Valve has now introduced a Steam refund policy change that fixes a loophole that has been exploited for a long time. The updated policy now counts Steam Early Access and Advanced Access playtime towards the standard two-hour limitation.
Steam Refund Policy: What Has Changed?
Steam has one of the most generous refund policies among digital video game stores. It allows players to get a full refund within 14 days of purchasing a game.
However, the original policy did not include ‘early access’ and was undoubtedly good for genuine customers. If you had early access to a game, you could play it for as long as you want and get a refund once it launched officially. This allowed players to get refunds despite spending hours or even after completing the game.
When you purchase a title on Steam prior to the release date, the two-hour playtime limit for refunds will apply (except for beta testing), but the 14-day period for refunds will not start until the release date. For example, if you purchase a game that is in Early Access or Advanced Access, any playtime will count against the two-hour refund limit.
