Sniper Elite 3 bought elsewhere. Serial key not accepted by Steam

[PowerV]

We are two friends who both pre-ordered Sniper Elite 3 from another online store a while back. yesterday the money was withdrawn from our accounts. Today when I wanted to register the key Steam won't accept the key. First I got a message stating that there had been some problems with the purchase but after that i got a message about duplication? I have bought games from another online store before and entered the key without any problems. Anyone know what to do? Both of us haven't been able to purchase any games from Steam since june 17 th maybe this has something to do with that?

[Nirnias]

引用自 postewar：

引用自 Nirnias：

Also start checking websites you decide to spend money on in the future. Either this or similiar review website: https://ie.trustpilot.com/

ya that worked out great!

OnePlay.com | oneplay.com 4 / 5 stars
1119 Reviews | Trustscore 7.3 | Write a review

lol

It's the bad reviews that are most trustworthy..... You obviously dont know how those websites operate.

[PowerV]

I have bought several games from them and have had no problems before. Firstly I got a message stating that there had been some problems due to the purchase and after that the message about duplicate key.

[neva]

i get the same issue. Get the game today in original DVD box. Installed and after 6 hour gameplay i get the duplicated error too. When i want to add again the key,i get the window,this game alredy added to one account. When i click on the retrieve account button,i get the automatic e-mail from the steam support.
"Dear Steam User,

This is an automated message generated by Steam account administration. It is being sent in response to a query made by a Steam user to discover all account names associated with this CD-key.

Steam account name: nevapapa

If you requested this query, please use the above account name to log in to Steam. If you cannot remember your password, click on the “Retrieve lost account” button on the Steam login screen."

realy no idea

[Kargor]

The thing about "legit" shops is that you can't know. Unless it's a shop that sells things like Warcraft Gold as well -- stuff like that is a sure indicator they can't be trusted.

Now, as far as I'm concerned, I buy Steam keys at the Steam Store, Greenmangaming, and the bundlesites. Also bought a key from the Humble store during their spring sale, but I'm not particularly fond of that shop.

Turns out, all these (and a few others) are the ones that are also used by isthereanydeal for their price history and comparisons. Along the same lines, whenever someone has a problem with a key and mentions a shop, that shop is usually not in the list used by isthereanydeal.

Also, the shops that I've mentioned tend to have similar prices and similar sale discounts -- which does make sense, considering that a "legitimate" shop would have to get the games from the publishers, and publishers aren't going to give massively different prices to different shops. There may be exceptions wrt sales or bundles (like the spring sale flash purchase I made at Humble was an AoE III Complete at a discount that I haven't seen in any of the summer sales since), but in general it's somewhat uniform across shops.

[PowerV]

But isn't strange that even a person who have bought a box just like Neva got the same problem with not legit serial key? Something is very strange here. I have bought at least 3 or 4 games from the same dealer and I have not having any problems installing the games. How come you can install a game and play for a while and then get a message that your key is a duplicate?

[*Kaito_Gaben*]

Welcome to the Steam team!

So the problem should help that today I registered the steam program, Elite Sniper 3 game and quit after three hours of play, and specifically deleted from the CD key of the game! Installed, account is registered to, but Irish ja re-purchase the game if you want to start!

Help me please it would be very important. Who can write exactly that solution be?

Hungary bought the CDGalaxis Store!

[Laptop]

引用自 postewar：

Oh ya? Dose Valve provide a safe list of those 3rd party sites that are legit? No?

No, because none of them are legit as you're not supposed to be buying keys off third parties. However places like Amazon are obviously okay.

I never buy off places like these because if they rip you off or if something goes wrong then there is nothing that Valve can do. If you buy off the Steam Store then you know you're safe.

[Laptop]

引用自 postewar：

Maybe that is the solution.

Pass the buck. It would be far more convenient for Valve to partner with these publishers to have a list visable. But ya I can see why they don't want to advertise the competitor :MindControl:, so therefor they can keep saying they are the best place to buy games.

If you read my post then it states places like Amazon are okay. That is for retail copies of games.

[ KARR™]

Oh look:

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2014/06/27/third-party-sniper-elite-3-steam-codes-being-revoked-heres-why/

If you purchased a Sniper Elite 3 Steam key from a third party retailer, such as CDKeys.com, then you might find that your copy of the game has been revoked due to it apparently not being legitimate.

[Laptop]

引用自 postewar：

引用自 KARR：

Oh look:

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2014/06/27/third-party-sniper-elite-3-steam-codes-being-revoked-heres-why/

If you purchased a Sniper Elite 3 Steam key from a third party retailer, such as CDKeys.com, then you might find that your copy of the game has been revoked due to it apparently not being legitimate.

Well that looks like the best answer yet. But read on...

We’re not accusing any retailers of foul play here – they may well have had good reason to think the keys were genuine. As far we know most are now providing refunds or replacing keys. Indeed some of these sites are well known, and gamers pre-ordered the game in good faith.

http://i.imgur.com/eXGdhon.jpg

@ Laptop65, Amazon could have been just as duped. And I'd say this is one case that is apparently game specific.

Yes, but Amazon doesn't resell keys, they just sell CD keys for games. They get them direct from the publisher, whereas CD reseller sites have to get them by themselves from a shop or whatever (sometimes, from shady sources...).

[PowerV]

Yesterday when I tried to install the game there were a button I could click on and all the account names associated with the CD-key I used were to be sent to the legit owner of the CD-key. Guess who's got the e-mail and who the only account is registered to?
This is the replay I got, I erased my account name but mine were the only account registered to the CD-key I used. Can anyone explained that?

"Dear Steam User,
This is an automated message generated by Steam account administration. It is being sent in response to a query made by a Steam user to discover all account names associated with this CD-key.
Steam account name: My account"

[neva]

引用自 BullRiderHUN：

Welcome to the Steam team!

So the problem should help that today I registered the steam program, Elite Sniper 3 game and quit after three hours of play, and specifically deleted from the CD key of the game! Installed, account is registered to, but Irish ja re-purchase the game if you want to start!

Help me please it would be very important. Who can write exactly that solution be?

Hungary bought the CDGalaxis Store!

same shop mate and i buy lot of game in this shop without any problem...

[HLCinSC]

引用自 neva：

引用自 BullRiderHUN：

Welcome to the Steam team!

So the problem should help that today I registered the steam program, Elite Sniper 3 game and quit after three hours of play, and specifically deleted from the CD key of the game! Installed, account is registered to, but Irish ja re-purchase the game if you want to start!

Help me please it would be very important. Who can write exactly that solution be?

Hungary bought the CDGalaxis Store!

same shop mate and i buy lot of game in this shop without any problem...

With those kind of sites your mileage may vary. They get their keys from an assortment of places so if 5% of keys are fraudulent you are not likely to have problems but the possibility still exists.

[neva]

引用自 HLCinSC：

引用自 neva：

same shop mate and i buy lot of game in this shop without any problem...

With those kind of sites your mileage may vary. They get their keys from an assortment of places so if 5% of keys are fraudulent you are not likely to have problems but the possibility still exists.

yes mate, i get it,but is a realy shame when we have problems with original dvd boxes..

[RunnerX]

引用自 Nirnias：

Whether or not they "look" legit is irrelevant they are not recognised vendors for Steam and the only way they manage to get the keys is by buying them cheaply from other regions, or buying them in the bundle packs and selling them seperately. Buying a Russian region CD key and using it in EU is obviously not allowed.

Since you didnt buy it from Steam, its not Steams problem. Go contact the people you bought it from.

You realize there is no such thing as region locking on steam. You can buy a key from anywhere and use it anywhere it's just pisses steam cause they don't get the larger cut of it because you didn't buy it from let's say the UK or Germany or whatever.