Valve announced it will discontinue physical Steam gift cards sold in retail stores, ending a program that has operated for over a decade. The gaming platform will not restock the cards once current inventory is depleted at participating retailers.

The company cited ongoing scammer activity as the primary reason for the decision. In a support page update, Valve stated that scammers "continue to have an impact on Steam customers and other unsuspecting individuals." The move aims to reduce fraudulent schemes that often target victims through gift card purchases.

Physical Steam gift cards have been available at various retail locations, allowing customers to purchase store credit for the digital gaming platform without using credit cards or online payment methods. The cards functioned similarly to other retail gift cards, providing codes that could be redeemed for Steam Wallet funds.

The discontinuation represents Valve's latest effort to combat fraud on its platform. Digital gift cards and other payment methods will remain available for Steam purchases. Existing physical cards will continue to function normally until they are sold out at retail locations.

Valve has not provided a specific timeline for when all physical cards will be removed from stores, as this will depend on individual retailer inventory levels.