Valve Bans 20,000 people from steam for using a pirated cdkey

glassdragon · 11-23-04, 12:40 AM

I love it. Anyone who tried to use a certain cdkey has been banned. 20k plus accounts are gone now.

that's great. Most of the complaining on the forum though is from people who lost all their legit games because they tried to use the pirated key on their account with legal games.

http://www.steampowered.com/forums/s...hreadid=184810

discuss?

oh btw didn't see a thread on this that's why i'm starting one.. if there is one then let me know and i'll delete this one

Birrman54 · 11-23-04, 12:54 AM

why would anyone use the pirated cdkey for a LEGIT purpose?

These people broke the rules, they got banned.

birrman54

glassdragon · 11-23-04, 12:58 AM

no i mean their account already had Halflife, Condition zero and such all purchased legally.. They they tried to steal HL2 and they lost ALL of their legal games too. I guess they tried to steal it and when it didn't work for them they bought it.. and got that Legal hl2 key banned because they tried to steal if at one time.. Still funny, they never should have even tried to steal it in the first place

BizRodian · 11-23-04, 02:10 AM

It kind of freaks me out. They take away games that were legally purchased. It's kind of like a lack of due process or something.

That said, I don't have much sympathy.

Also, I know in the past, one game I purchased didn't include a CD key. Because I wasn't going to use the multiplayer, I just found one online. With the fact that many people have purchased this game, but had problems connecting to steam in order to get the files unlocked, maybe some people tried to get a hacked version... and now can't play their legal version, since they're banned. Once I even downloaded a game because I ordered the retail online, and it got delayed in shipping.

NeonGlow · 11-23-04, 02:15 AM

It seems wrong for Valve to take away all your other games. They should just disable the one game you tried to steal. However the person in that forum is pretty whiney and should just blame his cousin.

PixyJunket · 11-23-04, 07:07 AM

Excellent!

TheMadMonk · 11-23-04, 07:20 AM

So, what's to stop these people from just re-installing the Legal games they had, which were broken?

glassdragon · 11-23-04, 11:24 AM

the cdkey is forever tied to their account that was deleted. If they try to put the games on another account it will say the cdkey has been used and won't let them

Groucho · 11-23-04, 11:45 AM

Based on comments in this forum, I bet more than a few DVDTalkers were caught in the scheme.

BizRodian · 11-23-04, 05:12 PM

Really? where? another thread, or this one? Aside from mine (and I bought the game legally and didn't try to use a fake cd key... you can see my bitching about the CE I purchased in all the other HL2 threads

) I don't really see any comments here.

s}{ammer · 11-23-04, 05:20 PM

I never really liked half life so I passed on this one. Good thing too, sounds like a company I would rather not support. I have no problem with them blocking a person from playing an illegal game but blocking them from playing games they have legally purchased just tastes like EULA abuse to me. I hate EULAs....

Groucho · 11-23-04, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BizRodian
Really? where? another thread, or this one?

Not this thread, just in general on this forum.

Tyler_Durden · 11-29-04, 01:17 PM

What if I were to make copies of my original discs for a friend and also give him access to my account? Would that work, i.e. could we both use the same account at the same time?

Seriously, I have no interest in trying this. Simply being hypothetical.

Groucho · 11-29-04, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tyler_Durden
What if I were to make copies of my original discs for a friend and also give him access to my account? Would that work, i.e. could we both use the same account at the same time?

That wouldn't work. Only one person can be using a Steam account at any given time. You guys could take turns using the account, but not at the same time.

Trigger · 11-29-04, 01:26 PM

I have my account on 3 different PCs and it works out fine. I had several keys, so I have a couple accounts.

Neitzl · 11-29-04, 01:49 PM

I was interested in how I would be able to install the game on two different PCs, my desktop and my laptop, and it seems easy enough. I read you can even play at the same time, but I think only different games, e.g., I could play Half-Life 2, while on the other PC, a friends plays CS:S. Kinda neat.

al_bundy · 11-29-04, 03:51 PM

I really have no problem with valve trying to make a system for people not to steal their software, but this is crazy. What if 5 years down the road Vavle goes belly up or decides to get rid of Steam for another system? Do you loose rights to play all the games you bought?

Groucho · 11-29-04, 03:54 PM

I suppose if something goes awry in 5 years and I lose my right to play Half-Life 2 on Steam, if I really want to play it I'll go pick it up out of the bargain bin.

finbogg · 11-29-04, 03:57 PM

In the words of Nelson "Ha Ha!"

jaeufraser · 11-29-04, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Groucho
I suppose if something goes awry in 5 years and I lose my right to play Half-Life 2 on Steam, if I really want to play it I'll go pick it up out of the bargain bin.

Yeah, but unless Valve releases a version of HL2 that works without Steam, that's not possible. Both retail and Steam downloaded versions require Steam to work. If Valve were to go belly up, we'd be SOL on playing legit versions, at least in its current state.

al_bundy · 11-29-04, 04:08 PM

that's what i heard too, that the CD version is nothing more than the Steam files on CD. I think Valve is getting ahead of the game here with this. I can understand if they sell a downloadable version that you simply burn to CD. Maybe they should have done something like that and simply found a way to watermark each download or something similar.

Jackskeleton · 11-29-04, 04:31 PM

If Valve goes belly up, they will find a way to not make everyone get screwed over. Besides that, it doesn't look like they will be belly up any time soon.

This is very funny news.

al_bundy · 11-30-04, 07:00 AM

on a lighter note i read about this last week on anandtech.

someone had a link to the steam forums where someone complained about their account being shutdown. The mods answered that they were trying to buy the game with 19 different credit cards over a few months with fake names. I'm willing to be a large part of the shutdown accounts are people actually trying to steal the game.

Gromit · 11-30-04, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by al_bundy
on a lighter note i read about this last week on anandtech.

someone had a link to the steam forums where someone complained about their account being shutdown. The mods answered that they were trying to buy the game with 19 different credit cards over a few months with fake names. I'm willing to be a large part of the shutdown accounts are people actually trying to steal the game.

I think the link that started this thread is that discussion at the steam forums.

Tyler_Durden · 11-30-04, 08:16 AM

Doesn't this mean that you can't sell your copy of HL2 without also giving the person your account details?

11-23-04, 12:40 AM	#1
glassdragon DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Somewhere out there... YES THERE!!! Posts: 7,935	Valve Bans 20,000 people from steam for using a pirated cdkey I love it. Anyone who tried to use a certain cdkey has been banned. 20k plus accounts are gone now. that's great. Most of the complaining on the forum though is from people who lost all their legit games because they tried to use the pirated key on their account with legal games. http://www.steampowered.com/forums/s...hreadid=184810 discuss? oh btw didn't see a thread on this that's why i'm starting one.. if there is one then let me know and i'll delete this one __________________ Your knowledge of scientific biological transmogrification is only outmatched by your zest for kung-fu treachery! Psn - glsdragon Last edited by glassdragon; 11-23-04 at 01:01 AM.

11-23-04, 12:58 AM	#3
glassdragon DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Somewhere out there... YES THERE!!! Posts: 7,935	no i mean their account already had Halflife, Condition zero and such all purchased legally.. They they tried to steal HL2 and they lost ALL of their legal games too. I guess they tried to steal it and when it didn't work for them they bought it.. and got that Legal hl2 key banned because they tried to steal if at one time.. Still funny, they never should have even tried to steal it in the first place __________________ Your knowledge of scientific biological transmogrification is only outmatched by your zest for kung-fu treachery! Psn - glsdragon

11-23-04, 07:07 AM	#6
PixyJunket DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 23,217	Excellent! __________________ Twitter, Wii U and Xbox 360: PixyJunket

11-23-04, 11:24 AM	#8
glassdragon DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Somewhere out there... YES THERE!!! Posts: 7,935	the cdkey is forever tied to their account that was deleted. If they try to put the games on another account it will say the cdkey has been used and won't let them __________________ Your knowledge of scientific biological transmogrification is only outmatched by your zest for kung-fu treachery! Psn - glsdragon

11-23-04, 11:45 AM	#9
Groucho DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 62,161	Based on comments in this forum, I bet more than a few DVDTalkers were caught in the scheme. __________________ Xbox Live: Runner Groucho PSN: RunnerGroucho "The Borg is a species" -- Tracer Bullet (Citation)

11-23-04, 12:54 AM	#2
Birrman54 DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Hoboken, NJ Posts: 3,067	why would anyone use the pirated cdkey for a LEGIT purpose? These people broke the rules, they got banned. birrman54

11-23-04, 02:10 AM	#4
BizRodian DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Ottawa Posts: 9,975	It kind of freaks me out. They take away games that were legally purchased. It's kind of like a lack of due process or something. That said, I don't have much sympathy. Also, I know in the past, one game I purchased didn't include a CD key. Because I wasn't going to use the multiplayer, I just found one online. With the fact that many people have purchased this game, but had problems connecting to steam in order to get the files unlocked, maybe some people tried to get a hacked version... and now can't play their legal version, since they're banned. Once I even downloaded a game because I ordered the retail online, and it got delayed in shipping.

11-23-04, 02:15 AM	#5
NeonGlow Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: California Posts: 282	It seems wrong for Valve to take away all your other games. They should just disable the one game you tried to steal. However the person in that forum is pretty whiney and should just blame his cousin.

11-23-04, 07:20 AM	#7
TheMadMonk DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 3,172	So, what's to stop these people from just re-installing the Legal games they had, which were broken?

11-23-04, 05:12 PM	#10
BizRodian DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Ottawa Posts: 9,975	Really? where? another thread, or this one? Aside from mine (and I bought the game legally and didn't try to use a fake cd key... you can see my bitching about the CE I purchased in all the other HL2 threads ) I don't really see any comments here.

11-23-04, 05:20 PM	#11
s}{ammer DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: AZ Posts: 1,816	I never really liked half life so I passed on this one. Good thing too, sounds like a company I would rather not support. I have no problem with them blocking a person from playing an illegal game but blocking them from playing games they have legally purchased just tastes like EULA abuse to me. I hate EULAs.... __________________ Go Broncos! Xboxlive 360 - Da BrokDikDog My 360's blog

11-29-04, 01:17 PM	#13
Tyler_Durden DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 4,516	What if I were to make copies of my original discs for a friend and also give him access to my account? Would that work, i.e. could we both use the same account at the same time? Seriously, I have no interest in trying this. Simply being hypothetical. __________________ Boris: There's been a mistake! I know, I made it! Love and Death (1975)

11-29-04, 01:26 PM	#15
Trigger DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 23,459	I have my account on 3 different PCs and it works out fine. I had several keys, so I have a couple accounts. __________________ theomnom.com Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence? Sai Baba

11-29-04, 01:49 PM	#16
Neitzl DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2,284	I was interested in how I would be able to install the game on two different PCs, my desktop and my laptop, and it seems easy enough. I read you can even play at the same time, but I think only different games, e.g., I could play Half-Life 2, while on the other PC, a friends plays CS:S. Kinda neat. __________________ DVDs Comics

11-29-04, 03:51 PM	#17
al_bundy DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: in da cloud Posts: 26,196	I really have no problem with valve trying to make a system for people not to steal their software, but this is crazy. What if 5 years down the road Vavle goes belly up or decides to get rid of Steam for another system? Do you loose rights to play all the games you bought?

11-29-04, 03:54 PM	#18
Groucho DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 62,161	I suppose if something goes awry in 5 years and I lose my right to play Half-Life 2 on Steam, if I really want to play it I'll go pick it up out of the bargain bin.

11-29-04, 03:57 PM	#19
finbogg Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 615	In the words of Nelson "Ha Ha!"

11-29-04, 04:08 PM	#21
al_bundy DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: in da cloud Posts: 26,196	that's what i heard too, that the CD version is nothing more than the Steam files on CD. I think Valve is getting ahead of the game here with this. I can understand if they sell a downloadable version that you simply burn to CD. Maybe they should have done something like that and simply found a way to watermark each download or something similar.

11-29-04, 04:31 PM	#22
Jackskeleton DVD Talk Godfather Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: City of the lakers.. riots.. and drug dealing cops.. los(t) Angel(e)s. ca. Posts: 52,228	If Valve goes belly up, they will find a way to not make everyone get screwed over. Besides that, it doesn't look like they will be belly up any time soon. This is very funny news. __________________ *OTHER FORUM TEAM 7 leader*I will not say them here nor there. I will not say them anywhere. I will not say those Words you twit. I will not, will not sayI quit! Leaving a dark wet stain where your brain used to be? weird..tv? The bank is worth the risk

11-30-04, 07:00 AM	#23
al_bundy DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: in da cloud Posts: 26,196	on a lighter note i read about this last week on anandtech. someone had a link to the steam forums where someone complained about their account being shutdown. The mods answered that they were trying to buy the game with 19 different credit cards over a few months with fake names. I'm willing to be a large part of the shutdown accounts are people actually trying to steal the game.

11-30-04, 08:16 AM	#25
Tyler_Durden DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Helsinki, Finland Posts: 4,516	Doesn't this mean that you can't sell your copy of HL2 without also giving the person your account details? __________________ Boris: There's been a mistake! I know, I made it! Love and Death (1975)