Player deleted her games in a depressive episode, then asked Steam for a list. Support restored her library overnight
Less than 14 hours later, an agent named Lucy responded with remarkable empathy.
When mental health struggles hit, the impulse to strip away comfort and isolate yourself can feel overwhelming. For one gamer, that distress led to permanently deleting a vast collection of games during a depressive episode. Later, the player reached out to customer support, hoping to later recover the lost items or at least obtain a list of deleted games. A screenshot of the viral exchange was shared by u/3lizardintrenchcoat on November 30, 2025. The post has since received 60,000 upvotes on Reddit.
I don't think I've ever met a company as nice as Steam... Thank you
by u/3lizardintrenchcoat in Steam
The innocent request
The user had systematically deleted a large number of paid and free games over years of recurring mental health crises. Because Steam's standard purchase history only showed active, paid titles currently tied to an account, the user could not even track down what had been lost. Disheartened, the individual reached out to Valve's support team, with what they felt was an "insane and over-the-top" request. As a realistic fallback, the user asked for a comprehensive list of games they'd ever played, so they could rebuild their library.
The heartfelt response
What happened next went far beyond a simple gesture. Less than 14 hours later, an agent named Lucy responded with remarkable empathy. "No worries, we understand your situation and are willing to assist you on this issue." Instead of merely sending over a spreadsheet, Lucy confirmed that Valve had completely restored the deleted games directly back to the user's library.
"We have restored your game to your game library. Please check again," she explained. She even mentioned, "If you still need all the game names you previously owned, please let us know in the reply." Overwhelmed, the author shared the experience online, noting how much the geasture meant to them and sharing that they have since started keeping a digital journal to manage future episodes.
A pause from real life
Moments like this highlight a broader conversation around mental health and gaming in the United States. According to research published by the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 21.0 million adults in the U.S. experienced at least one major depressive episode. This is roughly 8.3% of all U.S. adults. Furthermore, a Pew Research Center survey shows that 49% of American adults play video games on a computer, TV, or handheld device, making digital gaming spaces a critical outlet for millions going through everyday stress and personal struggles.
'Give my man another Yatch!'
The response from the online community was overwhelmingly positive. Netizens praised Valve’s customer-first approach while clarifying how digital licenses function compared to other platforms. @luke.mangay wrote, "Say what you like about Steam but I've always found their support really good." Meanwhile, user @tonyleonxx lightheartedly praised Valve's leadership by commenting, "Give my man another Yatch!"
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