What happens when you buy two copies of a game on steam?

[Mr Chef]

I already have copies of Empire: Total War and Total War: Shogun 2, but I wanted to get versions of them with all the DLC. What happens with the two origional copies and the two new copies?

[Raiden]

The store won't let you buy it for yourself (but you can buy it as a gift), or you get DLCs without the base game, therefore wasting money. Rather the first one.

DLCs for those games are unavailable separately, or you're just that lazy?

[Mr Chef]

It's just a lot cheaper to get new copies with the DLC, I don't think that constitutes me as lazy.

[WhereIsBusmin]

Here is some additional information: Steam Support > Extra Copies

[Mr Chef]

So what your all saying is that if I do get other copies, they'll be useless?

[Kargor]

Most games do not get extra copies at all. If you get multiple copies of a game they will simply be discarded.

The shop won't let you buy a game that you already own, but it WILL let you buy a package containing a game that you already own.

For example, if you own a game and purchase a package with the game and DLCs, the second copy of the game will be discarded and you'll only get the DLCs.

Likewise, if you own a game from a franchise, and purchase a "Complete" pack, you'll only get the games that you don't already have. Duplicates will be discarded.

At this stage, Steam completely ignores multiple licenses; they can't even be used with family sharing to allow multiple people to play that game.

[Satoru]

The rule is

Unless the store page EXPLICITLY says you get extra copies, YOU WILL NOT GET THEM.

[Mr Chef]

Thanks Kargor, you explained it better than Steam Help did :)