Pokemon Scarlet and Violet buyers are demanding refunds after encountering numerous bugs and performance issues. Some of them applied for funding digitally and urged others to join them.
The development, first reported by The Gamer, was largely spurred by disgruntled customers on social media. Reddit, the epicenter of Pokemon discussions, has been a particular hotspot for complaints and refund requests, with some users posting their anecdotes about financial recovery on the forum.
“If you’re really disappointed with the game, I highly recommend doing so rather than complaining or trying to raise awareness of issues with the game,” wrote user Sellouthipster. They posted a guide to successful refunds on Reddit, noting that although such cases are rare, Nintendo seems to accept complaints about game quality as good reason for refunds. “I very much doubt there will be a fix of any kind – especially before Christmas – and I have zero urge to play a broken game.”
However, some people have hit a snag, seemingly depending on the region they are in. Australian user BecciCP claims they were told to use their regional support service, which required them to wait 7 days for a response. Requests by others, such as German user Memuench, have been denied, suggesting that while some users recount success stories, it’s not a foolproof thing to do.
All in all, it’s not a good look for the latest installment in Game Freak’s spooky series. While the community has been vocal about their frustrations before, it’s now easier than ever to understand where they’re coming from. Players who want to do all the exciting stuff—whether it’s battling gyms, team star bases, or titans, and catching their Ibrahimovic as fast as possible—are having frustrating times. There’s a level of quality to this pedigree that you can only pin blame on hardware limitations and development time before you have to ask legitimate questions.
But please tell us what you think of the whole situation. Have you been put off by a mistake, or even asked for a refund. Please tell us below, and why you are doing this. If you’re looking for a counter-argument, check out our Alex Donaldson column here: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet really sucks – but if it’s really funny, what does it matter? Or, if you’re looking for a handy guide, read our article on how to grow Pawmo into Pawmot.
