Valve, the renowned gaming company behind the Steam platform, has been known for its consumer-friendly refund policy for eight years. Initially, Valve offered no-questions-asked refunds for any game purchased on Steam within 14 days of purchase and with less than two hours of gameplay. However, the introduction of the “Early Access” and “Advanced Access” programs created a loophole that allowed players to rack up extensive playtime before requesting a refund.
In response to this loophole, Valve has made significant changes to its refund policy. Now, any playtime accrued during the “Early Access” and “Advanced Access” period will count towards the two-hour refund limit. This means that players can no longer exploit these programs to play extensively before requesting a refund.
The updated refund policy clarifies the rules for refunds on titles purchased prior to the release date. If a game is purchased during the “Early Access” or “Advanced Access” phase, any playtime will now be counted against the two-hour refund limit. Additionally, the 14-day refund window will not begin until the official release date of the game. This ensures that players cannot abuse the system by playing extensively during the pre-release period.
Under the previous policy, players who pre-purchased a title on Steam could request a refund at any time before the release date. The standard 14-day refund window and two-hour playtime limit applied, but the refund period began upon the game’s official release. The updated policy now aligns the refund rules for pre-purchased titles with those of games purchased during the “Early Access” and “Advanced Access” stages.
Valve’s updated refund policy seeks to close the loophole that allowed players to exploit the system by accumulating playtime before requesting a refund. By counting playtime during the pre-release phase towards the two-hour limit, Valve aims to ensure fair treatment for all players. This change reflects Valve’s commitment to maintaining a transparent and consumer-friendly refund policy for the Steam platform.