Steam Worldwide CD KEY won't Redeem

[Kaosiow]

I purchase a Cd key from CD KEYS.COM that stated it was WORLDWIDE however when I try to redeem it in the UK, it states "Sorry, but is not available for purchase in this country. your purchase has been cancelled" But the game is available in the UK Steam Store?

[nullable]

Well grey market key sites can't be trusted. And clearly the key is for a different region than the one you're in. So... take it up with the grey market site.

[Lone Wolf]

You got scammed, no such thing as a “worldwide key”. This is why you should stick to official retailers, such as Amazon. If it's a lot cheaper than the RRP then it's obviously a scam!

Third party websites, such as the one you used, sell their digital products cheap because they get them through malicious practices.

Your only solution is to take your issue up with the people who sold you the key. If they refuse the refund, then that’s that.

[sandokanski]

Steam does not own that site. You better ask them.

[Kargor]

The Steam store will only give you licenses that are available in your country; however, that doesn't mean that all the keys work in your country. Packages (licenses) have their own regional restrictions.

[76561198407601200]

Originally posted by Kaosiow:

I purchase a Cd key from (scam site) that stated it was WORLDWIDE however when I try to redeem it in the UK, it states "Sorry, but is not available for purchase in this country. your purchase has been cancelled" But the game is available in the UK Steam Store?

Guessing the "world wide" key was cheaper, otherwise wouldn't have made sense to get that in lieu of one for your region or furthermore not purchasing it on steam. You'll need to take it up with the people you purchased it from and just as a tip if they say you need to purchase the "correct" key before they can refund the current, I would be weary and may have a bridge to sell you as well.

[Kaosiow]

Nope, I was on the section of the site for the UK Keys only and every key I've purchased from them has said Worldwide, never been a problem before.

[76561198407601200]

Originally posted by Kaosiow:

Nope, I was on the section of the site for the UK Keys only and every key I've purchased from them has said Worldwide, never been a problem before.

You now see why it is a problem with purchasing from 3rd party sites, but again you need to take it up with who you purchased it with, Valve has zero involvement in this.

[Kargor]

Basically, we can't even guess anything.

You didn't even mention the name of the game, so we can't look up SteamDB to see what kind of licenses/keys they know about. However, we cannot determine the kind of key you actually got, even if we had it -- nobody can. Even those scam shops like the one you used can't be sure; they have to rely on their sources to not lie to them about what they are selling -- there is NO way to "check" a key, or to get any information out of it, short of redeeming it to see what happens. When that works you also know what key you got... but the key will be used.

[sandokanski]

Originally posted by Kaosiow:

Nope, I was on the section of the site for the UK Keys only and every key I've purchased from them has said Worldwide, never been a problem before.

Everyone here is a user and probably nobody here works at keys.com.
If you want customer support, contact the site that you have used to purchase your key.

[Kaosiow]

Originally posted by Kargor:

Basically, we can't even guess anything.

You didn't even mention the name of the game, so we can't look up SteamDB to see what kind of licenses/keys they know about. However, we cannot determine the kind of key you actually go, even if we had it -- nobody can. Even those scam shops like the one you used can't be sure; they have to rely on their sources to not lie to them about what they are selling -- there is NO way to "check" a key, or to get any information out of it, short of redeeming it to see what happens. When that works you also know what key you got... but the key will be used.

It was The Last of Us part 1, I've messaged customer services on the site, I'm not worried the site is well established and I've been using it for years not just for Steam keys, I just thought maybe there was something on Steam's end I might not have known about etc.
Thanks anyway ☺️

[Kargor]

Originally posted by Kaosiow:

It was The Last of Us part 1

Oh... I have no idea what they have been trying to accomplish, but their license page on SteamDB[steamdb.info] looks like big mess.

[sandokanski]

Originally posted by Kargor:

Originally posted by Kaosiow:

It was The Last of Us part 1

Oh... I have no idea what they have been trying to accomplish, but their license page on SteamDB[steamdb.info] looks like big mess.

Max players jumped x2. So perhaps there's some sort of sale somewhere.

[Kargor]

Originally posted by sandokanski:

Max players jumped x2. So perhaps there's some sort of sale somewhere.

There is a sale, but it's not a particularly good one -- Steam gets 50%, other stores get a slightly better discount, but no major outliers here.

[rawWwRrr]

Originally posted by Kaosiow:

Originally posted by Kargor:

Basically, we can't even guess anything.

You didn't even mention the name of the game, so we can't look up SteamDB to see what kind of licenses/keys they know about. However, we cannot determine the kind of key you actually go, even if we had it -- nobody can. Even those scam shops like the one you used can't be sure; they have to rely on their sources to not lie to them about what they are selling -- there is NO way to "check" a key, or to get any information out of it, short of redeeming it to see what happens. When that works you also know what key you got... but the key will be used.

It was The Last of Us part 1, I've messaged customer services on the site, I'm not worried the site is well established and I've been using it for years not just for Steam keys, I just thought maybe there was something on Steam's end I might not have known about etc.
Thanks anyway ☺️

The only thing is that Steam has no affiliation with that site. What that site says about availability is based on that site's information, nothing that Steam has any control over.

Don't put too much faith in "worldwide" or "global" terms on keys. There is almost always a regional restriction of some kind. And remember there is no clear definition to "rest of the world" either.

Dealing with those sites are a do at your own risk.

[MancSoulja]

Originally posted by Lone Wolf:

You got scammed, no such thing as a “worldwide key”. This is why you should stick to official retailers, such as Amazon. If it's a lot cheaper than the RRP then it's obviously a scam!

Third party websites, such as the one you used, sell their digital products cheap because they get them through malicious practices.

Your only solution is to take your issue up with the people who sold you the key. If they refuse the refund, then that’s that.

Yes there is, WW ( World Wide) and RoW (Rest of World) are both regions.

Example - https://i.postimg.cc/3JT6kqZw/Screenshot-2025-05-27-212556.png