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How to Request a Refund for a PC Game That No Longer Works

Request a refund from the store that processed the purchase. Check its deadline and playtime rules, explain the failure clearly, and keep the support record.
Length4 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Request the refund from the store that processed your purchase, not necessarily the game’s publisher. Check the order’s date, launch history and recorded playtime, then use that store’s official refund route promptly. A game that has stopped working is worth explaining clearly, but technical trouble does not automatically override a store’s ordinary refund limits.

Start with the seller on your receipt

Find the purchase in your receipt, bank or card record, account order history, or activation email. The seller that took the payment normally handles the ordinary refund request. For example, if you bought an EA game through Steam or Epic Games Store, submit the request to Steam or Epic—not through EA’s refund tool.

Before filing, note the purchase date, when you first launched the game, the playtime or runtime shown in your account, and whether the purchase was a full game, DLC, bundle, or pre-purchase. Store rules differ, and the order’s own label or eligibility status can matter.

Check the policy for that storefront

The policies below were checked on October 4, 2026. They describe storefront rules, not a guarantee that every technical failure qualifies. Availability and eligibility can depend on location and purchase type, so check the current policy and the signed-in order page for your transaction.

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Store Standard policy and request route What to know if the game no longer works
Steam Valve says it will refund a title requested within 14 days of purchase with less than two hours played. Start at Steam Help and select the purchase. Steam says a refund can be requested through its instructions when a game does not support your operating system. A technical failure outside the usual window is not guaranteed to qualify; explain what happened and ask support to review it.
Epic Games Store Eligible PC and Mac purchases marked “refundable” or “self-refundable” generally must be requested within 14 days of purchase and have less than two hours of runtime. Pre-purchases use a 14-day period after release. For self-refundable orders, use Account > Transactions; for refundable orders, contact Player Support. See the Epic Games Store Refund Policy. Check the order’s refund label and runtime. The policy does not promise a general exception for technical failures. If another platform or retailer processed the purchase, contact that seller instead.
GOG GOG says to contact support within 30 days of purchase. If it cannot resolve the issue, it will offer a full refund. Apply through Order History; see GOG’s Voluntary Refund Policy. Report the technical problem and allow support to try to resolve it within the published period. This is not the same as an unconditional, no-questions-asked return.
EA app / EA.com For eligible full EA downloads and participating third-party games, standard request windows are 24 hours after first launch, 14 days after purchase if never launched, or any time before release for a pre-order. Use the EA Refund Tool. For a new EA game bought within 30 days of release that cannot be played for technical reasons within EA’s control, EA allows a request within 72 hours of first launch. EA describes issues such as server problems and bugs on its side. This narrower rule does not cover every older game that stops working, and purchases made through another retailer must be handled there.
Ubisoft Store Digital PC games bought from Ubisoft Store or Connect can be requested within 14 days if playtime is no more than two hours. Use Store Order History; see Ubisoft’s refund policy. Ubisoft states that its commercial policy does not override statutory rights for faulty or non-conforming products. Purchases through Steam, Epic, consoles, or other retailers follow those sellers’ policies.

Submit the request and describe the fault

  1. Open the seller’s official refund or support route. Select the transaction itself where possible; do not file against a different purchase from the same publisher.
  2. Explain what stopped working. Include when the game last worked and when the failure began, what happens when you launch it, and any exact error message.
  3. Add useful context. Mention relevant PC and operating-system details and the troubleshooting steps you have already tried. This is a practical way to make the problem clear, not a universal evidence checklist published by every store.
  4. Keep the request factual and specific. Describe a compatibility issue as such rather than calling the game defective if the evidence points to your PC configuration. If the self-service route does not fit the situation, contact support and say why.
  5. Save the record. Keep the receipt, screenshots or error text, request confirmation, ticket number, and support replies.

If getting a refund is your priority, file promptly rather than spending time troubleshooting until a store’s request window may have passed. You can continue troubleshooting afterward if you choose.

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If the store denies the request

Ask the seller to review the decision. Refer to the transaction, the relevant dates and recorded playtime, the failure symptoms, and the store’s published policy. A technical problem is useful context, but it does not guarantee acceptance of a request outside the stated rules.

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Store policies do not necessarily exhaust your legal options. Consumer rights for faulty or non-conforming digital products depend on your jurisdiction and the facts of the purchase. Ubisoft expressly notes that its commercial policy does not override statutory rights; if you think local law applies, check the rules for your location or seek appropriate consumer advice.

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