{
  "name": "Pc Gaming Software",
  "edition_label": "October 2026",
  "edition_updated_at": "2026-10-11",
  "slug": "pc-gaming-software",
  "kind": "subcategory",
  "parent_slug": "video-games-esports",
  "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software",
  "scope": "Category research. No publishable AOV benchmark is available.",
  "directory_status": "deferred",
  "page_readiness": "published",
  "directory_notice": null,
  "benchmark": {
    "status": "unavailable_insufficient_cohort",
    "slug": "pc-gaming-software",
    "parent_slug": "video-games-esports",
    "cohort_scope": "exact_child",
    "median_aov_usd": null,
    "p25_aov_usd": null,
    "p75_aov_usd": null,
    "metric_window": null,
    "scope_label": "The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate.",
    "methodology": "Median and middle 50% of account-level average order values. Each account value is purchase ROAS multiplied by cost per purchase in USD. Successful classifications, including manual corrections, with positive finite spend, purchases, ROAS and cost per purchase. Accounts are counted once with equal weight. Quartiles use linear interpolation. Root cohorts include direct root classifications and their child categories; exact-child cohorts exclude parent and sibling categories. The source selects the highest-spend coverage row per account among snapshots dated within the preceding 30 days; the underlying reporting period is not supplied. This is a dated aggregate advertising-data snapshot, not business-wide AOV or a census.",
    "read_at": "2026-10-11T14:12:32.450764+00:00",
    "period_label": "No publishable aggregate; underlying reporting period not supplied",
    "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software: no publishable AOV benchmark. The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate. Status reviewed 2026-10-11T14:12:32.450764+00:00. https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#benchmark",
    "source": {
      "name": "Madgicx Research & Labs",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#benchmark"
    }
  },
  "metric_definitions": [],
  "metric_definitions_scope": "Definitions only; no ACV, MRR or ARPU benchmark or measured correlation is supplied.",
  "brands": null,
  "answers": [
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-1",
      "question": "What conditions must support a PC-game refund headline?",
      "text": "Valve's Steam policy, updated April 2024 and read in October 2026, normally covers games requested within 14 days with under two hours played. It considers requests outside those rules and preserves additional faulty-game rights in some jurisdictions. State the conditions rather than guaranteeing approval.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-1",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software. What conditions must support a PC-game refund headline? Valve's Steam policy, updated April 2024 and read in October 2026, normally covers games requested within 14 days with under two hours played. It considers requests outside those rules and preserves additional faulty-game rights in some jurisdictions. State the conditions rather than guaranteeing approval.  Source: https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/ Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-1",
      "source_url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-2",
      "question": "Can a prerelease PC campaign suggest that playtime is excluded from refund limits?",
      "text": "Valve's Steam policy, updated April 2024, counts Early or Advance Access play toward the two-hour limit, except beta testing; the 14-day clock starts at release. Nonplayable prepurchases can be refunded before release. Name the release state when describing the refund offer.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-2",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software. Can a prerelease PC campaign suggest that playtime is excluded from refund limits? Valve's Steam policy, updated April 2024, counts Early or Advance Access play toward the two-hour limit, except beta testing; the 14-day clock starts at release. Nonplayable prepurchases can be refunded before release. Name the release state when describing the refund offer.  Source: https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/ Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-2",
      "source_url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-3",
      "question": "Does a PC-game bundle use a separate playtime allowance for each title?",
      "text": "Valve's April 2024 Steam policy applies the standard two-week purchase window to its refund offer. A full bundle refund also requires no item transfer and combined usage under two hours. Checkout identifies whether a bundle containing a nonrefundable item is refundable. Explain these aggregate conditions; outside-rule requests can still be considered.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-3",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software. Does a PC-game bundle use a separate playtime allowance for each title? Valve's April 2024 Steam policy applies the standard two-week purchase window to its refund offer. A full bundle refund also requires no item transfer and combined usage under two hours. Checkout identifies whether a bundle containing a nonrefundable item is refundable. Explain these aggregate conditions; outside-rule requests can still be considered.  Source: https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/ Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-3",
      "source_url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/"
    },
    {
      "group": "In this category",
      "id": "answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-4",
      "question": "Can a Steam-compatible key campaign promise Steam will refund the payment?",
      "text": "Valve's April 2024 Steam policy excludes purchases made outside Steam, including third-party keys. Eligible Steam refunds can go to Steam Wallet funds or the original payment method; Wallet is used if the original method cannot be refunded. Identify the seller and refund destination before making a cash-back promise.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-4",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software. Can a Steam-compatible key campaign promise Steam will refund the payment? Valve's April 2024 Steam policy excludes purchases made outside Steam, including third-party keys. Eligible Steam refunds can go to Steam Wallet funds or the original payment method; Wallet is used if the original method cannot be refunded. Identify the seller and refund destination before making a cash-back promise.  Source: https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/ Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-stockgamestelecom1-pc-gaming-software-4",
      "source_url": "https://store.steampowered.com/steam_refunds/"
    },
    {
      "group": "Category research",
      "id": "answer-benchmark-status",
      "question": "Is an AOV benchmark available for this category?",
      "text": "No publishable AOV benchmark is available.",
      "context": "The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate. Parent and sibling benchmarks are not substituted.",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-benchmark-status",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software. Is an AOV benchmark available for this category? No publishable AOV benchmark is available. The exact category cohort does not support a publishable AOV aggregate. Parent and sibling benchmarks are not substituted. Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#benchmark Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-benchmark-status",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#benchmark"
    },
    {
      "group": "Use this research",
      "id": "answer-download-research",
      "question": "Can I download this industry research?",
      "text": "The exports section provides this edition in Markdown and JSON, along with a research index. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-download-research",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software. Can I download this industry research? The exports section provides this edition in Markdown and JSON, along with a research index. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.  Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#reuse Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-download-research",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#reuse"
    },
    {
      "group": "Use this research",
      "id": "answer-cite-research",
      "question": "How should I cite a finding from this page?",
      "text": "When reuse is permitted, credit Madgicx Research & Labs and link to the exact source. Keep its snapshot date and scope. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.",
      "context": "",
      "url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-cite-research",
      "citation": "Madgicx Research & Labs. Pc Gaming Software. How should I cite a finding from this page? When reuse is permitted, credit Madgicx Research & Labs and link to the exact source. Keep its snapshot date and scope. This private draft is not licensed for public redistribution.  Source: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#reuse Answer: https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#answer-cite-research",
      "source_url": "https://madgicx.com/labs/industries/video-games-esports/pc-gaming-software#reuse"
    }
  ]
}