How to return a game on Steam

Sometimes, relying only on reviews and opinions found in the Internet, we make a purchase of a game, which as it turns out later – does not meet our expectations at all. In such a situation, the best solution seems to be to send a request for a refund for the purchase of a title. Admittedly, it is not always so simple, because a lot depends on the store or platform on which we do it. However, on Steam we should not have a bigger problem with this, if we meet certain conditions. So How to return a game on Steam and when we can do it?

When you can return a game on Steam

Steam has a pretty clear return policy, so let’s start with when you can return a game. It is possible:

• 2 weeks from date of purchase,
• for products launched less than 2 hours.

As you can see, the return conditions are very clear, but in the case of DLC and pre-ordered games they look a bit different:

• DLC We can return within 14 days of purchase, if the product for which the extension was intended has not been run for more than 2 hours. What is more, in some cases such a return is not possible at all, but during the purchase you will be informed about it,
• Games purchased in pre-orders can be returned at any time prior to the release date. After the release, the standard rules of 2 weeks from purchase and less than 2 hours spent in the game apply.

It is worth noting that a request for a refund can be sent even if the above conditions have not been met. Support will of course look into each case, but unfortunately the chances of a positive decision in such a situation are very slim. However, with a good argument it can work, so it is worth a try if you really want to get your money back.

How to return a game on Steam – step by step

To return a game on Steam, you must first launch the app or log in to your account in your browser. Further the whole process looks as follows:

1. go to „Steam support”,
2. from the last products choose the game that you want to return. If it’s not there, we go into the category „Games, programs, etc.” and there we find the title,
3. Choose from the available items the problem with the product that will lead us to return, for example. „my expectations were different”,
4. click „I want to get a refund” and choose a reason from the drop-down list.
5. we send a request and wait for a response from support.

That’s basically it. If the request is accepted, the money should come back to us within one week of your decision. As for the method of payment, as a rule, the return is made in the same from which we made the purchase. That is, if you buy a game using funds from your Steam wallet, that is where you will get your money back. If we used our PayPal wallet to make the purchase, they will return to it, etc. There is, however, an exception to this rule, when the chosen form of payment does not allow returns – then the money will go to the Steam wallet.

How to return games bought outside of Steam

Of course, we can get games on Steam not only by buying them directly on the platform, but also by using keys from other sources. While this is a good way to add selected titles to your library at often much lower prices, but unfortunately the subsequent recovery may not be so easy. This is because Valve does not give refunds for purchases made outside of Steam, so we’ll have to ask the store or the platform in question.

Where to get games on Steam for free

Playing computer games is for many people one of the best ways to spend free time, although the titles we are interested in are not always cheap. However, there are some methods by which we can get them (or money in the form of a wallet top-up) basically for free.

Refund conditions on other platforms

Although Steam is the oldest and still the most popular platform for digital distribution of games, but also not the only. What are the conditions for refunds on other?

• Epic Games – has the same policy as Steam – we can ask for a return within 14 days of purchase if the total game time does not exceed 2 hours,
• Origin – in the case of this platform we have only 24 hours to return the game counting from the launch or 7 days from the moment of purchase. Interestingly, the time spent in the game does not count here,
• GoG – has by far the most user-friendly return policy. We have up to 30 days to get our money back from the moment of purchase of the game – regardless of whether we played it. It is worth mentioning here that the platform sells games without DRM, so after the purchase we can download it and GoG has no way of removing it later. This unfortunately leads to abuse, so don’t return games if you don’t really need them.

Summary

Unfortunately, nowadays many titles come out too fast, which makes them very buggy and sometimes even unplayable. Although this applies to all digital distribution platforms, it is worth knowing how to return a game on Steam because it is the most popular. Regardless of whether it did not meet our expectations or we were not able to even run it. Of course, remembering not to exceed 2 hours spent in the game and do not delay for more than 14 days after purchase.

Have you ever used returns on Steam? Share your opinion in the comments.