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Why are game developers so angry with G2A's marketplace?
Once again, G2A is being forced to defend its marketplace for digital video game codes and keys. Mike Rose, founder of game publisher No More Robots, launched a petition earlier this month that calls on the company to remove all independent games from its platform. "G2A's platform hurts indie devs time and time again," the Change.org description reads. "By allowing anyone to sell illegitimate keys for their games online, with incredible ease, and no ramifications or checks." At the time of writing, more than 5,000 developers and players have signed the petition. Why are smaller studios so vexed with G2A? And how are people able to both obtain and sell illegitimate keys? For a full explanation, read on.
G2A proposes blocking tool to deal with shady game key resales
G2A still has a problem with sketchy game key resales, to the point where developers like Mike Rose have suggested that it would be better to pirate games instead. The site thinks it has a way to mitigate the problem, though. It's proposing a tool that would let verified developers block certain game keys from sale. They'd just have to paste the keys into a control panel to remove them from sale. In theory, this would prevent unscrupulous resellers from peddling keys they've obtained through bogus review requests and giveaways rigged using bots.
Developers put game on Pirate Bay to help cash-strapped players
Game studios normally bend over backwards to discourage pirates and keep titles off of any piracy sites, but don't tell that to Acid Wizard. When the studio saw that a young player asked for a refund for its horror game Darkwood out of a fear that his parents wouldn't like the cost of the game, it decided to offer a safe, unprotected copy of the game on The Pirate Bay. It wants to offer you a chance to play Darkwood if money's simply too tight. There are only two requests: think about buying the game when you can, and don't buy it through key resellers like G2A.
Troubled game reseller forces users to identify themselves
Online game key marketplace G2A is taking another stab at making its site more secure for developers by implementing changes that will impact both resellers and customers. The company announced on Thursday that key sellers on its site will be required to reveal their name and address, having previously been allowed to operate anonymously.
G2A makes it harder for scammers to sell shady game codes
G2A is still determined to show that it can do right by developers worried about shady game key sellers. The online marketplace has introduced a new verification process that should make it harder to commit fraud. New sellers will have to provide a legitimate phone number and social networking account to get their foot in the door. Also, they'll be limited to selling 10 products before they have to deliver more proof. This is just the start, G2A adds, as "further measures" are planned that will check addresses, credit cards and PayPal accounts.
G2A attempts to appease game publishers with royalty payments
After coming under fire for how it handles sales of illegal video game keys, reselling website G2A has introduced a number of new policies that it hopes will appease developers affected by the practice. The company announced that it will let game makers apply for royalty payments for any titles that appear on its marketplace. It comes after SpeedRunners publisher TinyBuild accused G2A of failing to act on $450,000 in potential lost sales, after scammers used stolen credit cards to buy legitimate keys and auction them off for profit.
Game studio claims it lost $450,000 to key resales
Game key resales are theoretically ideal for players -- you can buy that must-have title at a discount from someone who wasn't going to use it anyway. However, SpeedRunners publisher TinyBuild would beg to differ. It's accusing G2A of facilitating a black market in game keys that amounted to $450,000 in potential lost sales at retail prices. The studio maintains that G2A is refusing proper help (including compensation) after fraudsters bought keys from the TinyBuild store using stolen credit cards and posted them on G2A, making a tidy profit while TinyBuild made nothing. Supposedly, the only way to get help would be to forge a deal with G2A itself and undercut its own retail partners in order to compete with the bootleggers. Simply blacklisting a range of keys wasn't an option, either.
