Why You Can't Buy a Game Right After Changing Region
Changing your account region is a standard feature in Steam, PSN and Xbox, but these platforms have introduced a cooldown mechanism to prevent abuse of regional pricing.
The purpose of the cooldown: after a region change, the platform temporarily restricts purchases while the system "confirms" your new geography. The cooldown length varies by platform.
Cooldown Periods by Platform
Steam
Cooldown: 30 days after changing the wallet currency (which is effectively the region). During this period:
- You cannot change the region again.
- You cannot top up the wallet with cards from the old region.
- Purchases are still possible using the existing wallet balance.
Important: any existing balance in the old currency is converted at Steam's exchange rate when the region changes. This conversion is irreversible.
PlayStation Network (PSN)
PSN does not allow changing an existing account's region at all. A new account must be created to use a different region. There is no cooldown as such — but you lose active subscriptions, purchase history and saved data tied to the old account.
Xbox
Cooldown: 3 months between region changes. After switching regions, the Microsoft Balance accumulated in the old currency is not converted — it remains frozen until the next switch back or until it is spent in the original region.
What to Do During the Waiting Period
For Steam
- Use your existing Steam wallet balance to make purchases.
- Top up the wallet with a gift card for the new region — codes work regardless of the cooldown.
- Ask another user to send the game as a gift — the cooldown does not apply to gifted purchases.
For Xbox
- Use accumulated Microsoft Balance in the old region by temporarily switching back (which triggers another waiting period).
- Buy an Xbox Gift Card for the new region from Marix and top up the new region balance directly.
Step-by-Step Guide: Buying on Steam During Cooldown
- Log into Steam with the locked region.
- Go to Wallet — confirm there is an existing balance.
- Open the game page and click "Add to Cart."
- Pay from the existing wallet balance (card may be blocked, but balance works).
- If the balance is insufficient, buy a Steam Gift Card for the new region from Marix and add funds to the wallet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Steam's cooldown after changing region? 30 days for changing the wallet currency. During this time you cannot change region again, but purchases via wallet balance are still possible.
Can you avoid the cooldown when changing region? No. The cooldown is a built-in platform mechanism and cannot be bypassed through legitimate means.
What happens to games from the old region after switching? All previously purchased games remain accessible. They are tied to the account, not the region. Only the wallet and new purchases are region-dependent.
During a cooldown, top up Steam or Xbox via gift cards from Marix — codes work instantly regardless of your current region.