Within the realm of Steam’s virtual marketplace, players have long enjoyed the solace of a 14-day refund window, provided that their in-game escapades have not exceeded two hours. However, a sly maneuver emerged, allowing individuals to circumvent this policy by exploiting the Advanced Access feature. This privilege, distinct from Early Access, grants pre-orderers the indulgence of immersing themselves in a game’s digital embrace ahead of its official release.
Until recently, Steam’s refund timer lay dormant during this early access period, creating an ethereal bubble of negative time. Players reveled in this temporal limbo, indulging in gratuitous gameplay, only to swiftly seek reimbursement upon the game’s official launch. Such audacious audacity has now been extinguished by Steam’s April 24th edict.
The revised policy leaves the core refund principles intact. Advanced Access purchasers who clock less than two hours and find the experience thoroughly distasteful may still seek solace in a refund, provided they initiate their request within the 14-day grace period.
Indies striving to craft experiences that culminate in less than two hours may lament this development. Their creations, once protected by the Advanced Access loophole, now face the full brunt of Steam’s refund policy.
