Valve have put up a short blog post detailing some changes to the way gifting games will work, as of today.
The first major change is how you send it to the other user, with the only option now being to send it directly through Steam. You can no longer buy up games and store them in your Steam inventory to give out later. I'm not sure of their reasons behind this, other than to stop people stocking up on copies of games while they're cheap. People will now likely just resort to places like Humble for that purpose.
Another change, which actually seems rather pro-consumer, is that if the gift is declined, the person who purchased it gets a refund instead of it sneaking into their inventory. I think that's a fantastic option in case of unwanted gifts, no one loses out. I'm actually quite impressed they did that, it's one change I'm happy with since I get a bit trigger happy sending gifts during the holiday season. It brings purchases as gifts on Steam more in line with physical copies, being able to return it if it's not right.
Gifting from one country to another has also been made simpler. If you buy a game for someone in a different country, the person receiving the game will be safe in knowing that it will work for them. However, if there's a major difference in pricing between the countries you won't be able to gift it to them. I guess some were using that to get around price differences, which is a little hole in their system they've closed. I've never personally needed to get around pricing myself like that, but I do understand in certain countries pricing isn't right, so I'm sure some will be unhappy with this.
What do you think to these changes? Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
The first major change is how you send it to the other user, with the only option now being to send it directly through Steam. You can no longer buy up games and store them in your Steam inventory to give out later. I'm not sure of their reasons behind this, other than to stop people stocking up on copies of games while they're cheap. People will now likely just resort to places like Humble for that purpose.
Another change, which actually seems rather pro-consumer, is that if the gift is declined, the person who purchased it gets a refund instead of it sneaking into their inventory. I think that's a fantastic option in case of unwanted gifts, no one loses out. I'm actually quite impressed they did that, it's one change I'm happy with since I get a bit trigger happy sending gifts during the holiday season. It brings purchases as gifts on Steam more in line with physical copies, being able to return it if it's not right.
Gifting from one country to another has also been made simpler. If you buy a game for someone in a different country, the person receiving the game will be safe in knowing that it will work for them. However, if there's a major difference in pricing between the countries you won't be able to gift it to them. I guess some were using that to get around price differences, which is a little hole in their system they've closed. I've never personally needed to get around pricing myself like that, but I do understand in certain countries pricing isn't right, so I'm sure some will be unhappy with this.
What do you think to these changes? Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
UltraViolet May 4, 2017
seems really good to be able to get the game into your library if its declined, but, hopefully you know the person your buying a gift for and if all would like it or not before you buy it :-)
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Quoting: UltraVioletseems really good to be able to get the game into your library if its declined, but, hopefully you know the person your buying a gift for and if all would like it or not before you buy it :-)
Actually it won't show up on your library, it will be refunded.
Last edited by nitroflow on 4 May 2017 at 9:31 pm UTC
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TBH - The refund shouldn't happen unless the gift is declined and the purchases opts not to keep it for later in their inventory. I can't tell you how many games I've bought on sale, saved them in inventory, then gifted them later for a birthday, christmas, or good report card. Also, by buying on sale, I can later gift several at a time instead of just one.
As long as this is implemented, I'll only be buying games for myself from now on. That means no more four-packs either to give out copies later.
Beemer
As long as this is implemented, I'll only be buying games for myself from now on. That means no more four-packs either to give out copies later.
Beemer
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LinuxGamesTV May 4, 2017
Quoting: BeemerTBH - The refund shouldn't happen unless the gift is declined and the purchases opts not to keep it for later in their inventory. I can't tell you how many games I've bought on sale, saved them in inventory, then gifted them later for a birthday, christmas, or good report card. Also, by buying on sale, I can later gift several at a time instead of just one.
As long as this is implemented, I'll only be buying games for myself from now on. That means no more four-packs either to give out copies later.
Beemer
^ This.
QuoteAnother change, which actually seems rather pro-consumer, is that if the gift is declined, the person who purchased it gets a refund instead of it sneaking into their inventory. I think that's a fantastic option in case of unwanted gifts, no one loses out. I'm actually quite impressed they did that, it's one change I'm happy with since I get a bit trigger happy sending gifts during the holiday season. It brings purchases as gifts on Steam more in line with physical copies, being able to return it if it's not right.
I want a rejected gift in my Inventory.
So in the new way, if you get the refund you get the money in your Steam wallet. If you pay via Paypal, you get the money in your Steam Wallet. The same if you pay via Credit Card. Why to hell i get the Money in my Steam Wallet?
Last edited by LinuxGamesTV on 4 May 2017 at 10:39 pm UTC
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linux_gamer May 4, 2017
So i guess the few gifts in my inventory just became more valuable.
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" However, if there's a major difference in pricing between the countries you won't be able to gift it to them."
they need an solution to people who want to gift an person from an different country even it if mean paying more because the game is more expensive there.
they need an solution to people who want to gift an person from an different country even it if mean paying more because the game is more expensive there.
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Something that comes to mind, on reading this:
Assume you have a load of 4-pack game gifts (for instance) lying in your inventory because you haven't gifted them 'yet'. Then under this scheme you gift them to someone, and that person declines the gift. So the rejected gifted game gets put back into your Steam account as Wallet Credit.
1) Is it definitely going to work that way? (Or am I missing something.)
2) If I buy a 4-pack game for £10. The single game is £4 (say). I then 'gift' and get the 3 gifted games rejected by the persons I gifted them to. Then that would mean I get £7.50 of Wallet Credit back in my account instead? Is "that" how it would work? Sounds like a system which is open to "abuse".
Last edited by g000h on 4 May 2017 at 11:56 pm UTC
Assume you have a load of 4-pack game gifts (for instance) lying in your inventory because you haven't gifted them 'yet'. Then under this scheme you gift them to someone, and that person declines the gift. So the rejected gifted game gets put back into your Steam account as Wallet Credit.
1) Is it definitely going to work that way? (Or am I missing something.)
2) If I buy a 4-pack game for £10. The single game is £4 (say). I then 'gift' and get the 3 gifted games rejected by the persons I gifted them to. Then that would mean I get £7.50 of Wallet Credit back in my account instead? Is "that" how it would work? Sounds like a system which is open to "abuse".
Last edited by g000h on 4 May 2017 at 11:56 pm UTC
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Comandante Ñoñardo May 5, 2017
Maybe this was designed thinking against sites like G2A...
With the new system, an steam user can not re-ale a game from his/her inventory on G2A.
With the new system, an steam user can not re-ale a game from his/her inventory on G2A.
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I do thing that the gift to inventory while it can be useful for kind of users in some kind of scenarios is actually confusing for the majority of the Steam users. I do have some games sitting in my inventory but I don't care about that feature going away.
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Hmm. Not sure how I feel about this.
What happens when the person does not reject the gift but opts for refund/return?
I gifted a game that did not run properly on my cousin's computer - they were under the 2 hour mark and ask for the refund and I got the money back. Would this feature be the same in this new policy?
What happens when the person does not reject the gift but opts for refund/return?
I gifted a game that did not run properly on my cousin's computer - they were under the 2 hour mark and ask for the refund and I got the money back. Would this feature be the same in this new policy?
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