There is a change in the refund policy for video games on Steam! From now on, it will no longer be possible to get a refund after having enjoyed a title in early access for a long time.
Who has never regretted having bought, on a whim or after careful consideration, a video game? PC configuration too weak to run it, repeated technical bugs which make it unplayable, insipid gameplay, or quite simply a work which is ultimately not to your taste… There is no shortage of reasons! This can be particularly frustrating when it is a recent AAA game – a blockbuster – whose price is particularly high – it can go up to 80 euros! Fortunately, Steam, the most popular digital video game distribution platform on the market, has been offering a refund system that is advantageous to say the least. Enough to avoid unpleasant surprises when launching certain games. Particularly flexible and generous, the platform’s policy, however, has been tightened through an update.
Steam refund: watch out for early access and previews
Several conditions must be met to benefit from the platform’s refund policy. Firstly, the request must be made no later than fourteen days following the purchase of the game in question. So you don’t have to wait too long before trying it. In addition, you must have played less than two hours, otherwise, again, you cannot claim a refund.
The problem is that Steam did not take into account early access in its calculation or when certain players have access to the game several days before the official release date because they purchased a Deluxe edition for example. However, some clever people had fun playing as many hours as possible before the official release of the title and then asking for a refund. It was therefore entirely possible for them to spend hundreds of hours on a game and then take advantage of the platform’s policies. In short, it’s playing a game still in development for free. Also, Steam had no choice but to tighten the screw.
Now, for Early Access or Preview games, all cumulative play time will count toward the two-hour limit. In the event that this quota is exceeded before the official release, it will be impossible to request a refund. A decision which aims to stem abuse of the system, but can be double-edged, in cases where certain games benefit from very shaky early access and they gradually improve over time. The two-hour limit is then frankly short… Note that the beta-test phases, which allow bugs to be found and corrected before the official release of the title, are not affected by these two hours. In any case, you can consult our practical guide to getting a refund for a Steam game!