If you claimed a Steam game through a Free to Keep promotion while it was active, Steamworks describes the license as permanent. The offer window ends; the license acquired during that window does not become a Free Weekend trial. But “permanent” does not mean the game is independent of your Steam account or immune to every later loss of access.
First, identify what kind of free offer it was
Steam uses “free” for different access models. The label matters more than the fact that you paid nothing.
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| 1 |
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$500 Apple Gift Card—Email Delivery | $500.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Offer | What the license means | What happens when the offer ends |
|---|---|---|
| Free to Keep | A limited-time promotion that lets a player permanently acquire a game license. Steamworks documentation says the promotional package grants a permanent license. | The promotion package is removed from the store page, but a license acquired during the claim period is described as permanent. |
| Free Weekend | A temporary license, according to Steamworks. | Access is for the free-play period, not a permanent claim. |
| Free to Play | A game customers can acquire and play for free. Steam Support says no credit card or wallet funding is needed to download and play; Steamworks describes this as a free license. See Steam Support and Steamworks. | It is not a Free Weekend trial. Individual game rules can still affect access or play. |
| Recurring subscription | Access is tied to a paid subscription plan rather than a Free to Keep claim. | A canceled subscription remains active until the paid plan expires. Some subscriptions may have additional game-specific terms. See Steam Support and the Steam Subscriber Agreement. |
Steamworks defines these offer types, but its documentation does not establish one universal Steam client button or phrase that proves which type applied to every game. If you are unsure, check the terms of the specific offer rather than treating “free” as proof of permanent ownership.
What “permanent” does—and does not—mean
For Free to Keep, “permanent” describes the license granted through the promotion. The game remains associated with your Steam account; it is not transferred out of Steam. This is not a promise that access can never be lost under any circumstance. Steam documents specific cases in which licenses or access can be removed, including a revoked gift, a revoked CD key, and deletion of the account.
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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.
Why a game might disappear from your library
A gift was revoked
Steam says a gift may be removed following a refund or payment dispute. The recipient is notified that it is no longer available in the library. Steam also says the account is not restricted; to play again, you must purchase the game or redeem another gift copy. Details are in Steam Support’s Revoked Gifts FAQ.
A CD key was revoked
A publisher can revoke a CD key—for example, if it was intended for a limited activation period or was found to have been obtained fraudulently. Steam says the game is removed and the account is not restricted. This guidance concerns key activations; it does not say that ordinary Free to Keep claims are routinely revoked. See Steam Support’s Revoked CD Keys FAQ.
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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.
The Steam account was deleted
Deleting an account permanently deletes its game licenses, and Steam says account deletion cannot be reversed once completed. It does not automatically refund purchases. This is different from uninstalling a game or letting a Free to Keep claim window expire. See Steam’s account deletion FAQ.
The game is hidden or you are in the wrong account
A missing library listing does not by itself show that a license expired. Steam recommends checking that you are signed into the correct account, that library filters are not hiding the title, and that the game is not in Hidden Games. Installed files alone do not prove that the account owns the game or currently has Family Sharing access. Follow Steam’s missing-games troubleshooting steps before assuming the license is gone.
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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.
A subscription period ended
If your access came from a recurring subscription, cancellation does not end it immediately: the plan remains active until its paid period expires. Some subscription arrangements may also include additional game-specific terms. Check the plan and the game’s terms rather than applying Free to Keep rules to subscription access.
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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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What to check if you are unsure what you claimed
- Recall the offer type. Was it explicitly a Free to Keep promotion, a Free Weekend, a Free to Play game, or access bundled with a subscription?
- For a missing title, verify the account and library view. Sign in to the account used to claim it, clear filters, and check Hidden Games using Steam’s troubleshooting guide.
- Consider the access route. A gift or CD-key activation can be revoked in the documented circumstances; a subscription ends according to its plan. Those cases are distinct from the Free to Keep license described by Steamworks.
- Contact Steam Support if it remains missing. Use the account and library checks above, then consult Steam Support for the specific title and account.
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.
