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Valve ends physical Steam gift cards at retailers, cites fraud

gamingJun 10, 202631410

Valve will stop supplying physical Steam gift cards to retailers and expects all retail stock to be gone worldwide by the end of 2026. The company cited repeated fraud in which scammers coerced victims into buying cards and handing over redemption codes, a scheme Valve could not fully stop. Retailers will not restock depleted inventories, leaving digital wallet top-ups as the only official way to add Steam funds and removing a cash-friendly purchase option.

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.
1743h ago
Justin Seagull28

Scammers and scalpers ruin everything, part 712.

this too shall pass9

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/her4

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

Kero2

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

Liam @ GamingOnLinux
@gamingonlinux.com

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

946h ago
Rockerboy8

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!?

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."

474h 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.

243h 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-...

182h 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)

124h 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

94h 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...

44h 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.

56h ago
input
@feed.igeek.gamer-geek-news.com.ap.brid.gy

📰 **Valve won't let retailers stock physical Steam gift cards anymore because "scammers have adapted" to whatever security measures they've tried** Valve have stopped producing physical Steam Gift Cards for retailers, meaning once the current stock […] [Original post on igeek.gamer-geek-news.com]

Image for: Valve won't let retailers stock physical Steam gift cards anymore because "scammers have adapted" to whatever security measures they've tried
24h ago
aand we’re back
@choppedchuds.bsky.social

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

43h 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.

33h 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...

34h ago
TimTom
@jimmyjamjoe.bsky.social

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

33h ago
Jill Is Lazy 🏳️‍⚧️
@jill-is-lazy5.bsky.social

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

23h ago
3 sources
heise.deFight the fraudsters: Valve removes Steam gift cards from retailftwr.cloudValve Pulls the Plug on Physical Steam Gift Cardstweakers.netValve haalt fysieke Steam Gift Cards uit winkels vanwege zwendelaars

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