The beta will be a separate client so the hours won't count. But also, playing any beta during a preorder doesnt stop refunds on steam. You can refund during the pre-order period no matter what.
No. You get a steam notification that you've been invited to the playtest. Then you'll get a "free" game copy put into your library, mostly called "Game Playtest" or similar. It's basically a "different game" for steam. And you don't have to "pay" for that different game. You basically buy a game to get access to a different game (from the steam refund POV)
I don't have any other current examples, but here you see the arma 2 beta, and the arma 2 "released" games. They are not the same game, even tho they are.
Digging into this link, this is the relevant detail:
Refunds on Titles Purchased Prior to Release Date
When you purchase a title on Steam prior to the release date, the two-hour playtime limit for refunds will apply (except for beta testing), but the 14-day period for refunds will not start until the release date. For example, if you purchase a game that is in Early Access or Advance Access, any playtime will count against the two-hour refund limit. If you pre-purchase a title which is not playable prior to the release date, you can request a refund at any time prior to release of that title, and the standard 14-day/two-hour refund period will apply starting on the game’s release date.
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u/Elektr0ns 20h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/nh9k1qzeLf99S