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Is CD Key Legit?

Darkmakaimura

Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Is the CD Key website really legitimate? I've noticing you can get games for super cheap. For instance one game is only $20 on CD Keys whereas if you buy it directly from Steam, it's $60. Seems almost too good to be true.
 
Legitimate as in they are an authorised reseller that gets keys stratight from the publisher? No, of course not.
They source grey market keys, so the keys themselves arr legitimate, you just aren't really supporting the publisher by buying those keys.
Sites like gamesplanet are authorised resellers, even greenmangaming doesn't get every key from the publisher, but at least they list the source of their key per game.
 

Holammer

Member
Yes, used them many many times.
It's not 2010's anymore when you got a code scanned from a Turkish boxed copy. Cdkeys get the keys directly from the publishers.
 

SlimySnake

Flashless at the Golden Globes
yes, been using them for years. i never buy stuff from steam.

just remember, you cant refund games you dont buy from steam even if you activate them on steam.
 

Hot5pur

Gold Member
It is "safe" but it may not be great for publishers/developers as I believe those sites take advantage of regional pricing in a way they are not supposed to, which is why they are not considered "official" key sites.

I use Cdkeys and Instant Gaming. Super safe and reliable over the last few years.

Recently tried Gameseal as well, they seem to not be a marketplace and deal directly.

I would avoid G2A, Kinguin, Eneba, etc, because they are a marketplace so you can get anyone on there. Sometimes it works other times you may have a problem on your hands. Any site that doesn't offer PayPal as payment should also be a red flag.

Use ggdeals, pretty good aggregator of pricing and has rating and other useful info.
 

nani17

are in a big trouble
Is the CD Key website really legitimate? I've noticing you can get games for super cheap. For instance one game is only $20 on CD Keys whereas if you buy it directly from Steam, it's $60. Seems almost too good to be true.
allkeyshop is a price comparison site for cdkeys used it for years
 

Magic Carpet

Gold Member
I've never used them but I'm going to try it out this weekend.
I missed the Steam sale of Red Dead Redemption 2 for 19.99.
CDKEYS has the Ultimate edition for 21.09.
So then I just buy here they email me a code? and enter the code in Steam? Is that all I got to do?
 

thegame983

Member
I've never used them but I'm going to try it out this weekend.
I missed the Steam sale of Red Dead Redemption 2 for 19.99.
CDKEYS has the Ultimate edition for 21.09.
So then I just buy here they email me a code? and enter the code in Steam? Is that all I got to do?
Yes. The code will be in your account
edit: as in your cdkeys account
 
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The theory is that they're "gray market" keys. This possibly means that they're keys that were originally sold to distributors/retailers in developing countries for cheap. They're not supposed to be sold within the United States (say), but they get sold somehow to CDKeys, which then sells them to you. They're legit universal keys, and it's legal for you to buy them, but somewhere along the line someone probably committed a contract violation in getting them to you.
 

Tajaz2426

Psychology PhD from Wikipedia University
Good to go on my end. I’ve never had an issue since I’ve started using them, but have only bought steam keys.
 

Denton

Member
If you care about the developer whose game you are buying and are buying the original game in part because you want to support them, I would stick to official authorized sellers (so not CDKeys).

If you just want cheapest key and do not care if the devs are supported, then CDKeys are fine - the keys work reliably.
 
I buy almost all my games from key sites these days and I've never had a problem. Just make sure to double check the region and DRM before you buy, and make sure they don't try to sneak some protection plan into your cart at check out. Also, don't buy from anywhere that doesn't accept PayPal, like Difmark.

gg.deals is an aggregator lets you sync up your Steam wishlist and shows you the best possible deals from a long list of official and keyshop retailers, it's great.

dekudeals.com is a similar site for Nintendo/Playstation storefronts and big box retailers.
 
Is the CD Key website really legitimate? I've noticing you can get games for super cheap. For instance one game is only $20 on CD Keys whereas if you buy it directly from Steam, it's $60. Seems almost too good to be true.
Yes.

It's the only 3rd party Steam key website I trust.

I purchase all my games from there. They're always considerably cheaper than Steam.
 

Diddy X

Member
Cheapest option, I've got everything from there even before switching to PCMR.

Only problem I had is EA taking away some of my games I guess for buying them from grey market but I'm not 100% sure this was the reason.
 

Wildebeest

Member
Guess they are the ones who buy keys from streamers and who requests keys for betas just like mentioned in some videos?
Steam issues keys to developers, and it is up to them to decide what to do with them. If they sell them to key resellers at a competitive price then it is within rules by valve, and if they hand them out to scammers it is within rules by valve. When the reseller prices crash, it is usually because of many keys dumped onto the market by a humble bundle.
 

Gamer79

Predicts the worst decade for Sony starting 2022
Is the CD Key website really legitimate? I've noticing you can get games for super cheap. For instance one game is only $20 on CD Keys whereas if you buy it directly from Steam, it's $60. Seems almost too good to be true.
been using them for years with no problems, Both windows keys and game keys
 

Garibaldi

Member
Used them for ages. PSN vouchers and PC games. Perfectly fine. I've had a few keys that didn't work but a quick support ticket and they've always came up and sorted it.
 
Just check reviews on trustpilot if unsure about where your purchasing from. Cd keys have an almost perfect score of 4.8 from 194k reviews. So they are very good!
 
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