Valve is discontinuing its retail Steam gift card program after years of struggling with scammers who exploit the payment method. The company has been fighting fraudsters who trick victims into sharing gift card details, which are then resold on gray markets. While existing physical cards can still be redeemed, Valve will stop producing new ones, with remaining stock expected to be depleted by late 2026.
Background
Valve's Steam is the dominant digital distribution platform for PC gaming, and its retail gift cards have been a way for users without credit cards to add funds to their accounts. The program has been active since 2012 but has been increasingly targeted by scammers.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Jun 11, 2026 at 12:39 AM
- Score
- 5.0 / 10