Either here or another board I saw a long thread about a site that allows you to purchase pc game keys for a much cheaper than the retail price. I was interested in it but forgot to save the link and now I can't find it for the life of me. There was a debate going on about how legal it is. Anyone have an idea as to what I'm talking about?
website to buy pc game keys
- Thread starter j0j081
- Start date
theres big controversy about that site...Valve or Blizzard are yet to make statements on whether or not they are allowing it.
$7 canadian for a set of d2 + lod keys, I woulda appreciated that like a year ago when i bought 3 sets.
Not a Hot Deal if Valve or Blizzard ever decides to close your account for using these. One cheap game vs. all your other games.
frostedflakes
Diamond Member
- Mar 1, 2005
- 7,925
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So what's the deal w/this site anyway? They sell legit keys, but from other regions where the games are cheaper?
I don't really see the problem, why should corporations be the only ones that can take advantage of globalism?
I'm sure Valve and Blizzard will clamp down on this eventually, though, especially if it starts to become popular.
I don't really see the problem, why should corporations be the only ones that can take advantage of globalism?
I'm sure Valve and Blizzard will clamp down on this eventually, though, especially if it starts to become popular.
http://www.shatteredcrystal.com/
I can affirm to this site's legitness - bought 3x from their site. The first time you buy from them, they will phone call you and check you information - after that, it's all instant
I can affirm to this site's legitness - bought 3x from their site. The first time you buy from them, they will phone call you and check you information - after that, it's all instant
I recently purchased my Left for Dead key from there and was given the key moments later through my email. Can't really complain. Having fun playing Left for dead with many friends now.
SMOGZINN
Lifer
- Jun 17, 2005
- 14,202
- 4,401
- 136
Originally posted by: frostedflakes
So what's the deal w/this site anyway? They sell legit keys, but from other regions where the games are cheaper?
I don't really see the problem, why should corporations be the only ones that can take advantage of globalism?
I'm sure Valve and Blizzard will clamp down on this eventually, though, especially if it starts to become popular.
I agree, I can't see any way that the software companies can complain about this.
Software publishers have made it a point to tell us that all they sell is licenses to the software, and all this company is doing is selling those licenses. As long as they are legit licenses and not pirated or hacked in any way then this is nothing different then what every large company does internally by using one master set of discs and only buying licensing keys for each user.
Just fyi the vast majority of sites selling keys are selling stolen ones. Besides being incredibly unethical this also means your key might not work. Just beware.
Person who isn't from the US buys US iTunes card for more than face value, is able to buy songs from US iTunes (possible at the same cost/lower cost than it would be in their own country, even when paying over face value for the card).
frostedflakes
Diamond Member
- Mar 1, 2005
- 7,925
- 1
- 0
Yeah that's the main thing I'd be worried about. If they are in fact stolen keys then the site needs to be shut down.
Jeeebus
Diamond Member
- Aug 29, 2006
- 9,179
- 895
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I've often wondered how sites like these actually get the keys. Anyone know anything other than speculation? Just seems odd to me that, take Diablo II for example, there are several sites where you could purchase thousands of working keys from. They can't all be stolen/trojan'd keys, can they? Pure curiosity here.
Modelworks
Lifer
- Feb 22, 2007
- 16,240
- 7
- 76
Most of the time it is from legit purchases. They buy the games in bulk at low prices then simply keep the cd keys and toss the box. Some will mail you the box if you want for a fee.
I purchased a COD4 cd key from www.cdkeysdirect.com two months back, based on a few recommendations on another site. I was emailed the key from an actual person maybe a day or less after PayPal transfer.
My second attempt at logging in, it said CD key in use. I emailed the person above who responded in less than 24 hours on the weekend, saying he tested it, and it works. I was a bit perturbed that he can and does test the cd key (and admitting to playing around), but maybe that is just me. When I reinstalled Vista, I ran into that again, but a restart fixed it which makes me think that both problems were somehow on my end.
PM me if you want his email.
Also, I read on some cd key seller website that they purchase the keys from gamebox sellers who either cannot or do not sell the gamebox anymore, whether it is due to a change in business plan, admin problems or something else. I didn't buy my key with 100% certainty that it will always work; I assumed it wasn't going to work, but the difference in price was worth the risk. Works so far.
Danny
My second attempt at logging in, it said CD key in use. I emailed the person above who responded in less than 24 hours on the weekend, saying he tested it, and it works. I was a bit perturbed that he can and does test the cd key (and admitting to playing around), but maybe that is just me. When I reinstalled Vista, I ran into that again, but a restart fixed it which makes me think that both problems were somehow on my end.
PM me if you want his email.
Also, I read on some cd key seller website that they purchase the keys from gamebox sellers who either cannot or do not sell the gamebox anymore, whether it is due to a change in business plan, admin problems or something else. I didn't buy my key with 100% certainty that it will always work; I assumed it wasn't going to work, but the difference in price was worth the risk. Works so far.
Danny
Sorry that's BS.
Even at bulk rates you won't get anywhere close the price they are charging for keys. It's a lot easier and cheaper to get thousands of keys with trojans/malware than by buying them legally. It's pretty simple, choose a game you want to steal keys for and find some video footage of aimbots/hacks/cheats in that game. Take that footage and upload it to youtube with a direct link to a file you claim is a download for the hack, but is actually a cd key stealer. People click the download link, get their key stolen and their game is now rendered unusable. Wash rinse and repeat for every filesharing site known to man, limewire, bittorrent, rapidshare etc etc. They can rack up thousands of keys in a day if they know what they are doing.
And it's all supported by people in this thread who think these keys are legit, screwing not only themselves but the people who bought the game legally.
While I agree that it has to be hard to get the bulk rates to match up, I do not think it is a foregone conclusion that each and every cd-key-selling website is operating illegally; nor do I think that if you purchase from one of those sites, you are screwing the box-paying customers.
However, if you knew you were buying a cd key that was stolen from someone else, I'd agree with you that they are screwing the paying customer.
Danny
However, if you knew you were buying a cd key that was stolen from someone else, I'd agree with you that they are screwing the paying customer.
Danny
It might not be all, but I would say 99% are stolen. The only way to sell that quantity of keys at those prices is by obtaining them illegally. Ignorance or relying on the slim chance that they are legit isn't an excuse.
pontifex
Lifer
- Dec 5, 2000
- 43,806
- 46
- 91
ooh, thats the site that the person who accessed my paypal account tried to buy EVE time cards from.
they sent me an email asking to confirm the purchase but charged my account anyway before i could deny that i ordered it. they promptly backed out the charge though after i told them that i did not order the cards.
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