On Steam, "unpacking" refers to the process of decrypting and decompressing game files after they have been downloaded, especially when a game has been preloaded before its official release. This is necessary because preloaded game files are encrypted to prevent early access; once the release date arrives, Steam "unpacks" these files to make them usable and playable
. Unpacking can also occur when updating or installing a game, where Steam decompresses and installs the necessary files. The duration of unpacking depends on the size of the game and the speed of your storage device. It can be quick or take a long time if the hard drive is slow or the update is large
. In summary, unpacking on Steam is the decryption and decompression process that prepares downloaded game files for use, particularly after preloading or updates
