Steam's refund policy has been enthusiastically received by players since its launch in 2015. You can request a refund within two weeks of purchase as long as you haven't played the game for more than two hours. This policy is very famous, and there are many speedrunners who try to complete the game within these two hours and get a refund. So far, there's been a loophole in the policy: playtime on certain pre-release games doesn't count. This means you can play any game in Premium Access for as long as you want, and then be refunded, as long as you don't accrue more than two hours of additional playtime after launch.
What is Premium Access on Steam?
Steam defines "Premium Access" as the ability to play the final version of a game before release. Think of it as an extra cost for being able to get into Disney World an hour before everyone else. Many games come with a few days or even a week of Premium access included in their Deluxe Purchase bundles, and to make that clearer, Steam has added a new tab for Premium Access games on the store page.
Advanced Access differs from Early Access, in which developers release games that are still in development and use Steam sales as a means of financing. While Early Access games are not vulnerable to this vulnerability, some players have abused the refund policy for Premium Access games and gained dozens of hours of playtime before the game's official release, only to be refunded and receive all their playtime for free.
Steam fixes Advanced Access refund bug
On Steam's refund page, the company changed its policy to stop players from exploiting the vulnerability. The updated wording is as follows:
Refunds for games purchased before release date
When you purchase a game on Steam before the release date, the two-hour playtime limit for refunds will apply (except for beta tests), but the 14-day refund period won't start until the release date. For example, if you purchased an Early Access or Premium Access version of a game, any play time will count toward the two-hour refund limit. If the game you pre-ordered becomes unplayable before its release date, you can request a refund at any time before the game is released and the standard 14-day/two-hour refund period will apply from the game's release date. release date.
Previously, the 14-day/two-hour clock only started after the game's official release date. Now, you have to be careful if you impulsively buy a game that looks promising. As of this writing, TopSpin 2K25 is in Premium Access, so if you start playing it now, be aware that your refund clock will be ticking.
