Michael Major, an 18-year-old developer, released a joke game titled This Game Costs 200 Dollars on Steam on January 30, 2026, following his earlier release, This Game Costs 10 Dollars [1, 2, 3]. Priced at $200—the highest allowed by Steam's developer pricing policy—Major sold approximately 6,717 units worldwide [1, 2, 3]. The vast majority of sales, 6,705 units, came from China, with smaller numbers from the US, Hong Kong, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Singapore [2].
The game is a low-effort, retro-styled top-down adventure featuring joke elements and multiple endings [1, 3]. Despite the high price tag, many buyers did not intend to play extensively. Average playtime for those who did was around 10 minutes [2]. Most purchasers requested refunds shortly after buying, slashing Major’s actual earnings to about $2,000 [1, 2, 3].
Major said he was shocked by the initial $1.3 million figure shown in his Steam sales report. "I almost died when I saw the $1.3 million figure in my Steam Report. I would have quit my job if I’d actually made that much," he said [2]. He also speculated that some buyers may have been motivated by attempts to gain Steam Points or potentially to launder money. "I have heard of expensive games on Steam being used for money laundering. I have no idea. I could be on a ‘hit list’ right now," Major added [2].
The game's release and rapid sales occurred in early 2026, generating nearly $1.3 to $1.4 million in gross revenue before the extensive refund requests [1, 2, 3]. By mid-2026, refunds had largely reversed those gains, leaving Major with just a fraction of his gross revenue [1, 2, 3].
