Steam has an excellent refund system. You can now refund any game on Steam for any reason. Maybe it isn’t working the way it is supposed to or you just didn’t like the graphics.
This feature encourages you to try new games that you aren’t sure about. If you somehow dislike the game, you can refund it and get all of your money back. This is particularly useful nowadays as very fewer games have their demos available.
When can I refund a Steam game?
According to the Steam refund policy, there two main requirements to request a Steam refund.
- You should have played that game for less than two hours.
- You must have purchased it in the last 14 days.
If you meet these requirements, Valve guarantees that you will get your refund. Even if you don’t fulfill any one of these requirements, you can still forward a refund request. However, in this case, Valve will look into your situation; thus it isn’t guaranteed you will get a refund but there are still some chances that you will receive your refund, and there is no harm in trying so you should definitely give it a try.
You can’t refund games that you purchased outside of Steam and added them to the client using a product key. There are many cases where you buy a game from third-party game stores to save money; this feature encourages you to purchase them through Steam. If you don’t like it, you can always return it.
Also if you refund a lot of games, Valve may consider this as abuse and they will block your refund requests in the future. Valve doesn’t exactly specify what they mean by abuse but you will be fine as long as you don’t buy a lot of games and refund most of them.
Valve also notes that if you purchased a game before a sale, and you return it and buy it again at the sale to save money, that isn’t abused. For example, a game costs $100 without any sale. A few days later there is a sale where it can be purchased for $50. You can easily return your game for $100 and purchase it for $50 from the sale menu. This isn’t abusing and is allowed as long as the game is bought within the last 14 days.
Your refund can be returned to the same payment method you used to purchase the game. You can even transfer the money to your Steam wallet so you can spend it elsewhere.
How to make a Refund and Return a Game on Steam?
If your game was purchased in the last 14 days and you have played it for less than 2 hours, you are entitled to a guaranteed refund. Follow the steps below.
- Open your Steam client. Then click on “Help” present at the top side of the screen where several different options are also available.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Steam support”.
- You can also access Steam Support through your website by visiting here. You will be directed to the same although you will have to log in using your credentials when in the web browser.
- Select the game which you want to refund. If you have recently played it, you’ll see the game’s name under the “Recent Products” found at the top of the page. However, if you don’t see the game’s name here, click on the tab “Purchases”.
- On the purchases tab, you will see a list of all the purchases you have made in the last six months. You have to browse through the games and locate the game you want to refund.
- After you have located the game, click it.
- Click the option saying “I would like a refund”.
- Now the support system will ask you if you are having a technical issue with the game. If you want that issue to be solved rather than to return the game, you can click the option “Help me fix gameplay or technical issues”. If you are inclined towards a refund, click on “I’d like to request a refund”.
- Now Steam will check on its end if you are eligible for a refund. It will offer you a refund if you are. You can also select the payment method through which you would like to get refunded i.e. the original payment method, the steam wallet, etc. If you are not eligible for a refund, the system will inform you that the refunds aren’t usually accepted in your case, but it will allow you to request one anyway.
- After this, you will be asked why you are requesting a refund. Select the reason from the drop-down menu. You can also type in your personal comments on the dialogue box provided. If you are already guaranteed a refund, this feedbacks will help valve improve their service and help the game developer understand why you didn’t like the game you purchased.
- Click the option of Submit Request after you are done with entering your feedback.
- You will receive an email from Steam informing you that your request has been received and they will contact/inform you the moment they are resolved or decided.
- If you fulfill all the other requirements, Steam will send you another confirmatory email stating that your request has been processed successfully and the amount has been refunded through the payment method you chose.
Steam’s refund policy is very helpful but it is also limited. There are strict guidelines you have to follow. So it is ideal that whatever game you buy, you try it in the next couple of days, and without the clock timer exceeding 2 hours, you should decide whether you want to keep it or not.
However, if you don’t fulfill the requirements, you can still forward the request. Steam will then review your case and decide whether your case is genuine and it will surely refund you all of your money if you have a valid reason according to why you failed to meet their guidelines.
So go and purchase the game you have been willing to try. But remember the abuse policy implemented by them too.
