Steam is scrapping physical gift cards due to scam concerns

Steam has announced that it’s starting to phase out physical gift cards, with retailers expected to run out by the end of the year.

Steam gift cards are a common sight in most major retailers, allowing players to stock up on Steam credit that can be used to purchase new games. They’re also a popular gift over the holidays and for birthdays, especially if you know a die-hard gamer.

However, physical cards are set to be a thing of the past, as Steam has announced that it won’t be restocking them going forward, and they expect the last ones to be sold before the end of 2026.

Steam blames scammers for ending gift cards

In an update to Steam’s FAQ page, as shared by SteamDB, the company confirmed it was concerns over scammers that led to the decision.

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

“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.”

This is in reference to a number of tricks that scammers can use to exploit gift cards, such as stealing the codes from cards that are still on shelf or coercing customers to give them codes after money has been placed on the card.

The good news is that any existing physical cards will still be honored, even after they’ve sold out. Plus, digital gift cards will remain on sale and Steam is “working to make this an even better experience,” following the introduction of ‘guest checkout’ in 2025.

This comes just after Valve announced that both the Steam Machine and Steam VR headset will begin shipping this summer, alongside an expanded Steam Verified programme.