100% certain that download time does not count towards play time.

It is in fact far more likely that the game/program did not close correctly and kept running in the background for a few hours more...

Which game?

For the majority of games download time is not counted as the game exe needs to running to track time.

引用自 drsxzgsa：

100% certain that download time does not count towards play time.

If a game has a launcher that downloads the game, it does.

And OP, it counts cause "play time" is simply "time the connected .exe has been opened". Nothing more, nothing less.

Edit: Also, make a manual ticket. Steam Support knows of launchers, you'll get your refund.

Make a manual ticket. As others have already stated, some games have in-game launchers that take ages to download the game (MMOs and Live-Service games in general are the worst offenders usually).

Explain that the time was spent downloading the game in the launcher-not playing. You should get a refund.

Link: https://psteamhelp.yuanyoumao.com/en/

Is it also the one purchased on September 17, 2025?

Thanks for your info. I have tried a number of times to get a refund and keep on getting different refusal answers. I seem to be talking to AI rather than a human. This is my first purchase from Steam and I am not impressed with the level of support. I think I will count my losses and never use this platform again. IN the future I will only purchase direct from the creator.

引用自 dharmamati：

Thanks for your info. I have tried a number of times to get a refund and keep on getting different refusal answers. I seem to be talking to AI rather than a human. This is my first purchase from Steam and I am not impressed with the level of support. I think I will count my losses and never use this platform again. IN the future I will only purchase direct from the creator.

Or maybe create a manual ticket for refund?
Manual refund:
Help > Purchases > click on game > "i've question about ..." > fill contact form

引用自 dharmamati：

Thanks for your info. I have tried a number of times to get a refund and keep on getting different refusal answers. I seem to be talking to AI rather than a human. This is my first purchase from Steam and I am not impressed with the level of support. I think I will count my losses and never use this platform again. IN the future I will only purchase direct from the creator.

What game was it?

引用自 dharmamati：

Thanks for your info. I have tried a number of times to get a refund and keep on getting different refusal answers. I seem to be talking to AI rather than a human. This is my first purchase from Steam and I am not impressed with the level of support. I think I will count my losses and never use this platform again. IN the future I will only purchase direct from the creator.

The standard refund system is fully 100% automated with no humans involved what so ever. It only checks if game was purchased less than 14 days ago AND it has been played (=executable has been running) less than 2 hours. If you meet both the requirements, you get refund automatically no questions asked (unless you've refunded too much and get warning about possible abuse) and if you fail to meet either, your refund is refused every time, without exception.

To get an actual person to review your refund a manual refund request is required as explained above:

https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/discussions/forum/0/597414541036474026/#c597414541036495736

If in future you encounter a game that installs itself thru a launcher instead of Steam and you need a refund, skip the automated refund and go straight to manual refund ticket. Do note that manual ticket will take longer and the person reviewing the ticket decides whether to approve or decline the refund request.

2 hours of cut scenes are another abuse of the refund system games use be careful.. Its why most games have tons of cut scenes early on.

引用自 drsxzgsa：

100% certain that download time does not count towards play time.

You're 100% wrong about that.

It does by certain titles. e.g. Final Fantasy XIV if i am not wrong now, some Unity Games or several online forced mmo stuff which sideload and/or verify the files. It just depends on the developer and the product itself.

Users opening a launcher, instead of the real game, launcher is loading assets and required files. Depending on the title, files may also be downloaded first within the game itself, rather than via an external launcher. In that sense, however, no difference.

Regardless of that the one or another may have noticed that certain launchers can be seen in the chat as game names via rich presence.

In short, loading files that the user has not installed is counted as pure playing time. This is of course more than annoying if you don't have a fast connection and this behavior undermines the already minimal customer rights on this platform.

Just because you haven't noticed it before doesn't mean that this problem doesn't exist.

Cap

Play time counts when the EXE is running.
For games with their own launchers to manage updates, Steam cannot tell the difference between you updating the game or actually playing the game.

Do your research BEFORE you buy.
If you do research you will know what to expect.

引用自 Hikari Light：

Play time counts when the EXE is running.
For games with their own launchers to manage updates, Steam cannot tell the difference between you updating the game or actually playing the game.

Do your research BEFORE you buy.
If you do research you will know what to expect.

So you're saying you should study thoroughly before buying a game
I play games because I don't want to study.