INTRODUCTION
Steam is a digital distribution platform and shop created by Valve Corporation for video games. In September 2003, it was released as a software client to automatically update Valve’s games. By late 2005, it had also started to distribute games from other developers. In addition to social networking, game streaming services, and game server matchmaking with Valve Anti-Cheat methods, Steam includes a number of other features. Automated game updates, cloud syncing for saved game data, and community tools including in-game chat, overlay features, and an online marketplace for collectibles are all included in the Steam client.
Developers use Steam works, a freely available application programming interface (API) that was launched in 2008, to incorporate DRM (digital rights management) into their gaming offerings. That year, a lot of game publishers started offering their products on Steam. After being created primarily for Microsoft Windows, Steam was made available for macOS in 2010 and Linux in 2012. In 2012, mobile apps for iOS and Android that accessed online Steam features were first made available. Along with Valve gaming gear, the platform’s retail offers additional digital material in the form of films, productivity tools, game soundtracks, and the virtual reality headset Valve Index.
According to IHS Screen Digest, the service held an estimated 75% of the market share in 2013, making it the largest digital distribution channel for PC games. Because of Steam’s popularity, further products have been developed, such as the 2015 Steam Machine gaming PCs with the SteamOS operating system and Steam Controller, the Steam Link devices for local game streaming, and the 2022 Steam Deck, a portable device designed just to run Steam games.
REFUND POLICY
For almost every purchase you make on Steam, you can seek a refund for any reason.
- It’s possible that your PC doesn’t have the necessary hardware,
- that you got the wrong game,
- that after playing it for an hour, you just didn’t enjoy it.
That is unimportant. If the refund request is made within the mandatory return time and, in the case of games, if the title has been played for less than 2 hours, Valve will, upon request via help.steampowered.com, give a refund for any reason.
Further information is provided below, but even if you don’t meet the requirements outlined in our refund policy, you can still request a refund and we’ll investigate.
In the event that the game is defective, customers in some areas would be entitled to further rights, such as a refund.
After acceptance, you’ll receive a complete refund for your purchase within a week. The refund will be issued to you either in Steam Wallet money or using the original payment method that you used to complete the transaction. Your Steam Wallet will be fully credited if Steam is unable to process your original payment method for whatever reason.
Certain payment options that Steam offers in your nation might not allow you to return a purchase to the original payment method. Refunds for these transactions are limited to the Steam Wallet of the user.
Refunds are supported by the following payment methods in your country:
- Mastercard
- Visa
The following payment types are not returnable in your country:
- Skrill
- Credit Card (Intranational)
- Debit Card (Domestic)
- Net Banking
- Prepaid Wallet (Domestic)
THERE ARE REFUNDS VALIDITY:
For games and software programs available on the Steam store, the refund offer is valid for up to 2 weeks after the date of purchase and for less than 2 hours of playtime. This is a summary of how refunds for different kinds of purchases operate.
REFUNDS FOR DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
(Also known as “DLC”; Steam Store content that can be used within other games or software Applications)
DLC bought from the Steam store is refundable for fourteen days after the purchase date, as well as if the underlying title has been played for less than two hours after the DLC purchase. This is provided that the DLC has not been used, altered, or transferred. Please be aware that Steam occasionally won’t be able to issue refunds for DLC from third parties (for instance, if the DLC permanently raises a game character’s level). The Store website will make these exceptions explicitly nonrefundable before the purchase is made.
REFUNDS FOR IN-GAME PURCHASING
As long as the in-game item hasn’t been used, altered, or transferred, Steam will reimburse in-game purchases made in any Valve-developed game within 48 hours after the original purchase. On these terms, reimbursements for in-game items will be enabled by third-party developers. If the game developer has chosen to grant refunds for the in-game item you are purchasing, Steam will notify you at the time of purchase. Otherwise, Steam does not reimburse in-game purchases made in non-Valve games.
REFUNDS FOR PRE-PURCHASED TITLES
You have the option to seek a refund at any point before the product’s release on Steam if you have pre-purchased the title and paid for it in advance. This also includes the regular refund term of 14 days or 2 hours, beginning on the day the game is released.
REFUNDS FOR STEAM WALLET
If you have not used any of the Steam Wallet money and they were purchased on Steam, you have fourteen days from the date of purchase to obtain a refund.
REFUND FOR RENEWABLE SUBSCRIPTIONS
Steam gives periodic (monthly, yearly) access to certain content and services that you must pay for on a recurring basis. Within 48 hours of the original purchase or within 48 hours of any automatic renewal, you may seek a refund if a renewable subscription has not been utilized during the current billing cycle. If any games included in the subscription have been played during the current payment cycle, or if any advantages or discounts have been used, consumed, transferred, or amended, then the content is deemed used.
Please be aware that you can go to your account details at any moment to terminate an active subscription. Your membership will no longer renew on its own if it is cancelled.
REFUNDS FOR PACKAGES
If the total usage time of all the goods in a bundle is less than two hours and none of the items have been transferred, you can get a complete refund for any bundle you buy from the Steam Store. Upon checkout, Steam will inform you if the entire bundle is refundable if it contains a non-refundable in-game item or DLC.
PURCHASES MADE OUTSIDE OF STEAM
Refunds for purchases made outside of Steam are not available from Valve (such as CD keys or third-party Steam wallet cards).
VIDEO CONTENT
With the exception of videos that are part of a bundle with other (non-video) refundable goods, we are unable to provide refunds for video content on Steam, such as movies, shorts, series, episodes, and tutorials.
REFUNDS ON GIFTS
Within the typical 14-day/two-hour refund period, gifts that have not been used might be refunded. If the gift recipient requests a return, redeemed gifts may be reimbursed under the same terms. The original buyer of the gift will receive their money back.
