Valve "Retail Box" games and Steam

LS8

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2008
1,285
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If I purchase a Valve retail box game like Left 4 Dead am I going to need a Steam account to play it? Also, does the game get permanently tied to one specific Steam account the way it does if you buy the game through the Steam Store?

I don't want to have to keep up with another user account and password permanently if I don't have to. I'd also like to be able to eBay the game once I am finished with it (which you can't do with Steam Store purchased games, boo).

Thanks.
 

Kabob

Lifer
Sep 5, 2004
15,248
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As he said yeah, it'll be tied to a steam account. You're buying identical products/services, one has a disc, one doesn't. Difference is you can lose a DVD, you can't lose the ability to download it from Steam. Of course, I think once you install it and tie it to your account you can download it off of steam as well...
 
Nov 26, 2005
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the beauty of the retail version is you don't have to wait as long to have it installed, ....

does steam update retail games in that way?
 

Rebel44

Senior member
Jun 19, 2006
742
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Originally posted by: Frodolives
Yes, a Steam account is required, and yes, it will be tied to that account.

And if Valve find out that Account was sold they will disable it.
 

alcoholbob

Diamond Member
May 24, 2005
6,271
323
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If your steam account gets banned I assume the $hundreds you dumped into steam games goes up in vapors.