Valve, the company behind the popular online gaming platform Steam, started offering no-questions-asked refunds eight years ago. This policy allowed gamers to request a refund within 14 days of purchase as long as they haven’t played more than two hours of the game. However, when Valve introduced the “Early Access” and “Advanced Access” programs, a loophole was created. Players could play a game for many hours before its official launch and still request a refund afterward.
Changes to the Refund Policy
Valve has announced a change to their refund policy in response to this loophole. Now, any playtime during the “Early Access” or “Advanced Access” period will count against the two-hour refund limit. This means that players will no longer be able to play a game extensively before its release and then request a refund.
According to Valve’s updated refund policy, when you purchase a title on Steam before its release date, the two-hour playtime limit for refunds will apply. However, the 14-day period for refunds will not start until the game’s official release date. This means that any playtime during the “Early Access” or “Advanced Access” phase will now be included in the two-hour limit for refunds.
Previously, players who pre-purchased a title on Steam could request a refund at any time before the game’s release date. The standard 14-day/two-hour refund period would apply, starting on the release date of the title. However, with the new changes to the policy, any playtime during the pre-purchase phase will now count towards the two-hour refund limit.
Valve’s decision to update their refund policy is aimed at closing a potential loophole that allowed players to abuse the system. By including playtime during the “Early Access” and “Advanced Access” periods in the refund limit, Valve is ensuring a fairer refund process for all gamers. It is important for players to be aware of these changes and to adhere to the updated policy when requesting refunds on Steam.
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