I know the article you're referring to, and I can't find it either!

But I do recall thinking that it may have a big impact on services like Steam operating in Europe - maybe... one day... If we're lucky.

Globally we need some big decisions made that are pro-consumer when it comes to intangible goods / services ownership and transfer of rights. Unfortunately it seems like every decision is anti-consumer and is dictated by those with money and influence.

I recently saw that Google's policies on music through YouTube has totally screwed Indie music labels, and protected the big labels. So much for 'Do No Evil'!

Imagine if you couldn't resell a book, loan it to a friend, or even give it away. And that the publisher could come to your house and take it away at any time. Why digital goods get ridiculous protections is beyond me - and basically boils down to Publishers and Corporations doing it 'because they can'.

I'm pretty sure it's known that a site like G2A buys keys in bulk, which explains their prices. The Marketplace is entirely different on the site, though, because that's not G2A itself but other people.

@ Roccetarius

They don't just "buy keys in bulk", read the article. They buy keys from other regions (like Russia) to circumvent regional pricing policies, then resell those keys to higher-cost regions. They are taking advantage of these pricing differences, causing the publishers to lose money.

Read this last part of the article: "Those furious about Ubisoft deactivating their codes don’t have Ubisoft to blame, they have G2A or the person they purchased their code from, using G2A. Buying a game on G2A is a risk as you don’t know where you’re actually purchasing it from. G2A isn’t the only key reseller out there, but it’s definitely one of the more known ones. Regardless of how well known the distributor is, its practices are shady and buying a game through them is a risk. Not a guarantee."

@superchiller

So somewhere along this process the publisher got some money... Unless the keys really were stolen, which seems fairly unlikely.

And yet the Publishers decide that the best way to tackle this 'problem' is to go after the end user rather than the site itself, or find a way to better protect their keys.

Great! Punish the people who may have bought in good faith and had no clue G2A etc are not an authorised reseller.

Where on G2A does it say they are not an authorised reseller to inform the customer? Where does it say on Amazon that if I buy a game from a third party it was obtained legally? How do I know when I buy a physical game that was traded in at a bricks and mortar store that it was obtained legitimately?

Just because the goods are digital, all of a sudden Publishers start strong arming end users.

Oh and I lol'd at the '...obtaining keys with laundered drug/terrorist money'. I didn't realise that you got a discount on purchases if you use drug and / or terrorist money!! Good to know, and thanks for the laugh.

It's pretty clear that Ubisoft are going for the plan of pissing off the end user to scare them off G2A, rather than tackle G2A etc directly... Probably because they know they wouldn't have a legal leg to stand on if they challenged them, and that it would cost them a fortune in legal fees.

It's a scummy move.