By this point, we’re all aware that the first PlayStation “exclusive” of 2026, Code Violet, is, critically at least, a flop. The survival horror title that is intended to invoke memories of Dino Crisis currently sits at 40 on Metacritic, and after a brief honeymoon period that saw its developer, TeamKill Media, say it makes games for fans and not critics, it appears that those “fans” are turning on the game.
In the lead-up to Code Violet’s release, it was revealed that part of the reason why the game wouldn’t launch on PC was to prevent modders from creating lewd creations of the main character.
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However, now that the game is officially out, some believe that the real reason the game isn’t on PC has almost nothing to do with mods but rather the very lenient refund policy that Steam provides. Something that PlayStation has yet to mirror.
If You Want A Refund On PlayStation, Good Luck Because It Isn’t Easy
Unlike Steam, which lets you request a refund for any game, for any reason, within its first two weeks of purchase and less than two hours of playtime, the PlayStation Store refund process is much more complicated. Although Sony made it more intuitive, refunds are almost never issued for games that have been downloaded, and there are only a few instances, like Cyberpunk’s launch or Concord’s demise, where refunds were automatically processed.
That’s important context, because as more and more players experience Code Violet, it seems that getting a refund for what is being called a low-effort, asset flip is your best bet.
Except, if you’ve already begun playing, you’re essentially ineligible for one.
Go figure, of TeamKill Media’s four games released, only two are on Steam, and available Steam reviews verify that users had refunded the title after similarly horrible experiences.
Its next two titles are not on Steam, and neither (Code Violet or Quantum Error) reached above 40 on Metacritic or higher than 3 via user scores.
“Never thought I’d see a game worse than Callisto Protocol this soon,” a verified purchase review on the PS Store for Code Violet read. “I’m so mad I don’t think I’m ever going to buy a game on PS Store again until they fix their refund policy. PC Master race.”
One social media user opined that Code Violet should be a case study in re-evaluating that policy.
Given the past debacles the PS Store has had to deal with (launch-day Cyberpunk, MindsEye and Concord) and no progress on refunds made outside a better way to request them, it seems doubtful that Code Violet would be the game to break the camel’s back.
Refunds aside, it seems like TeamKill Media is going to have to answer some questions soon, assuming they’d even acknowledge them.
- Released
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January 10, 2026
- Developer(s)
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TeamKill Media
- Publisher(s)
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TeamKill Media
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- Number of Players
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Single-player
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