Search for almost any PC game and you will find keys for sale well below the official price. Some are legitimate; many are not. Here is how to tell the difference.
Authorised sellers vs marketplaces
Authorised retailers buy keys directly from publishers or official distributors and sell them to you. Key marketplaces (often called grey-market sites) let anyone list keys for sale, and the marketplace itself may not know where a key came from.
The risks of grey-market keys
- Revoked keys: keys bought with stolen payment details can be cancelled by the publisher later, removing the game from your account.
- Region locks: a key sold for another region may not activate, or may activate with the wrong language.
- Account problems: using keys that break a platform’s terms can, in some cases, affect your account.
- Little support: if something goes wrong, the platform cannot help because you did not buy from it.
- Developers may lose out: a key resold on a marketplace may bring the developer nothing.
How to check a seller
- Look for the publisher’s own list of authorised retailers, often on the game’s official website or the store page.
- Be very suspicious if a price is far below every authorised store.
- Read the key’s region and platform carefully before paying.
Legitimate ways to pay less
- Official store sales: Steam’s seasonal sales, and regular sales on the Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store and Epic Games Store.
- Subscriptions: Game Pass and PS Plus can be cheaper than buying if you play many games.
- Wishlists: wishlist games on each store to get notified about discounts.
- Authorised bundles and resellers: reputable bundle sites and authorised key retailers.
Rule of thumb: if the deal looks too good to be true, buy from the official store or an authorised retailer instead.
