Duplicate codes on Steam

[Emeye]

Hello,

I bought a code via a company called G2A on Ebay for a game called Cities Skylines for my son.

After I got over the hurdle of Steam not being available, by changing to another country, the code came back as a duplicate - I contacted G2A and after a day they sent another code a day later.

This second code also came back as a duplicate.

Despite a long IT career, I'm pretty out of touch with PC gaming - is this a common problem? I checked and the ebay feedback was very good, yet since the problem I have done some more in depth googling and their does appear to be the odd issue but plenty of positive feedback.

I am still waiting for them to respond over 12 hours after complaining about the second code - should I ask for my money back via ebay - it is only £10, but it was a lot cheaper than buying directly through Steam which is quite a lot when you are 12 years old and it is your pocket money!

I guess I may end up footing the difference....

Cheers.

[kieranbennett]

Dont understand your comment about having to change countries for steam to work!

Anyway, i'd get your money back and go with a known online company.

I normally use CDKeys and a quick check shows they have it for less than you have paid on eScam for it:

http://www.cdkeys.com/pc/games/cities-skylines-pc-...

[Aphex]

G2A sell keys that only work in some countries/on some platforms. If the stories are to be believed, there is worry that the company buy keys with fraudulent Credit Card data and then sells them off.

Personally, I don't mind using G2A and have not had a problem with them, you just have to be careful with the version you are buying. I'm sure they'll come back to you soon with either a code or a refund

[Emeye]

kieranbennett said:

Dont understand your comment about having to change countries for steam to work!

Anyway, i'd get your money back and go with a known online company.

I normally use CDKeys and a quick check shows they have it for less than you have paid on eScam for it:

http://www.cdkeys.com/pc/games/cities-skylines-pc-...

Steam was saying No Connection available - reading their own help pages suggested changing location to connect to a different Data centre/server. I think the problem is that at 5pm when we were trying to connect, and other times, the Steam servers in the UK get so busy they cannot handle the capacity.

A quick google suggested they do have a capacity issue since moving to a different cloud platform.

Thanks for the link to cdkeys - I didn't think of checking their site despite having used them for Xbox live codes before - Doh!

[Emeye]

Well, G2A have cancelled my order and given me a refund.

I will see if I can purchase through cdkeys, but the link is blocked by the work firewall.

[mizx]

It isn't no, I think the issue is probably that they're not at all proactive in keeping dodgy keys from sellers off the site. I haven't read about them using CC fraud to buy their stock beyond the casual allegations, and prepared to be proven wrong, but even considering their location I don't see how they could have gotten away with doing it that way this long.

I used them myself a few times and didn't have any issues. I missed CS:Go in the Steam sales then decided I wanted it, and also bought the ETS2 DLC.

I know why people like Totalbiscuit are so vociferously against it, they do understand how it can help some people afford the games, though I'm undecided on all their viewpoints it has been sinking in more recently; I might still use them, but it no longer sit wells with me how many big streamers push G2A (many are locked into contracts as I understand though) and how many tournaments they sponsor.

[Emeye]

To be fair they refunded me, but it seems strange to have two codes both rejected.

I bought the code linked to from CDkeys and it worked perfectly first time. Thanks.

Does anyone know why the keys would be duplicated? If they are happy to refund me what benefit would they have from trying to sell the same key twice?