Yes, you can ask Steam for a refund after playing more than two hours, but the request falls outside Valve’s standard refund rule and approval is not guaranteed. Valve’s normal rule for games bought on the Steam Store is a request within 14 days of purchase and less than two hours of playtime. If you exceed either limit, you can still submit a request for Valve to review.
What is Steam’s standard game refund rule?
For a game purchased on the Steam Store, Valve’s standard refund offer applies when you request a refund within 14 days of purchase and have played the game for less than two hours. Both conditions matter: exceeding either the 14-day window or the playtime limit puts the request outside the standard rule.
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These terms come from Valve’s Steam Refunds policy, which was last updated April 23, 2024. The policy also says that you can request a refund outside its stated rules: “even if you fall outside of the refund rules we’ve described, you can ask for a refund anyway and we’ll take a look.” That means Valve will review the request, not that it will approve it.
How to request a refund after playing more than two hours
- Check the purchase date and Steam’s recorded playtime so you know whether the request fits the standard limits.
- Go to Steam Support and submit a refund request for the game.
- If you are outside the standard limits, explain the circumstances plainly and accurately. Valve does not promise approval for any particular reason, including technical problems.
If Valve approves the refund, it says the funds are issued within a week of approval. The refund goes to your Steam Wallet or, where supported, the original payment method. Some payment methods in some countries cannot receive refunds to the original method, in which case Valve credits the Steam Wallet. The week refers to processing after approval, not a deadline for Valve to decide the request.
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#1 Best Overall
- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Do other Steam purchases follow the same rule?
No. The two-week and two-hour standard applies to Steam Store games and software applications; other purchase types can have different terms.
- DLC: Generally, a DLC purchase can be refunded within 14 days if the base game has been played for less than two hours since the DLC purchase and the DLC has not been consumed, modified, or transferred. Some third-party DLC is marked nonrefundable before purchase.
- In-game purchases: For Valve-developed games, eligible requests generally must be made within 48 hours, and the item must not have been consumed, modified, or transferred. Other developers may opt in; Steam indicates eligibility at purchase.
- Early access and pre-release purchases: Playtime in early access or advance access counts toward the two-hour limit. If a game cannot be played before release, you can request a pre-release refund before launch; the usual 14-day and two-hour period begins on release day.
- Gifts and bundles: Gifts and bundles have additional conditions. For a redeemed gift, the recipient must initiate the refund request.
Valve’s policy also has separate terms for Steam Wallet funds, subscriptions, hardware, and video. Purchases made outside Steam cannot be refunded by Valve through this policy, and a VAC ban removes the right to refund that game. Check the terms for the specific purchase type rather than assuming the standard game rule applies. Valve notes that consumers in some jurisdictions may have additional refund rights when a game is faulty; its policy page does not detail every jurisdiction’s rules.
Quick Recap
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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