G2A | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 03 May 2019 09:55:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png G2A | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Ubisoft teams up with Genba Digital to try and put an end to PC key reselling https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-teams-up-with-genba-digital-to-try-and-put-an-end-to-pc-key-reselling/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-teams-up-with-genba-digital-to-try-and-put-an-end-to-pc-key-reselling/#respond Fri, 03 May 2019 09:00:57 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=412364 Over the last few years, many game publishers have been trying to find ways to combat grey market key-reselling for PC games. There have been numerous instances where mass numbers of game keys were deactivated after being fraudulently obtained and sold on certain stores. Now, Ubisoft is looking to implement a new system called ‘silent …

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Over the last few years, many game publishers have been trying to find ways to combat grey market key-reselling for PC games. There have been numerous instances where mass numbers of game keys were deactivated after being fraudulently obtained and sold on certain stores. Now, Ubisoft is looking to implement a new system called ‘silent key activation', where no CD keys change hands to be re-sold in the first place.

Ubisoft is teaming up with Genba Digital to change the way it sells PC games digitally. The ‘Silent Key Activation' system developed by Genba works by setting up a ‘keybank', which remains inaccessible to third-party stores. So when you go to buy an Ubisoft game from a partnering website, you will be asked to sign in with your uPlay account to complete the checkout process, a game key will when be assigned to your account without it ever being seen by the retailer or end user. That key then gets crossed off the list in the bank.

 

Speaking with Gamesindustry.biz, Genba Digital CEO, Matt Murphy explains that this method “gives publishers control of how their products are distributed” compared to the current method of “throwing a big Excel spreadsheet of keycodes to e-tailers”. The end goal with this system is to prevent keys from being resold, it will also have the knock-on effect of giving publishers greater control over pricing, as keys will no longer be available for games at high discounts unless directly approved by the publisher.

Moving forward, Ubisoft will no longer sell PC games through a third-party store that doesn't use the silent key activation process. Genba Digital is also in talks with other high-profile publishers to implement this system, so expect this to start popping up more often throughout the year.

KitGuru Says: If physical copies of PC games continue to be sold, then CD keys will still be obtainable. From the sounds of it though, publishers are looking to usher in a ‘keyless' future for PC gaming which likely means a final end to boxed copies depending on how many publishers end up using this system, or a similar one. 

 

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Japan outlaws the resale of game keys, rendering grey market sites illegal https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/damien-cox/japan-outlaws-the-resale-of-game-keys-rendering-grey-market-sites-illegal/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/damien-cox/japan-outlaws-the-resale-of-game-keys-rendering-grey-market-sites-illegal/#respond Thu, 03 Jan 2019 16:58:23 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=399877 Grey market key resellers have always proven divisive, coming under fire for their alleged role in depriving developers and publishers of sales. This is no longer a problem in Japan, as the country has opted to outright ban the resale of digital keys in their entirety. Japan’s Unfair Competition Prevention Act finally recognises “data (information …

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Grey market key resellers have always proven divisive, coming under fire for their alleged role in depriving developers and publishers of sales. This is no longer a problem in Japan, as the country has opted to outright ban the resale of digital keys in their entirety.

Japan’s Unfair Competition Prevention Act finally recognises “data (information recorded in electromagnetic record),” implementing steps to protect digital information by law. These latest amendments particularly impact the gaming industry, prohibiting controversial sites like G2A and even the personal reselling of keys on eBay.

Since the text is only available in Japanese, translations provided by Google (via GamesIndustry.biz) state that it is split into three sections. Firstly “distributing tools and programs for altering save data” has been prohibited, followed by “reselling software product keys online without the creator's permission.” Lastly, “offering services that modify save data on the customer's behalf is no longer allowed by law.

While this sounds a lot like modding services such as Nexus, the target is more towards cheaters that modify files via services such as Cyber Save Editor for PlayStation 4. This product has since been discontinued in the country, and it surely won’t be alone.

Punishments for breaching this law can vary, with the translation stating that it depends on the case. This can range from claims for damages up to a staggering ¥5 million, up to five years in prison or a combination of the two should the crime fit.

KitGuru Says: Laws often don’t properly account for data, sitting vastly outdated in the digital age, so it’s great to see a country properly re-evaluate its stance. The question now, is whether Japan sets a good example to other countries. Do you think reselling keys should be against the law or do you embrace them?

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G2A has implemented a monthly “inactivity fee” for those that don’t log in https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/damien-cox/g2a-has-implemented-a-monthly-inactivity-fee-for-those-that-dont-log-in/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/damien-cox/g2a-has-implemented-a-monthly-inactivity-fee-for-those-that-dont-log-in/#respond Mon, 24 Dec 2018 13:41:22 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=399268 Digital gaming marketplace G2A has faced a lot of scrutiny over the years, as it inadvertently enables the sale of grey market keys. Embracing further controversy, the website is now charging users an inactivity fee if they don’t log in within 180 days. A disgruntled user took to Reddit to share a message from G2A …

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Digital gaming marketplace G2A has faced a lot of scrutiny over the years, as it inadvertently enables the sale of grey market keys. Embracing further controversy, the website is now charging users an inactivity fee if they don’t log in within 180 days.

A disgruntled user took to Reddit to share a message from G2A Pay, the marketplace’s online payment system, claiming that his account would be charged “a €1 inactivity fee” per month should they continue to leave their account unattended. This has garnered a lot of traction on the forum, amassing 39.2k upvotes at the time of writing.

Much to the surprise of many users, this clause is actually found within G2A Pay’s current terms and conditions:

“2. G2A Coins and G2A Wallet, 20) If User does not log in through the Website to User's account for over 180 (one hundred eighty) days, the Company is entitled to charge the User's G2A Wallet inactivity fee in amount of EUR 1 (one) per each month, or less, if there is no sufficient funds on the User's G2A Wallet to charge entire inactivity fee. The Company is also entitled to terminate User's G2A Wallet, if there is no sufficient funds on it which allows to charge the inactivity fee. Charged inactivity fee is not returnable. The User is to be informed about terminating his account.”

The thread gained the attention of an alleged G2A representative under the name of “G2APayOfficial.” They explained that the counter resets should a user log in, giving them another 180 days, and that money would only be taken from the funds of the G2A Wallet. If there is no money within the G2A Wallet, the account is set to inactive rather than taking the currency from Debit cards or PayPal.

The reason for this is supposedly because “it costs money to upkeep accounts (IT infrastructure, server maintenance, etc.) and if someone does not use the account, it doesn’t make sense to upkeep it.” This explanation has been ridiculed by the community, with many challenging the company’s claims and accusing the site of stealing from its user base.

For those that wish to take all precautions, users can remove methods of payment within their Account Settings, as well as delete their account in its entirety. G2A has yet to respond to these claims, however the actions certainly a shine a bad light in comparison to its competition.

KitGuru Says: G2A maintains its partnerships within the esports and gaming industries, however I personally backed away from the company when multiple claims of foul play were around throughout 2016/17. The company maintains that these are unfounded, based on a lack of understanding of its business model, however I do prefer to ensure that developers and publishers receive the funding they deserve.

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Valve has made more changes to the Steam Gifting system https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/valve-has-made-more-changes-to-the-steam-gifting-system/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/valve-has-made-more-changes-to-the-steam-gifting-system/#comments Thu, 04 May 2017 12:29:04 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=332821 Over the last few years, Valve has been making changes to Steam gifting and while some restrictions have been put into place over time, features of the gifting system have never been outright removed. That is changing this week, as Valve has decided to remove Gift via email and Gift to Inventory options on Steam. …

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Over the last few years, Valve has been making changes to Steam gifting and while some restrictions have been put into place over time, features of the gifting system have never been outright removed. That is changing this week, as Valve has decided to remove Gift via email and Gift to Inventory options on Steam. On top of that, gifting will no longer be available between countries where pricing is vastly different.

Going forward, Steam Gifts will be a direct transaction from buyer to someone on your friends list, cutting out options to instead send a gift link via email or to place a game in someone's inventory for them to choose what to do with.

Here is how Valve explained the situation on its blog: “The gifting process has had a bunch of friction in it for a while, and we want to make it easier for you to share the games you love with friends. Here's a quick breakdown of benefits from the new system:

  • Scheduling Gifts Is Even More Straightforward: Go ahead and buy a gift months in advance and have it delivered to a friend on time, every time.
  • Declined Gifts Resolve The Way They Should: In the old system, a declined gift would sneak back into the giver's inventory and remain on their bill. Now, if a recipient already has the title, or just doesn't want it, they can click decline and the purchase is refunded directly to the gift giver.
  • Safe Cross-Country Gifting: No more worrying if a Gift to E-mail or Gift to Inventory is going to work for a friend, gifts sent through the new system will always work on the receiver's account. When there is a large difference in pricing between countries, gifting won't be available and you'll know before purchase.”

While Valve hasn't expressly stated that these changes were made in an effort to squeeze out game resellers, these changes will have an effect on them. Without gifting via email or inventory, many of those who sell ‘Steam Gifts' rather than keys through sites like G2A, will no longer be able to do so. Instead, gift resellers will need to add customers individually on Steam and trade with them directly.

On top of that, resellers will no longer be able to take advantage of cheaper pricing in some countries, to then sell to places like the US or UK, where pricing is higher.

These changes are already in effect.

KitGuru Says: These are some pretty major changes to the gifting system and so far, the response to them has been fairly negative judging by the comments on Valve's post. How do you guys feel about these changes?

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G2A speaks out on Gearbox demands, claims there is no wrongdoing on its part https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-speaks-out-on-gearbox-demands-claims-there-is-no-wrongdoing-on-its-part/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-speaks-out-on-gearbox-demands-claims-there-is-no-wrongdoing-on-its-part/#comments Tue, 11 Apr 2017 08:07:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=329799 Last week, Gearbox gave G2A a bit of an ultimatum, it asked that the shady key marketplace commit to several changes in an effort to be a fairer place for both game developers and customers. If G2A did not respond, Gearbox would pull out of its Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition partnership. G2A chose to remain …

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Last week, Gearbox gave G2A a bit of an ultimatum, it asked that the shady key marketplace commit to several changes in an effort to be a fairer place for both game developers and customers. If G2A did not respond, Gearbox would pull out of its Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition partnership. G2A chose to remain silent on the topic last week and as a result, Gearbox has begun its ‘extraction process'. However, it seems that G2A has finally got around to issuing its own statement on the matter.

According to G2A, Gearbox's demands were “based on both a lack of knowledge and a lack of desire to learn the other side of the story”. From there, the company went on to claim that people are out to get G2A and paint it as an “intermediary in selling illegally acquired keys”, something that G2A claims is a “depiction far removed from reality”.

From there, in a statement given to Vice, G2A tried to tackle each of Gearbox's demands. When it came to G2A Shield, the company claims no wrongdoing and won't be making any changes to the service. When it came to Gearbox's request for a free API for developers to access G2A's database and flag fraudulent keys, G2A says that it already will take down stolen keys if the developer provides evidence. Alternatively, they can sign a contract with G2A via G2A Direct, which will give the developer access to the database. This essentially boils down to ‘you can have access, but only if you partner with us'.

Gearbox also asked that a system be put in place for ‘non-certified' key sellers trying to sell massive amounts of keys. With a limit on the number of sales that can be made in a day, developers have a better chance of discovering stolen keys before they are sold on to customers. G2A's answer isn't posted in full but we are told that it boils down to ‘no, unless you sign a contract'.

Finally, Gearbox also requested that G2A ‘restructure its payment system' in order to let users know that they could potentially be buying a fraudulent key. Gearbox also requested that there be no more hidden fees or obfuscated charges, which derives from complaints that G2A's checkout system has unwittingly signed many customers up to a monthly G2A Shield subscription. G2A claims that “all fees and rates are clearly labeled”, essentially shrugging that criticism off entirely.

So there you have it. G2A won't be making any changes because G2A doesn't think it's doing anything wrong. If a developer wants access to stop sellers from swiftly flipping stolen keys, then it will need to become a G2A partner.

KitGuru Says: The problem for many developers here is that by the time it obtains all of the evidence G2A needs to stop key sales, many of those keys will have already been sold. It takes minutes for a key to sell on G2A, whereas investigating, gathering evidence and waiting for responses can take hours if not days. Bullying developers into partnering up for protection isn't really a satisfying solution for anyone. 

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Gearbox exits partnership with G2A after demands go unmet https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/gearbox-exits-partnership-with-g2a-after-demands-go-unmet/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/gearbox-exits-partnership-with-g2a-after-demands-go-unmet/#comments Mon, 10 Apr 2017 08:14:33 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=329672 Last week, Gearbox announced a partnership with G2A, bringing Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition to the key marketplace in an official capacity. This caused plenty of outcry and after seeking the help of YouTuber ‘TotalBiscuit', Gearbox instead decided to give G2A a list of demands to better protect customers and developers from stolen key sales. Unfortunately, …

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Last week, Gearbox announced a partnership with G2A, bringing Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition to the key marketplace in an official capacity. This caused plenty of outcry and after seeking the help of YouTuber ‘TotalBiscuit', Gearbox instead decided to give G2A a list of demands to better protect customers and developers from stolen key sales. Unfortunately, it looks like the G2A wasn't up to the task, so Gearbox is now walking from its deal.

In a statement, Gearbox explained that since G2A has failed to cooperate, the company will be executing the option in its contract to walk away from the deal.

“As there has been no public movement from G2A by the time Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition launched now on PC, Gearbox Publishing will be doing their part to not directly support a marketplace that did not make the new public commitment to protecting customers and developers requested by Gearbox Publishing. We do not control G2A’s marketplace or where they may obtain keys from parties outside of Gearbox Publishing, but we can confirm that today we have begun executing on our extraction process.”

At the time of writing, Bulletstorm appears to no longer be available through G2A.

KitGuru Says: G2A has made some steps to appear more legitimate over the last year or so but it seems that the key store has shown its true colours with this. Either way, at least Gearbox tried to help improve the situation. 

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Gearbox demands major changes from G2A following Bulletstorm partnership https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/gearbox-demands-major-changes-from-g2a-following-bulletstorm-partnership/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/gearbox-demands-major-changes-from-g2a-following-bulletstorm-partnership/#comments Fri, 07 Apr 2017 08:57:51 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=329226 Earlier this week, it was announced that Gearbox would be partnering up with G2A for the launch of Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition. This special edition partnership was unusual given G2A's reputation as a fraudulent key marketplace and ended up causing quite an uproar on social media. It turns out, Gearbox wasn't fully aware of the …

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Earlier this week, it was announced that Gearbox would be partnering up with G2A for the launch of Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition. This special edition partnership was unusual given G2A's reputation as a fraudulent key marketplace and ended up causing quite an uproar on social media. It turns out, Gearbox wasn't fully aware of the situation surrounding G2A and as a result, the company has presented G2A with a list of demands to meet if it wants to keep their contract. These include making G2A Shield protection free to all customers and being more proactive at shutting fraudulent key sellers down.

A large part of this decision came down to TotalBiscuit, who not only recently consulted with Valve on the future of Steam, but has now also helped Gearbox understand why its G2A partnership turned into a bit of a PR nightmare. Following their talk, Gearbox decided to give G2A a public list of things to fix if it wants to keep its partnership.

The following list was shared via TotalBiscuit on Twitter:

  • Before Bulletstorm Steam launch, G2A makes a public commitment to this: Within 30 days, G2A Shield (aka, customer fraud protection) is made free instead of a separate paid subscription service within terms offered by other major marketplaces. All customers who spend money deserve fraud protection from a storefront. To that end, all existing G2A Shield customers are notified by April 14th that fraud protection services are now free and they will no longer be charged for this.
  • Before Bulletstorm Steam launch, G2A makes a public commitment to this: Within 90 days, G2A will open up a web service or API to certified developers and publishers to search for and flag for immediate removal, keys that are fraudulent. This access will be free of charge and will not require payment by the content holders.
  • Before Bulletstorm Steam launch, G2A makes a public commitment to this: Within 60 days implement throttling for non-certified developers and publishers at the title, userid, and account payable levels for a fraud flagging process. This is to protect content providers from having large quantities of stolen goods flipped on G2A before they can be flagged.
  • Before Bulletstorm Steam launch, G2A makes a public commitment to this: Within 30 days, G2A restructures its payment system so that customers who wish to buy and sell legitimate keys are given a clear, simple fee-structure that is easy to understand and contains no hidden or obfuscated charges. Join the ranks of other major marketplaces.

Gearbox has yet to say whether or not it has heard back from G2A. Still, it seems odd that a company like Gearbox didn't know anything about G2A's shadier practices. The retailer has been making steps to try and gain some legitimacy over the last 12 months but that only followed a huge amount of controversy after indie developer ‘Tiny Build' spoke out against the company for profiting off of credit card fraud.

Other publishers including Bethesda and Ubisoft have also routinely pulled large batches of keys bought through G2A due to the fact that keys were illegally obtained and sold.

KitGuru Says: There are two outcomes to this, either G2A gives in and makes a huge stride to becoming a legitimate store, or it refuses and proves that it isn't all that interested in shutting down the thieves generating its profit. Either way, it will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

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G2A is now partnered with more than 100 developers for G2A Direct https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-is-now-partnered-with-more-than-100-developers-for-g2a-direct/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-is-now-partnered-with-more-than-100-developers-for-g2a-direct/#comments Mon, 06 Mar 2017 19:28:44 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=324167 Since last summer, G2A has been working on improving its relationships with developers by launching services like G2A direct and giving studios the access required to ensure fraudulently obtained keys are taken down from the marketplace as quickly as possible.  It turns out the company's efforts to turn a new leaf are paying off too, …

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Since last summer, G2A has been working on improving its relationships with developers by launching services like G2A direct and giving studios the access required to ensure fraudulently obtained keys are taken down from the marketplace as quickly as possible.  It turns out the company's efforts to turn a new leaf are paying off too, with more than 100 developers and publishers partnering with G2A.

G2A Direct was created to place developers at the forefront of G2A's store, allowing them to sell games directly through G2A with a 89.2% revenue share and also take a 10% cut of third-party sales of their own content. This has led to partnerships with companies like Wargaming, Hi-Rez Studios, Superhot Team and more.

These partnerships also mean that G2A will now be launching G2A Deal, a rewards program of sorts created in cooperation with developers. It allows specific games to get a bit more time in the spotlight with discount codes and such. The first set of games to be part of this includes Lords of the Fallen, Dirt 3 and SUPERHOT.

KitGuru Says: I have had my fair share of complaints about G2A's business practises in the past but it seems that the marketplace is trying to turn a new leaf and be seen as a more legitimate store. Partnering with developers and working closely with them certainly seems to go a long way towards that. 

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G2A’s Reddit AMA didn’t go down too well https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2as-reddit-ama-didnt-go-down-too-well/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2as-reddit-ama-didnt-go-down-too-well/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2017 19:54:43 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=320755 G2A is often the centre of plenty of controversy, the grey market key seller has been accused of plenty, from hurting indie developers to knowingly selling stolen keys. While G2A has made some steps to make itself more accessible to developers and clamp down on dodgy sellers, the company's reputation still isn't great, something that was …

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G2A is often the centre of plenty of controversy, the grey market key seller has been accused of plenty, from hurting indie developers to knowingly selling stolen keys. While G2A has made some steps to make itself more accessible to developers and clamp down on dodgy sellers, the company's reputation still isn't great, something that was made quite clear when they held a Reddit AMA earlier this week.

Commenters on Reddit weren't pulling any punches with their questions, someone asked “Are you or are you not aware of how much harm you are doing to the gaming industry”, while others questioned the company's legitimacy by asking “If G2A is a legitimate company with legitimate keys and resellers, why can’t you offer buyer protection for free to your customers?”.

While the purchase protection wasn't addressed, G2A did attempt to clear up the questions about stolen keys being sold:

“We have special departments in G2A (over 100 people) dedicated to protecting our marketplace. We can’t disclose exactly how we search for these shady people, or what triggers our suspicions, because that would be giving them a possible roadmap as to how to try and get away with something. The problem is that sometimes the issue (unfortunately) starts on the developers’ own site, which can sometimes lack security. And in those situations, if the developer is not willing to work with us it gets a little complicated. In some situations, if a key was not reported to us as stolen and we weren’t told it was blacklisted or shown any proof, then there is little we can do.”

At one point, a G2A marketplace seller actually stepped in to try and prove how easy it is for sellers to put up fake listings on the marketplace. G2A went on to ban this person, which caused plenty of community uproar. However, G2A did then clarify how things work for sellers. Essentially, sellers can post fake keys but all this will do is hurt the seller in the long run as a buyer would get a refund and that seller would be negatively impacted.

As for fraudulently obtained keys (like those acquired with stolen credit cards), things get a little more complicated. According to G2A, it is impossible to distinguish a legitimately obtained key from a fraudulently obtained one. However, if a developer gets in touch with G2A and supplies a list of keys to blacklist, then those keys will no longer be allowed to be listed on the site. If the developer does not supply a list of keys or any proof, then there isn't a lot that the marketplace can do.

If you want to take a look at the full AMA yourself, then you can find it, HERE. However, G2A was heavily downvoted in its posts, so you may want to check that comments are sorted by Q&A, rather than highest rated.

KitGuru Says: G2A still gets plenty of business but it does seem that more and more people are taking issue with how the company works, despite policy changes made last year. 

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G2A is overhauling its Shield service https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/g2a-is-overhauling-its-shield-service/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/g2a-is-overhauling-its-shield-service/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2016 08:50:51 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=315418 Key sales website, G2A, is looking to change up the purpose and function of its Shield service. Initially designed as purely a form of insurance against bad keys, it is now being overhauled into a form of premium membership, complete with game bundles, better chat support and more features set to be introduced next year. …

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Key sales website, G2A, is looking to change up the purpose and function of its Shield service. Initially designed as purely a form of insurance against bad keys, it is now being overhauled into a form of premium membership, complete with game bundles, better chat support and more features set to be introduced next year.

G2A's digital marketplace has received mixed reviews over the years. While users have often enjoyed its cut price game keys, many developers have complained over the years that it's facilitated the sale of stolen keys, which can result in charge backs for game makers. G2A has taken big steps to curb those problems, and has continued to add features for consumers. Shield's big changes are part of that.

g2ashield

In addition to the classic function of Shield, offering full repayment in the case of defective keys, or for any reason in actuality (as per PCGamesN), Shield now gives priority delivery on pre-orders, a dedicated live chat for support, and a price match guarantee should a user find a key cheaper elsewhere. Shield costs users three euros per transaction, or one euro per month on a subscription basis.

Starting in 2017 too, it sounds like a premium form of Shield will be launched, which includes all of the above benefits, as well as access to certain games on a monthly basis – essentially offering a bundle system like the comparable Humble monthly. Supposedly you will have to pay for this subscription for a year in advance, but that those who don't will still be able to buy the bundles individually.

This is just the start of G2A's planned expansion though, with new tie in programs between its services and a level up mechanic – though details on that remain a little thin right now.

KitGuru Says: I almost exclusively buy games from Steam or GoG, but that's mostly because it requires less clicks than a key site might. What about you guys? Do you buy keys to save a few pounds?

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Chargebacks force RimWorld devs to stop giving out Steam keys https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/chargebacks-force-rimworld-devs-to-stop-giving-out-steam-keys/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/chargebacks-force-rimworld-devs-to-stop-giving-out-steam-keys/#comments Tue, 19 Jul 2016 16:39:35 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=299938 The developers behind sci-fi colony builder, RimWorld, have been forced to stop giving out Steam keys to those buying directly from their own store as too many people are charging back or buying with fraudulent payment information. This sort of tactic is often used by thieves looking to bulk-buy keys in order to sell on third-party …

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The developers behind sci-fi colony builder, RimWorld, have been forced to stop giving out Steam keys to those buying directly from their own store as too many people are charging back or buying with fraudulent payment information. This sort of tactic is often used by thieves looking to bulk-buy keys in order to sell on third-party marketplace sites for profit.

RimWorld is one of the most highly-rated Early Access games currently on Steam. The developer, Ludeon Studios, chose to sell a DRM-free version of the game through its own store in order to avoid Valve's 30% cut. However, given that Steam is the most popular platform for gamers, those who bought from the Ludeon Store directly would also get a Steam key that they could redeem. Unfortunately, this system was abused by fraudulent buyers, who would attempt to sell the Steam keys fast and then issue a chargeback to recover the money. The result is a chargeback fine for the developer and a lost sale to boot.

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In a post on the Ludeon blog, the developer explained that since launching with the Steam key system, they have been hit with “thousands of dollars” in chargeback fees. As a general heads up, if you were thinking about buying RimWorld on a key marketplace site soon, you might want to hold off as Ludeon will be deactivating all stolen keys:

“All the stolen keys are being cancelled, and should be deactivated before they can be sold (or soon after, depending on how fast Valve does it). The funds they were stolen with are being returned to their rightful owners. If you don't want to get ripped off by fraudsters, be sure to buy direct from Steam.”

Going forward, buying RimWorld directly from Ludeon Studios' store will get you a DRM-free copy of the game but you will not be able to redeem a Steam key.

This all comes a few weeks after G2A was blasted for enabling these dodgy practises. This forced the site to implement new policies, which will include more cooperation with developers/publishers, and more regulation and ID checks on sellers.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is a shame that scammers had to abuse this system and ruin it for everyone else. A lot of people probably did want to support the developers directly by buying on their store and still getting a Steam key but as an indie studio, being hit with massive chargeback fees can be devastating financially. 

 

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G2A now requires three step ID verification for key sellers https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-now-requires-three-step-id-verification-for-key-sellers/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-now-requires-three-step-id-verification-for-key-sellers/#comments Fri, 08 Jul 2016 15:41:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=298968 Over the last month, there has been a lot of criticism surrounding G2A and how it conducts business, all stemming from indie developer, Tiny Build speaking out about it in a lengthy blog post. Since then, G2A has announced several changes it is going to make to its system to be more developer friendly and …

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Over the last month, there has been a lot of criticism surrounding G2A and how it conducts business, all stemming from indie developer, Tiny Build speaking out about it in a lengthy blog post. Since then, G2A has announced several changes it is going to make to its system to be more developer friendly and today, the marketplace also announced that it would be requiring ID verification for all sellers on the site going forward.

These security measures will help verify those selling games on the platform. Going forward, sellers will need to verify themselves by linking a social media profile and phone number. Those providing these two forms of ID can sell up to ten keys on the site.

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Those that want to sell more than ten keys on G2A will need to provide a third form of ID verification. In the future, there will be steps for sellers that include PayPal, address verification via a bank statement or credit card verification. As Eurogamer points out, this will bring G2A in line with the MSO Anti Money Laundering Guidelines and help the site shed its reputation as a safe haven for fraudsters.

G2A's new policies are helping already, just last month Microsoft supplied the site with a list of 550 codes it believed to be fraudulently obtained and they were swiftly tracked down and removed from sale.

KitGuru Says: G2A has gained a somewhat murky reputation over the last couple of years but these steps should help it become a more legitimate business going forward. Now we just have to wait and see what sort of impact it has on the marketplace. 

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G2A to give developers access to key database and royalty payments https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-to-give-developers-access-to-key-database-and-royalty-payments/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/g2a-to-give-developers-access-to-key-database-and-royalty-payments/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2016 09:28:21 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=297388 It has been quite the week for G2A, who had something of a PR nightmare when indie developer TinyBuild put up a blog post criticising the company's business practises. However, it seems that G2A is willing to make some changes in order to be more developer friendly going forward, this includes giving devs access to the …

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It has been quite the week for G2A, who had something of a PR nightmare when indie developer TinyBuild put up a blog post criticising the company's business practises. However, it seems that G2A is willing to make some changes in order to be more developer friendly going forward, this includes giving devs access to the key database so they can help verify illegally obtained keys as well as royalty payments on all marketplace sales.

In an email sent to Eurogamer, G2A gave the following statement: “As a leader in the digital gaming marketplace, we recognise our responsibility to serve the greater good for the entire gaming industry. Recent events have demonstrated that we need to move faster to introduce new benefits designed with developers in mind, and invite them to play an even bigger role in creating the marketplace of the future.”

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Going forward, developers can apply for their ‘up to 10 percent' royalty cut on all sales made through the G2A marketplace, they will also have access to the database of keys on sale at G2A so they can help identify any keys obtained through illegal means, like credit card fraud.

Aside from that, those buying on G2A will also have a ‘developer funding' option, allowing them to contribute a bit more to developers who have keys on G2A. The rollout for this new system is planned to take place on the 29th of July.

KitGuru Says: This is a step in the right direction for G2A, this new system certainly seems fairer than what was on the table beforehand. It will be interesting to see how developers and regular G2A customers react to these changes going forward.

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Tinybuild hits back at G2A, calls for a beneficial solution for devs https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/tinybuild-hits-back-at-g2a-calls-for-a-beneficial-solution-for-devs/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/tinybuild-hits-back-at-g2a-calls-for-a-beneficial-solution-for-devs/#comments Fri, 24 Jun 2016 14:48:24 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=297035 This has been quite a week for the indie developer Tinybuild, after the studio's blog post on G2A's grey market practises spread widely across the web. This isn't the first time that sites like G2A have been called into question but in this case, Tinybuild lost out on $450,000 worth of keys through fraudulent transactions and …

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This has been quite a week for the indie developer Tinybuild, after the studio's blog post on G2A's grey market practises spread widely across the web. This isn't the first time that sites like G2A have been called into question but in this case, Tinybuild lost out on $450,000 worth of keys through fraudulent transactions and chargebacks, all of which were then sold on G2A for less than half of retail price. Now, the indie studio is looking for solutions, giving G2A an ‘ultimatum' to provide a better solution for developers.

G2A initially gave Tinybuild a three day ‘ultimatum' to agree to work with the company in order to receive help putting a stop to fraudulent key sales. In response, Tinybuild has offered G2A an ultimatum of their own: “Provide a solution for developers and publishers to benefit from the marketplace”.

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Tinybuild's CEO has thought of three ways that G2A could begin to improve the situation for developers, the first solution is to allow publishers to set a minimum price for their games as they do on Steam. The next step would be to set a minimum cut for 3rd party key sellers.

Finally and most crucially, was a call for G2A to actually verify its merchants. Right now, a lot of people like to claim that G2A is somehow like eBay- except it isn't at all as eBay has many more verification steps in place before someone can begin selling. If G2A began verifying its merchants by asking for credentials, confirming addresses, and other security measures, people would be less likely to get away with selling keys bought using stolen credit card information.

The whole blog is an interesting read if you have ever been interested in how a company like G2A actually operates. There is also a good video from LevelCapGaming that sums up the situation quite well and outlines various reasons as to why grey markets shouldn't be supported.

KitGuru Says: When keys are bought in bulk using a stolen credit card, it can take months for the chargeback to hit, by which time all of those keys will likely have been sold due to the low price. On top of then losing that money, the publisher also needs to pay out a chargeback fee so it actually costs the studio more in the long run. Sure, you might get cheap games now but supporting this kind of business is doing harm to the industry as a whole, especially smaller indie developers. 

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G2A and TinyBuild both blame the other in pirate key controversy https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/g2a-and-tinybuild-both-blame-the-other-in-pirate-key-controversy/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/jon-martindale/g2a-and-tinybuild-both-blame-the-other-in-pirate-key-controversy/#comments Thu, 23 Jun 2016 07:48:20 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=296922 TinyBuild, the publisher and developer of games like The Last Station and Speed Runners, has accused game key seller G2A of selling pirated keys for its latest title, Punch Club. G2A requested that TinyBuild send it examples of the pirated keys in question, but claims that the publisher never came back to it, so what …

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TinyBuild, the publisher and developer of games like The Last Station and Speed Runners, has accused game key seller G2A of selling pirated keys for its latest title, Punch Club. G2A requested that TinyBuild send it examples of the pirated keys in question, but claims that the publisher never came back to it, so what could it do?

This all started a couple of days ago when TinyBuild reported that Punch Club has been pirated at a rate five times higher than the number of legitimate sales. Part of that it blamed on G2A, claiming that nearly half a million dollars worth of keys had been sold, without a single payment going to the publisher.

Although G2A hasn't denied that it may have sold some invalid keys, it claims that it needs to confirm that with TinyBuild and for that it needs key examples.

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Considering it's only £7 on Steam, do you need to buy discount keys of Punch Club?

“TinyBuild should connect back with us and provide us with the list of suspicious keys for further investigation. Thereafter, G2A will be happy to publicly release the results of the investigation of this case with TinyBuild,” it said (via PCGamer). “G2A.com calls for TinyBuild to provide their list of suspicious keys within three days from the date of this transmission.”

TinyBuild doesn't feel this is the way forward though. Not only is it incredibly time consuming to compile lists of potentially fraudulent keys, it says, but that that would run the risk of those who received keys in giveaways or contests having their game license revoked too.

Instead it wants G2A to make changes to its business model: providing the ability for developers/publishers to set a minimum trading price for their games and more regulation for sellers. As it stands it claims that you can simply sign up with no checks whatsoever and start selling keys. Who knows where you got them.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: As much as it can be tempting to buy keys from sites like G2A, there are only a couple I trust not to provide me with a pirate key. Most of the time I'd rather just go to the source. 

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Green Man Gaming now shows where its game keys come from https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/green-man-gaming-now-shows-where-its-game-keys-come-from/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/green-man-gaming-now-shows-where-its-game-keys-come-from/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2015 15:56:15 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=275585 There has been a lot of controversy surrounding grey market key sellers over the last couple of years and slowly, publishers have been trying to clamp down on the practise. One of the more reputable key sellers, Green Man Gaming, was accused of grey market practises this week, so in response, the store will now …

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There has been a lot of controversy surrounding grey market key sellers over the last couple of years and slowly, publishers have been trying to clamp down on the practise. One of the more reputable key sellers, Green Man Gaming, was accused of grey market practises this week, so in response, the store will now list exactly where its keys came from for each of its games.

Green Man Gaming's troubles began earlier this year, when CD Projekt Red let it be known that GMG did not get its Witcher 3 keys from the studio, which helped explain why they were selling for so cheap at the time. Things escalated this week when the Subreddit ‘GamerDeals' banned GMG listings after coming across evidence that suggests the store's Activision and Ubisoft codes don't come directly from the publisher.

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In response to this, Green Man Gaming confirmed that it would now be more transparent with where it gets its codes from in a Facebook post: “You spoke, we listened. We know you want great games at great prices. In response to your feedback, rolling out from today on the Green Man Gaming store you’ll see our pages now have two new pieces of information: 1/ When you can expect the delivery of a key, 2/ The source of that key.”

“We are committed to continually improving our site, so you can expect the very best service and experience from us. Bear with us as we have over 5000 titles to update, but remember that your feedback is always really important to us, and we want to keep helping you make informed decisions when shopping with us. Thanks for your support!”

Some listings, like the one for Fallout 4, will have the publisher listed as the source of the code. However, other ones, like the listing for The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, will simply list an ‘Authorised Distributor' as the source, which is quite vague and doesn't shed that much light.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I generally find Green Man Gaming to be trustworthy but it is probably hard to compete against less reputable sites like G2A and Kinguin, due to their prices. 

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G2A responds to League of Legends sponsorship ban https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/g2a-responds-to-league-of-legends-sponsorship-ban/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/g2a-responds-to-league-of-legends-sponsorship-ban/#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2015 19:00:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=271406 Earlier this week, Riot officially took a stance against the controversial, grey market key selling site G2A. The site was banned from sponsoring any more professional League of Legends teams and its logo was to be immediately removed from any merchandise or marketing material present at the up coming League World Championships event. Now, G2A …

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Earlier this week, Riot officially took a stance against the controversial, grey market key selling site G2A. The site was banned from sponsoring any more professional League of Legends teams and its logo was to be immediately removed from any merchandise or marketing material present at the up coming League World Championships event. Now, G2A has responded to its ban and as you would expect, it's not too happy about it.

G2A has a long history of not policing what is on its store. Too often we see people selling stolen game keys, or even League of Legend accounts or level boosting services. When Riot asked the site to stop people from selling accounts or level boosting services, G2A refused, which resulted in it being blacklisted from the League of Legends scene.

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Since then, G2A has said that the ban is “heavy handed and potentially damaging”. It also claimed that Riot has launched an “aggressive attack directed towards the entire global e-sports community in a failed attempt to dominate and control the industry.”

“The ban has the ability to impact negatively on e-sporters, especially during this fabulous time when hopes are so high for great e-sports events.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: G2A isn't a site I would trust, particularly since it openly knows that dodgy and shady characters are selling on its store and it openly refuses to acknowledge or do anything about it. However, I do understand why some people choose to shop there, after all, local currency conversion prices on games aren't always fair. 

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Riot takes a stance against G2A, bans it from sponsoring pro teams https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/riot-takes-a-stance-against-g2a-bans-it-from-sponsoring-pro-teams/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/riot-takes-a-stance-against-g2a-bans-it-from-sponsoring-pro-teams/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:09:08 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=270913 Over the last year, key reselling sites like G2A have come under increased scrutiny. Despite their popularity, more often than not you don't actually know where your game code is coming from and plenty of people have ended up having games revoked from their libraries. Now League of Legends developer, Riot, is taking a stance …

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Over the last year, key reselling sites like G2A have come under increased scrutiny. Despite their popularity, more often than not you don't actually know where your game code is coming from and plenty of people have ended up having games revoked from their libraries. Now League of Legends developer, Riot, is taking a stance against G2A, going as far as to ban the controversial site from sponsoring professional teams.

G2A has advertised with plenty of big Twitch streamers and professional eSports players, including League of Legends teams including Cloud 9, H2K and Counter Logic Gaming. The G2A logo has now been removed from any merchandise that will be available at the League of Legends World Championships this year.

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Riot is doing this as the G2A website has a listing that promotes third-party account selling services. G2A isn't known for policing its listings, so the fact that people are trying to sell League of Legends account through the site isn't too surprising. There are actual listings for League accounts up on the site right now, which range in price depending on level.

There are people on G2A that also offer ‘elo boosting' services, which is where you pay someone else to level you up in-game. Riot actually took action on the 18th of September, according to its Reddit post, which also says: “This was NOT a decision we made lightly, and came after many weeks of back and fourth conversations with G2A to find a resolution, which we were not able to reach an agreement on. We do not at all enjoy affecting the income of the teams, but the LCS rules include guidelines specifically against this sort of thing. We did however keep teams in the loop during the process in an attempt to avoid any surprises.”

KitGuru Says: At first glance, G2A seems like a great site and plenty of big streamers advertise and promote it. Unfortunately, G2A doesn't seem to have much of a moral code behind it, the company knows that there are sellers on its site with dodgy listings and it refuses to do anything about it. They wouldn't even agree to stop people from selling League of Legends accounts at Riot's request, which is why this situation has happened, which could greatly impact the income of several eSports teams. 

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Bethesda is deactivating ESO accounts due to fraudulent keys https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesda-is-deactivating-eso-accounts-due-to-fraudulent-keys/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesda-is-deactivating-eso-accounts-due-to-fraudulent-keys/#comments Tue, 26 May 2015 15:34:59 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=251166 There has been a lot of doubt surrounding the legitimacy of keys sold on the cheap at third-party marketplaces like G2A or Kinguin recently as more and more publishers wise up to fraudulent keys and begin to pull them from the accounts of those that paid for them. Bethesda is the latest to do this, …

The post Bethesda is deactivating ESO accounts due to fraudulent keys first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
There has been a lot of doubt surrounding the legitimacy of keys sold on the cheap at third-party marketplaces like G2A or Kinguin recently as more and more publishers wise up to fraudulent keys and begin to pull them from the accounts of those that paid for them.

Bethesda is the latest to do this, as the company has begun deactivating Elder Scrolls Online accounts. It turns out that much like in the Far Cry 4 case last year, many ESO keys were purchased using fraudulent or stolen credit cards and then re-sold on these grey markets.

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In a post on the Elder Scrolls Online forums, Community Manager, Jason Leavey posted: “We’ve recently seen an increase in the sale of fraudulently obtained digital game keys for The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. We want to remind gamers to shop wisely and only purchase online keys from a reputable source. Fraudulently obtained keys obtained via Steam and then re-sold via third-party websites is a violation of both our and Steam’s Terms of Service. We will be deactivating all game accounts created with such stolen keys starting on Tuesday, May 26th. Affected users will receive an email with instructions on how to regain access to their game account via a valid game purchase.”

The post then supplies a long list of ‘official retailers', which you can view, HERE. 

These cases appear to be popping up much more frequently. Last year Ubisoft had to deactivate thousands of Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed keys due to credit card fraud. However, following backlash, Ubisoft reinstated the keys for everyone and took the financial hit. It is worth noting that the company was not in a good position PR-wise at the time as AC:Unity launched with a horrible onslaught of bugs and issues, some of which remain unfixed to this day.

Earlier on last year, thousands of Sniper Elite 3 keys were also deactivated, which led to some controversy.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I have been trying to warn readers against grey market sellers for a while now. On the one hand, part of being a smart consumer is shopping around for a good deal, unfortunately, when buying from a marketplace like G2A or Kinguin, there is no system in place to ensure that the key is legitimate. While you might be able to activate the key, you won't know where it originated and it seems that buying in bulk with stolen payment details or nabbing codes out of retail boxes is a fairly common practice. 

Let us know if any of you were affected by the ESO key deactivation's. It does seem like an odd move from Bethesda considering the game's waning popularity. 

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Green Man Gaming CEO speaks out on Witcher 3 codes https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/green-man-gaming-ceo-speaks-out-on-witcher-3-codes/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/green-man-gaming-ceo-speaks-out-on-witcher-3-codes/#comments Thu, 07 May 2015 13:00:14 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=248425 Yesterday, The Witcher 3 developer, CD Projekt Red, told the world that Green Man Gaming was getting its game codes from “unknown sources”. This new information shed some doubt over the legitimacy of GMG as a retailer and made it sound like it could be engaging in ‘grey market' practices, which do nothing to support the …

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Yesterday, The Witcher 3 developer, CD Projekt Red, told the world that Green Man Gaming was getting its game codes from “unknown sources”. This new information shed some doubt over the legitimacy of GMG as a retailer and made it sound like it could be engaging in ‘grey market' practices, which do nothing to support the developer or publisher behind these games.

However, as is always the case, there are two sides to every story and today Green Man Gaming CEO, Paul Sulyok, spoke out to clear up the situation. Speaking with Gamespot, the GMG CEO went on to explain that the retailer has consistently tried to work with CD Projekt Red to support the release of The Witcher 3 but it turns out that the developer has been choosing to focus on promoting its own platform, GOG.

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“Following a six-month dialogue with [CD Projekt RED] about the launch of The Witcher 3, we were disappointed that despite the offer of significant cash advances, and other opportunities to officially work together, (we even offered to fly to Poland to discuss in detail how we could and wanted to support this launch), CDPR chose not to engage with a number of significant, reputable, and successful retailers, including ourselves, as they instead focused on supporting their own platform GOG”.

“We, like millions of customers, are huge fans of The Witcher series, and have been eager for the launch of this amazing title. We believe that CDPR’s desire to support their own platform by working with retail outlets that would not conflict with their own is greater than that of meeting the demands of their audience, therefore we made the decision to indirectly secure the product and deliver it to our customers.”

Since CD Projekt Red has avoided signing a deal with Green Man Gaming to supply it with keys for launch, the retailer has had to go around the developer and source its keys from elsewhere. According to GMG, these keys are coming from retailers that CDPR did in-fact approve initially, which means that the developer is still being supported for the sales of these keys.

Green Man Gaming is still open to working directly with CD Projekt Red on the launch of The Witcher 3 and would be open to working with the developer again on future titles, despite this misunderstanding. Either way, in this situation, Green Man Gaming appears to be in the right.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: The grey market is a tricky subject. On the one hand, it's just good sense to buy a product the cheapest you can find it. However, it is often the case that we don't know where these keys originate from. A lot of the time, codes are taken from inside of retail boxes, which may well have ‘fallen off the back of a truck' somewhere. Alternatively, they may well have been bought by entirely legitimate means, the issue is, nobody knows for sure. Open marketplace sites like G2A would be viewed in a better light if more transparency was given and people could see exactly where their keys are coming from.

In this case, Green Man Gaming did the right thing, it didn't go in to too much detail but it was honest about its failed negotiations with CD Projekt Red and the fact that it was going through third-party channels to get its keys. 

Via: Gamespot

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Ubisoft reinstates fraudulent keys bought with stolen credit card https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-reinstates-fraudulent-keys-bought-with-stolen-credit-card/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-reinstates-fraudulent-keys-bought-with-stolen-credit-card/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2015 09:51:19 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=233658 Last week, Ubisoft made the unpopular decision to deactivate a lot of CD Keys bought from sites like G2A and Kinguin. Apparently all of the keys being taken away were originally paid for with a stolen credit card. However, in a sudden turn of events, Ubisoft has begun reinstating some of the stolen keys. Those …

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Last week, Ubisoft made the unpopular decision to deactivate a lot of CD Keys bought from sites like G2A and Kinguin. Apparently all of the keys being taken away were originally paid for with a stolen credit card. However, in a sudden turn of events, Ubisoft has begun reinstating some of the stolen keys.

Those who had already activated and begun playing their copy of Far Cry 4 or Assassin's Creed Unity will once again find the game sitting in their uPlay account. Those of you who had yet to launch any of the revoked titles will be out of luck.

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It is worth noting that Ubisoft doesn't have to do this, technically all of the deactivated keys were stolen property. However, it is nice to see that the company is changing its mind and deciding to not punish the consumers who were already enjoying the games.

Speaking to Eurogamer, a Ubisoft rep said: “After further investigation into the matter of keys that were fraudulently purchased on EA's Origin store, we are reinstating keys for consumers who already had successfully activated and started playing the games.”

“Any remaining fraudulently obtained and resold keys have been deactivated.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We actually heard from a few of our readers affected by the key removals. Let us know if your game has been reinstated at this point. This won't save Ubisoft's dwindling reputation but it is still a good PR move.

Source: Eurogamer

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Revoked Ubisoft keys were bought from Origin with stolen credit cards https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/revoked-ubisoft-keys-were-bought-from-origin-with-stolen-credit-cards/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/revoked-ubisoft-keys-were-bought-from-origin-with-stolen-credit-cards/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2015 13:10:08 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=232934 On Monday Ubisoft began revoking CD Keys for Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed Unity from Uplay accounts that were bought from resellers like G2A or Kinguin. At the time, the publisher stated that the keys were fraudulent but has since elaborated. Kinguin claimed that these keys were bought directly from licensed wholesale distributors and that …

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On Monday Ubisoft began revoking CD Keys for Far Cry 4 and Assassin's Creed Unity from Uplay accounts that were bought from resellers like G2A or Kinguin. At the time, the publisher stated that the keys were fraudulent but has since elaborated.

Kinguin claimed that these keys were bought directly from licensed wholesale distributors and that everything should be fine. However, Ubisoft disagrees and is now saying that all revoked keys were originally bought from EA's Origin service using a stolen credit card.

In a statement to Game Informer, Ubisoft said: “We strongly recommend that players purchase keys and downloadable games only from the Uplay Store or their trusted retailers. We regularly work with our authorized resellers to identify and deactivate fraudulently obtained and resold keys. In this case, we confirmed activation keys were recently purchased from EA’s Origin store using fraudulent credit card information and then resold online.”

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EA has since confirmed Ubisoft's account of events, admitting that the keys were purchased via Origin using fraudulent credit card information. In a statement, an EA spokesperson said:

“A number of activation keys for Ubisoft products were purchased from Origin using fraudulent credit cards, and then resold online. We identified the unauthorized keys and notified Ubisoft. If you are having trouble with an activation key, we recommend you contact the vendor who sold it to you for a refund. We strongly advise players only purchase keys from Origin or trusted resellers.”

G2A and Kinguin are both working with customers to resolve the issue and either replace the keys or issue refunds.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Buying from grey market resellers is always a bit of a risk and unfortunately it is usually the consumer that gets punished for trying to save some money. Some resellers will likely issue refunds or replace the keys. It will be interesting to see what Kinguin has to say now following the recent turn of events. There is still more to this story that we don't know yet. Were any of you guys affected by the key revoking?

Source: Game Informer

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Ubisoft is revoking Far Cry 4 keys bought from resellers https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-is-revoking-far-cry-4-keys-bought-from-resellers/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/ubisoft-is-revoking-far-cry-4-keys-bought-from-resellers/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2015 18:33:07 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=232483 Ubisoft is cracking down on cheap CD keys bought from sites like G2A and Kinguin by revoking copies of Far Cry 4 from UPlay accounts. Ubisoft didn't give any warning or indication that it was planning to do this, most of this news comes in the way of angry forum and Reddit posts. In reply to …

The post Ubisoft is revoking Far Cry 4 keys bought from resellers first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Ubisoft is cracking down on cheap CD keys bought from sites like G2A and Kinguin by revoking copies of Far Cry 4 from UPlay accounts. Ubisoft didn't give any warning or indication that it was planning to do this, most of this news comes in the way of angry forum and Reddit posts.

In reply to customer complaints, Ubisoft has been advising customers to contact the sellers, indicating that these sellers may have either sold stolen keys or had their banks reverse the charge for the keys in the first place. This isn't anything new, Valve has been cracking down on key resellers with new region locking rules and limitations to game trading on Steam.

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Additionally, last year many Sniper Elite III CD Keys were revoked, the developer at the time stated that the keys were stolen and sold on fraudulently.

G2A in particular is a popular store and is often advertised by Twitch Streamers who may not know just how dodgy these resellers can be. Ubisoft has yet to officially comment on these code revokes but it sounds like it may be best to start moving away from reselling sites.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It is not surprising that more publishers are starting to fight back against key resellers and those who try to get games cheaper by using Russian codes. How many of you guys buy from key reselling sites? Do stories like this make you hesitant?

Via: Destructoid

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Valve updates Steam gift rules to limit key resellers https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/valve-updates-steam-gift-rules-to-limit-key-resellers/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/valve-updates-steam-gift-rules-to-limit-key-resellers/#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2014 18:00:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=223469 Valve has changed the rules for trading Steam gifts, which will supposedly put a stop or at least hurt businesses attempting to swiftly re-sell game keys as gifts. All new games purchased as a gift will be stored in the buyer's inventory for 30 days before it can sold or traded on. Valve's Tony Paloma …

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Valve has changed the rules for trading Steam gifts, which will supposedly put a stop or at least hurt businesses attempting to swiftly re-sell game keys as gifts. All new games purchased as a gift will be stored in the buyer's inventory for 30 days before it can sold or traded on.

Valve's Tony Paloma announced the latest move, saying that: “All new games purchased as a gift and placed in the purchaser's inventory will be untradable for 30 days. The gift may still be gifted at any time. The only change is to trading.”

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“We've made this change to make trading gifts a better experience for those receiving the gifts. We're hoping this lowers the number of people who trade for a game only to have the game revoked later due to issues with the purchaser's payment method.”

This will hurt sites like G2a or Kinguin, which feature sellers buying keys in bulk and then selling them on at a discount in order to get rid of them quickly. If Valve is unable to process the original payment then Steam keys will be revoked. However, this rarely ever happens, the most recent case of keys being revoked came across earlier this year, with the launch of Sniper Elite 3.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: There is always a degree of risk when it comes to buying from key resellers. This new rule change will likely hurt key selling sites but I doubt it will kill them off entirely. What do you guys think about this? Do you ever buy from key resellers or do you only deal directly with sites like Green Man Gaming or Steam? 

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Steam is revoking Sniper Elite III keys https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/steam-is-revoking-sniper-elite-iii-keys/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/steam-is-revoking-sniper-elite-iii-keys/#comments Fri, 27 Jun 2014 16:41:38 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=200444 We are receiving a lot of reports from you guys telling us that Steam is currently revoking Sniper Elite III keys bought from sites like CDKeys and Kinguin. Valve has yet to offer an official explanation or statement but this could be a sign that the company is going to fight back against cheap CD …

The post Steam is revoking Sniper Elite III keys first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
We are receiving a lot of reports from you guys telling us that Steam is currently revoking Sniper Elite III keys bought from sites like CDKeys and Kinguin. Valve has yet to offer an official explanation or statement but this could be a sign that the company is going to fight back against cheap CD key selling sites.

Right now customers are receiving emails stating that a problem has occurred with the supplier and full refunds will be issued:

“We have continued to work with our supplier to find a solution to the issue that has affected your CD Key today, however despite our best efforts this has unfortunately not been possible. We understand that you are very keen to play the game that you have purchased as soon as possible but as a resolution has failed to materialize and as we are unable to offer you a replacement CD Key we have decided to take the action of issuing you a full refund rather than keep you waiting any longer.”

Some retailers are offering a discount on your next order to make up for the trouble but we don't know if this is Valve's first step to ridding itself of unofficial sellers.

Steam Revoke

I would like to draw your attention to a specific section of Steam's message: “This could be due to a problem with the payment methods you used to acquire this item from a third-part seller; or a problem with how the third-party seller acquired the product code.

It's a little early to say whether or not Valve is moving to ban games bought from sites like G2A, CDKeys or Kinguin but it's possible. Hopefully Valve will offer a statement soon.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: If this has happened to you before then let us know as we are interested to see how many people this has affected. Lots of people use these third-party sites, even if they are unofficial so hopefully Valve doesn't start back tracking and revoking games people have bought in the past. What do you guys think of this? Should Valve be allowed to revoke games from user accounts based on how they acquired the code? 

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