Do Steam Awards Go Away? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer is: Steam profile awards are permanent, unless someone refunds the purchase that gave them the Steam Points they used to grant the award in the first place. Let’s dive deeper into the world of Steam Awards, Points, and what it all means for your profile and the content you create!
Understanding Steam Awards and Points
Steam Awards and Steam Points are interconnected, but distinct, aspects of the Steam ecosystem. Steam Game Awards are annual events where the community votes for their favorite games in various categories. These are different from the profile awards we’re focusing on here.
Steam Points, on the other hand, are a currency you earn by purchasing games or receiving awards on your content from other users. These points can then be used in the Points Shop to buy cosmetic items for your Steam profile, emotes, profile backgrounds, and, of course, awards to give to other users.
Think of Steam Points as the fuel, and profile awards as one of the things you can power with that fuel. Community members can award your user reviews, screenshots, videos, guides, or Workshop items. It’s a way to show appreciation for quality contributions to the Steam community.
The Lifespan of a Steam Profile Award
As stated earlier, a Steam profile award is intended to be permanent. Once you receive an award on your profile, it will remain there, visible to anyone who visits your profile or sees your content in other areas of Steam, like forums or screenshot sections.
However, there’s one crucial exception: refunds. If the person who gave you an award later refunds the purchase that earned them the Steam Points they used to give you the award, the award will be revoked. This is because Steam Points are clawed back upon a refund. So, while highly unlikely in most circumstances, awards can disappear under this specific condition.
Managing Your Steam Awards
While you can’t directly remove an award someone has given you (short of the refund scenario), you do have some control over how they are displayed. Steam allows you to hide awards on your profile. This doesn’t remove the award entirely; it simply prevents it from being prominently displayed on your profile page. This can be useful if you receive an award you don’t necessarily want to showcase.
The hidden award will still show where else, like in forums, screenshots, and etc.
FAQs About Steam Awards
To further clarify the intricacies of Steam Awards, here are some frequently asked questions:
1. Do Steam Points expire?
No, Steam Points do not expire. You can accumulate them over time and spend them whenever you find something you like in the Points Shop.
2. Is the Points Shop permanent?
Yes, the Points Shop is here to stay and is open year-round.
3. Can I get Steam Points by giving awards?
No, you only earn Steam Points by purchasing games or by receiving awards on your content from other users.
4. Can I take back a Steam Award?
No, once you’ve given a Steam Award, you cannot take it back or get a refund for the Steam Points spent. The Points are used up the moment you grant the award.
5. Can I see who gave me a Steam Award?
Unfortunately, Valve removed the functionality that showed who gave you an award in October 2020. Now, there’s no way to tell who sent it unless they explicitly tell you. It used to be that the award notification email included the profile link of the award giver.
6. Are Steam Awards the same as Steam Game Awards?
No, Steam Awards (the ones users give each other) are different from the Steam Game Awards. The Game Awards are an annual event where the entire Steam community votes for their favorite games of the year.
7. What can I do with Steam Points besides giving awards?
You can use Steam Points to purchase profile items (animated avatars, profile backgrounds, emotes, etc.), seasonal badges (which grant Steam XP to level up your profile), and other cosmetic enhancements for your Steam presence.
8. What are Steam badges good for?
Steam Badges primarily grant experience points (XP) to level up your Steam profile. As you level up, you can have more Steam friends, add additional content blocks to your profile, and unlock other cosmetic features.
9. Can a child under 13 have a Steam account?
Steam’s user agreement states that users must be 13 or older to create an account. Valve does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
10. What happens to my achievements if I refund a game?
If you refund a game, your playtime and achievements will not be removed from your Steam Community Profile. They will remain as part of your gaming history.
11. How long does Steam’s refund policy last?
Valve will typically issue a refund for any title requested within 14 days of purchase and with less than 2 hours of playtime. However, even if you fall outside of these rules, you can still submit a refund request, and Steam will review it.
12. Is it safe to buy old Steam accounts?
No, buying and selling Steam accounts is prohibited. Steam accounts are for the personal use of their creator only. If Steam detects an account has been sold, it will be permanently locked.
13. What is the “Jester” award used for?
The “Jester” award is often used as a de facto downvote, since Steam doesn’t have an official downvote button. Users may give this award to content they disagree with or find silly, but it’s an ironic way to acknowledge the content.
14. Can I share my Steam account with family members?
Yes, Steam has a feature called Family Sharing that allows family members to share games while keeping their accounts separate. Family members can earn their own achievements and save their own game progress.
15. Where can I learn more about the educational benefits of gaming?
For more information on the educational benefits of gaming and how games can be used for learning, check out the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. The GamesLearningSociety.org offers valuable insights into the world of game-based learning and its impact on education.
Conclusion
While Steam Awards are generally permanent markers of appreciation within the Steam community, understanding the nuances of Points, refunds, and profile management is key to navigating this system effectively. Use your Steam Points wisely, create valuable content, and enjoy the recognition that comes with it!