The game refund amount does not match.

# Game Refund Discrepancies: Causes and Solutions for Recovering Your Due Amount During the process of in-game spending, players will inevitably encounter situations where they need a refund—this could be due to accidental top-ups, in-game content not matching promotions, or unauthorized purchases by minors. 

However, many players find that the actual refund amount received differs from their expectations; some get tens of yuan less, while others receive only half of the original amount. This "refund shortfall" issue often stems from a lack of understanding of refund policies, insufficient preservation of evidence, or improper rights protection methods. This article will break down the core reasons for refund amount discrepancies and provide a step-by-step solution guide to help players legally recover the refunds they are entitled to. 

## I. First, Understand: 5 Common Causes of Refund Amount Discrepancies Before initiating a rights claim, first conduct a "self-check for causes" to rule out non-disputational discrepancies and avoid ineffective communication. According to the 2024 Game Industry Refund Dispute Report, over 60% of "amount discrepancies" are actually caused by players' lack of familiarity with policies, mainly including the following scenarios: 

### 1. Deductions for Platform/Channel Service Fees - **App Store Policies**: Third-party channels such as the Apple App Store and Huawei AppGallery charge a 15%-30% channel commission on game top-ups. If a player initiates a refund through these channels, some platforms will deduct the already collected commission, resulting in a refund amount lower than the original top-up. For example: If a player tops up 100 yuan on the App Store (including a 30-yuan channel commission), they may only receive 70 yuan in the refund. - **Payment Method Service Fees**: When using credit cards or third-party payment services (e.g., PayPal) for top-ups, if the payment platform charges a transfer fee, this fee may not be refunded. For instance: Topping up 100 yuan with a credit card incurs a 1-yuan bank service fee, so the refund will only return 99 yuan.

 ### 2. Deductions for Consumed Virtual Items/Services - **Impact of Item Usage**: If some virtual items (e.g., skins, in-game currency, membership duration) have been used after the top-up, game developers will deduct the corresponding amount based on the "value of consumed items". For example: Topping up 200 yuan to purchase 2,000 in-game coins, then using 1,200 coins to buy a skin before applying for a refund—you may only receive 80 yuan (corresponding to the remaining 800 coins). - **Pro-rated Calculation for Time-sensitive Services**: Subscription-based services (e.g., monthly memberships, daily gift packs) are refunded based on the "used duration".

 For example: Activating a 30-day membership (18 yuan) and applying for a refund after using it for 10 days—you may only get 12 yuan back (the value of the remaining 20 days). 

### 3. Restrictions from Top-up Discounts/Event Policies - **Discount Amounts Not Refunded**: If a top-up was made with participation in events like "100 yuan off 20" or "bonus in-game currency with top-up", only the actual amount paid will be refunded; the bonus portion will not be converted to cash. For example: Actually paying 80 yuan (with a 20-yuan discount) to top up 100 yuan worth of in-game currency— the refund will only return 80 yuan, not 100 yuan. - **Linked Withdrawal of Event Eligibility**: Some events require that "no refunds are allowed after topping up". If a refund is forced, not only may the discount amount be deducted, but event rewards (e.g., limited-edition items) may also be revoked, indirectly causing a "refund shortfall". 

### 4. Special Pro-rated Calculations for Minors' Top-ups According to the *Notice on Further Strengthening Management to Effectively Prevent Minors from Becoming Addicted to Online Games*, irrational spending by minors can be refunded, but developers will calculate the refund based on "actual consumption behavior": - If a minor uses the top-up amount to purchase non-essential items (e.g., rare skins) and those items have been used, the developer may deduct fees based on the "depreciated value of the items". - Some developers set "tiered refund ratios" for minors—for example, full refund (for unused portions) for those under 12, and 80% refund for those aged 12-16. Specific policies are subject to the developer's rules. 

### 5. Errors in Refund Application Method/Timeline - **Differences Between Application Channels**: Applying for a refund directly from the game developer may make it easier to get a full refund (if the developer has not paid commissions to channels) compared to applying through third-party channels (app stores, payment platforms). Conversely, if a refund is first rejected by a channel and then you turn to the developer, the amount calculation may be confused due to "double application". - **Exceeding the Refund Timeline**: Most games stipulate that "full refunds can be applied for within 7 days of topping up". Beyond this timeline, refunds may be pro-rated based on "depreciation" (e.g., 50% refund after 15 days) or only apply to the "unused portion".