Accidentally claimed a humble hundle KEY

[Rakanishyu]

This key code from humble bundle was given to me by someone to give it away, and I accidentally claimed project cars 2 on my account, when trying to take screenshots of the process of activation, how do I revert this ?
I want to remove the game from my account and make the key reclaimable by someone else.

[Theblaze]

Not possible.

Once a key has been redeemed, it's permanently bound to that steam account.

[Rakanishyu]

that's not fair

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by Rak:

that's not fair

No That's totally fair.

[Rakanishyu]

someone said I can if I send them an email, what's the email of steam support ?

[Theblaze]

Steam Support can remove the game from your steam account but that won't make the key useable again.

[Rakanishyu]

that's so unfair, I just wanted to take screenshot of the process of activation, thought there's another step involved

[Theblaze]

No it's not unfair.

It takes more than one clicks to activate a key on steam.

[Rakanishyu]

no it's not fair, there's no confirmation "do you wanna do this or anything"

[nullable]

Originally posted by Rak:

that's so unfair, I just wanted to take screenshot of the process of activation, thought there's another step involved

Why did you use the actual key for the screen shot?

I understand why you're not happy about the situation. All you can do is submit a ticket and see if there's anything Valve will do (even though they don't have to), and in the future, don't use actual keys for demos...

Also in regards to "fairness", before you get to the key input screen there's a whole terms of service screen you have to click through, which you didn't read:

9. TERM AND TERMINATION ⏶
B. Termination by You

You may cancel your Account at any time. You may cease use of a Subscription at any time or, if you choose, you may request that Valve terminate your access to a Subscription. However, Subscriptions are not transferable, and even if your access to a Subscription for a particular game or application is terminated, the original activation key will not be able to be registered to any other account, even if the Subscription was obtained in a retail store. Access to Subscriptions purchased as a part of a pack or bundle cannot be terminated individually, termination of access to one game within the bundle will result in termination of access to all games purchased in the pack. Your cancellation of an Account, or your cessation of use of any Subscription or request that access to a Subscription be terminated, will not entitle you to any refund, including of any Subscription fees. Valve reserves the right to collect fees, surcharges or costs incurred prior to the cancellation of your Account or termination of your access to a particular Subscription. In addition, you are responsible for any charges incurred to third-party vendors or content providers before your cancellation.

Now before your tempted to argue what the definition of "Subscription" is, it's defined in the ToS already. It's a bummer on your end I'm sure. But you should be more careful in the future.

[nullable]

Originally posted by Rak:

no it's not fair, there's no confirmation "do you wanna do this or anything"

From a certain point of view, I see your argument. But you do have to click through several screens and type or paste a key and hit next. One more click is what you need to protect yourself from doing something silly?

I mean you can argue this all day, but this isn't a major issue for most Steam users.

[ShelLuser]

Typical... player knowingly clicks an option, the program does exactly what the player requested and then it's of course the programs / companies fault that things actually happened. <sigh>

I'd say take this as a good, yet unfortunately also expensive lesson and next time don't click on options if you have no intention to actually use them. Problem solved.

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by Rak:

that's so unfair, I just wanted to take screenshot of the process of activation, thought there's another step involved

There's no other step involved after you click next. If successful it just shows the name of the game you activated, and if not it says the key is invalid. This is something every one who has activated a key knows and really the whole process does not need a guide beyond telling them where to find the link to start the process. From thgere it's a very linear self-explanatory sequence.

Originally posted by ShelLuser:

Typical... player knowingly clicks an option, the program does exactly what the player requested and then it's of course the programs / companies fault that things actually happened. <sigh>

I'd say take this as a good, yet unfortunately also expensive lesson and next time don't click on options if you have no intention to actually use them. Problem solved.

My suspicion is that the OP got a key in a trade or from some reseller and was trying to verify it.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

1. Keys are one time use, there's a reason why they won't allow to reuse the keys, or allow transfer games to other accounts.

- This will open doors to reselling game licenses, which why buy from the game Devs, and support them, if you can get it cheaper from someone else. If you still haven't realize, why should game Devs compete with resellers for their own games.

- This can lead to abuse, such as hijackers trying to make a profit off this, as well steal from others.

- This can lead to problems, where people keep making the same mistakes giving their keys, or transfer their games to the wrong account, over, and over, instead of taking responsibility for their own actions, and expect everyone to pity them, and do what they say.

2. It's your responsibility to manage your own actions. You choose to make multiple accounts, it's falls to you to watch what you do, and you failed to do that, and assume what you did, no one here to babysit you, or to feel pity for you.

3. Support will not make the key reusable, they will not give you a new one, Humble bundle will also not give you a new key. They will tell you the same thing, it's your own responsibility to manage your own actions, no one else.

-edit- Miss read, so ignore #4.
4. You can always do family share. Some games may not be supported such as Uplay games, Vac games, and maybe any games that rely on 3rd party software client / DRM.
https://store.steampowered.com/promotion/familysharing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woQNyEuoaIw

In the future I suggest you watch what you do.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

Originally posted by Riedy:

Contact the person who gave you the key. They can contact Humble Support and ask for a new key and get the old one deactivated because "they gave the key to the wrong person" or whatever. Humble usually replaces keys as long as you don't turn it into a habit or try to abuse it.

Read what OP said.

He got it from someone, trying to take a screen shot of it, but somehow redeem the game on the account. Does that make any sense to you? Using a screenshot software, or using print key will not active the key on the account. That's not how it's done, you have to manually click on "ADD A GAME", click on "activate a product on Steam" and click on the next button two times, and enter the code, then redeem. Another way is going by link, which you still need to enter the key in, and click on the button to redeem. Clearly OP knew he was redeeming the game key.

Also Humble bundle shouldn't be used to abuse for someone mistakes. They have the right to deny, and it's not humble bundle that get to deactivated the game keys, it's the game dev that gets to do that. Humble bundle informs the game devs, and it's up to the Game dev to choose to do what they want, not Humble bundle. Humble bundle can choose to give another key out of their own pocket if they wanted.

-edit- Miss read, ignore FYI part.
FYI Family share... If OP choose to make multiple accounts, it's his responsibility to watch what he does.

[wuddih]

dunno for what screenshots of the process were needed, we have enough tutorials in text, picture and video form on that matter