Why doesn't activating a key for a game you already own go into your gifts?

[Sam88FPS]

I've just wasted my money...

[ReGeneration]

It's never worked like that.

[Tev]

I'd rather know which games have actually been bought from the Steam Store and which haven't.

This has actually been debated before,
http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/527274088390668740/

http://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/search/?gidforum=882959061469928464&include_deleted=1&q=retail+to+inventory

[Ogami]

The only way to get a steam gift is to buy the game directly on the steam store and select " buy as a gift" at the checkout page. Thats it.

[Sam88FPS]

引用自 ReGeneration：

It's never worked like that.

Well it should. It didn't even prompt me before activating the key.

[Falro the Great]

You can still use the key, you just can't activate it on that account.

[Sam88FPS]

引用自 Falro the Great：

You can still use the key, you just can't activate it on that account.

It allowed me to activate the same game twice because I thought it would be converted to a gift and put in my inventory.

[Washell]

With all the regional copies, goty editions and other stuff going around, the possibility of a key for an already owned title being accepted is increasing rapidly. It wouldn't be a bad idea if Valve tied it all together so that using an ROW key when you already have a Europe tier 1 copy does give a prompt "You already own this copy, are you sure you want to activate that copy?" instead of just activating.

[Ogami]

引用自 TehCreepyCreeper：

引用自 Falro the Great：

You can still use the key, you just can't activate it on that account.

It allowed me to activate the same game twice because I thought it would be converted to a gift and put in my inventory.

That is definetley not true. If you already own a game and try to activate the same game again with a key you get an error message "This account already owns this game. Do you want to install it instead?".

The only exeption is when you own the standard version of a game and then activate for example a GOTY edition with additional DLC. These can be activated and you get the DLC you are missing.

[Sam88FPS]

引用自 Ogami：

引用自 TehCreepyCreeper：

It allowed me to activate the same game twice because I thought it would be converted to a gift and put in my inventory.

That is definetley not true. If you already own a game and try to activate the same game again with a key you get an error message "This account already owns this game. Do you want to install it instead?".

The only exeption is when you own the standard version of a game and then activate for example a GOTY edition with additional DLC. These can be activated and you get the DLC you are missing.

Are you calling me a liar? Hypothetically it shouldn't be asking to install the game if I already have it installed. When I activated the key their was no prompt, it processed like the game wasn't in my account to begin with. Steam should allow for games to be converted to gifts when activating keys for already owned games. They're just lowering the distribution of content since the game has gone to waste now...

[Hanomaly]

you aren't a liar but you are mistaken

if the key activated when you already owned the game... then the key included things you did *not* own. Yes the key may have been the same base game but it would *have* to include dlc or other expansions you did not have... or else if wouldn't have activated.

the end.

引用自 TehCreepyCreeper：

引用自 Ogami：

That is definetley not true. If you already own a game and try to activate the same game again with a key you get an error message "This account already owns this game. Do you want to install it instead?".

The only exeption is when you own the standard version of a game and then activate for example a GOTY edition with additional DLC. These can be activated and you get the DLC you are missing.

Are you calling me a liar? Hypothetically it shouldn't be asking to install the game if I already have it installed. When I activated the key their was no prompt, it processed like the game wasn't in my account to begin with. Steam should allow for games to be converted to gifts when activating keys for already owned games. They're just lowering the distribution of content since the game has gone to waste now...

[Sam88FPS]

引用自 Hanomaly：

you aren't a liar but you are mistaken

if the key activated when you already owned the game... then the key included things you did *not* own. Yes the key may have been the same base game but it would *have* to include dlc or other expansions you did not have... or else if wouldn't have activated.

the end.

引用自 TehCreepyCreeper：

Are you calling me a liar? Hypothetically it shouldn't be asking to install the game if I already have it installed. When I activated the key their was no prompt, it processed like the game wasn't in my account to begin with. Steam should allow for games to be converted to gifts when activating keys for already owned games. They're just lowering the distribution of content since the game has gone to waste now...

Well it has activated and the game doesn't have DLC. The key doesn't work now so obviously it did lol.

[Hanomaly]

let's try this.. what specific game was the key for?

[Sam88FPS]

Tomb Raider I I know it's not the priciest of games so the money doesn't matter... it's just the fact that it would be better for Steam if you could use externally bought keys and convert them to a gift regardless if you own the game or not.

[Washell]

引用自 TehCreepyCreeper：

it's just the fact that it would be better for Steam if you could use externally bought keys and convert them to a gift regardless if you own the game or not.

People have been asking for that since 2003. Don't hold your breath. Also, it's better for the user, not better for Steam/Valve. For Valve it's a write-off.

[Sam88FPS]

引用自 Washell：

引用自 TehCreepyCreeper：

it's just the fact that it would be better for Steam if you could use externally bought keys and convert them to a gift regardless if you own the game or not.

People have been asking for that since 2003. Don't hold your breath. Also, it's better for the user, not better for Steam/Valve. For Valve it's a write-off.

''Also, it's better for the user, not better for Steam/Valve. For Valve it's a write-off.'' Not really, I was going to gift them to other Steam users, why else would I want to buy a key and turn it into a gift? I can just send them the key but I wanted them in my inventory so I can decide when to send them. People are still going to buy the keys anyway. It would only affect distributing more games on the platform.