Steam users have reported that the ability to purchase games for their friends is unavailable to them, leaving players frustrated.

It’s the gift-giving season for many, but some Steam users are unhappy about not being able to gift games to some of their friends. The issue is an extension of a previous issue on Steam affecting players with friends in different regions of the world.

Steam usually allows players to buy a game for themselves or gift it to another user. It’s a nice way to show your appreciation for a friend or family member, and since Steam wishlists can be shared, it’s easy to find something the player might need. However, this is only possible if Steam allows it, as some players have been disappointed to find.

Users of the Steam platform have discussed the issue on social media, with many likely looking to buy gifts now that the Steam Winter Sale is underway. These users reported that when they tried to complete the purchase, they received a message that said “Due to regional price differences, the gift you are trying to send cannot be sent to the recipient’s region.”

As some of our fellow users pointed out, this issue arose because Steam was trying to prevent players from getting games cheaper than they should. Games are sometimes priced according to the user’s region and adjusted based on the currency’s current value. In the past, this meant that someone could get a game for less than planned by gifting it to a friend in another country or using a VPN to switch regions to get a different price themselves. Nowadays, if the price of a game differs by more than 10% between two regions, it cannot be gifted.

While playing through the Steam store to get a better price is understandably something that Valve, game developers, and game publishers want to avoid, this “solution” has several flaws. Users pointed out that they would be willing to pay the higher price if it meant they could gift it to a friend. However, this is not an available option, leaving players with no other option but to gift cash or a Steam Gift Card directly. Although this method works, it is more time-consuming and complicated than it needs to be.

Since the economy has gone through some shocks recently, more players may experience this problem than before. With the holidays just around the corner, it may be too late for some players to give their friends what they intended this year. If we’re lucky, Valve will recognize this issue and offer a solution in the near future that can work for everyone.