Will activating a region locked gift via VPN violate Steam TOS?

[Sunshine]

I purchased a copy of The Walking Dead Season 2 today through Gaming Panda. Because I didn't read closely enough, I have an unredeemed gift copy of the game region locked to Russian countries. I did some research and I understand why Valve has region locks and that using a VPN to buy games at a lower price is a big no-no, but what are the rules regarding region locked gifts?

Can I add this game to my library without violating any TOS or should I start seeking a refund?

[FFL2and3rocks]

Using a VPN is against the TOS.

You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, we may terminate your access to your Account.

[Sunshine]

Originally posted by FFL2and3rocks:

Using a VPN is against the TOS.

You agree that you will not use IP proxying or other methods to disguise the place of your residence, whether to circumvent geographical restrictions on game content, to purchase at pricing not applicable to your geography, or for any other purpose. If you do this, we may terminate your access to your Account.

So regardless of the circumstances, then. Wow, what a sh*tty company. Their email with the gift link has a whole section dedicated to using a VPN to activate the game. I won't be activating the gift and I certainly won't buy from them again.

Thanks!

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Sunshine:

So regardless of the circumstances, then. Wow, what a sh*tty company. Their email with the gift link has a whole section dedicated to using a VPN to activate the game. I won't be activating the gift and I certainly won't buy from them again.

Thanks!

They doing that so they can buy games really really cheap, then sell them to you on a higher price

So ya do not recommend to buy from places like that, over all i recommend stay with authorized retailers

[Satoru]

Your inability to 1) not read the SSA 2) not read the shady cd key site you used is not Steams fault

It's yours

I love how your multiple steps of sheer incompetence you then blame Steam for not fixing a problem entirely of your own doing

Try takinf responsibility for your own actions for oncr

[Sunshine]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Your inability to 1) not read the SSA 2) not read the shady cd key site you used is not Steams fault

It's yours

I love how your multiple steps of sheer incompetence you then blame Steam for not fixing a problem entirely of your own doing

Try takinf responsibility for your own actions for oncr

Piss off. Reading the ToS is what raised the question in the first place. Receiving a gift =/= buying a foreign key, the prior of which isn't explicitly mentioned. Go be a ♥♥♥♥ somewhere else.

EDIT: Damn it, fed the troll.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by Sunshine:

Receiving a gift =/= buying a foreign key, the prior of which isn't explicitly mentioned.

Note that this was NOT a gift. Because by your OWN OP

I purchased a copy of The Walking Dead Season 2 today through Gaming Panda.

And then

Their email with the gift link has a whole section dedicated to using a VPN to activate the game

LEGITIMATE Steam gifts don't have this "oh here's a VPn to activate your steam game" nonsense.

This was not a gift.

You BOUGHT it from that shady cd-key site. THEY didn't tell you about your little VPN problem. THEY sold you a game you can't use.

So again take RESPONSIBLITY for your own ineptitude. And blame the people who SOLD you a faulty product.

Why should steam 'make an exception' for you? It's not their fault you bought the game from a shady cd-key shop. Steam didn't make you go to that site to buy a game to activate on Steam. YOU DID ALL THAT.

You're basically whining that you bought a fake concert ticket from a scalper, then whine to the stadium administrators why they won't let you in with your fake concert ticket. You'll excuse me if your petulant whining isn't compelling.

Telling you the horrible horrible truth you don't want to hear and hurts your feelings isn't 'trolling'.

[Ineffable Anathema]

Unlicensed cd key shops operate on a black market - they sell keys for games which have been scammed, stolen, provided by developers under the lie of being used for youtube videos or reviews, foreign/region locked keys, bundle keys which are not permitted to be resold, or even keys purchased with stolen credit cards, paypals or bank accounts.

I advise you in the future to avoid ALL unlicensed key shops like the plague.

[Sunshine]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

Receiving a gift =/= buying a foreign key, the prior of which isn't explicitly mentioned.

Note that this was NOT a gift. Because by your OWN OP

I purchased a copy of The Walking Dead Season 2 today through Gaming Panda.

And then

Their email with the gift link has a whole section dedicated to using a VPN to activate the game

LEGITIMATE Steam gifts don't have this "oh here's a VPn to activate your steam game" nonsense.

This was not a gift.

You BOUGHT it from that shady cd-key site. THEY didn't tell you about your little VPN problem. THEY sold you a game you can't use.

So again take RESPONSIBLITY for your own ineptitude. And blame the people who SOLD you a faulty product.

Why should steam 'make an exception' for you? It's not their fault you bought the game from a shady cd-key shop. Steam didn't make you go to that site to buy a game to activate on Steam. YOU DID ALL THAT.

You're basically whining that you bought a fake concert ticket from a scalper, then whine to the stadium administrators why they won't let you in with your fake concert ticket. You'll excuse me if your petulant whining isn't compelling.

Telling you the horrible horrible truth you don't want to hear and hurts your feelings isn't 'trolling'.

Show me where I blame Steam for that, or "ask for an exception". I rejected the key and got a refund, specifically because I learned of the ToS issue. Smart to buy? No. Could I have avoided the situation by reading a little more closely? Yes. As I said in the OP, the VPN instruction raised a red flag. I didn't blame Steam, I certainly didn't whine, I simply made an inquiry on something I wasn't clear about. I got an answer, which you obviously didn't read, and went on to contact that company for a refund because I didn't want to break the rules, which you also obviously didn't read.

Regardless, there are many ways to go about providing an answer, and you are wrong on your approach. Don't assume facts (whining, blaming Valve) and pull your head out of your ass. Your selective qouting of me ignores the parts where I admit I didn't read closely enough (*gasp* taking responsibility!), and where I say that I not only looked at the ToS, but understand Vavle's logic behind the policy.

If you don't have anything to contribute, don't say anything at all. And forgive me if I don't want to take a private level 0 account seriously.

[Ineffable Anathema]

Originally posted by Sunshine:

If you don't have anything to contribute, don't say anything at all. And forgive me if I don't want to take a private level 0 account seriously.

All friends only or private accounts show as level 0, in any case judgng a person by their apparent Steam level or privacy settings is a lot like judging a person by the colour of shirt they are wearing or the type of lock they use on their front door.

[Laptop]

Aaaand this is why I never buy off these shady to hell sites.

[Kickin' Chicken]

Originally posted by Sunshine:

Show me where I blame Steam for that, or "ask for an exception".

I'm guessing that your antagonist saw this:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

Wow, what a ****** company.

...and assumed you were referring to Steam, whereas the context would suggest otherwise. (Exact quote was modified so as to not bypass filter.)

[Sunshine]

Originally posted by Ineffable Anathema:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

If you don't have anything to contribute, don't say anything at all. And forgive me if I don't want to take a private level 0 account seriously.

All friends only or private accounts show as level 0, in any case judgng a person by their apparent Steam level or privacy settings is a lot like judging a person by the colour of shirt they are wearing or the type of lock they use on their front door.

Ah. I didn't know that. My only experience with level 0 private profiles has been people trying to scam. That's good to know.

Originally posted by KickinChicken:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

Show me where I blame Steam for that, or "ask for an exception".

I'm guessing that your antagonist saw this:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

Wow, what a ****** company.

...and assumed you were referring to Steam, whereas the context would suggest otherwise. (Exact quote was modified so as to not bypass filter.)

Yeah, I was referring to the shady reseller there.