Steam Question: How can you use the same CD Key on another account?

spunkyXL

I sold a PC game on ebay (Lost Planet)..Dude who bought is saying he can't install it because the Key is under my Steam Account..How can I remove the CD Key from my account and transfer it to him?

reno_skychaser · *Last edited by reno_skychaser; 03-15-2009 at 04:10.*

Can't. Steam-activated games are non-transferable. Sorry to say, looks like you ripped him off

TroM · 03-15-2009, 04:15 | posts: 1,942

That doesn't make sense how did you sell it on ebay but still have it digitally on Steam? Or did you just install it from a disk and then activate it in steam??? more details

spunkyXL · 03-15-2009, 04:30 | posts: 212

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroM

That doesn't make sense how did you sell it on ebay but still have it digitally on Steam? Or did you just install it from a disk and then activate it in steam??? more details

yea, I installed it from the disc and activated through steam..guess I'll have to just give the guy a refund..o'weller...grrrr

WCASD · 03-15-2009, 09:11 | posts: 973

Yup, can't do anything about it.

proliferazor · 03-15-2009, 09:57 | posts: 684

you could give him the user name password, unless you have more games on that account. Some people make a new steam account for every game they buy then sell the accounts after there done.

dshramek · 03-15-2009, 11:14 | posts: 3,426 | Location: Collierville, Tennessee

just buy another copy on steam & give it to him as a gift.

G-Man · 03-15-2009, 11:26 | posts: 1,032 | Location: Australia

I was under the impression that games could be regifted on steam, however i am too lazy to check.

WCASD · 03-15-2009, 11:28 | posts: 973

Nope, not possible.

eclap · 03-15-2009, 13:33 | posts: 18,365 | Location: Hampshire UK

can't... you'll have to give him your steam account login details I'm pretty sure. You can only gift new games that you haven't bought, correct me if I'm wrong.

klambre · *Last edited by klambre; 03-15-2009 at 13:51.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclap

can't... you'll have to give him your steam account login details I'm pretty sure. You can only gift new games that you haven't bought, correct me if I'm wrong.

I think that you can buy a game as a gift, give it before install, but I not sure.

Also you can give him a game as a gift if you have two of them in the same acount, if you have HL2 and then you buy orange box you can give HL2 as a gift for example.

Guys, if you plan sell your Steam games you should create a Steam acount to every game, and pass name and pasword to the purchaser.

eclap · 03-15-2009, 16:16 | posts: 18,365 | Location: Hampshire UK

It's really stupid though come to think of it. I think there should be an "unregister" a game feature on steam where you can sell a game, pull it off your steam game list and let the buyer register it on his steam account. This should be a simple feature to add in the future, I'm surprised it's not been introduced yet.

volkov956 · 03-15-2009, 16:24 | posts: 5,871 | Location: Soon to be Disclosed

Steam/Valve does not want you to sell the games after you bought and used it thats why they have never implemented it.

volors · 03-15-2009, 16:39 | posts: 194 | Location: Toronto, Canada

key once used cant be used again ....it gets activated and when steam check database and see games already registered it say key in invalid......
now if u loose ur username password or get hacked ....then steam ask for tht cd key u used when registering....they check if it was on ur name email n stuff.they match n give ur acc back...had happened to many of my friends when they got there accounts hacked
i got my acc. hacked too...couldnt get it back....cause my friend bought it online for me and i didnt activated on a retail game....and he forgot which card he used to buy it....
so bought new game...well i had 2 games half life 2 and css on tht account ..both gone

eclap · 03-15-2009, 16:43 | posts: 18,365 | Location: Hampshire UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkov956

Steam/Valve does not want you to sell the games after you bought and used it thats why they have never implemented it.

Sure, but how about Orange Box on consoles? you can buy it, play it then sell it... Surely, it's not fair.

WCASD · 03-15-2009, 17:15 | posts: 973

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclap

Sure, but how about Orange Box on consoles? you can buy it, play it then sell it... Surely, it's not fair.

Okay, let's say your account gets hacked and the hacker unregisters all your CD keys?

All the more trouble for one feature which not too many are asking for in the first place.

morbias · **Memory**: 6GB HyperX @1600 6-7-6-18

To the OP; if you sold the guy a DVD version how is he unable to install the game? Surely he should still be able to install, just not register the game with Steam.

eclap · *Last edited by eclap; 03-15-2009 at 18:16.*

Quote:

Originally Posted by WCASD

Okay, let's say your account gets hacked and the hacker unregisters all your CD keys?

All the more trouble for one feature which not too many are asking for in the first place.

Nah, I could get steam to reset the password and re-register the games, the hacker couldn't steal them or sell them only un-register which I could do easily after I get my account back.

volkov956 · 03-15-2009, 18:22 | posts: 5,871 | Location: Soon to be Disclosed

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclap

Sure, but how about Orange Box on consoles? you can buy it, play it then sell it... Surely, it's not fair.

I talking about the PC edition Steam I dont have any valve console games so I have no idea how they work

eclap · 03-15-2009, 18:51 | posts: 18,365 | Location: Hampshire UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkov956

I talking about the PC edition Steam I dont have any valve console games so I have no idea how they work

I know, I'm just saying that PC gamers suffer in this case...

volkov956 · 03-15-2009, 19:10 | posts: 5,871 | Location: Soon to be Disclosed

Yea sadly we get the short end of the stick

WCASD · 03-15-2009, 20:43 | posts: 973

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclap

Nah, I could get steam to reset the password and re-register the games, the hacker couldn't steal them or sell them only un-register which I could do easily after I get my account back.

Okay, and you would retrieve your account via cd-key?
Let's say you do sell your CD-key and then decide you want the game back and just ask steam that one of your games was stolen?

You see, there are COUNTLESS possibilites of this going wrong and I didn't even have to think for more than a moment to come up with those scenarios.

eclap · 03-16-2009, 01:41 | posts: 18,365 | Location: Hampshire UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by WCASD

Let's say you do sell your CD-key and then decide you want the game back and just ask steam that one of your games was stolen?

You'd have to unregister the CD key on Steam after you sell the game. If you're selling on ebay, you would do it because you wouldn't to crap all over your feedback right? After you unregister that CD key, Steam registers that you sold the game, all sorted.

TroM · 03-16-2009, 05:45 | posts: 1,942

Well he can find a crack for it or something then...If you're willing to live with neg rep. But he has the hard copy + why would you activate it on Steam, you had to think ahead so you can only blame yourself

Siick · 03-16-2009, 07:30 | posts: 13 | Location: Dallas, Tx

Quote:

Originally Posted by klambre

Also you can give him a game as a gift if you have two of them in the same acount, if you have HL2 and then you buy orange box you can give HL2 as a gift for example.

careful, there are only a very few games at the moment, of which Valve allows to gift if you already have them (bought as a pack)

---"only applies to “Half-Life 2,” “Half-Life 2: Episode One,” “Half-Life 2: Episode Two,” and the “Left 4 Dead Four Pack”

:Source

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_...4502-TPJL-2656

but, as you probably already know, you are able to buy any game and gift them. before the checkout it will ask you if the purchase is for your account or as a gift for someone.