Ubisoft cancles (atleast some ) re-seller keys for FC4 and AC

[Drungan]

Seems some people got there game keys cancled for FC4 and AC:U the keys in question is from key-reseller sites ( not fully aware if i am allowed to name them here as it might be see as a *advert*

Link to one of the sites covering the story:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015...ers-cancelled/

Personaly i have used 2 of those sites that are generaly known and had no problems so far and i have not personaly been buying FC4 or the AC games, but as a steam user i do at times grab a game from those sites.

My understanding of how those sites work : site buys games in countries where they are cheap.... like some eastern europe coutries and resell it where games cost more.

All keys are original from the game makers and they get there cut.

Does this stop you from using key re-seller sites ?

[Zantos]

I've never used one of these sites, but something similar happened a bit ago too where keys were revoked. Seems like the company's are starting to crack down on these sorts of things.

[Edge-]

Never purchased one before for this specific reason. They're not official retailers and don't get their codes directly from the publishers, that means that there's no guarantee that the keys are legally acquired or for sale in your region. This is the risk that is run when purchasing keys on these sites.

[RoKPaNda]

No, this just stops me from buying Ubisoft games.

This is a complete and total scumbag move from Ubisoft. Sure the corporate sheeps will come in and talk nonsense about fraud and such because they have no idea about how reseller sites work, but this is definitely a scumbag move from Ubisoft and as a consumer you should be outraged by this. (Not that it hasn't happened once or twice several years ago, but that's not how it works.)

Whether I buy a game in the US, the UK, or anywhere else for that matter in the current age of gaming it's the exact same game about 99% of the time. The thing is however that games are priced differently in different regions. Same game, different price. Resellers purchase those games in regions where they're sold cheaply, and resell them at a profit for themselves but still at a discount for people in the "Lawwwwwwwwwl $60 + tax" regions. There is NOTHING wrong with that. UbiSoft is just being greedy and pigheaded now.

If Ubisoft ever releases another game worth playing I'll just wait for the inevitable 90% off sale.

[Deleted]

Wouldn't buy off them anyway. While people have good experiences with some, i've also seen the other side where people have had their keys revokes because they were bought with stolen credit cards. I really do not see the point in taking a risk with it. Just buy from an official retailer.

[Edge-]

This is a complete and total scumbag move from Ubisoft. Sure the corporate sheeps will come in and talk nonsense about fraud and such because they have no idea about how reseller sites work, but this is definitely a scumbag move from Ubisoft and as a consumer you should be outraged by this. (Not that it hasn't happened once or twice several years ago, but that's not how it works.)

Actually, they do know how they work and can track where the codes came from. So if they're seeing a ton of codes from a shipment to one region ending up all over the world, they can pretty easily figure out they were cheaply purchased and then illegally resold (since keys are usually not allowed to be resold, especially outside of its region).

As a consumer, you should be smart enough to purchase through official channels and not on the grey market. At least unless you are fine with running the risk of having this very thing happening.

Whether I buy a game in the US, the UK, or anywhere else for that matter in the current age of gaming it's the exact same game about 99% of the time.

Laws, yo. Games in different regions have various regulations/taxes/etc. associated with them, which is why you see them frequently price differently.

If Ubisoft ever releases another game worth playing I'll just wait for the inevitable 90% off sale.

Cool, that's what I do. But for reasons that have nothing to do with this, because they're absolutely in the right here.

[zealo]

That's a risk people need to be able to take if using key resellers that aren't officially recognised such as GMG, not all sources being sold on there are bad but the risk is there.

[Asmekiel]

https://www.facebook.com/G2Acom/posts/421507051340472
Response from G2A.
Always nice when people post the full story in the OP.

[Orange Joe]

https://www.facebook.com/G2Acom/posts/421507051340472
Response from G2A.
Always nice when people post the full story in the OP.

This doesn't change the OP though? This is just G2A doing the honorable thing and refunding/compensating those that lost their game.

[Drungan]

https://www.facebook.com/G2Acom/posts/421507051340472
Response from G2A.
Always nice when people post the full story in the OP.

I am not realy sure what you try to say .... my post stands ... i did not claim that those sites are a fault or anything i even did say i use them... good that G2A act on it, and i hope that in the future sites like that can go on.

[Zantos]

good that G2A act on it, and i hope that in the future sites like that can go on.

I don't. When sites like this sell stolen keys, it just causes backlash on the games publisher like in this case. Everyone on that facebook link are praising G2A, saying they are so good when they sold Stolen keys, yet they are relentlessly bashing Ubisoft and saying they wont buy games from them again. It should be the opposite. People should be bashing G2A and sites like it for selling stolen keys and praising Ubisoft for taking action and removing the stolen keys. Its not Ubisofts fault that the keys were stolen and then re sold illegally, they are just doing damage control.

In the long run, more and more games will become region locked. Killing these markets. Nintendo already region locks its games and systems. It may also make it harder to buy the games so that these guys reselling the keys cannot continue to do so.

I just hate the praise for the thief's and resentment for the publisher for taking action.

[Arcilux]

I don't. When sites like this sell stolen keys, it just causes backlash on the games publisher like in this case. Everyone on that facebook link are praising G2A, saying they are so good when they sold Stolen keys, yet they are relentlessly bashing Ubisoft and saying they wont buy games from them again. It should be the opposite. People should be bashing G2A and sites like it for selling stolen keys and praising Ubisoft for taking action and removing the stolen keys. Its not Ubisofts fault that the keys were stolen and then re sold illegally, they are just doing damage control.

In the long run, more and more games will become region locked. Killing these markets. Nintendo already region locks its games and systems. It may also make it harder to buy the games so that these guys reselling the keys cannot continue to do so.

I just hate the praise for the thief's and resentment for the publisher for taking action.

Emphasis mine. Where are you getting the idea of stolen keys from? There's been no indication that these keys are stolen. The keys are legally purchased and then resold. True, the TOS does not allow reselling keys, but that's not the same thing as selling stolen items. I have only bought two games from resellers like these, and I personally wouldn't do so again, but for people like the Polish man quoted in the original article, it's the publisher's really unfair regional pricing policies that make sites like these practically necessary.

[Zantos]

Emphasis mine. Where are you getting the idea of stolen keys from? There's been no indication that these keys are stolen. The keys are legally purchased and then resold. True, the TOS does not allow reselling keys, but that's not the same thing as selling stolen items. I have only bought two games from resellers like these, and I personally wouldn't do so again, but for people like the Polish man quoted in the original article, it's the publisher's really unfair regional pricing policies that make sites like these practically necessary.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/deact...bisoft/0144365
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubi.../1100-6424917/
From the publisher themselves given a statement that they are stolen keys. Second, when you break the ToS, they have every legal Right to revoke that key and game from you when it isn't a stolen key, but being resold since that is against their ToS that you agree to buy purchasing the product. But, as for your question, there's the link.

[RoKPaNda]

Actually, they do know how they work and can track where the codes came from. So if they're seeing a ton of codes from a shipment to one region ending up all over the world, they can pretty easily figure out they were cheaply purchased and then illegally resold (since keys are usually not allowed to be resold, especially outside of its region).

As a consumer, you should be smart enough to purchase through official channels and not on the grey market. At least unless you are fine with running the risk of having this very thing happening.



Laws, yo. Games in different regions have various regulations/taxes/etc. associated with them, which is why you see them frequently price differently.



Cool, that's what I do. But for reasons that have nothing to do with this, because they're absolutely in the right here.

Have a family member that works for Ubisoft or something? Because there is no reason at all that you should support this move as a consumer.

When I said corporate sheep, I wasn't talking about Ubisoft, but the people on here that would defend them by spouting nonsense about how resellers work. You can see the comments section of the GameSpot article on this money-grubbing screw-over for a great example of that.

You seem to be very confused about how this sort of thing works, for example your listed reasons for price differences. There is nothing wrong with buying games from resellers, there is nothing shady, skeevy, illegal, or questionable about it, this is just a great example of a company like Ubisoft sticking it to consumers because people found ways around their greed. It's unfortunate, and no they're definitely not in the right. Not in the least. What you seem to be conveniently missing is that Ubisoft got PAID, they got their money, the amount of money that they should have gotten based on the region the key is from, and took their product back as well. Ubisoft got their money, the reseller got their money, and the customer got boned.

And yes I'll continue to buy my games almost exclusively through services like G2A because even if once in a blue moon a greedy company like Ubisoft decides to bone me I'll still be saving money.

Edit: Actually in this case, as per the Gamespot article, it appears that the issue isn't the reseller service itself. It's more likely G2A's marketplace bullshit (not a fan of that) where some fraud occurred as it appears some keys were obtained fraudulently and sold. So while you're still wrong with most of your reasoning, I will admit that Ubisoft appears to not be 100% in the wrong here if fraud did occur here somewhere. However as in the previous few cases where something like this has happened, it's not the fault of the reseller.

[Deleted]

Actually, they do know how they work and can track where the codes came from. So if they're seeing a ton of codes from a shipment to one region ending up all over the world, they can pretty easily figure out they were cheaply purchased and then illegally resold (since keys are usually not allowed to be resold, especially outside of its region).

As a consumer, you should be smart enough to purchase through official channels and not on the grey market. At least unless you are fine with running the risk of having this very thing happening.



Laws, yo. Games in different regions have various regulations/taxes/etc. associated with them, which is why you see them frequently price differently.



Cool, that's what I do. But for reasons that have nothing to do with this, because they're absolutely in the right here.

What's up with moderators here. White Knights of fuckin everything. Makes me sick.

[Zantos]

Have a family member that works for Ubisoft or something? Because there is no reason at all that you should support this move as a consumer.

When I said corporate sheep, I wasn't talking about Ubisoft, but the people on here that would defend them by spouting nonsense about how resellers work. You can see the comments section of the GameSpot article on this money-grubbing screw-over for a great example of that.

You seem to be very confused about how this sort of thing works, for example your listed reasons for price differences. There is nothing wrong with buying games from resellers, there is nothing shady, skeevy, illegal, or questionable about it, this is just a great example of a company like Ubisoft sticking it to consumers because people found ways around their greed. It's unfortunate, and no they're definitely not in the right. Not in the least. What you seem to be conveniently missing is that Ubisoft got PAID, they got their money, the amount of money that they should have gotten based on the region the key is from, and took their product back as well. Ubisoft got their money, the reseller got their money, and the customer got boned.

And yes I'll continue to buy my games almost exclusively through services like G2A because even if once in a blue moon a greedy company like Ubisoft decides to bone me I'll still be saving money.

Soo, why support G2A and bash Ubisoft who already came out and said the keys were fraudulent.

What's up with moderators here. White Knights of fuckin everything. Makes me sick.

Should white knight a company who Rightfully removes a Stolen Products Key from people who bought it by a reseller. They understand the risks of buying from a reseller.

[Korgoth]

What do you mean I got burned buying off a grey market site for a significant discount?

What is the world coming to if you can't even screw over your local seller by buying from a shady enterprise online!

[RoKPaNda]

Soo, why support G2A and bash Ubisoft who already came out and said the keys were fraudulent.

Should white knight a company who Rightfully removes a Stolen Products Key from people who bought it by a reseller. They understand the risks of buying from a reseller.

Actually it appears that the issue is once again G2A's user marketplace bullshit, which is something that I disagree with. It's not an issue with resellers themselves. I only mentioned G2A specifically because that's the big one. G2A, G2Play, etc. Whichever one has the best price. Buying directly through them is fine, buying from G2A's marketplace however is a pretty good way to get burned I'll give you that.

Hey if you want to stand up for the local economy and only buy things locally or throw excess money at game publishers or whatever, that's great. I only took issue because someone went on some bizarre crusade about the evil resellers because buying legit product (Which it is, whether you want it to be or not.) for less cash is eeeeeeeeeeeeevil or something.

[Edge-]

Have a family member that works for Ubisoft or something? Because there is no reason at all that you should support this move as a consumer.

Not at all, I've been quite critical of them, actually.

I'm a big advocate for consumer rights. I'm also a big advocate for consumers not being stupid. That means purchasing through official channels and not grey/black markets.

When I said corporate sheep, I wasn't talking about Ubisoft, but the people on here that would defend them by spouting nonsense about how resellers work. You can see the comments section of the GameSpot article on this money-grubbing screw-over for a great example of that.

What nonsense? They work by acquiring keys, often times from places like bundles or other regions, and then reselling them. They are not keys provided through official channels, and IIRC most of the ToS/EULA say that they keys are not for resale, kinda like when you buy the big bag of candy and the pieces inside say, "Not for individual resale purposes."

There is nothing wrong with buying games from resellers, there is nothing shady, skeevy, illegal, or questionable about it, this is just a great example of a company like Ubisoft sticking it to consumers because people found ways around their greed.

Yes...there is. These are resellers who are not getting their keys through official channels. Did they nab them off a store shelf? Did they purchase them from a different region where they're not intended to be used outside of that region? Did they get them from a cheap bundle where the keys are not intended for sale?

There are plenty of reasons why the grey market that is third party key resellers should be looked upon skeptically by consumers.

What you seem to be conveniently missing is that Ubisoft got PAID, they got their money, the amount of money that they should have gotten based on the region the key is from, and took their product back as well.

That actually doesn't matter. There are legal issues selling keys from different regions, including licensing and tax issues. That's the kinda a big reason why there are region specific keys.

They had no obligation to honor the keys sold through G2A or whatever resellers, because they were not provided to G2A. They were provided to other companies elsewhere then resold through G2A.

Ubisoft got their money, the reseller got their money, and the customer got boned.

The customer didn't do their research and went through a grey market. That's the customers problem, consumer ignorance. It's like when that car you purchased for dirt cheap without any official papers ends up being stolen and returned to its owner. It's the sellers fault and the purchasers fault, not the car owners fault.

And yes I'll continue to buy my games almost exclusively through services like G2A because even if once in a blue moon a greedy company like Ubisoft decides to bone me I'll still be saving money.

Then you run the risk of losing all those keys. As long as you're fine with that, that's cool.

What's up with moderators here. White Knights of fuckin everything. Makes me sick.

How is advocating for consumers not being ignorant "white knighting"?

I only took issue because someone went on some bizarre crusade about the evil resellers because buying legit product (Which it is, whether you want it to be or not.) for less cash is eeeeeeeeeeeeevil or something.

Not evil, it's risky. Any time you purchased through unapproved/unofficial sellers without documentation that the product you're purchasing is legit, you run the risk of purchasing a fraudulent/stolen product. Consumers should be aware of this and not complain should that turn out to be the case. It's an issue of consumer ignorance, not defending a company (though I do defend Ubisoft as they've done nothing wrong here).

[Daws]

Ubisoft are to blame for people going to resellers. They've taken games off steam, released with game breaking bugs and at a premium price which is far beyond there true worth. Seems to me this will just make people think less of ubiosft an be more inclined to simply jump straight to piracy. All they'll achieve is rivalling EA for bad reputations.