Refunds and your rights

Store refund rules range from generous to none at all, and they are separate from your legal rights. Here is each store's policy, followed by what UK law adds when a game is faulty.

Checked 24 September 2026

Store by store

Store	Games	In-game items and extras
Steam	Refund for almost any reason within 14 days of purchase and under 2 hours played	Add-ons follow the same rule if not used up; wallet funds within 14 days if unused
PlayStation Store	Cancel within 14 days only if you have not started downloading or streaming it	Store-bought currency until you next launch the game; top-ups cannot be cancelled; subscriptions within 14 days, reduced for use
Microsoft Store and Xbox	Usually within 14 days if you have not played much	Most currency and consumables are not refundable; subscriptions within 30 days of first purchase
Epic Games Store	Within 14 days and under 2 hours played, for titles marked refundable	In-game items and currency are usually not refundable
Nintendo eShop	No refunds for change of mind; pre-orders can be cancelled up to 7 days before release	Faulty content is still covered by UK law
Battle.net	Within 14 days and no more than 2 hours played	Items bought with money within 14 days if unclaimed and unopened
EA app	Eligible full games within 24 hours of first launch, or 14 days if never launched	Add-ons and currency bought separately are not refundable
Riot (VALORANT)	Free to play	Unused VP and unused content within 14 days
Minecraft (Microsoft)	Generally within 14 days of purchase	Minecoins are final; Realms is not usually refundable

Console and phone purchases follow the platform's rules, not the publisher's: a VALORANT pack bought on PlayStation is a PlayStation refund question.

Your rights under UK law

Faulty digital content

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a game or add-on you paid for must be of satisfactory quality, fit for any particular purpose you told the seller about, and as described, including what the seller said about compatibility. Paying with in-game currency you bought still counts as paying.

If it falls short, the first remedy is a repair or replacement within a reasonable time. If that is impossible or does not happen, you are entitled to a price reduction, which can be up to the full price. Unlike physical goods, there is no automatic short-term right to reject faulty digital content, so the store's own refund policy often ends up being the quickest route.

If a download damages your device or other content because the trader did not take reasonable care, the trader must repair it or compensate you.

The 14-day cooling-off period

Online purchases normally come with 14 days to cancel for any reason, but for downloads that right ends as soon as the download starts, provided you agreed to that at checkout and acknowledged losing the right. That is the tick box you see when you buy, and it is why PlayStation stops refunds once a download begins.

Paying by card

No surcharges. Since 13 January 2018 UK traders cannot charge extra for paying by consumer debit or credit card, or by PayPal.
Section 75. If you pay at least partly by credit card for a single item costing more than £100 and up to £30,000, the card provider is jointly responsible with the seller for breach of contract or misrepresentation. Paying through PayPal usually breaks that link.
Chargeback. Debit, credit and charge card schemes let you dispute a payment, usually within about 120 days. It is a card-scheme rule rather than a legal right, and the seller can challenge it.

Subscriptions

New subscription rules from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, including renewal reminders and cooling-off after renewals, are expected to start in spring 2027. Until then, each platform's own terms apply alongside existing consumer law.

If you need to complain

Start with the store, using its refund form or support page, and keep the order number and dates. Citizens Advice can help if the seller will not put a fault right.