
It is also possible that you could buy a non-working game key on G2A. It is possible that you could try to load a game on Steam one day only to find that it no longer works. Some developers have petitioned Steam and other game marketplaces to disable keys obtained through fraud. While a gray market website may sometimes circumvent a game developer’s approved distribution channels, buying a game key from a reseller on G2A is not illegal unless the reseller obtained the key fraudulently.Īlthough a developer can’t control where its keys are sold, the developer does have the right to revoke fraudulent keys. A game developer cannot dictate where you can buy its products, and there is nothing illegal about buying a game key for less than the retail price. More than 30,000 keys were obtained after the offer expired because some people exploited a flaw in the developer’s website.
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In 2014, developer Wadjet Eye Games temporarily offered free keys for one of its titles. Hacking is another technique that some have used to obtain game keys. He received 16 game keys with a total retail value of more than $400.
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In 2014, a game developer posed as a YouTube celebrity and asked software developers for free game keys. Many of YouTube’s most popular channels feature game-related content, so developers will often provide free game keys to YouTube personalities in exchange for online exposure. Some G2A sellers have obtained game keys by posing as YouTube personalities. The company lost thousands of dollars and was dropped by its payment processor. In addition to losing $40 from each fraudulent sale, MangaGamer also had to pay its credit card processor $30 for each chargeback. By the time the chargebacks start happening, the thieves have already profited. Because the chargeback process can take up to 30 days to complete, some thieves have used G2A as an avenue for money laundering. The hacker earned more than $500 selling the fraudulent keys, and he did not go to prison for the crime. In 2016, a Brazilian hacker used stolen credit card numbers to purchase game keys from the independent game developer MangaGamer. Sometimes, sellers on G2A charge low prices for keys because they purchased those keys with money that didn’t belong to them. Some Gray Market Game Key Sellers Aren’t Entirely Honest In some cases, G2A sellers may even negotiate directly with game developers to secure special prices for bulk key purchases. Some sellers on G2A take advantage of that fact by buying inexpensive game keys intended for developing nations and reselling those keys at higher prices on G2A.ĭuring events such as the yearly Steam Sale, G2A sellers will often buy game keys in bulk with the intention of reselling them. Game developers often charge different prices to customers in different regions on the world because consumers in developing nations often have less disposable income than consumers in developed nations such as the United States. Why Are Game Keys on G2A So Cheap? How Most Gray Market Game Key Sales Workĭownloadable computer software is a digital good that costs almost nothing to copy and distribute. You can find all the G2A cd key deals also on Cdkeybay where you can find the cheapest cd key deals. Either way, the maker of the watch doesn’t authorize the transaction and earns no money from it. If you buy a watch on eBay, for example, you might buy from a private owner or a small business specializing in used watches. Although “gray market” may sound like a pejorative term, the term also applies to online marketplaces such as eBay. Some people refer to G2A as a gray market website because most of the merchants are not game developers or authorized resellers. G2A earns money primarily from payment processing and value-added services. G2A doesn’t sell products it facilitates the sales.

G2A provides the commerce platform and payment processing for sellers who want to offer digital goods. G2A is an online marketplace that works similarly to eBay or the Amazon Marketplace. Buying a G2A loot box gives you a chance to win a game for well below its normal price. G2A also attracts traffic with promotional products such as loot boxes.

Much of G2A’s popularity comes from the fact that the website’s prices for game keys are among the lowest anywhere.

According to, G2A is in the top 1,000 most popular websites in the world. It is similar to the popular marketplace CDKeys. G2A is an online marketplace connecting buyers to sellers of game keys and digital assets such as 3-D models and Steam skins. If you enjoy playing computer games, it’s likely that you’ve heard of G2A.
