Today's gamers are often interested in how to get money back for playing on Steam, the largest online service for selling media products. You can make a refund directly in Steam, making sure that all the necessary conditions for this are met.
Steam Refund Policy
Funds for the purchased game can be returned only if no more than two hours have been spent on it. According to Valve (the creators of Steam), this is enough to test the purchased product. Moreover, it is not necessary to immediately immerse yourself in the game for 120 minutes: you can take breaks, close and open the application when necessary.
The second limitation on Steam refunds is the post-purchase period. It is allowed to claim your funds back only within two weeks after downloading the product from the online store. Accordingly, the provided 120 minutes of testing can be extended for 14 days. All these rules apply not only to original game products, but also to all sorts of add-ons to them, purchased separately.
It is recommended to refund money for playing on Steam in the following cases:
- insufficient computer power (the game freezes, slows down or does not start at all);
- the application contains errors (bugs) made through the fault of the developers;
- the game does not match its description in Steam.
Nevertheless, it is allowed to exchange a product for money in other situations, for example, if you simply do not like it. Users who have tested the game are then asked to leave their feedback about it so that other players can think in advance whether or not to purchase it. After purchasing the game, the time spent playing it will be displayed in the user's profile. He should be monitored so as not to miss the opportunity to refuse the game, if necessary.
How to make a refund
To receive funds for the purchase of the game, you need to log into the Steam client, which must be installed on your computer. You must enter the login and password of the profile through which the corresponding product was purchased. The algorithm for further actions will be as follows:
- Select the "Help" section of the menu and click on the "Steam Support" item.
- Scroll down the list that opens and select "Games, programs, etc.".
- Click on the name of the desired product (you can use the search bar if there are a lot of games).
- Click on the button "Product did not meet expectations" and then click "I want to request a refund for this gift."
After that, you will be moved to the procedure registration section. The program will automatically determine whether the return conditions have been met, and, if everything is in order, it will offer to indicate the method of receiving the funds. This can be a transfer to a Steam account, bank card or e-wallet (depending on how the product was purchased).
If you want to spend money to purchase another game, you should choose to receive funds to your Steam account. The money will be returned immediately. Transferring funds to bank cards and e-wallets can take several business days (up to two weeks). If you have any questions or comments, you can contact the support service by selecting the appropriate item in the menu.
Refunds for pre-orders and other products
A lot of players ask how to get money back for a game on Steam if it was pre-ordered, that is, the product was paid for before it became officially available for download. In this case, you will have to wait for the goods to arrive at the store and download them to your computer. From this moment, the countdown of the time provided for acquaintance will begin. Refunds in the future are carried out in the same way as in the case of a regular game.
Also, recently, other products, for example, movies, have become available for purchase in Steam. They are not subject to return conditions, so you need to think carefully before buying anything that is not related to games. You can check the Help section for any changes to Steam's policy on purchased products.
