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CrYpTiC Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:33am
tried to redeem a key for a game that i already owned by accident.
Basically, i forgot that the game was already in my steam library and apparentlly the key is now invalid. I cant believe steam still chewed up my game key even though i already owned the game from long ago.

Has this happened to anyone else??
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Showing 1-15 of 19 comments
ReBoot Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:41am 
Did you get "product already owned" when redeeming the code?
#1
CrYpTiC Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:41am 
Originally posted by ReBoot:
Did you get "product already owned" when redeeming the code?
yes i did
Last edited by CrYpTiC; Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:42am
#2
J4MESOX4D Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:42am 
Keys can only be used once and are tied to the account it's activated on. I assume you entered the code that you originally used to get the game on your account - therefore this means the key is worthless and cannot be used ever again.
#3
Tev Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:42am 
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
Originally posted by ReBoot:
Did you get "product already owned" when redeeming the code?
yes i did
Then it's normal.
#4
CrYpTiC Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:43am 
so.... since i already owned the game (i honestlly forgot that i did BTW).... steam automatically 'voids' the key?
#5
Tev Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:44am 
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
so.... since i already owned the game (i honestlly forgot that i did BTW).... steam automatically 'voids' the key?
It spits it out, it doesn't chew it.
#6
ReBoot Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:45am 
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
Originally posted by ReBoot:
Did you get "product already owned" when redeeming the code?
yes i did
Then the code wasn't "eaten up". You can use it someplace else.
#7
J4MESOX4D Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:45am 
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
so.... since i already owned the game (i honestlly forgot that i did BTW).... steam automatically 'voids' the key?
Obviously. Games can only be activated once on one account. This is to stop piracy and people generally sharing games which would result in catastrophic losses to developers.
#8
CrYpTiC Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:45am 
Originally posted by Teutep:
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
so.... since i already owned the game (i honestlly forgot that i did BTW).... steam automatically 'voids' the key?
It spits it out, it doesn't chew it.

then why has my key become void then? when a friend uses it... they get duplicate key error..... they didnt even know that i accidentlly tried to activate it beforehand.
#9
Tev Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:46am 
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
Originally posted by Teutep:
It spits it out, it doesn't chew it.

then why has my key become void then? when a friend uses it... they get duplicate key error..... they didnt even know that i accidentlly tried to activate it beforehand.
Because it's already been used.

Didn't you say it's in your library anyway?
It's there, it remains there, it won't leave from there.
Last edited by Tev; Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:47am
#10
J4MESOX4D Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:47am 
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
Originally posted by Teutep:
It spits it out, it doesn't chew it.

then why has my key become void then? when a friend uses it... they get duplicate key error..... they didnt even know that i accidentlly tried to activate it beforehand.
Because you used it in the first place ages ago when you first activated it on your account. The key cannot be used ever again after it's activated and tied to an account.
#11
CrYpTiC Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:47am 
Originally posted by Teutep:
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:

then why has my key become void then? when a friend uses it... they get duplicate key error..... they didnt even know that i accidentlly tried to activate it beforehand.
Because it's already been used.

Ahh... so it still gets 'used' even though you already owned the game from beforehand?
#12
CrYpTiC Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:47am 
Originally posted by J4MESOX4D:
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:

then why has my key become void then? when a friend uses it... they get duplicate key error..... they didnt even know that i accidentlly tried to activate it beforehand.
Because you used it in the first place ages ago when you first activated it on your account. The key cannot be used ever again after it's activated and tied to an account.

no wait... hold on... the 2nd key for the same game was a different key!
#13
CrYpTiC Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:48am 
perhaps i should have made it clearer.....the key that i used by accident was actually a different key from a different bundle... that happened to be for the same game.
#14
Tev Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:48am 
Originally posted by eLeCtRoDe:
Originally posted by Teutep:
Because it's already been used.

Ahh... so it still gets 'used' even though you already owned the game from beforehand?
So, let me get this straight.

This is a second key? Not the same key you tied the game originally to your account with?
If your friend is getting this issue with some other key than the one you activated in the first place, then that key has been redeemed by someone else first or your friend is typing the key in wrong.
#15
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Date Posted: Jun 10, 2015 @ 5:33am
Posts: 19
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