Steam's refund policy has been tightened, with time spent playing Early Access games now counting toward the 2-hour refund limit.
Refund restrictions
New rules for pre-release games
Eight years ago, Valve introduced the ability to return money for games purchased on Steam platform. This feature is useful if the game turns out to be uninteresting or the computer's performance is insufficient for a comfortable game. To receive a refund, you must submit your request within 14 days of purchase and spend no more than 2 hours in the game.
Over time, Valve has launched early access programs for games, allowing you to play test versions before the official release. This created a loophole for users: they could play for many hours during the early access stage, and then demand a refund after the game was released.
Updated rules
Valve has now closed this loophole. Time spent playing games under the Early Access and Advanced Access programs counts toward the 2-hour cash-back limit. Changes have been made to updated refund policies.
"Glossary"
- Steam is a popular digital distribution platform for computer games and software developed by Valve.
- Valve is an American company, developer of games and gaming platforms, including Steam and Source.
- Early access is a program that allows you to play games before their official release in unfinished form.
- Expanded access - a program that provides access to games at the beta testing stage.
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FAQ
What are the major changes to the refund policy for Steam games?
What are the Early Access and Extended Access programs?
What used to be a loophole for players to get refunds?
How has the refund policy changed for games purchased before the release date?
Why did Valve make these changes to the refund policy?
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Discussion of the topic – Steam will not refund your money if you launch the game 2 hours before release
Steam has introduced a refund policy for games, but there are conditions. If you launch the game before the official release, there will be no refund, even if you played for less than 2 hours.
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Петро
I think Valve did the right thing by tightening the refund rules for early access games 💯 You can't let people play endlessly and then demand money back. This is unfair to game developers 💰
Анна
I agree, Petro! 👍 Developers spend a lot of time and effort creating games, and they need support from players. Tightening the rules is good, as it will prevent abuse of the return system 🙌
Джон
And I think that the old rules were fairer 🤔 If a person bought a game in advance, but it turned out to not live up to his expectations, he should have the right to return the money within 14 days after release, even if he spent more than 2 hours in it before that 💭
Фридрих
These innovations seem controversial to me 🧐 On the one hand, game developers deserve fair payment for their work. But on the other hand, players should also have the right to a refund if the game disappoints them after release 💸
Барбара
I think we need to find a middle ground 💡 Perhaps Valve could introduce additional conditions for refunds for early access games. For example, give players the opportunity to get their money back after release within a shorter period, say 7 days 🕰️
Артур
Have you guys already heard about the recent scandal with the game Cyberpunk 2077? 😲 Many players demanded a refund due to the huge number of bugs and shortcomings. I wonder how Valve will solve such situations after the rules are tightened 🤔
Карл
Oh, all these newfangled technologies and games again 😒 In my time, people just had fun in the fresh air and were happy. Why do we need all this computer stuff anyway? Just money down the drain 💸
Мария
I don't agree with you, Karl 🙅♀️ Video games are an entire industry and an art form. They bring people joy and help develop imagination 🎮✨ As for the Steam rules, I am for a reasonable balance between the interests of developers and players.
Пётр
By the way, I recently bought the game in early access and spent about 5 hours in it 😅 Now, after changing the rules, I will not be able to return the money, even if the game turns out to be uninteresting after release. It's a shame somehow 😞
Джузеппе
Guys, have you already seen how cool the new Elden Ring game looks? 🔥 I'm really looking forward to its release and I hope that the developers will not let you down. If the game turns out to be a failure, I will definitely demand a refund as part of Valve's new rules 💰
Анна
Oh Giuseppe, I'm looking forward to Elden Ring too! 🤩 But let's hope for the best and that the game will live up to our expectations. And if not, then a refund is already a last resort 🙏
Петро
By the way, I recently played through an interesting indie game called Stray 😻 There you play as a stray cat exploring a post-apocalyptic city. A very unusual and atmospheric game, I recommend it to everyone!
Джон
Petro, thanks for the recommendation! 👍 I'll definitely check out this Stray. I love unusual games with an interesting concept 🐱👤
Барбара
But I prefer classic RPGs like The Witcher 3 🧙♂️ There is such a rich and detailed world, excellent plot and characters. However, the game is too long, so I didn’t have time to complete it before the Steam rules changed 😅
Мария
I agree that The Witcher 3 is a masterpiece! 💎 I also really liked God of War on PS4. The combination of dark Scandinavian mythology and the dramatic story of father and son is simply amazing 💪