Experience with Steam purchasing abroad during a vacation

[Jank]

Hello all,

This is more of a "getting off my chest" post than an advice post but go ahead and send whatever help you think may relate to the topic.

To start off, I am from SEA and recently took a vacation in the USA during November all the way to January. Of course, I made some purchases on steam using a USA debit card under the assumption that I can just switch back to SEA when I come back. I made purchases in November and in January. This wasn't the case after all.

Currently I am unable to make any purchases with my SEA debit card because I have been region locked to USA for the next three months. What's frustrating is that there is no way to check when I am able to switch regions, there is no countdown, and there is no information regarding an extension to the region lock if I make a purchase anytime soon.

I asked steam support to provide information on when I can switch regions to make a purchase using my permanent residence in SEA, to which they actually just flagged my account for using a VPN, which is entirely false.

The next ticket I sent in, I attached my boarding passes to the file to prove that I was not using a VPN on my account. No reply.

It really blows since I was not aware of such region locking when making a purchase abroad. Had I known that there was a 3 month cooldown, I would have just loaded up my steam account with the home currency.

So I would like to purchase Helldivers 2 but unable to because I fear that my account will be further locked in the USA region if I make a purchase using a SEA issued Mastercard that works in the USA.

I was also thinking of purchasing Helldivers 2 off of Green Man Gaming but they use geographical IP Addresses to match my region, which is currently in SEA, but my steam country region is currently locked to USA.

I am unsure what will happen if I ask my friend to gift me Helldivers 2 if the gift is from USA. Would it extend my lock? Will the game still be available if I switch back to SEA? The price difference is not even that far off from each other, Following conversion rate, 1990PHP ios 35.56 USD, while the game is 40 USD if purchased in the USA.

Dude, I just want to buy Helldivers 2 come on steam.

[76561199559798421]

the solution is to create a new steam account for the region in which you are currently living, this will provide the system with geographical location that will not matter if the payment method is differnt. (in a differnt region, it only wants your geographical location to match your purchase area)

while it might be understanding that having multiply steam accounts could be frustrating you could simply create the same log in and add a number after it as your second account.

this way when you do change regional living situations you will be able to freely purchase games back on your original account. If you are also a heavy steam users it is good to break up your purchasing between two different accounts in the event you want to allow a guest to play on a second device with one of the games you have on another account, in example

The steam deck which will not allow library content to be played while anything is being played on a PC at the same time. By using two accounts users can engage with both devices at the same time.

your solution is to create this second account to engage with both regional markets at the same time. i hope this solution works for you , Good Luck.

[Mad Scientist]

Postat inițial de Jank:

Yes I did think about it, but there's no information if that kind of purchase will region lock my account to the USA further.

Given what already happened and how 3rd party keys can be obtained via fraud resulting in being removed from a users account, I would stick to buying them legitimately through known legitimate stores like HumbleBundle.

Also, when you are on vacation do not change your payment method, you pay based upon where you live; your permanent address ie your billing address. This prevents problems and can indeed set off a VPN flag if you are seen buying in one place then go back to your payment method. If you're going to use keys, do not use a certain 3-letter site as they are often illegally obtained & can be revoked, "isthereanydeal" often will show where you can get something, humblebundle is one you can often get multiple games for much less than individually, and is known-legitimate.

Also to receive games as steam gifts, it should be within 10% of a price difference.

[Chika Ogiue]

Postat inițial de Jank:

I really am skipping on the global key from third party site option. I would rather buy it officially. Support devs and all.

Just for the record, there are several legitimate sites you can buy from. Each obtains their Steam keys, etc., direct from the publisher. In other words, they are licensed retailers.

Examples include:
Greenman Gaming
GamersGate
GamesPlanet
Fanatical
HumbleBundle

[nullable]

Postat inițial de Jank:

Of course, I made some purchases on steam using a USA debit card under the assumption that I can just switch back to SEA when I come back.

Valve is not responsible for your uninformed assumptions. If you don't learn the system you're using, if you don't double check your assumptions, that's not a problem with the system. That's a problem with the user.

Postat inițial de Jank:

It really blows since I was not aware of such region locking when making a purchase abroad. Had I known that there was a 3 month cooldown, I would have just loaded up my steam account with the home currency.

Ignorance sometimes has consequences. Issues with region hopping aren't a secret, and neither are Steam's rules and policies. It's all very searchable.

Postat inițial de Jank:

So I would like to purchase Helldivers 2 but unable to because I fear that my account will be further locked in the USA region if I make a purchase using a SEA issued Mastercard that works in the USA.

I was also thinking of purchasing Helldivers 2 off of Green Man Gaming but they use geographical IP Addresses to match my region, which is currently in SEA, but my steam country region is currently locked to USA.

I am unsure what will happen if I ask my friend to gift me Helldivers 2 if the gift is from USA. Would it extend my lock? Will the game still be available if I switch back to SEA? The price difference is not even that far off from each other, Following conversion rate, 1990PHP ios 35.56 USD, while the game is 40 USD if purchased in the USA.

Dude, I just want to buy Helldivers 2 come on steam.

Use a U.S. FOP, like you did on vacation (IE US firend gifts it to you) Or wait the three months until you can switch your region back.

The region switching cooldown isn't based on when you last purchased something or received a gift. It's based on when you last switched regions. This is also very searchable.

[rawWwRrr]

Postat inițial de Jank:

Postat inițial de Pierce Dalton:

Global.

Yes I did think about it, but there's no information if that kind of purchase will region lock my account to the USA further.

Go here:
https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/helldivers-2

They have a region check on the page. I'm not aware of there being any region restrictions on that game, anyway.

And no, activating a key doesn't extend or change your store region. Only a store purchase can change the region. And then once changed, it's 90 days from the change, not the last purchase made.

[Chika Ogiue]

Postat inițial de rawWwRrr:

I'm not aware of there being any region restrictions on that game, anyway.

There are at least two versions of the game.

We have detected that you are in: Japan
Select a country to verify activation:

United Kingdom
Will NOT activate in United Kingdom

[Burger]

steam support 🤦🏿