Valve is phasing out physical Steam gift cards due to scammers

After more than a decade, Steam will no longer sell physical gift cards in stores. in Support page spotted earlier before Windows CentralValve says it will no longer restock its gift cards once they run out, citing scammers who “continue to prey on Steam customers and other unsuspecting individuals.”

In his post, Valve links to Federal Trade Commission article It shows how gift card scammers try to convince victims to buy a gift card from a store and give them the code. Valve says it has responded to these scams by working with law enforcement, adding a warning to gift cards, and limiting their availability in stores, but “scammers have adapted.”

The company, which began selling physical gift cards in 2012, expects to be selling gift cards by the end of 2026. “Although we will no longer be selling physical gift cards, you will still have the ability to use the gift cards you have on Steam whenever you want,” Valve says. It will also continue to sell digital gift cards.