Valve has recently updated its Steam refund policy to close a loophole that allowed players to accumulate several hours of playtime through advanced access and then receive a full refund at launch. The revised policy includes a new ‘refunds on titles purchased prior to the release date’ section, which adds an official Advanced Access label and applies Valve’s normal two hour time limit to these games.
Advanced Access, previously known as Early Access, refers to games which can be played ahead of their official launch, usually by purchasing a special edition at additional cost. For instance, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which launched on February 2, 2024, allowed players who paid an additional $30 for the Deluxe Edition to play three days earlier. This three-day period is now officially classified as Advanced Access within Steam.
The new policy addresses a loophole that allowed players to play Advanced Access games for dozens of hours or even complete them, then request a refund from Steam and get all their money back as long as they didn’t play for more than two hours after launch. This loophole became increasingly relevant as Advanced Access games gained popularity.
Under the updated policy, the two hour playtime limit for refunds will apply to Advanced Access games, with the exception of beta testing. However, the 14-day period for refunds will not start until the official release date of the game. For example, if a player purchases a game in Early Access or Advanced Access, any playtime will count against the two-hour refund limit. If a player pre-purchases a title which is not playable prior to the release date, they can request a refund at any time prior to release, and the standard 14-day/two-hour refund period will apply starting on the game’s release date.
Valve’s decision to close this loophole is a significant change to the Steam refund policy. It signifies the company’s commitment to providing a fair and equitable refund system for all players and is likely to be welcomed by many developers who have expressed concerns about the abuse of Early Access refunds.
