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Should I feel guilty about buying CDKEYS off certain websites...?

Liquid Plejades

Liquid Plejades

Member
Mar 3, 2018
4,534
I recently started school and purchased Microsoft office and adobe creative cloud on one of these websites based in Europe where you get CDkeys for dirt cheap compared to the official websites of the companies. I have purchased some games on there as well in the past.

I was talking to my friend about an assignment/project we have coming up, and Ive been using photoshop, and he said its too expensive, and I told him just do what I did. And he goes "nah, those website ruin peoples lives to get the keys" and went on to say how its basically criminals stealing credit cards, bank account information, and even horrendous shit like its away to wash/launder their fucked up income which I don't know how that last part would work..but anyway. I did some googling and didn't find anything concrete.

I always assumed their keys are so much cheaper since they buy in bulk, or it might be a company that went out of busines or just had extra cdkeys after they bought 10000 office serial numbers from Microsoft. Am I in the wrong in assuming this?
 
Gaardus

Gaardus

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,605
It's my understanding that those cheap office keys are part of bulk licenses for companies, and reselling them isn't actually allowed, though they do work.
 
Dio

Dio

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,121
id imagine you're referring to sites like G2A, kinguin. those absolutely suck. stuff like CDkeys isn't as bad, but still in a gray-ish area.
 
Damaniel

Damaniel

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
6,558
Portland, OR
Most of those sites are selling stolen keys. The ones that aren't are generally selling site license/bulk license keys against the terms of the vendor (mainly the case for applications instead of games though). In either case, you'd be at risk of losing access to the software if the keys are revoked but not much more than that.

Should you feel guilty? I'd probably be able to sleep at night knowing that I had scored a cheap application key at the expense of a multi-billion dollar company, but that doesn't mean I'd go and buy one. When it comes to games, I never use CD key sites or buy from alternate regions - I either want the game and am willing to pay what's asked, or I don't.
 
DanteMenethil

DanteMenethil

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,129
Depends, if its clearly stolen credit card purchases then yeah. If its gray market arbitrage from globalization it won't stop me from sleeping at night.
 
platocplx

platocplx

2020 Member Elect
Member
Oct 30, 2017
36,115
Gaardus said:
It's my understanding that those cheap office keys are part of bulk licenses for companies, and reselling them isn't actually allowed, though they do work.
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Yeah I have an ungodly amount of keys with a ms dev license. I don't resell them but I easily see how they get sold.
 
LavaBadger

LavaBadger

Member
Nov 14, 2017
5,038
It was always my understanding that these were "grey market" keys; largely the byproduct of regional pricing schemes (Buying them on regions where they are priced cheaper and then sold to people on regions with higher prices). I don't know that I've heard these keys are "stolen" or the byproduct of people stealing credit card numbers.

It ultimately hurts the devs/pubs as they make less money (Possibly fractions of the total depending on how large the regional differences are). It can likewise hurt the region if the differences are taken away because of schemes like this; that region (with lower buying power) now can't buy games because the prices are no longer within reach.

So maybe not strictly illegal activity, but there are definitely consequences.
 
skeezx

skeezx

Member
Oct 27, 2017
20,553
CDkeys and gmg are legit. And I'm guessing a handful of others at this point, I haven't been keeping tabs/ignorant of the global reseller market
 
PAFenix

PAFenix

Unshakable Resolve
Member
Nov 21, 2019
15,288
My PS+ sub just expired and when I mentioned it in my discord, a friend sent me links to a couple of sites (CDKeys & ENEBA) since I mentioned just waiting for a Black Friday sale.

I'll probably still wait for a Black Friday sale. I took a look at both sites and just felt weird about it, lol
 
Clark Zuckerberg

Clark Zuckerberg

Member
Mar 23, 2018
508
I think it all depends on your situation IMO. If you have the money and you're being cheap? Yeah you should probably feel guilty. If you have low income or a student? Probably not. It's better than straight pirating (I would assume since the companies are still getting SOME money), but it's definitely a gray area.
 
Cyberclops

Cyberclops

Member
Mar 15, 2019
1,466
If keys have been acquired using stolen credit cards, they can be rendered invalid if the owner of said card issues a chargeback. Much safer to use more trustworthy sites.

(I don't know of this applies much to OS licences)
 
Kinsei

Kinsei

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
20,748
More reputable sites lie CDKEYS? Nah. Sites lke G2A or shadier on the other hand...
 
c0Zm1c

c0Zm1c

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,229
For games, a number of the sites get their keys straight from the publishers. It's best to stick with those if you can because you know they are legitimate and don't carry the risk of potentially being revoked at some point down the line. You can look at sites like isthereanydeal.com to see who has the best deals among legitimate key sellers. I get my games this way quite often, last one being Control from Voidu just recently.
 
ProtossX

ProtossX

Member
Jul 24, 2020
350
No those keys were all bought from Steam and money went into the developer's pocket. Every key can be traced back to the developer.

If a price is super low on CD-Keys I don't mind buying there. If the price is similar I just buy through steam and get refund protection if the game is bad or runs bad.
 
Chettlar

Chettlar

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,604
It completely depends on where you get the keys. Some places like G2A are like this. It's very scummy.


Adobe can go eat dirt though so you won't hear me defending them pretty much extorting people because they basically have a monopoly. So I'm not going to criticize you where you get your CC license.
 
Tygre

Tygre

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,432
Chesire, UK
It depends where exactly you get the keys... but even then no, especially don't feel guilty about getting Adobe stuff for cheap.
 
Serious Sam

Serious Sam

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,354
No. Cdkeys business is alive for roughly 2 decades and the number of bad stories you can count on a single hand.
 
.exe

.exe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,461
There are degrees of questionable with these sites. Places like Gamersgate and GMG get direct keys from publishers/developers. CDkeys source them from retail in lower price regions presumably and other such shenanigans. Then there are G2A, Kinguin and its ilk, which are marketplaces for people to dump keys onto that there is no way of verifying their source and are often cheaper because they let you opt out of paying VAT. What your friend is referring to is the latter. CDkeys, albeit grayish market, does not get keys through super illicit means like the marketplace type sites allow for. Rule of thumb: if they ask you pay extra for "buyer protection", definitely bail out.
 
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SmartWaffles

SmartWaffles

Member
Nov 15, 2017
6,266
Indies, AA titles, always from Steam or whatever store they sell on so the devs get the maximum amount of money. Triple A title? I don't feel guilty buying from CDKeys.
 
degauss

degauss

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
4,631
My limited understanding is that cdkeys is you buying the license in a poorer country where the game is cheaper?

But I don't get how this translates to what looks like a much less expensive adobe creative cloud - that looks suspect.
 
MrCibb

MrCibb

Member
Dec 12, 2018
5,349
UK
You're not wrong in assuming that. There's nothing inherently illegal or wrong about websites that sell cheaper keys. However that doesn't mean all of them are like that. G2A is known for being dodgy, they don't verify what they get sold. Stick with reputable key resellers and you're all good, nothing to feel guilty about.
 
Bansai

Bansai

Teyvat Traveler
Member
Oct 28, 2017
11,501
Buying stolen keys or keys bought using stolen credit/debit cards off of re-sellers like G2A is basically the same as outright pirating the game. In some cases, developers even prefer that you just pirate the game, that way thieves won't get anything too.

Is it illegal? Not really.
Should you feel guilty? That depends on your own moral compass, since you already seem to know how those keys are obtained.
 
Stone Cold

Stone Cold

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,466
Depends on the specific site that you use, don't remember which ones exactly but a few of them have been known to sell stolen keys. The sites that sell keys purchased in particular countries where the price is lower or sold at bulk price, I think you're kind of in a grey area there. I will say, if you're in college/poor/etc. it's much better to buy from that latter site than it is to just torrent the app/game. You're at least supporting the developer on some level with that move
 
seroun

seroun

Banned
Oct 25, 2018
4,519
From G2A/similar places? Sure.

From CDKeys? Do you see the companies feeling guilty from upping and doing tricks with the keys/licenses to make pay more? You have your answer there.
 
Rosebud

Rosebud

Two Pieces
Member
Apr 16, 2018
44,698
Bansai said:
Buying stolen keys or keys bought using stolen credit/debit cards off of re-sellers like G2A is basically the same as outright pirating the game. In some cases, developers even prefer that you just pirate the game, that way thieves won't get anything too.

Is it illegal? Not really.
Should you feel guilty? That depends on your own moral compass, since you already seem to know how those keys are obtained.
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CDKeys doesn't sell stolen keys, maybe you're thinking in Kinguin
 
Bansai

Bansai

Teyvat Traveler
Member
Oct 28, 2017
11,501
Rosebud said:
CDKeys doesn't sell stolen keys, maybe you're thinking in Kinguin
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OP doesn't use CDkeys, I think a lot of people misunderstand that part of the OP.

"on one of these websites based in Europe where you get CDkeys for dirt cheap"≠ CDkeys the actual company.

At least that's how I read it, and on that basis that's how I responded. So my post doesn't include CDkeys (the company) per se.
 
Vilam

Vilam

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,076
Liquid Plejades said:
I always assumed their keys are so much cheaper since they buy in bulk, or it might be a company that went out of busines or just had extra cdkeys after they bought 10000 office serial numbers from Microsoft. Am I in the wrong in assuming this?
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LOL, nice story you're telling yourself. Your friend is right; gray market CD keys hurt real people.
 
R0987

R0987

Avenger
Jan 20, 2018
2,915
I wonder where these keysites find console giftcards and subscriptions dont these usually have to be activated by certified retailers.
 
Linus815

Linus815

Member
Oct 29, 2017
20,206
the main difference between cdkeys, kinguin and g2a is that cdkeys is one store, and they sourec all their keys themselves. G2a and kinguin are marketplaces, on g2a you can even sell your own keys iirc, and kinguin is basically a collection of multiple cd key sites. When you go on a product, it lists all the available offers.

Anyway most cd key stores get their keys the same exact way. There's usually 2 ways - either they are sourced directly from the publisher/developer or they are simply codes from retail boxes. On cdkeys purchases you can even often see a little photo of the code from inside the retail box.

Stolen keys are likely rare even on g2a, although you are obivously more likely to run into them there, given the nature of the system than on cdkeys where you are almost 100% guaranteed to be fine. Same applies to GMG, voidu, etc
 

xii_7

Alt Account
Banned
Aug 1, 2020
240
I've only used cdkeys once, and that was to buy Cyberpunk 2077 at a cheaper price when it was offered at a discount in other regions but not in mine.

Not sure what to expect at this point.
 
Igniz12

Igniz12

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,544
GMG is a grey market key reseller now? I thought they got their keys from source(devs, publishers).

Their prices are not that competitive for me with regional pricing while CDkeys still are. I assumed because they source their keys from legit places they end up charging more.
 

Deleted member 2834

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,620
No unless you have reason to believe that the keys were stolen. I don't think key marketplaces like G2A and such are inherently bad either. You should always look for the cheapest price (like you would with any other product. Video games are nothing special.) but keep an eye out for shady key vendors.

I buy virtually all my Steam games on CDkeys these days unless a Steam sale matches those prices.
 
KomandaHeck

KomandaHeck

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,362
Maybe when it comes to indie games but for AAA? Nah. Big publishers don't give a shit about your wallet when they're implementing MTX etc. Look out for yourself and grab a bargain.
 
Devil

Devil

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,746
Does anybody know where Gamivo.com ranks among those sites on the shady scale?

I've been buying PSN credit from them recently and it always worked out fine for me. Their cheap prices is the only reason I went a little more with digital games cause the PSN prices at launch suck compared to retail offers. But I'd like to know if they deal stolen shit or whatever.
 
Bufbaf

Bufbaf

Don't F5!
Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,852
Hamburg, Germany
skeezx said:
CDkeys and gmg are legit. And I'm guessing a handful of others at this point, I haven't been keeping tabs/ignorant of the global reseller market
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Gmg has been excluded from reddit/gamedeals because they are very likely not "legit" and don't want to prove otherwise. Pretty sure they're also operating in the not-so-legal areas.
 
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