Different format Steam game key?

[Liquid]

Every time I redeem a key it's in 5-5-5 format ie.

XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

But I got a key from a third party seller (website) which came in 5-5-5-5-5 format ie.

XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

At first I thought this was a fake key so I redeemed immediately but it worked (which is good)

Q) Does this key belong to a physical copy of the game?

I'm afraid the seller might ask steam to check it's owner to get the game removed from my account as he/she has the physical copy and can take a picture of the key on the case whilst I can only give them the key I saved in my excel file. (he/she has a better proof than me and I become a victim of a scam :/)

I redeemed the key should I refund it while I can? or am I worried too much about the wrong thing?

A small doubt I had that I would appreciate if it were cleared: There is a thing that Steam asks for a picture of physical copy games CD-key to verify the ownership of the account. So... I don't have/can't take a picture but I have the key - will that work for Steam? or will I get locked out for good? :(

[Tev]

Can't say I've run into a whole lot of 5x5s either.

I have only 4 physical retail keys tied to my Steam -account, apparently which go like this:

• The Orange Box - ABCDE-FGHJK-LMNOP-QRSTU-VWXYZ
  
• Counter-Strike: Source - ABCDE-FGHJK-LMNOP-QRSTU-VWXYZ
  
• Borderlands 2 - ABCDE-FGHJK-LMNOP-QRSTU-VWXYZ
  
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II - ABCDE-FGHJK-LMNOP

Considering the exception with Black Ops II, that leaves me a bit of an uncertainty whether it's possible it can go like this,

	Physical Copy	Virtual Copy
5x5
5x3

Or if it's completely game specific.

Where did you buy that game of yours?

                                                        EDIT

This is a 2014 cache of the old Steam Support -article:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140321193158/https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7480-WUSF-3601

Considering stuff like this,

Humble Indie Bundle in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q

Seems like an old format moreso.

Also, seems that I skipped I in the alphabet, ha. Go figure I'm too used to looking at them on my keyboard.

[Washell]

Originally posted by bicycle boy.:

I'm afraid the seller might ask steam to check it's owner to get the game removed from my account

Keys can't be removed from an account, period. The only exception is if the key was originally paid for with a stolen credit card or charged back.

Originally posted by bicycle boy.:

A small doubt I had that I would appreciate if it were cleared: There is a thing that Steam asks for a picture of physical copy games CD-key to verify the ownership of the account. So... I don't have/can't take a picture but I have the key - will that work for Steam? or will I get locked out for good? :(

If you can prove ownership in other ways (payment details, other keys, etc) you're fine.

[Tev]

The above being said, having personal proof of ownership is definitely not a bad idea regardless, whether or not you were to run into a situation where someone was trying to pretend your account pretends to them. When it comes to CD-keys, only the physical paper pamphlet counts.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2268-EAFZ-9762

[Liquid]

Originally posted by Teutep:

Or if it's completely game specific.

Where did you buy that game of yours?

Hey Teutep! I'm the same guy you helped out about a week back here. Thank you for taking the time to help out again. I really appreciate it. You are awesome! :)

About the "If it's completely game specific" I did some searching and I found this[gaming.stackexchange.com] where it said...

Audiosurf CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q

Yes, the game is Audiosurf from G-to-A. :S

so I'm guessing that there is a hard copy of the game with the code stuck on/in it somewhere in the world.

Originally posted by Washell:

Originally posted by bicycle boy.:

I'm afraid the seller might ask steam to check it's owner to get the game removed from my account

Keys can't be removed from an account, period. The only exception is if the key was originally paid for with a stolen credit card or charged back.

The game is since 2008 so I'm guessing all purchases made (including keys) with stolen cards might have been invalid-ed by now. But I will never know for sure I guess. :/ but thank you for...

Originally posted by Washell:

If you can prove ownership in other ways (payment details, other keys, etc) you're fine.

:)

Originally posted by Teutep:

The above being said, having personal proof of ownership is definitely not a bad idea regardless, whether or not you were to run into a situation where someone was trying to pretend your account pretends to them. When it comes to CD-keys, only the physical paper pamphlet counts.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2268-EAFZ-9762

This being the only physical copy game I probably own on steam now that's why I was surprised by the format. So this is the only way I'm guessing steam would ask from me to verify my accounts ownership and i don't have the physical scan... I'm screwed right? should I contact support regarding this? cause I want to try to tell them to make an exception for this game before it's too late and for them to ask keys of my other games instead. (but all of them are digital but this :S)

[Tev]

Fairly certain Audiosurf doesn't even come in a physical format.
http://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Audiosurf#Availability

Retail key for example isn't even specifically mentioned here.

So, to sum it up, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

                                              EDIT

I'm wrong:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASCARON-Entertainment-UK-Ltd-Audiosurf/dp/B001GIONUS

While DRM isn't specified as Steamworks there, reviews suggest the physical copy also does activate through Steam. That however does not mean the CD-key is necessarily that of the physical version, and likely isn't. It could be a Humble Bundle bought copy for example.*

Should you feel paranoid, I'd try obtaining some form of proof of ownership. Some cheap purchase on the Steam Store, or by adding funds with i.e. a Steam Wallet Card/Code. Just trying to say that more than likely you've got nothing to worry about.

I'd still avoid that unauthorized reseller.

                                                  EDIT #2

* = While I know this isn't what you necessarily want to hear (Humble might have also changed its format at some point.)

Turns out I've actually redeemed Audiosurf (on Nov. 21st, 2013) from Humble Bundle and its format is in

ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO

http://i.imgur.com/IMmZyow.png

This while acknowledging this is what was written on the cached Steam -article[web.archive.org]

Audiosurf CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q

[Liquid]

Thanks you so much again Teutep. I guess I can't do anything now but get a random physical copy of a game with a steam key. Ouch. And I thought I saved $7 I'll contact Steam support hoping I can request them to not use this game as a verification method for me. I don't think they can do anything about it or can't do it (most likely) but I'll try. I'll post here later on what happened after contacting support so if anyone faces this problem and finds this discussion can see if contacting them helps. :P