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We’ve all been there, you get excited about a new PS5 game, purchase it on the PlayStation Store, download it, start playing, and quickly realize it’s just not for you. Perhaps it’s buggy, wasn’t what you expected, or simply isn’t fun despite the hype. Regardless of why, you now regret the purchase and want your money back. Well, you’re in luck. Sony does offer refunds on PlayStation gamesunder certain conditions.
By requesting a refund soon enough and providing some key details, you can reverse that ungodly, unneccesary, unsatisfying (oh my god, hate much?) transaction through PlayStation Support. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to get a refund for a PS5 game you don’t want. Lessgo!
Updated on July 23, 2025, by Sai Vsr:In this update, we have added a troubleshooting section to help you deal with some potential issues we may face while initiating a refund on a PS5 game.
Understanding The Return Policy
Before initiating a refund, it’s important to understand PlayStation’s policy around returns.All games are eligible for a refund within 14 days from the date of transaction, as long as you have not started downloading or streaming them. This allows you time to reconsider your purchase even after payment, in case you come across reviews or additional details that change your mind or reveal any possible issues.
Once you begin the download process, your chances of getting a refund become much more restricted. Why? BecausePlayStation considers a game playable after it has been downloaded, you lose the ability to easily return it.At that point, you’d have to rely on making a special request and providing justification for why the content is faulty or not what was being marketed.
One of the situations in which you may get a refund even after downloading the game/streaming it is when it’s faulty.Now, what counts as “faulty” can be subjective, but in general we’re talking about stuff that blocks you from actually playing.Things like nonstop crashing, save-file killing bugs, or gameplay lag so bad you can hardly move. If you run into disasters like that, save evidence and document everyything - you’ll need it to argue for a refund.
It’s also worth noting that only the purchaser can request a refund.Even if you bought a game for someone else, only you, as the account holder, have the right to request a refund on it. Another important thing to note is that PlayStation Plus subscriptions, prepaid cards, and transactions made outside of the PlayStation Store itself are not eligible for refunds.
Pre-ordered a game and now having doubts way more than 14 days later? No worries, you can still cancel and get a refund if it hasn’t officially launched.
Requesting The Refund
If your situation meets the eligibility criteria for a refund, here is how you can make it happen:
Alternative Methods For Getting A Refund
If you prefer human intervention in this entire process just so you’re able to get some added assurance, we’ve got that covered too. Go to the PlayStation website using any web browser, scroll down and click “Support”. This will bring up a menu. Choose the option for “Live Chat” and then “PS Store & Refunds”.
You’ll be required to sign in to your PlayStation account to verify your identity.Once connected to an agent, explain that you would like to request a refund for a particular game purchase.
You could also call their support line, but chat tends to be faster during popular hours.
When chatting with the PlayStation support rep, they will ask for specific details to look up your transaction and process the refund.verify to have these handy:
The agent will then submit a refund, which will cancel the license for that game on your account. This means it will be removed from your games library, and you lose the ability to download or access it. Assuming you meet the qualifications for a refund, the PlayStation agent will let you know whether your request has been approved or not.
Avoiding Buyer’s Remorse in the First Place
While it’s reassuring to know PlayStation offers refunds in many scenarios, it’s always best to avoid buyer’s remorse if possible. The reality is most games can’t be returned once downloaded, so do research ahead of time before making purchases. Here are a couple tips:
Informed purchasing decisions let you spend money confidently, getting quality games you actually want to play. But when in doubt, it’s good to know PlayStation does allow buyers some leeway with returns upon initial purchase.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Refunds are usually quite straightforward and don’t have too much margin for error. But on the odd chance that you do run into any problems, here are some tips on how you’re able to deal with them.
Refund Request Button Not Appearing
First, double check you’re logged into the right PSN account - the one that made the purchase. All your refunds are tied to the account. Next, check if it’s been under 14 days since you got it. That’s the refund window limit. If you’ve already downloaded the game or watched the movie, the button may vanish. Sony doesn’t do refunds after that. You’ll have to hit up their support team directly in that case.
Refund Request Denied
First up, double-check the refund policy to make sure you meet every requirement they list. Cause sometimes, there’s a detail we may overlook. If you’re positive it’s a mistake, get PlayStation Support on the line through chat or phone. Go ahead and ask them to manually review your case. Explain clearly why you think you deserve the refund. Specific details will help you big time.
If the game is glitchy, give examples of issues and error codes you got. Help them understand your perspective. But stay friendly, since the rep didn’t make the rules. If they won’t budge, you may need to accept their decision. But you’re able to still provide feedback so they improve the process.
Refund Processed But Money Not Received
Refunds can be frustrating when you’re waiting on the money. Typically, they take three to five business days to hit your account, maybe longer depending on how your bank handles things. It’s a good idea to check your PSN wallet too, since sometimes refunds go back as store credit instead of to the original payment. If it’s been over a week, you might want to call your bank to make sure they didn’t hold the refund for some reason. If you still can’t get it sorted, reach out to the PlayStation folks with your confirmation details so they can look into it.
Unable To Submit Refund Request Form
We feel you. Forms can be super tricky sometimes. Try opening it up in another browser or clearing your cache and cookies - this helps sometimes. Also, double check all the required fields are filled in properly. If it still doesn’t work, make sure your internet is connected, then give it another shot. If there is no luck on your phone or computer, you could see if a friend’s device can submit it. And if all else fails, PlayStation Support is there to manually take your request and get you that refund.
Refund Eligibility For Mistakenly Purchased Content
Sometimes, we just buy the wrong version by accident. The good news is, PlayStation Support may be able to help if you act quickly. Now, before you contact them, don’t download or start the game you bought by mistake, because that can make you ineligible for a refund. Get in touch with PlayStation Support right away, explain what happened clearly, and provide details like the date you bought it and the transaction ID.
Let them know you accidentally purchased the PS4 version when you meant to get the PS5 one, or that you bought a game that you didn’t mean to. With any luck, the support folks will either let you swap your purchase for the correct game version, or they’ll process a refund so you can buy the right one. But act fast, and leave that wrongly purchased game absolutely alone. No fiddling with it whatsoever.
This guide talks about the usual stuff, but if you’ve got something it doesn’t cover, go ahead and hit up the PlayStation support team. They can totally help get your specific situation sorted out. When you reach out, just remember to be chill and explain things clearly. That’ll give you the best shot at getting the issue resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, preloading a game counts as starting the download process - at that point, PlayStation considers the content available to you even prior to the release date. So, once preloaded, your chances of getting a refund become extremely unlikely and would require very special circumstances. This is why it pays to wait for critic reviews and early gameplay footage before putting money down, even for highly anticipated titles.
Does getting a refund ban my PSN account or revoke my game license?
Requesting a valid refund from PlayStation Support will usually not lead to any account restrictions or ownership revocations. Plus, you have full access to re-purchase any game you got a refund on in the future. Just don’t go on requesting too many refunds or anything like that cause that’s gonna set off some warnings from the Playstation store for you, or make them think you’re engaging in suspicious activity.
Can I get a refund on PlayStation Store in-game purchases?
In-game purchases for extra content and downloadable addons may be eligible for refund requests, just like full games. However, consumable purchases for virtual currencies, loot boxes, player packs etc. are generally exempt and non-refundable according to Sony’s policy.
