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[PetriP-TNT]

So for a while now, a shady keyreseller totally legitimate businessmen has become more and more apparent in the video game business as a whole. From bribing sponsoring major league million dollar teams on DOTA2 and CS:GO, to buying mindshare helping out most popular struggling Twitch streamers to even to the games journalism level (mods please ban the one who does the first gamergate reference).

Everything now is G2A related and despite obviously shady practices most of the major players seem to be turning the blind eye to it. Why? Money is nice I guess. Plus people in general really seems to like the low low low prices, so low that they might even sound unreal or even criminal, but money IS nice and spending less money is a goal for many.

******** itself seems to be playing it off by offering some kinds of protection against scams (why would you provide a such thing in the first place if you are legit by any means?) and hiding behind the "oh it is the third party sellers that are shady, not us!"-clause.

One thing is clear: they have tons of money and they are not afraid to use it. Should something be done against it? Is G2A Al Capone running free like someone said on the Steam topic? Is G2A Pablo Escobar and the 12-year-old kids rocking it's name in their tags in CS:GO their child soldiers or have I watched too much Narcos in the past few weeks? Or are they just a regular joe trying to make a buck? Have you bought something off there? Did you know of their dubious nature? How did it make you feel? Would you do it again?

 

[Sylverstone14]

I wish they would die off already. Spamming pieces of crap.

 

[K.Sabot]

The weirdest day of Twitch.tv's life was when a large amount popular streamers livestreamed a restream of a G2A business conference at gamescom this year.

I promptly unfollowed anyone I saw streaming it on my follow list.

 

[blame space]

😉

EDIT: man it's supposed to be the animated ad. It's pretty much the only ad I get on GAF anymore.

 

[inky]

They are a pretty shady organization that's for sure. Selling "protection guarantees" for what are likely stolen keys under the guise of third party sellers is fucking scummy and I want nothing to do with them.

But half the twitch streamers would sell their mothers for sponsorship money, we all know that, and the other half don't have the viewers to justify it. It has just made me ignore the platform. Another case of not enough people looking into what this industry is doing.

 

[Deques]

You can also see G2A ads on the mobile in NeoGAF

 

[MUnited83]

They also have official affiliation with Paypal( paypal actually even runs Paypal-sponsored G2A sales from time to time) and many many PC stores. It's amazing the kind of connections they made considering how their business works.


Even Rocket League's Cinema youtube channel has a deal with G2A, and that's a channel approved by the developers themselves.

 

[Alucrid]

You can also see G2A ads on the mobile in NeoGAF

It's pretty much the only one I see on my phone

 

[Fularu]

They also have official affiliation with Paypal( paypal actually even runs Paypal-sponsored G2A sales from time to time) and many many PC stores. It's amazing the kind of connections they made considering how their business works.

Afaik their business is no different than Ebay's or Amazon's. It's a market'lace but for digital games

 

[KelpPlankton]

G2A is a little weird but it makes sense that eventually SOME key reseller would rise to prominence like this. From what I've seen, if their key providers end up being legally iffy or the keys become invalid they'll strive to make it right for their customers pretty quickly.

I used them once a few years ago but I can't even remember what it was for. Diablo 3 maybe? I'm not sure. Had no problems though.

Honestly it just feels like buying from anywhere else online that's not a megagiant like Steam or Amazon. There are so many weird little sites offering steep discounts on games these days it's sometimes hard to know which ones are reliable and which ones aren't. G2A is at least a known name, I guess.

I think it gets a lot of undeserved suspicion, but then again it is a key reseller site and historically those have been pretty shady.

 

[bigace33]

Gog snatched Pillars of Eternity right out of my account after I bought the key from G2A. They said something about the games being possibly stolen or bought with shady credit cards or something. I should have known the prices were too good to be true.

 

[RionaaM]

They are extremely shady, and not approved by devs or publishers. I will never buy from them, and as I said on the Steam thread, I've tried to discourage a couple of friends from doing so (don't know if I succeeded).

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Afaik their business is no different than Ebay's or Amazon's. It's a market'lace but for digital games

I think the main difference is that Ebay and Amazon actively try to curb illegitimate sellers. Or do you see tons of bootlegs of Seinfeld DVD's on either?

The weirdest day of Twitch.tv's life was when a large amount popular streamers livestreamed a restream of a G2A business conference at gamescom this year.

I promptly unfollowed anyone I saw streaming it on my follow list.

Well that's really something.

 

[MUnited83]

Afaik their business is no different than Ebay's or Amazon's. It's a market'lace but for digital games

Ebay and Amazon don't allow for transaction of digital items, which G2A does, and those can very easily be revoked.
That, and G2A also sells some games themselves.

 

[Fularu]

Gog snatched Pillars of Eternity right out of my account after I bought the key from G2A. They said something about the games being possibly stolen or bought with shady credit cards or something. I should have known the prices were too good to be true.

GOG removed my Witcher 3 from my account and I bought a boxed copy from Amazon

A little chat with their customers service cleared everything up quickly though

 

[Storm360]

I don't watch/support anyone who uses G2A, Its basically scamming your own audience

 

[Copons]

For the sake of discussion, I'm going to copy/paste/edit what I said earlier in the Steam thread, so sorry for repeating.


Every single PC gamer I know consider G2A and friends to be totally legit sites.
Even though they tell me "I also buy the G2A Shield, because you never know", when I explain that sometimes keys are revoked and games removed from people's accounts, they still keep thinking they're legit.

What amazes me is that, if they buy the G2A Shield for a frigging digital key (which, if legit, just HAS to work, there are no other possibilities - bar very rare tech issues), deep in their minds they know they're walking in a gray area, yet they just cannot admit it, as long as they can shove their magical savings right in my face.


But eh, it is a sound business, and for plenty of reasons too.
You get to save money for close to zero risks. You get sellers feedback and a protection thing if something goes wrong. And on top of that, you're actually paying, to firmly distance yourself from piracy.

We can discuss the ethics of this for hours, we could agree or disagree, but still G2A has a great business model, for themselves of course, but for customers too. Not for publishers and developers, but rarely the end user gives a shit about them.

The biggest reason that pushes me to keep arguing against G2A customers, is that sooner or later it will harm the entire PC gaming market.

 

[Fularu]

I think the main difference is that Ebay and Amazon actively try to curb illegitimate sellers. Or do you see tons of bootlegs of Seinfeld DVD's on either?



Well that's really something.

Ebay and Amazon's marketplace are filled with bootleg items

I mean, did you even check the listings before replying?

Also G2A does the same (still afaik, I've never used them) and removed shady sellers all the time

 

[crazyrabbits]

So for a while now, a shady keyreseller totally legitimate businessmen has become more and more apparent in the video game business as a whole. From bribing sponsoring major league million dollar teams on DOTA2 and CS:GO, to buying mindshare helping out most popular struggling Twitch streamers to even to the games journalism level (mods please ban the one who does the first gamergate reference).

Everything now is G2A related and despite obviously shady practices most of the major players seem to be turning the blind eye to it. Why? Money is nice I guess. Plus people in general really seems to like the low low low prices, so low that they might even sound unreal or even criminal, but money IS nice and spending less money is a goal for many.

******** itself seems to be playing it off by offering some kinds of protection against scams (why would you provide a such thing in the first place if you are legit by any means?) and hiding behind the "oh it is the third party sellers that are shady, not us!"-clause.

One thing is clear: they have tons of money and they are not afraid to use it. Should something be done against it? Is G2A Al Capone running free like someone said on the Steam topic? Is G2A Pablo Escobar and the 12-year-old kids rocking it's name in their tags in CS:GO their child soldiers or have I watched too much Narcos in the past few weeks? Or are they just a regular joe trying to make a buck? Have you bought something off there? Did you know of their dubious nature? How did it make you feel? Would you do it again?

The PC Gamer giveaway notes that it's "sponsored". Basically the equivalent of a newspaper advertorial piece.

Doesn't mean it's right or ethical. G2A are absolute scam artists. The sooner they're wiped out completely, the better off we'll all be.

 

[Omega]

I want my NeoGAF name to be G2A Omega

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Ebay and Amazon's marketplace are filled with bootleg items

I mean, did you even check the listings before replying?

Also G2A does the same (still afaik, I've never used them) and removed shady sellers all the time

Well, if you can give me good examples on Amazon about thriving bootleg sellers well then okay and I can see how some sellers on Ebay might be of unauthorized nature but for example Ebay doesn't allow selling of bootleg records at all, no matter what's their status.

And Ebay and Amazon as the hugest global markets is much much harder to control than say a specialized site like G2A.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

I've used the site before, the deals really have gone down though. You'll rarely see a deal now that's significantly better than other sites and often even worse.

Like I bought Ori and the blind forest for a friend for 5€ from a steamsale directly and G2A has been advertising the game for ~13€ almost weekly since.

The G2Pay and G2Shield do make me chuckle though and the box to tick "I understand I'm evading taxes" (paraphrased).

 

[NeoFaff]

G2A Goldmine: Earn real money with us!
right next to
Save the Children with us!
Dat benevolence

Honestly though, let's start decrying them when a publisher blames cdkey sellers for studio closures, not before.

 

[L Thammy]

I think the main difference is that Ebay and Amazon actively try to curb illegitimate sellers. Or do you see tons of bootlegs of Seinfeld DVD's on either?

I don't know if it counts, but there's the guys who sell Wikipedia articles on Amazon.

 

[SmartWaffles]

You have no idea how clueless some of their sponsored esports teams are about the nature of G2A. I once talked to a owner of a big team they sponsored, and he still thinks G2A has some legitimacy to it despite me showing tons of evidence.

 

[Fularu]

Well, if you can give me good examples on Amazon about thriving bootleg sellers well then okay and I can see how some sellers on Ebay might be of unauthorized nature but for example Ebay doesn't allow selling of bootleg records at all, no matter what's their status.

Neither does G2A which is why, just like Ebay and Amazon, them have client protection programs in place.

Following your logic, Ebay and Amazon should be banned too because stuff beeing sold on them could be stolen/counterfeit.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

I don't know if it counts, but there's the guys who sell Wikipedia articles on Amazon.

Doesn't count, it's totally legimate (albeit scummy) to publish and sell Wikipedia articles.

Publishers are allowed to sell copies of Wikipedia, and consumers, if they so choose, are allowed to pay for what they could get at no charge through the Wikimedia Foundation's websites.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Buying_Wikipedia_articles_in_print_or_another_form

Neither does G2A which is why, just like Ebay and Amazon, them have client protection programs in place.

Following your logic, Ebay and Amazon should be banned too because stuff beeing sold on them could be stolen/counterfeit.

No that's not my logic at all man. I am not talking about anyone banning anyone, and I acknowledge that all public marketplaces can have illegitimate products. The problem here is making an effort, which is obvious that G2A does not do: just go there and search for Blizzard.

 

[Cels]

Like I bought Ori and the blind forest for a friend for 5€ from a steamsale directly and G2A has been advertising the game for ~13€ almost weekly since.

that was a price error that was corrected before 24 hours had passed

for example, dark souls steam for $1 in australia, which was also a price error. can't expect the gray market to compete with that.

 

[Callibretto]

G2A digital games are stolen keys? I've used them recently for Mortal Kombat. The g2shield thing is weird, I don't use it. My reasoning is that if it end up scam at least I didn't spend much since the price is very cheap. Like $7 for Mortal Kombst X.

Well, I'll stay away from now on I guess.

 

[jshackles]

For the past few years I've been approached by individuals, some of which may or may not been working with G2A, asking if I would consider putting links to G2A in Enhanced Steam because "it's almost always cheaper than the sites you promote - and you want to help people save money, right?".

I've always stuck by my stance to only include online stores that are authorized by publishers, and I always will.

 

[FStop7]

I unsubbed from every Twitch streamer I follow who shills for G2A. I know losing my $5/mo doesn't make a difference but fuck that company.

 

[Ploid 3.0]

Wow didn't know they were bad. I nearly bought Metal Gear Solid V on impulse when I saw a streamer promoting a 30% off + a low percent for using their promotion code. Turned out that 30% promotion was old and their bot was still putting it in their chat. For that price it would been ok, happy it wasn't current.

 

[LucidMomentum]

I've always stuck by my stance to only include online stores that are authorized by publishers, and I always will.

Why are GAF devs the best devs? <3

 

[mysocksarepink]

My advertisement on mobile gaf is G2A

 

[Fularu]

No that's not my logic at all man. I am not talking about anyone banning anyone, and I acknowledge that all public marketplaces can have illegitimate products. The problem here is making an effort, which is obvious that G2A does not do: just go there and search for Blizzard.

Neither Amazon nor Ebay go out of their way to remove illegitimate peoducts. They only do so if people report/complain about a specific seller/item (and often The sellers still stay with the "suspect item" beeing removed/delisted). I mean unless it's specifically sold by a known shop (and even then) try buying a legit gba/DS game on either marketplaces

It' s downright impossible yet those listings are everywhere (same with bootleg copies of snes/md games and so on)

 

[Grief.exe]

I unsubbed from every Twitch streamer I follow who shills for G2A. I know losing my $5/mo doesn't make a difference but fuck that company.

Twitch streamers are pretty scummy about shilling poor gaming products. The money is just too good.

 

[L.O.R.D]

They are teaming up with msi in every commercial

 

[SlipperyFishes]

My colleagues at Polygon have covered this in the past:

The truth behind those mysteriously cheap gray market game codes

Readers weigh in on the potentially shady world of gray market games

Want free copies of Steam games? Just say you're a YouTuber

Aside: The sheer game code spam that I was removing on Polygon and The Verge at the time was pretty much exclusively either G2A or Kinguin. Accounts set up with links on almost every post related to any AAA game to the point where I'd just be spam banning the about 10 accounts weekly on each site. That might not sound like a lot, but dealing with a lot of comments on a daily basis means a lot of scanning for bots.

But yeah, my obvious bias aside I think that Polygon have done some good investigation work into that in the past but I can't say for sure where I've read the same elsewhere. I don't actually get to read much of anything these days I'm so busy.

 

[Lumination]

I wouldn't trust a single product pushed by Twitch streamers or esports events based on those endorsements alone. They are as credible as popups from the 90s.

None of that stuff is regulated in the least. It's not like trying out Coke's newest drink that you saw on CBS.

 

[FinalStageBoss]

Bought a key from them once for dirt cheap. Had no problems tbh.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

that was a price error that was corrected before 24 hours had passed

for example, dark souls steam for $1 in australia, which was also a price error. can't expect the gray market to compete with that.

I know but you can expect resellers to buy it in droves and then sell them aggressively, they're not even selling at a good price but a price you can practically get everywhere.

 

[KingV]

I think the main difference is that Ebay and Amazon actively try to curb illegitimate sellers. Or do you see tons of bootlegs of Seinfeld DVD's on either?



Well that's really something.

You can buy knock off collector toys all day on eBay.

Things like s.h.figuarts or figma.

 

[nynt9]

Well, if you can give me good examples on Amazon about thriving bootleg sellers well then okay and I can see how some sellers on Ebay might be of unauthorized nature but for example Ebay doesn't allow selling of bootleg records at all, no matter what's their status.

And Ebay and Amazon as the hugest global markets is much much harder to control than say a specialized site like G2A.

Literally searched for "bootleg record" on ebay and got more than a thousand results.

 

[GenericUser]

The one that sells me the game at the lowest price will earn me as a satisfied customer. I don't give a flying fuck about the industry, the consumers, the publishers, the devs. You know, nobody of them will give a shit about me when I'm in trouble.

The lower the price, the better, no matter the cost (as long as it doesn't affect me).

Sorry humanity, have I been honest, accidently?

 

[EightBitNate]

 

[nynt9]

The one that sells me the game at the lowest price will earn me as a satisfied customer. I don't give a flying fuck about the industry, the consumers, the publishers, the devs. You know, nobody of them will give a shit about me when I'm in trouble.

The lower the price, the better, no matter the cost (as long as it doesn't affect me).

Sorry humanity, have I been honest, accidently?

If that is your stance, might as well just pirate it?

 

[Grief.exe]

This needs to be fixed ASAP.

 

[Mad Season]

Been buying games
From them with zero issues

 

[GenericUser]

If that is your stance, might as well just pirate it?

this is everybodies stance. that's why g2a exists.

 

[mightynine]

I'd love for that seizure-inducing G2A ad to get banned on mobile. At the very least swapped out for one that doesn't look like it came from a Geocities page.