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Some fans are claiming that Nintendo has loosened its refund policy in the wake of the Sonic Colors: Ultimate controversy. Fans were disappointed to discover that the Switch port of the game - which launched ahead of other platforms on Friday - is apparently full of performance issues, including graphical issues which may cause seizures in those with epilepsy.
This news comes from various fan reports on Twitter, such as @CaptainVXX who writes: "Refunded Sonic Colors Ultimate on Switch. If you plan on asking for a refund Nintendo actually is willing to give it since apparently they are aware of the issues now." Some in the replies support this claim, saying that anyone who would like a refund must contact Nintendo's customer service line.
The backlash kicked off yesterday, when clips of bugs and other performance issues apparently found in the Switch version of Sonic Colors: Ultimate were shared online. One of the clips shows extreme graphical glitches which cause bright flashing colours to appear on screen, although some have doubted the video's authenticity. The player who first reported a bug with Sonic's character model has actually since recorded footage from their phone to try and prove the doubters wrong.
These reports are unconfirmed, and TheGamer has contacted Nintendo for clarification. However, this would not be the first time this has happened in recent memory. Both Sony and Microsoft had to change the usual refund mechanics to accommodate for the Cyberpunk 2077 backlash, offering returns for pretty much any player who requested one, regardless of how much of the game had been played. Infamously, Sony went a step further and temporarily removed the game from its online storefront.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate will see its full launch across all platforms next week, September 7. It will be available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Epic Games Store.