future.
The scale of the initial reaction was evident on platforms like SteamDB, which tracks player counts and engagement. While the original Space Marine saw a predictable surge from the bundle release, the surrounding discussion was overwhelmingly dominated by the pricing controversy.
You can see the recent player activity for Space Marine (AppID 3169520) here:
https://steamdb.info/app/3169520/charts/
What is the Master Crafted Edition?
For reference, the bundle is still available on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3169520/Warhammer_40000_Space_Marine__Master_Crafted_Edition/
Community Reaction to the Refunds:
The response to Saber's decision has been largely positive. Many fans are applauding the developer for listening to feedback and taking concrete, player-friendly action. Comments like "Good move Saber" and "This is how you handle feedback" are common. While some still question the initial pricing strategy, the goodwill generated by this customer-centric solution is significant.
Why This Matters:
This situation highlights the intense scrutiny premium video game editions face, especially those bundling older content. Saber Interactive's response sets a notable precedent for customer service – offering full refunds without removing accessed content is an exceptionally rare and consumer-friendly gesture. It demonstrates a willingness to course-correct based on player sentiment, potentially mitigating damage to the brand's reputation ahead of the Space Marine II launch later this year.
Players who purchased the Master Crafted Edition and feel the price wasn't justified now have a clear path to recoup their cost while retaining the content.
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