Is it okay to use a dedicated IP address from a VPN just to play games?

[LinuxUser93]

Hey there, Georgia resident here. I just subscribed to NordVPN and its dedicated IP address from Atlanta for added layer of security from my computer and tablet. However, the question is that is it okay to use use it just to play games from my library? I already understand the terms and conditions from this:

"You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, Valve may terminate your access to your Account."

I swear, I will never change a country just to circumvent for content and prices. I prefer connecting to a server from my home state and country. Also I prefer using a dedicated IP address so that I am the only one who is using that VPN connection. I don't really want to use much of a shared IP address as it would sometimes make me look suspicious thinking that I am a bot to where it triggers annoying captchas or could get me locked out of social media like Facebook. This is why I prefer using a dedicated IP address, especially from Atlanta, the capital of my home state. So is it okay to use a dedicated IP from your home state and country just to play games? Let me know down the comments. Thank you.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Staying within your state is fine, for tax purposes on store purchases.

[EliteEndermanzz]

If you used the VPN to get cheaper prices in the store you'd get in trouble but you shouldn't just by playing games

[Mad Scientist]

Messaggio originale di EliteEndermanzz:

If you used the VPN to get cheaper prices in the store you'd get in trouble but you shouldn't just by playing games

That problem was resolved quite a while ago, for a while it's required the billing address match the payment method, thus getting charged by the billing address.

Messaggio originale di LinuxUser93:

However, the question is that is it okay to use use it just to play games from my library? I already understand the terms and conditions from this:

"You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, Valve may terminate your access to your Account."

As long as you don't use it to for ill-intent you're fine. The moment it goes from just wanting to partially hide standard identifiers - to something not allowed is when there's an issue. So as long as you don't violate their rules, try to ban evade somewhere, or disguise residency vs real residency for billing purposes you're fine.

Do note many game servers often ban on sight for use of proxy/vpn or otherwise will deny a connection as they are used for ill-intent by some groups or they refuse connection as an extra precaution from server owners/operators. Good amount of VPNs have been blasted for tracking almost everything their customer does as well.

[Chika Ogiue]

Messaggio originale di EliteEndermanzz:

If you used the VPN to get cheaper prices in the store you'd get in trouble but you shouldn't just by playing games

Not even cheaper prices. Using a VPN to purchase outside your region was always treated as fraud. But that's no longer possible as Steam hasn't taken IP address into account for purchases since around 2018.

[primeinsurrection]

If you do plan on illegally cheating Steam out of money and the government out of taxes, the first step is not to post about it on the forum.

[LinuxUser93]

Messaggio originale di Chika Ogiue:

Messaggio originale di EliteEndermanzz:

If you used the VPN to get cheaper prices in the store you'd get in trouble but you shouldn't just by playing games

Not even cheaper prices. Using a VPN to purchase outside your region was always treated as fraud. But that's no longer possible as Steam hasn't taken IP address into account for purchases since around 2018.

According to IP-Score, my GeoIP1 is from the Atlanta server, which is in the United States. However, my GeoIP2 states that it is also from the Tokyo, Japan server. This is NordVPN's dedicated IP address that I am looking up. Does it matter?

[Chika Ogiue]

Messaggio originale di LinuxUser93:

According to IP-Score, my GeoIP1 is from the Atlanta server, which is in the United States. However, my GeoIP2 states that it is also from the Tokyo, Japan server. This is NordVPN's dedicated IP address that I am looking up. Does it matter?

Not for the Steam store.

Have a look at https://store.steampowered.com/account/ under Store & Purchase History, whatever is listed as your country is your Steam store region. VPN alone will not change that.

But as others said, individual games will have their own rules for VPN use.

[BJWyler]

As long as your billing address and method of payment line up with your region and current address on file. You should not have any issues.

However, on a side note, despite what a lot of these VPN sites tell you, you're not adding that much more security or privacy by using them. And in some cases, it may actually be worse.

[VoxxysTale]

I switched mine off too, just felt better not having every little thing tracked. Haven't noticed any changes in performance since turning it off, so I think it's fine to leave disabled.

[Drain]

The only useful thing a VPN does is hide your illegal torrenting from your ISP. Shills all over youtube, especially for nordvpn, claim you need one for other purposes, but you don't. They'll sponsor damn near anything that throws them a bone.

[Eli]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.