Comment by bhelkey
3 months ago
> in the worst case you're buying bogus keys or stolen accounts
Maybe this is just a hole in my knowledge but I don't see how this could be the case.
Regarding stolen accounts: Once I activate a Steam key, I can't deactivate my copy to get my key back (I don't think anyways). How would a stolen account generate steam keys?
Regarding bogus keys: If the keys primarily didn't work I suspect that we would see deplatforming of the site by payment processors. They generally don't like when all their customers issue chargebacks.
I think there is some risk that keys sold in a grey market are purchased by stolen credit cards but I can't imagine that this is too prevalent. I would think that the credit card owner would dispute the charge and Steam would deactivate the key.
> Regarding stolen accounts
A good number of these sites sell accounts, not keys. You buy an access to an account that you log in to, with the key enabled on it. Again, best case it’s a region swapped key between 5 people and g2a get paid and the devs get nothing. Worst case it’s a stolen credit card purchasing a single key.
> I would think that the credit card owner would dispute the charge and steam would deactivate the key.
Yes. Chargebacks are painfully expensive for the vendor. One chargeback for a $10 game likely undoes 4/5 sales.
https://www.tinybuild.com/single-post/2017/04/28/g2a-sold-45... This story did the rounds a few years ago explaining how much it cost a small publisher
You've twice asserted that "the devs get nothing". Can you please explain that?
Edit: I tried reading that link, but it loads and a few seconds later it is replaced with a "widget failed to load" error that removes all the text. Fun.
Sure - they got that key from _somewhere_. The reality is that if a key is being sold for $5, approx $0 will go to the developer - g2a get a cut, payment provider gets a cut, and either the key was bought for a rounding error of that price, or it was cribbed from a humble bundle or something. Yes you technically get a license for the game but none of that money is going to the people who make or fund the development, it’s going to middle men.
In the worst case, people buy the key from a store operated by the developer using a stolen credit card, flip it on g2a for 30% less and then the card owner files a chargeback on the initial purchase. Vendor bans the key, and the key sites just say “ok” and give you a new key under the guise of customer service but in reality it’s to cover the fact that a high number of their products will have that fate. A single chargeback will cost the dev the purchase price plus another $25 from their merchant, which means not only does that purchase net them 0 it costs them money if it was sold by them in the first place.
You might say you’re supporting games by purchasing them but it’s a bit like streaming music - listening to your favourite band on Spotify will net them approx 0, but buying their album on bandcamp will give them a lot. They’ll see as much from Spotify as they will from you pirating it.
The link works on two devices on two browsers for me but here’s another to the same story https://www.pcgamer.com/tinybuild-claims-g2a-sold-450000-wor...
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> I would think that the credit card owner would dispute the charge and Steam would deactivate the key
There's a real issue for both Valve and the game dev if this happens. The public isn't going to take this key doesn't work or worse my game stopped working after I bought it and blame nebulous credit card fraud, they're going to blame Valve and/or the dev
> There's a real issue for both Valve and the game dev if this happens. The public isn't going to take this key doesn't work or worse my game stopped working after I bought it and blame nebulous credit card fraud, they're going to blame Valve and/or the dev
It's actually worse than that. G2A have a "consumer friendly" approach whereby if your code doesn't work, they'll basically just take your word for it and give you a new one. In effect what it means is they don't really care if the codes are stolen/duds, they'll just go through _more_ to avoid them having a chargeback against them.