Valve ends physical Steam gift cards at retailers, cites fraud

gamingJun 10, 202615534

Valve will stop supplying new physical Steam gift cards to retailers worldwide and expects retail stocks to be exhausted by the end of 2026. Valve said scammers repeatedly exploited physical cards by coercing victims into buying and redeeming codes, prompting the company to halt production of replacement cards. Digital Steam gift cards and Steam balance top-ups will remain available, removing a common fraud vector and pushing shoppers and retailers toward digital alternatives.

Wario64

@wario64.bsky.social

Steam physical gift cards are expected to be out of stock at retailers by end of 2026 in response to scammers. Steam digital gift cards will continue to be available help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view...

Can I purchase Steam Gift Cards at retailers?

Yes, but only for a limited time.

We introduced Steam Gift Cards to retail stores back in 2012, and added the digital program in 2017. Unfortunately, scammers use gift cards from major brands like Steam to take advantage of all people all over the world.

We’ve responded to gift card scams over the years by taking a number of actions to protect customers, including:
Working with retailers
Working with law enforcement
Making changes to the cards, including adding a prominent scam warning
Limiting redemption to be in the currency of your Steam wallet
Limiting availability of cards
Removing cards from sale when we observed abnormal activity

As we have continued to put more and more restrictions in place, scammers have adapted. They continue to have an impact on Steam customers and other unsuspecting individuals. So we've made the difficult decision to end the Steam Gift Card program at retail stores.

As Steam Gift Cards run out of stock at retail locations, we will not be restocking them. We expect all retailers to be out of stock by the end of 2026. Though we will no longer be selling physical gift cards, you will still have the ability to use your existing gift cards on Steam whenever you choose, subject to local laws.

We also continue to offer Steam Digital Gift Cards, and are working to make this an even better experience. Guest checkout, which we added last year, is another way for family members and friends to gift Steam users with a digital card anytime.

You can learn more about gift card scams here.

25645d ago

Justin Seagull48

Scammers and scalpers ruin everything, part 712.

this too shall pass15

End of an era. I remember going down to CVS after my report card came in and my dad would buy me a $20 gift card.

Kàtiebuttercup 🎮🏳️‍🌈🧶 she/her6

This is so annoying, my local shops have already stopped stocking them and when I do find them I’m always asked if they are for me. It’s annoying because I get tips so I like to use them for steam cards because it feels guilt free pressie for myself

Kero4

This sucks, Target only has in-store ones and I buy those to get 5% off

Adam4

Damn scammers. It sucks how everyone gets punished for a few shady actors.

~~~Rixor~~~2

Fuckkkk this suckksss. What am I supposed to do when I wanna use cash to buy a new indie game now???

Liam @ GamingOnLinux

@gamingonlinux.com

Valve to no longer offer physical gift cards due to scammers #Steam #Gaming #PCGaming

10245d ago

Rockerboy9

Sucks, but I can’t exactly blame them.

Jill Is Lazy 🏳️‍⚧️2

I solely rely on physical gift cards to buy steam games. I'm fucked out of buying games because of this. Wtf!?

Ateia2

Welp! Back to the seven seas I go then. This was the way I primarily bought games on Steam since I trust no online website with my financial information.

ryderofchaos.bsky.social2

Goddamnit..... it's going to become so much harder for my mom to get me Christmas gifts now

👑 Awesome 🍀 Art 🇺🇸 Enjoyer2

Always the rotten apple spoiled the bunch truly never fails.

Cheap Ass Gamer

@cheapassgamer.com

Steam Will No Longer Sell Physical Gift Cards Due to Scammers. https://ow.ly/sRYP50Z9Q8Q "As Steam Gift Cards run out of stock at retail locations, we will not be restocking them. We expect all retailers to be out of stock by the end of 2026."

5345d ago

r2habash4

The real reason: They don't have to give retailers a cut.

TimTom3

so the problems with scammers out weigh the benefits of selling physical gift cards. Jeez.

Chris H2

Given the way that Gift Cards of all stripes are used as vectors for scams, it wouldn't surprise me at all if we saw other brands follow suit.

lemasterofswords.bsky.social2

That really sucks. Has A kid before I got a debit card it’s how I would buy all my games without needing to ask my parents

ivory

@ioletsgo.gay

This sucks, some of the earliest steam games I purchased with physical steam gift cards. I understand the expressed reason for why Valve is doing this, but man this sucks.

3245d ago

Eurogamer

@eurogamer.bsky.social

Physical Steam gift cards are being ended by Valve because scammers keep using them to trick people www.eurogamer.net/steam-valve-...

2545d ago

Ryan T. Brown 🎮🩷

@toadsanime.lostincult.co.uk

Steam is killing off its physical retail gift cards after 14 years, due to scammers using them and adapting to workarounds. (Read more at GamingonLinux)

1445d ago

🏳️‍🌈Dragonogon🏳️‍⚧️🐲🍉

@dragonogon.bsky.social

this is genuinely so fuckin upsetting for someone like me. im not financially independent and gift cards were the only way for me to add funds to my account so i could buy whatever i wanted. this is such a dumb decision man why are they allowed to do this

1245d ago

James Grimmelmann

@jtlg.bsky.social

This is depressing but not very surprising. Valve is winding down its physical Steam gift card program because scammers have defeated every security measure they’ve tried. help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view...

545d ago

ash!

@spaceash.es

steam getting rid of physical gift cards is a huge detriment to me using my parents' grocery money to open counter-strike cases

944d ago

Windows Central

@windowscentral.com

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Valve confirmed today that it will phase out Steam Gift Cards at physical retailers in an explanation on its help site. www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-ga... Existing cards will be honored, but Valve expects the stock to run out in 2026 and never return.

745d ago

John Kline

@klinefamily.cc

GC don't provide profits to retailers. It's designed to draw customers into the location. Theres a reason that stores don't let you use gift cards to buy gift cards (Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart), they don't want guaranteed funds going to someone that they aren't getting a cut.

545d ago

aand we’re back

@choppedchuds.bsky.social

Pedophile cabal named “VALVe” ruins millions of kids’ dreams by killing physical gift cards

545d ago

PCGamesN

@pcgamesn.com

Thanks to scammers, Valve is discontinuing physical Steam gift cards, with the last of them expected to run out of circulation by the end of 2026. 💳 #Steam #Valve #PCGaming www.pcgamesn.com/steam/gift-c...

345d ago

TimTom

@jimmyjamjoe.bsky.social

so the problems with scammers out weigh the benefits of selling physical gift cards. Jeez.

345d ago

Day, Lesbian Beef

@dayyy.bsky.social

Fuck's sake, I just saw Steam is phasing out the physical gift cards, I was kinda relying on those 😔

345d ago

3 sources

tweakers.netValve haalt fysieke Steam Gift Cards uit winkels vanwege zwendelaars heise.deFight the fraudsters: Valve removes Steam gift cards from retail pcgamesn.comSteam's tired of gift card scams, so it's killing them off for good

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Valve ends physical Steam gift cards at retailers, cites fraud

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