How to Ask a publisher to remove game key

[Will be deleted]

I have a bunch of video games keys I want to get rid off and I know that publishers have the ability to revoke keys. I also know you can permamently remove games, but that don’t actually permamently remove the games, just hide them.

This is what I’m asking for https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/029B-6D58-6EE6-1D7A

[nullable]

1. Contact the publisher, specifics may vary from publisher to publisher.
   
2. Ask for a key to be revoked.
   
3. Wait for the response. Prepare to ask several times, be prepared that the publisher may not respond or be interested in enabling these sorts of requests because invariably someone will ask to have a key revoked and then days, weeks, months, years later decide they want it back, which is why Valve has their system.

[Chika Ogiue]

It's unlikely a publisher is going to revoke a single key. It would potentially open them up to unwanted legal action. No matter how much you claim to want the key removed, they have no proof that you are the person who originally activated the key. A screenshot is going to cut it, as they are too easily manipulated.

[Will be deleted]

So only way is to delete account?

[nullable]

Messaggio originale di Will be deleted:

So only way is to delete account?

If your concern is completely annihilating the license above all other concerns, then maybe.

It can't hurt to ask the publisher, I'm just saying you should manage your expectations. It's likely to be a long shot.

[Will be deleted]

Messaggio originale di nullable:

Messaggio originale di Will be deleted:

So only way is to delete account?

If your concern is completely annihilating the license above all other concerns, then maybe.

It can't hurt to ask the publisher, I'm just saying you should manage your expectations. It's likely to be a long shot.

Well principles are more important than money.

[Will be deleted]

I can just rebuy the games I want and it is not much loss.

[m662]

Key revokes are a huge administrative undertaking which is not done on a whim.
They happen when there is serious belief of massive PR disaster, issue with local law or criminal activity that could spell disaster for profits.

I have seen two key revokes happen in a long line of behind the scenes with releases of different publishers.

One was a shipment of games that was taken by force by a criminal organisation threatening a driver with a RPG and automatic weapons forcing to act as the keys were being sold before the game was meant to launch.

And another being a wrong release version of a game in a Islamic country that could have had massive PR disaster and risk of life of the purchaser if the game was allowed to be played there.


We never ever honored a individual request we never ever honored a developer request we honored a legal advice, take-down notice from a publisher.

Messaggio originale di Will be deleted:

[
Well principles are more important than money.

Not to a corporation.

[Will be deleted]

Well atleast the account can be deleted.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Messaggio originale di Will be deleted:

Well atleast the account can be deleted.

Your posts will remain.

[Ben Lubar]

Messaggio originale di m662:

We never ever honored a individual request we never ever honored a developer request we honored a legal advice, take-down notice from a publisher.

Who is "we" in this context? Developers can revoke Steam keys by uploading a text file to https://partner.steamgames.com/partnerbatchbancdkeys/

And to OP: no, a developer will not ban a key you legitimately bought on request.

Use extreme caution when banning Steam keys. Never ban Steam keys that have been sold to legitimate customers, for any reason other than a refund.

[Will be deleted]

Well it seems like I have to delete the account

[Kargor]

Messaggio originale di Will be deleted:

When it seems like I have to delete the account

Well, to each their own, I guess.

Just keep in mind that whatever "message" you're trying to send to the publisher, it's not arriving.

[Will be deleted]

Messaggio originale di Kargor:

Messaggio originale di Will be deleted:

When it seems like I have to delete the account

Well, to each their own, I guess.

Just keep in mind that whatever "message" you're trying to send to the publisher, it's not arriving.

That don’t matter

[m662]

Messaggio originale di Ben Lubar:

Messaggio originale di m662:

We never ever honored a individual request we never ever honored a developer request we honored a legal advice, take-down notice from a publisher.

Who is "we" in this context? Developers can revoke Steam keys by uploading a text file to https://partner.steamgames.com/partnerbatchbancdkeys/

And to OP: no, a developer will not ban a key you legitimately bought on request.

Use extreme caution when banning Steam keys. Never ban Steam keys that have been sold to legitimate customers, for any reason other than a refund.

As a store and publisher for others where I worked for. Similar situation as Steam different company.

And yes they can do it technically but it is administrative process you do not do just because a user asked. Because if its a outside decision it needs to be documented in your CRM anyone that is also involved at certain level needs to be able to see that information. Otherwise you might get troll situations where someone asks a key removal and than support gets bothered by it with no clue why the key does not work.

Another more likely scenario is account sabotage. A relative of someone in those cases might sabotage the account by requesting key revokes. Than when the victim regains control those keys are null and void and you have to replace them which again is administrative nightmare unless it is a company own decision. even worse if it involves online authentication servers.

[Kargor]

Messaggio originale di m662:

Another more likely scenario is account sabotage.

Yep. Steam does allow account deletion (which is an even stronger form of sabotage), but they try to do a reasonably safe confirmation that it's not an outside party requesting it -- and, more importantly, I seem to remember they only added it because of legal requirements in some jurisdictions.

Similar to how they don't permanently remove a key, they probably didn't want to bother with account deletions -- even more so since from their perspective, there's no reason to actually remove an account: they aren't charging you for it anyway, so if you don't want to use it anymore, it can just sit there "forever".