Google started issuing refunds for games and in-game purchases earlier this month, and it’s been messy — look at some of the comments in this 9to5Google article. Over on Reddit, some folks have noticed receiving refunds from Google for Stadia Pro, even after the company said it wouldn’t issue them.
This screenshot shows Google returning ₤8.99 ($AU16.10) in succession, which is how much it cost monthly for Stadia Pro overseas when it was active. It’s confusing, because it goes against what the company says on its support page, which states it won’t refund Pro subscriptions from before Sept. 29, 2022. There aren’t many folks in the thread reporting the same fluke, and most seem to be from the UK. This isn’t anything to plan your finances around. But if this happens when refunds hit your account, Google won’t ask for the money back.
I never subscribed to Stadia Pro, so there’s no opportunity for me to experience the same fluke. However, I did receive my money back for purchasing Elder Scrolls Online ($US20, or $AU29.57) and the Blackwood upgrade pack ($US30, or $AU44.35) earlier this year. I also got $US20 ($28) back on a Pac-Man game I bought with a coupon.
You can look for your Stadia money back by searching for Your Google Play Order Cancellation Receipt in the inbox associated with your Play Store account.
It’s nice to have the money back, and I plan to spend it elsewhere. Elder Scrolls Online is available on Xbox Game Pass, where I’m now cloud gaming, and I was hoping to use that cash to buy a few months of ESO Plus. At least Stadia is attempting to die with some dignity on the way down, which Google has to do if it’s going to ensure its diehards come back for the next cloud-based experiment.
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