Games from grey market websites?

[ehossam92]

I do not grasp the buisness model of websites like ♥♥♥, how can they sell a game that still is in preorder phase at about half the price? Did someone buy it before and did not want it anymore? If that is the case, then how can there be infinite keys? And how can some "users" on the websites gain 10000+ ratings? Did they sell more than 10k game keys? How is that even possible?

Note: One of these websites claimed that they have a "partnership" with steam so that they can make sure that the kay is valid. I hope someone from valve addresses that.

[CinthyaBunny]

No one but they know how that works. And even then, I won't ever buy games from a grey market site, it's not legitimate and they're grey for a reason.

[Theblaze]

I would think twice to buy an Game from a grey market site not only because they sell Steam GIFTS but also because of the low prices.

It probably has (bad?) reasons why they have such low prices.

[Washell]

Some of those are using hi-jacked accounts to monetize stolen credit cards to launder the money. In case you were thinking it's a victimless crime to buy a cheap copy.

Other's are really grey, by just offering a VPN service along with the sale so you can activate and play your regional bound, cheap copy. That's not illegal by any country's law, but Valve is still allowed to shut down your account for it, because it's against the terms of their service.

Either way, I don't need the headache of getting involved with that, so I buy from legitimate places.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Games sold on that site are form unknown origins. They don't buy the keys from the developer, but from other people. They don't even check the source of those keys. They seem to buy humble bundle keys a lot and resell them (against HB's TOS) as well.

Due to this, they have had many keys revoked by developers.

http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/9/8006693/the-truth-behind-those-mysteriously-cheap-gray-market-game-codes

http://www.destructoid.com/-fraudulent-elder-scrolls-online-steam-keys-revoked-292837.phtml

The sale of Steam gifts is also against the SSA. Many times I have read of games being removed from a user's library a few weeks after the purchase, because the seller either used a stolen card or did a chargeback on their card.

Any site where you need to pay extra to ensure you get to keep the item you purchased, is realy shady to begin with. It shows they know their keys/sellers are fraudulent. Buying from a legit retailer, you are already ensured that the key is real and won't be revoked. I have also seem complaints about the site not refunding a game that was revoked, simply because the user did't get a screen shot of the one time message, saying the game was revoked.

[ehossam92]

Spawn of Totoro eredeti hozzászólása:

Games sold on that site are form unknown origins. They don't buy the keys from the developer, but from other people. They don't even check the source of those keys. They seem to buy humble bundle keys a lot and resell them (against HB's TOS) as well.

Due to this, they have had many keys revoked by developers.

http://www.polygon.com/2015/2/9/8006693/the-truth-behind-those-mysteriously-cheap-gray-market-game-codes

http://www.destructoid.com/-fraudulent-elder-scrolls-online-steam-keys-revoked-292837.phtml

The sale of Steam gifts is also against the SSA. Many times I have read of games being removed from a user's library a few weeks after the purchase, because the seller either used a stolen card or did a chargeback on their card.

Any site where you need to pay extra to ensure you get to keep the item you purchased, is realy shady to begin with. It shows they know their keys/sellers are fraudulent. Buying from a legit retailer, you are already ensured that the key is real and won't be revoked. I have also seem complaints about the site not refunding a game that was revoked, simply because the user did't get a screen shot of the one time message, saying the game was revoked.

How can then some of these claim about an existing "partnership" with steam?

[ehossam92]

Theblaze eredeti hozzászólása:

I would think twice to buy an Game from a grey market site not only because they sell Steam GIFTS but also because of the low prices.

It probably has (bad?) reasons why they have such low prices.

Their prices and preorders got me thinking about the origins of these keys. I would think more than twice before buying anything from there

[Pheace]

ehossam92 eredeti hozzászólása:

How can then some of these claim about an existing "partnership" with steam?

If they are they're lying

[Theblaze]

ehossam92 eredeti hozzászólása:

[...] How can then some of these claim about an existing "partnership" with steam?

Valve (Steam) is not associated or in partnership with the Website you mentioned above, ask yourself why it's censored here.

[Washell]

ehossam92 eredeti hozzászólása:

How can then some of these claim about an existing "partnership" with steam?

"We get the money, Valve gets the mess" could constitute a (unwilling) partnership...