„Don’t contact Steam support” Reddit warns users trying to recover a Steam account after the death of a loved one, and for a good reason

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Okay, so I was thinking about something kinda morbid the other day – what happens to my Steam account if something happens to me? It’s weird to think about, but Steam is where I buy most of my games, even with the Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store around. And lately, with all the stuff happening with game ownership – like that lawsuit over The Crew shutting down, or people fighting to ‘Stop Killing Games’ – it made me realize we don’t actually *own* most of our digital games. When I ‘buy’ a game on Steam, I’m really just getting a license to play it. That got me thinking about what Valve does with an account when the owner… well, isn’t around anymore.

Whatever you do, don’t contact Steam support to try to get a loved one’s Steam library

A common question pops up on Reddit, like it did yesterday, when someone posted to r/Steam about their father’s recent passing. They were wondering if there was a way to move his Steam games to their own account, beyond just family sharing. The most helpful response warned against contacting Steam support, as they will likely close the deceased user’s account. This is accurate – according to Steam’s policies, accounts cannot be transferred to a new owner when the original owner passes away.

Steam accounts cannot be transferred to anyone else. According to Steam’s terms of service, buying, selling, or giving away an account is against their rules. This is important for people who want to keep access to a friend or family member’s games, and it’s a common warning on Reddit. For example, a recent post on the r/Steam subreddit discussed a parent grieving the loss of their son. People advised getting the account password or email address, and potentially using Steam’s Family Sharing feature. However, the most important advice was to *not* inform Valve support about the account holder’s death, as they will likely delete the account.

A Reddit discussion a few years back explored what happens to your Steam account after you pass away. The original post on r/Steam asked, “Who gets your Steam profile when you die?” While some responses were humorous – one user joked that Gabe Newell would reclaim the profile for resources – others offered practical advice. User Equal-Introduction63 explained that there’s no legal way to transfer ownership of an account after death. However, they suggested that if you privately document account management details and pass them on, the recipient might be able to continue using the account carefully. They also shared a link with information on proving account ownership, which could be useful in such a situation.

These days, it’s best not to assume Valve will always prioritize your needs. Steam accounts aren’t usually closed due to malice; it’s more likely a measure to protect inactive accounts from being stolen or hacked when there’s no active owner. However, this also means Valve won’t be able to help much if your account is affected. Therefore, the smartest thing to do is take preventative steps. If you’re worried about this happening, make sure your Steam account details are stored securely and that you share them only with trusted individuals. Encourage your friends and family to do the same.

I’m a big video game fan, and I want to make sure future generations can enjoy them too. That’s why I’m working to preserve my game collection – even if I don’t get around to playing everything myself, maybe my descendants will!

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2025-09-16 23:02