Valve is Now Region-Locking Certain Gifts

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Article: Dr. Doctor / Edited: Jolly / Image: StealthGus
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Steam users around Europe could be in trouble. Valve has introduced a new policy for Steam that region-locks game gifts bought in certain countries. Effective now, game gifts bought from certain countries seem to only be redeemable and playable in those countries.

This seems to be a move by Valve to combat scammers. Judging from posts from users on sites like Reddit, the new policy seems to affect games bought in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. Some other users of Valve’s online game-selling service have reported similar issues in Singapore, Brazil, and Mexico.

Valve is also clear to mention that, if you receive or buy a region-locked game and use a VPN or proxy to circumvent the policy, you could face “restrictions” on and possibly termination of your Steam account.

If you have any issues with a G2A key, please immediately contact G2A.com staff.</div>​

 

[_Ace]

This is going to be interesting to see how this will play out for users trying to send gifts to friends, and for G2A and others.

 

[DJ TTK]

Bye bye G2A.

 

[Kamikaze Bad Ass]

Just curious does this affect us using them as a sponsor for eGO?

 

[Ex]

Doubt it^ and also, If you're not in the countries affected then surely
G2A etc would work as normal? I would like to test if someone could
send a gift directly via email from the store so it's never in your inventory
I wonder if they're steam restricted then. It seems the UK is not affected
from what I understand of this post.

 

[Rawburt]

we should get 4% discount as gta's assurance

 

[Rawburt]

*g2a

 

[Dr. Doctor (inactive)]

Doubt it^ and also, If you're not in the countries affected then surely
G2A etc would work as normal? I would like to test if someone could
send a gift directly via email from the store so it's never in your inventory
I wonder if they're steam restricted then. It seems the UK is not affected
from what I understand of this post.

What this entails is that if a code is bought from a Russian Steam account, it can be only activated and played in Russia. On G2A, it's easy to buy a Russian key, so you could get screwed. I'm not saying every key is Russian, but Russia is one of the affected regions, so I used it as an example

The gift would be in your inventory, but it wouldn't be activatable unless you used a Russian proxy, which could get you banned from your Steam account.

 

[CrashRIT]

"This seems to be a move by Valve to combat scammers and key-trading sites, such as G2A and Kinguin." should say "This seems to be a move by Valve to combat scammers as well as key-trading sites, such as G2A and Kinguin."

sounds like youre calling G2A scammers

 

[DJ TTK]

Doubt it^ and also, If you're not in the countries affected then surely
G2A etc would work as normal? I would like to test if someone could
send a gift directly via email from the store so it's never in your inventory
I wonder if they're steam restricted then. It seems the UK is not affected
from what I understand of this post.

Ever asked yourself why you are getting does games so cheap on G2A? Even if the game came out that same day and is much more expensive on steam?
The only reason you are getting does games cheap on G2A is because people sell keys bought in does countries to G2A. The games are cheaper for example in Russia because of there economy. So region locked keys mean no more cheap games for you.
The keys where ment to be bought by the people in that country and not sold to other countries for a profit.

"This seems to be a move by Valve to combat scammers and key-trading sites, such as G2A and Kinguin." should say "This seems to be a move by Valve to combat scammers as well as key-trading sites, such as G2A and Kinguin."

sounds like youre calling G2A scammers

The people who sell the keys to G2A can be bought fraudulently with stolen credit cards etc. This is why some keys have been revoked because they were bought illegally. G2A is a grey market seller and in some way a black market for stolen goods.

 

[ashley.]

"This seems to be a move by Valve to combat scammers and key-trading sites, such as G2A and Kinguin." should say "This seems to be a move by Valve to combat scammers as well as key-trading sites, such as G2A and Kinguin."

sounds like youre calling G2A scammers

^

 

[Dr. Doctor (inactive)]

Ever asked yourself why you are getting does games so cheap on G2A? Even if the game came out that same day and is much more expensive on steam?
The only reason you are getting does games cheap on G2A is because people sell keys bought in does countries to G2A. The games are cheaper for example in Russia because of there economy. So region locked keys mean no more cheap games for you.
The keys where ment to be bought by the people in that country and not sold to other countries for a profit.



The people who sell the keys to G2A can be bought fraudulently with stolen credit cards etc. This is why some keys have been revoked because they were bought illegally. G2A is a grey market seller and in some way a black market for stolen goods.

This. It's even more shady when G2A takes a bit of the profit. Sites like 99gamers have money go directly between the buyer and the seller, with no percentage taken. There isn't hard evidence for or against the legitimacy of G2A or the sources of the keys, but this seems to be Valve's way to counteract it.

I was alarmed since my girlfriend will be moving to the UK at the end of the year, but this seems to affect only countries with economies where our dollar is worth more by a large margin.

 

[SigmaMX]

Valve do you want people to Piratebay more your damn games?

Because thats how you make more people to Piratebay your damn games!!

 

[Ex]

What this entails is that if a code is bought from a Russian Steam account, it can be only activated and played in Russia. On G2A, it's easy to buy a Russian key, so you could get screwed. I'm not saying every key is Russian, but Russia is one of the affected regions, so I used it as an example

The gift would be in your inventory, but it wouldn't be activatable unless you used a Russian proxy, which could get you banned from your Steam account.

Ever asked yourself why you are getting does games so cheap on G2A? Even if the game came out that same day and is much more expensive on steam?
The only reason you are getting does games cheap on G2A is because people sell keys bought in does countries to G2A. The games are cheaper for example in Russia because of there economy. So region locked keys mean no more cheap games for you.
The keys where ment to be bought by the people in that country and not sold to other countries for a profit.



The people who sell the keys to G2A can be bought fraudulently with stolen credit cards etc. This is why some keys have been revoked because they were bought illegally. G2A is a grey market seller and in some way a black market for stolen goods.

I know... The fact is that you can actually buy the games from say usa and it's still cheaper than the UK currency there are other countries than the ones restricted, you just need to find the lowest economical currency.

 

[Wizekraker]

Valve do you want people to Piratebay more your damn games?

Because thats how you make more people to Piratebay your damn games!!

So you are saying its OKAY, to use VPN an exploit the marketplace? The only reason why valve is doing this is to counter act people using VPN to buy games at a cheaper price than intended. Although, I hope there is work around for players who migrate from different ant country to another.

 

[Dr. Doctor (inactive)]

So you are saying its OKAY, to use VPN an exploit the marketplace? The only reason why valve is doing this is to counter act people using VPN to buy games at a cheaper price than intended. Although, I hope there is work around for players who migrate from different ant country to another.

There doesn't seem to be at the moment. It's also being retroactively applied to all gifts that fit the criteria.

 

[Ex]

So you are saying its OKAY, to use VPN an exploit the marketplace? The only reason why valve is doing this is to counter act people using VPN to buy games at a cheaper price than intended. Although, I hope there is work around for players who migrate from different ant country to another.

if you are on the same steam account moving country to country you can still buy games for yourself and use them I believe? It's just you cant redeem the gifts if they're bought in that country? All I know is some russian codes work (not from experience kappa)

 

[Steve5451]

People would buy games that were cheaper in other countries (due to conversion of currency) and sell them where they're more expensive for profit

 

[Stalingrad]

Yeah after this was enforced i have purchased Hotline Miami 2 from a Russian seller, only assuming it was purchased there was about 50% cheaper. I haven't experienced any problems so far. I will not be making a habit of it though if it wasn't for the price i wouldn't have tried it just to be safe.