If you purchased a video game on the gaming platform Steam that you don’t like, you might be wondering how you can exchange it back for a refund. Before 2015, Steam refunds weren’t possible at all, but due to more consumer demand as well as gamers needing more protections, Steam started taking refunds for digital games.
That said, you might be wondering how you can turn your digital game in for a refund on Steam, as well as what the requirements are. If you follow along below, we’ll show you all the details that you need to turn a game in for a refund for Steam. Here’s how.
What are the strict requirements?
Steam’s refund policy has been a godsend, and generally allows you to get a refund for anything you have had for less than two weeks and have played for under two hours. Those are the strict requirements, but even then, the process still has to be approved by Steam.
How do you get a refund?
Like we already mentioned, you can usually get a refund for anything you’ve had for less than two weeks with under two hours of gameplay. That said, if the video game you bought is in that window, you can open up Steam and head to your Library. Select the game, and then on the right-hand side of the window, you should see a Support link. Click it!
Next, you can choose the problem that you’re having with the product. For example, if you choose “I bought this by accident,” Steam will give you the option for to fix technical problems, or to request a refund. Select request a refund.
Next, you need to choose what you want the payment to be refunded to. You can choose your Steam Wallet, or you can choose the original payment method, such as PayPal or another card. Then, give them a reason for the refund and submit your request.
It essentially takes less than a minute to finish that process, but now, you have to wait for Steam to approve your request. Generally, they’re going to look for things to back up your claims, such as making sure you don’t have an achievement that says you finished the game, or that you played for way too many hours.
Once approved, Steam will start the official refund process. Valve says that games owned for less than 14 days and played for less than two hours are usually automatically approved, but there might be the occasional game that isn’t for one reason or another.
How Long Does The Refund Take?
But how long does it take once your request is approved by Steam? Steam says that most purchased made in the United States will take up to seven business days. You’ll likely see it much quicker than that, but seven days is the number they’ve put on it. However, if it was an International purchase, it can take a little longer than that.
Can you request refunds for games older than 14 days?
Valve says that you can even get refunds on games that are outside the 14-day window. They look over these requests manually, and are approved on a case by case basis. That said, if you have a game that is well outside of the 14-day window, your request for refund will not be approved.
Can you refund too many games?
The answer is yes! However, there aren’t any specific numbers available to let the community know how much is too much. If you put in too many requests for refund, Steam will let you know that you’ve put in quite a few requests as of late. They’ll also let you know how Steam Refunds aren’t to be used simply for demoing games, and that if they feel you’re abusing the system, they’ll freeze refunds for your account.
What about refused refunds?
Valve does have the right to refuse refunds. Naturally, customers might be pretty frustrated with that refusal, and that’s why Valve allows you to challenge the decision. You can request a refund again, and it’ll be reviewed manually by another Valve employee. However, there’s no guarantee that the refusal will be overturned even then.
Verdict
As you can see, getting a Steam refund is generally a quick and easy process if you meet the refund window requirements. In just a few short seconds, you can start the refund process and (hopefully) have it automatically approved by Valve! Just keep in mind not to abuse the system, otherwise you might lose your refund privileges!
