Valve has updated the Steam gifting system, allowing people to buy games without registering an account. Guest checkout previously worked only for selected products and gift cards, but it can now be used to purchase any eligible game in the store and send it to someone else.
A gift can be delivered directly to an email address. The recipient must sign in to an existing Steam account or create a new one, then add the game to their library. If the gift is not accepted within 30 days, the order is automatically cancelled and the money is returned to the sender. The same deadline applies to regular Steam gifts.
Email delivery is available only when the buyer and recipient are in the same country. This restriction prevents the feature from being used to bypass regional pricing. Gifts sent by email also cannot be scheduled for a specific date.
At the same time, Steam has made it easier to send games directly across regions. The recipient must be on the sender’s friends list, while the game’s price is calculated according to the region linked to the recipient’s account. Valve previously could block international gifts when prices differed significantly between countries.
The changes also affect wishlists. Users can create custom categories, share them separately, configure notifications and receive alerts when demos are released. A public wishlist link can be opened without a Steam account, and a selected game can then be purchased through guest checkout.