Store policies · checked 18 October 2026

Game Refund Rules: Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo

What each store lets you return, and when, from its own policy page.

Steam refunds a game bought in the last 14 days and played for under 2 hours. PlayStation cancels within 14 days only if the game has not started downloading. Microsoft refunds digital games only where the offer or the law allows. Nintendo does not refund mistaken purchases or games you did not like.

Verified 18 Oct 2026

The rules side by side

The rules side by side
Store	Basic rule	Pre-orders	Once downloaded	Official page
Steam	Within 14 days of purchase and under 2 hours of play.	Refundable at any time before release.	Downloading does not end the right; the 2-hour playtime limit does. In-game purchases in non-Valve games are not refundable through Steam.	Steam Refunds
PlayStation	Cancel within 14 days if you have not started downloading or streaming.	Cancel up to release day if paid more than 14 days before it, otherwise within 14 days of buying - only while nothing has downloaded. Pre-loading counts as downloading.	Once the download starts, the right to cancel ends, unless the game is faulty.	PlayStation Store cancellation policy
Xbox / Microsoft Store	Digital games are not refundable unless the offer or applicable law says you are eligible.	Cancel up to 10 days before launch from your order history; after that, request a refund.	No general right after download.	Microsoft Store refunds
Nintendo eShop	No refunds for mistaken purchases or games you did not like.	Can be cancelled until payment is taken and the game pre-loads (up to 7 days before release).	Buyers agree to immediate delivery and lose the right to cancel.	Nintendo UK refunds

Epic Games Store and GOG are not included yet: their policy pages could not be read when we checked.

The UK and EU 14-day rule

EU law gives buyers 14 days to withdraw from a purchase (Directive 2011/83/EU, article 9). For digital content the right ends once delivery has started with the buyer's express consent (article 16(m)) - which, for a game, usually means once the download begins.

Steam describes its own version for EU and UK buyers: the right "ends 14 days after your purchase or the moment you start downloading the content … for the first time (whichever is sooner)", and Steam's normal refund policy still applies after that.

Sources

Read on 18 October 2026. Platforms change these rules; we re-check them monthly.

Quick answers

Refund questions

Can you refund a game on Steam after 2 hours?

Not under Steam's standard policy, which needs under 2 hours of play within 14 days. Steam says it may still look at requests outside that.

Can you refund a game on PS5 after downloading it?

Not usually. PlayStation's policy ends the right to cancel once the download or streaming has started.

Can you refund a pre-order on PS5?

Yes, until release day if you paid more than 14 days before it, or within 14 days of buying - but only while the game has not started downloading. A pre-load counts as a download.

Can you cancel an Xbox pre-order?

Yes, from your order history up to 10 days before launch. After that you have to request a refund.

Does the Nintendo eShop give refunds?

Not for mistaken purchases or games you did not like, according to Nintendo UK. A pre-order can be cancelled before payment is taken and the game pre-loads.

What is the 14-day rule in the UK and EU?

Buyers can withdraw within 14 days, but for digital games the right ends once the download starts with your consent.