A new development expected from gaming firms
A new development expected from gaming firms
I followed our usual approach in our community. After receiving the information about grinding games being labeled as "fraudulent," I discussed it with them, and then reached out to the company we purchased from. We received a refund. Fairness is served, even outside my usual circle. Updated: Someone mentioned that if you once had early access to Path of Exile 2 but no longer do, it often means your access key was canceled—possibly because the original seller refunded or returned the purchase. This would invalidate the key. As I responded, it could have been my issue, and it should have been handled justly. But that’s not my situation yet. Let’s keep an eye on this.
Some people shared that if you had early access to Path of Exile 2 but no longer do, it usually indicates your key was revoked—either because the seller refunded or charged back, making the key unusable. This might happen when the original source cancels the purchase. In my case, I bought a license key, played extensively, and then suddenly it was removed without explanation. Now they ask proof of purchase, only accepting their own sources or Steam. Many have contacted support, questioning why they could delete a valid license without justification.
If I had been unlucky enough to buy an invalid key, it should have been rejected at registration or warned about a hack. But now, with the shift in Steam’s policy—changing from “buying the game” to “buying a license”—it seems companies could simply remove keys they deem untrustworthy. This raises concerns about fairness and the right to challenge such actions.
I’m worried about this situation, especially since Steam recently altered its language around purchases. It feels like they might be targeting other platforms or sources. If I were affected, I’d want to file a claim against the seller. But right now, I’m unsure how to proceed. The thread is growing, and I hope more people will join the conversation to raise awareness.
Most purchases come from third-party resellers or marketplaces. Likely these involve G2A matters. Keys are frequently bought in lower-income areas and resold to higher-income regions at reduced prices. This practice has led GGG to ban such keys. The problem with third parties is that you can't always trust how they obtained those keys. To back devs properly, buy directly from legitimate sources like Steam or GGG themselves. Third parties mainly offer discounts, not developer support. They don’t always back the developers, which probably explains why these keys are being restricted. GGG is requesting proof of purchase to confirm where the keys were sold.
First off, you never bought the game, you always bought a license, this isn't something new. Second, where did the affected people buy those keys? License deactivations aren't uncommon, given that many keys get bought with stolen credit card data. Here's how that works: Let's say I steal some credit card info, buy a legitimate key from a legitimate site like Green Man Gaming or Humble or whatever. I resell that key on one of those scummy reseller sites like G2A. You end up buying the key I fraudulently acquired. The original owner of the credit card sees the charges and disputes them. The credit card company issues a refund to the owner of the card and in turn gets back the money they transferred to the legitimate seller of the key. The original key seller gets back the money from the developer. The developer notices this and deactivates the key they didn't get paid for. You now no longer have a working game. I, the hypothetical fraudster in this scenario, still have your money. Good luck getting it back.
These were indeed official sources of early access keys. I reviewed the thread you shared, and it seems some sellers were offering retail keys that shouldn’t have been available through early access channels. It’s likely they had a system in place to identify those keys before now. Welcome to digital distribution—ownership is a different story.
Found another discussion where a representative shared additional details. https://www.pathofexile.com/forum/view-thread/3661361 (my emphasis) This suggests they are dismissing keys bought through fraudulent transactions that were later resold by third-party sellers. Game developers have the right to cancel keys if payments are reversed or refunded. That isn’t standard practice. Once a key was activated, it was probably legitimate. Third-party resellers often acquire keys using stolen credit cards and then list them on external marketplaces to steal the funds. After some time, the bank may detect the fraud and reverse the charge, leaving the publisher unharmed. The publisher would likely receive an email explaining why the key was invalidated (fraud, refund, etc.). Since you’re not the original buyer, that email won’t reach you—it goes to the reseller. The reseller has no interest in recovering money from stolen card purchases. This highlights the danger of buying keys from questionable reseller sites. Consider spending a little more and purchasing from trusted platforms like Steam or Epic Games.
That's the point I'm making about digital distribution, but I don't think we should just hand over without a fight. If I purchase a key from another seller, shouldn't I have some recourse? If it's claimed as stolen or misplaced, I should be able to challenge the situation and seek help from my original reseller. Otherwise, we end up with no real outcome and the company gains an advantage by ignoring customer concerns.
I didn't receive that detail. If you had early access to Path of Exile 2 but no longer do, it usually means your redeemed access key was canceled. This can happen if the original provider refunded or recharged your purchase, making the key invalid. If you got the key from a third party and suddenly lost access, consider contacting them about the key's validity. That would have been better, otherwise it’s frustrating.
I have addressed similar topics before in other posts. In my opinion, these reseller platforms aren't inherently risky—they function like a marketplace, much like Gamestop does, or any site where you trade games. There are valid reasons to sell on such platforms. However, there can be concerns as well. I only purchase from verified sources when necessary. It’s unclear why an invalid source should prevent me from buying from them. Are they registered businesses? If I visited a local dealer without any company behind it, I would know what I was getting. But perhaps there are differences between countries. I’ve experienced contrasts in practices compared to Scandinavian markets. As I told others, the game will be free eventually, so I don’t worry about nighttime worries. Still, I’m anxious about potential issues—like an unexpected agreement with a game company and the company revoking the license. There are many possible scenarios that could cause problems.
Gamestop operated more like a retail outlet rather than a standard marketplace. They acquired items from individual sellers and resold them for profit, functioning similarly to a pawn shop. Platforms such as G2A, eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace allow regular users to list their possessions directly to buyers. If you encounter an unusually low price for a device on these sites, it’s likely a stolen item that won’t work properly. Apple isn’t necessarily at fault for not enabling activation if the phone remains linked to the previous owner’s Apple ID. While legitimate deals can be found on key reseller forums—often from people who buy game bundles and share keys—they lack verification of authenticity. This is the risk you accept when using such platforms.
We’ve addressed these points because G2A stands out among offenders, even offering buyer protection at a fee. They’re aware their site is targeted by credit card scammers and instead rely on a self-serving protection scheme.
Your inquiry suggests you’re seeking confirmation rather than genuine solutions. You weren’t necessarily looking for clarification, but rather to shift responsibility away from potentially fraudulent keys. If you’re interested in finding game keys, consider reputable sources instead of unverified marketplaces.
If you’re exploring deals, I recommend checking out this site, which lists trusted resellers. For serious hunting, stick to well-known platforms and verify seller credibility before proceeding.
You shouldn’t complain about not being aware of the situation by the developer. You weren’t a customer, so they have no obligation to inform you.
This practice isn't a fresh idea—selling or purchasing games/keys from third-party or gray-market sources like G2A, Kinguin, etc., tends to raise concerns.