It often happens that we regret purchasing a game, discovering a little too late that it is not to our taste. Fortunately, it is possible to get all your money back after a bad one on Steam. To do this, you just need to respect a few conditions. We will explain everything to you.
We’ve all fallen for it. Steam is launching a new period of promotions, we are looking a lot at the prices and this little game for only a few euros, which we know nothing about, but which looks very promising, ends up in our basket as if by magic. And that’s the tragedy: when testing the game in question, it turns out that it is simply not to your taste and that you will never touch it again.
Of course, the incident is less when we are talking about a game for only a few euros, as we find hundreds of them on Steam. But it quickly becomes more annoying when you have fallen for the last AAA at €80 only to realize that it is not to your taste. Worse still, you may fall for one of the many scams on the platform, which imitates a popular game to attract less suspicious players.
What are the conditions to be met to get a refund for a game on Steam?
In short, there are no shortage of reasons to want to get a refund for a game purchased on Steam. The good news is that this is perfectly possible. The less good thing is that it is not possible to get a refund anyhow. More specifically, two conditions must be met for Steam to agree to reimburse you for the game:
- the reimbursement request must take place within 14 days after purchasein accordance with French legislation
- you must have played less than 2 hours to the game in question, otherwise Steam will refuse the refund
For some games lasting only a few hours, this delay is more than enough to get an idea of the overall experience. For those that last for several dozen hours, it becomes more complicated. Especially when 2 hours are barely enough to get out of the tutorial phase… You will therefore have to be careful not to exceed the timer if you have any doubts about your desire to continue a game.
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How to get a refund for a game on Steam
If, however, your decision is made and all the conditions for a refund are met, all that remains is to make your request to Steam. Nothing too complicated, although the platform could still make it easier for players. Indeed, there is no need to look for a refund button on the game page in your library. To win your case, you will have to go to a dedicated website. Explanations:
- Go to the support page from Steam by clicking on this link
- If you haven’t already, sign in to your Steam account by clicking Connection
- You can also access this page by opening Steam then clicking on Help > Steam Support (at the top of the window)
- The page then shows you your recent purchases. There is a good chance that the game you want to be reimbursed for is present there.
- Otherwise, click Purchases then on the name of the game you wish to be reimbursed
- Then click on I would like to request a refund
- Select the reason you want to be refunded
- Then choose the repayment method
- Refund to my Steam wallet: adds credit to your account that you can then use to purchase another game and/or lower its price
- Reimburse on Visa ending in XX: makes a transfer to the bank account linked to the card used during the purchase
And There you go ! After a few minutes, you will receive a confirmation email from Steam telling you that the refund has been made. If you have opted for a transfer, it may take a few days to arrive. The game will automatically disappear from your game library.