Can I gift myself a game?

Closed

Just curious.

If I choose to gift a game instead of just purchasing it for myself, I assume a giftable copy of the game appears in my inventory. Would I still be able to "open" that gift myself and add the game to my library?

I've never bought a gift copy of a game on Steam before.

12 years ago*

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28 Comments

NuclearFishin

Yes, if you buy a game as a gift and have it added to your inventory, you can redeem it yourself.

12 years ago

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ArmadX

yes, I often do that :)

12 years ago

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theking0fzing

Why?

I can understand if you're trying to earn the badge or something but why just keep gifting yourself games?

12 years ago

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Raik

:O what do you mean ?

12 years ago

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BrutoDetestsDT

It's useless in your game library if you don't play it very soon.

12 years ago

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GrimAquatic

Why is it useless? What's the purpose in having bunch of gifts in your inventory which you will one day redeem anyway?

12 years ago

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ArmadX

see Sakuko's comment

12 years ago

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GrimAquatic

It doesn't make any sense. If you won't play a game yourself you'll never know if it's any good for your taste. You can read and watch previews, reviews, let's plays all you want but it's not the same as playing the game. Besides you may want to play it few years later and would have to buy it all over again.

12 years ago

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ArmadX

Yes it does, if you want to play it a few years later then you add it then!

and yes, watching let's plays and gameplay and such isn't the same, but they can still make you decide whether you want the game or not

12 years ago

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GrimAquatic

You also can buy it few years later or just scroll through your library. My objection was to buying a game into your inventory and only then deciding if you want to play, gift or give it away.

12 years ago

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Razzey

well, there is SteamGifts(get contrib) and SteamTrades(trade for other games)

12 years ago

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ArmadX

see Sakuko's comment

12 years ago

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Sakuko

I do the same thing. Sometimes I see a game on sale I'm not sure I'd like to play. So I buy it as a gift, and if I feel the urge to play it I redeem it myself, otherwise I'm still left with the option of giving it away.

12 years ago

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ArmadX

thats my exact reason :)

12 years ago

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vidmavidma

Wow. I never thought about that. +1 for you.

12 years ago

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chairmankao

+1. Of course, now with key sellers like Amazon whipping Steam's ass left and right, this is happening less and less often.

12 years ago

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Suits

Also if it ends up in some bundle you can still gift it, instead of have it become obsolete when adding the bundle.

12 years ago

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HillaryClinton

I should do this.

12 years ago

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Corinne

This is why I have 15 games in my inventory from the sale lol.

12 years ago

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nagleator

that is a great idea, i think i will do that from now on, you are an awesome

12 years ago

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DeltaBladeX

(Senior Moderator)

I bu games I want as gifts and leave them there because I'm less tempted to download them right away.

Helps save my datacap.

12 years ago

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Zomby

(Ultra Moderator)

I sometime buy more than one game at a time, not all of them intended for my own account. Instead of having multiple transactions, I'll get them all as gift in one transaction then redeem what I want for myself.

12 years ago

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Psychotic

yes

12 years ago

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Suldok

Yes you can choose to add it to your inventory or gift it straight away.

That's what I did to get two achievements for the badge "Buy a gift and buy a game", both counted in and I activated the game

12 years ago