A question on steam codes

[Kratenser]

So today i bought Red Faction: Armageddon from someone. Don't know him personally, but I met him through a shopping service on facebook. (You post a picture of what you are selling, then someone will contact you if they are interested and you can set up either a meeting point or an address to go through with the transaction)

He claimed that the game was never installed, just bought and had never gotten round to using. I went to his house to go and buy it, and when i got home to install it, steam popped up and asked me to put in the authentication code. I did so, and was met with the "Duplicate CD code" error.

Clearly the guy had put it on his account at some point (not gonna start making accusations, could be a genuine error) and not realised that when used, the code becomes useless.

Now I need to know, is there any way to have the game moved to my account from his? (tried to ask this on the steam forums but i didnt get sent the verification code to activate my forum account -_-)

Im sure theres been a mistake somewhere and I just want to play my game, i looked on steams support services page but it only offered advice to people with multiple accounts.

Anyone else had a problem like this?

(If all else fails, I know where he lives so I can go get a refund)

 

[DazZ.]

Not possible, this is why you don't see used PC games on retail shelves.

 

[Smerf]

i feel sorry for you, but unless you want a copy of monday night combat i cant help you much

 

[viranimus]

Me tinks ye hath been suckered.

If you can get a refund from the guy, you better go and get that refund. Hopefully you dont end up beaten or shot for your troubles.

If there is no way to play the game without steam, then you have a completely useless product because there is no way to transition licenses between steam accounts, and certainly not of a forcible nature.

The only thing I can think... IF ... the guy isnt trying to scam you , is the guy registered the game to his steam account, and sold the game with the knowledge that the game is playable without steam, and just neglected to mention this to you. (I dont know if it is playable without steam or not)

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Can't resell PC games, that's why there's no used games market for them. You're out of luck buddy, that guy suckered you pretty good. Only thing you can do now is try to get him to give you back your money, but he mostly likely won't. There's pretty much a 99% chance that he knew exactly what he was doing and screwed you on purpose, and only about a 1% chance that this was a genuine mistake.

 

[LikeDustInTheWind]

He claimed that the game was never installed, just bought and had never gotten round to using.

Installing doesn't use up the code, buying it does. He bought it, and you're right fucked.

 

[Weaver]

He claimed that the game was never installed, just bought and had never gotten round to using.

Installing doesn't use up the code, buying it does. He bought it, and you're right fucked.

If you buy a boxed copy and don't input the code steam won't have the key marked as used.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'd recommend a keygen, except A. they're illegal, and B. they screw over someone else. Heck, maybe the guy wasn't lying and someone used a keygen to steal your code.

Anyways, you're pretty much doomed. If you're the best diplomat ever, you may be able to wrangle a new copy out of Steam by pleading to Gabe Newell himself, but otherwise, you're screwed.

 

[Kratenser]

The guy contacted me and offered a refund, its all been cleared now.

Still, that could have gone badly. I'm gonna be more careful in future with second hand titles.

Cheers for the assistance everyone