Is G2A.com a legal source for games and keys?

[techead]

https://www.g2a.com/

You can pick up some keys there for really cheap... weird!?

 

[Messugga]

Often used for what's essentially money laundering. You use dodgy credit cards to purchase a bunch of licenses. You then sell these licenses on G2A, and they pay you in "clean" cash.

Sometimes those licenses are reported as stolen and are deactivated, leaving you without a functioning game.

 

[Chevron]

It' a place where people that steal credit card details buy lots of steam keys and them sell the keys.

Not reputable at all.

They don't even do anything to prevent illegal keys.

 

[Soul Assassin]

https://www.g2a.com/

You can pick up some keys there for really cheap... weird!?

G2A is only a market place, you buy from people, it has happened where keys where stolen or bought using stolen card information.

 

[Fulcrum29]

I used to support these third-party key distributors. G2A took the cake because they are involved in esports and promoting streamers, Kinguin being second. There are many like them, no excuses, CD Keys and whatnot are all the same on how their marketplaces are built and operated, and how they go to market.

Though there are legitimate sellers on these marketplaces, the providers are reluctant to control piracy and other illegal activities. I support GOG (by DRM terms) and Steam, that is it, anyway here is the most recent happening with G2A,

https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/04/g2a-fires-back-at-gearbox-totalbiscuit-over-bulletstorm-drama/

G2A Fires Back At Gearbox, TotalBiscuit Over Bulletstorm Drama

In a response sent out to all media this morning, the key reselling website G2A has added its two cents to the debacle surrounding Gearbox and Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition, alleging that Gearbox publicly issued a list of demands about the secondary marketplace as a knee-jerk response to public criticism.
In the media blast, the site argued that Gearbox "unfortunately decided to publicly publish a letter" of ultimatums following "a few negative reactions from some YouTubers, and in particular from John 'TotalBiscuit' Bain" without consulting them first. "This is an excellent example that rash actions, without full knowledge of the facts, can be harmful to both the developer and the marketplace," they added.

The statement goes on to say that while G2A believes its critics are doing so from a position of good faith, it feels that it has already met the terms and conditions demanded by TotalBiscuit and Gearbox. "The best proof of this are the four ultimatums formulated in part by John Bain, which, it turns out that were completely unnecessary as all of the issues raised have long been a part of the G2A.COM marketplace," G2A wrote.

"Most of the allegations levied against us are based on both a lack of knowledge, and a lack of desire to learn the other side of the story. The best example of this is quoting false and defamatory statements while ignoring the facts."

But while G2A argued that "all of the issues raised have long been a part" of the site, the statement also set out a series of points in which it refused to concede to developers, or anyone else:

G2A's fraud protection service will not be free: Part of Gearbox's demands was that G2A Shield, a subscription or per-purchase deal that offers buyers access to 24/7 support, be made free to all users. G2A argued that "G2A Shield is very well-priced given the benefits it offers", but the main difference between buyers with G2A Shield and those without are instant access to live chat with G2A's customer support team. Without that, buyers are required to write a message to an arbitration-like service within G2A. A support ticket is raised, and customer staff then investigate the issue which G2A's statement says is "typically" resolved "in a matter of hours".

The sales pitch is that every buyer on G2A is protected, but buying G2A Shield is for a matter of "immense convenience and comfort", as well as other ancillary offers.

G2A won't give developers more access to their database without signing an agreement: One of the longest standing complaints against G2A is that it acts as a brokerage of sorts for stolen game keys, and that those keys are often sold at a profit to legitimate parties while developers and publishers are forced to deal with the financial consequences of being hit by credit card chargebacks.

G2A's statement didn't touch on this element of the fraud, but they argued that despite TotalBiscuit and Gearbox's claims, they "currently [cooperate] with all interested developers to ensure only legally acquired keys are sold - without any contracts and, more importantly, without any fees". The trick is that developers have to is "provide evidence that the keys that they want to block have been illegally acquired (this evidence can be, for example, a report from a financial institution)".

Developers that want to independently verify things against G2A's database will have to sign an agreement with G2A directly. The statement doesn't outline what obligations developers are required to meet, and the official landing page doesn't outline and terms and conditions bar some of the benefits (like a 10.8% commission, product positioning, and other basics).

As far as G2A sees it, the latest round of criticism against it is a war on consumers. "The problem is that some developers do not want to accept that people resell their games. The developers would like to control the market and all the sales channels within it, imposing higher prices and prohibiting the resale of unused games," the marketplace argues.

The reddit discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cynicalbrit/comments/63w0kn/totalbiscuit_on_the_g2agearbox_situation/

At the end, these marketplaces enable illegal activities. Consumer activists are urging them to ensure consumer protection. G2A being as big as they are will carry the burden, Kinguin will be next... This is whether something will be done.

 

[Zoopy]

No, you're buying from a marketplace that willingly enables fraud. They even let you buy "Buyer's protection" to help you [-]if[/-] when you get scammed on their platform.

You could say fraud happens on all open marketplaces, but G2A not only actively enables it, but they thrive on it.

They are just dodgy in so many ways with so many hidden fees and other BS. When you get scammed they will make you jump through all kinds of hoops to discourage you from getting a refund/replacement.

 

[Fulcrum29]

No, you're buying from a marketplace that willingly enables fraud. They even let you buy "Buyer's protection" to help you [-]if[/-] when you get scammed on their platform.

You could say fraud happens on all open marketplaces, but G2A not only actively enables it, but they thrive on it.

They are just dodgy in so many ways with so many hidden fees and other BS. When you get scammed they will make you jump through all kinds of hoops to discourage you from getting a refund/replacement.

Kinguin also has a buyer's protection plan which is automatically enabled when continuing to your cart where you must manually disable it. I don’t know whether this has changed. G2A used to be like this, but they have at least now provided the option to manually enable buyer’s protection. Not to mention that Kinguin gives ticket priority to ‘protected’ sales… ahem. Great excuse to ignore an ‘legitimate’ buyer buying ‘illegal’ goods. All these marketplaces, protection program or not, sing the same tune.

 

[Zoopy]

Kinguin also has a buyer's protection plan which is automatically enabled when continuing to your cart where you must manually disable it. I don’t know whether this has changed. G2A used to be like this, but they have at least now provided the option to manually enable buyer’s protection. Not to mention that Kinguin gives ticket priority to ‘protected’ sales… ahem. Great excuse to ignore an ‘legitimate’ buyer buying ‘illegal’ goods. All these marketplaces, protection program or not, sing the same tune.

Yeah, they're all pretty bad. I think G2A just gets the most flak because they're the worst in most regards. Their customer support, protection program cancelation, etc is horrendous. Just unscubscribing from G2A Shield was an absolute nightmare and I still don't know how they tricked me into signing up.

G2A is the very definition of Dark Patterns.

 

[techead]

Then how are they in operation still?

 

[Zoopy]

Then how are they in operation still?

A mixture of being Technically Not Illegal™ and people caring more about cheap games than ethics.

 

[Blu82]

[video=youtube_share;mBakPg6x63Q]https://youtu.be/mBakPg6x63Q[/video]

 

[Blu82]

[video=youtube_share;cac0ACHux-Q]https://youtu.be/cac0ACHux-Q[/video]

 

[techead]

A mixture of being Technically Not Illegal™ and people caring more about cheap games than ethics.

so kinda like the pirate bay, but paying a bit to make themselves feel better? lol

 

[Zoopy]

Probably even lower than the piratebay. Piratebay did a lot to help struggling indie musicians/artists/etc. G2A just sucks the indies dry.

 

[TelkomUseless]

I bought many times from G2A. No issues.

 

[Zoopy]

I bought many times from G2A. No issues.

Doesn't mean it's a good idea or ethical.

 

[musha]

I've supported G2A too, I'm sorry, but I'm not paying close to R1000 for a AAA title where I can get it for half.

 

[Blu82]

I've supported G2A too, I'm sorry, but I'm not paying close to R1000 for a AAA title where I can get it for half.

If you feel like that rather pirate the games as an objection to the pricing. With G2A you are seriously running the risk of buying stolen keys and if your favorite Indy developer closes down due to credit card charge backs then you know why.

 

[Chevron]

If you feel like that rather pirate the games as an objection to the pricing. With G2A you are seriously running the risk of buying stolen keys and if your favorite Indy developer closes down due to credit card charge backs then you know why.

Yes. Piracy is really better than G2A. When the credit card companies reverse the charges from stolen credit cards it costs the devs money.

 

[musha]

But when a dev company refuses to do regular patching/fixes or listens to their community no one bats an eye. The community who spent stupid money on the game trying to support said Indy dev company...

I buy my games based on ratings, I don't pirate a game to try it out, if there is a game I want to try or play out of principle of supporting it, I will go through game stores or Steam, but if there is a game I want to try because it's an overhyped piece of nonsense, I buy a cheap key, play it for 4 or 5 hours and brush it aside, in a hope that the company who developed said game delivers on their promise...