Steam Changes Refund Policy to Stop Freeloaders
Image: T. Schneider (Shutterstock)
Valve closes loophole in Steam’s refund policy
Steam’s refund policy for games is simple: You have two hours to play the game after you buy it to decide if you want to keep it. Like all good things, some folks decided to take advantage of a loophole, and now Valve has changed its policy to close it.
Refund clock starts counting during the Advanced Access period
Valve posted an update to the refund policy on Tuesday, stating that for titles in pre-purchase and offer “Advanced Access,” the playtime acquired during the Advanced Access period will now count towards the Steam refund period. This change is specifically important for players pre-ordering games that grant them the opportunity to play the game before its official release. Previously, the refund clock would only start after the game was officially released, so players could gain advanced access, play the game before release, and then obtain a refund on its release day.
Early Access games not affected
However, this change does not affect Early Access games. Early Access games are titles that are released while still being actively developed, allowing gamers to buy and play them during their development stage. Unlike games in pre-purchase “Advanced Access,” Early Access titles can remain in this stage for years before their official release.
You can find more information about Steam refunds here.
Note: The information in this article is subject to change based on Valve’s ongoing updates to their refund policy.
