Are you one of those cheap-stakes who prefer to buy game keys online from sites like Kinguin or G2A? Well, don’t be embarrassed. There are thousands more who use such websites since they get working keys for a lower price. Though all websites that offer cheaper keys usually come with different kinds of risks. So it’s better to know if Kinguin is safe to use and if the keys sold are legit enough for long term.
There are a lot of mixed views by people on the idea of buying game keys for cheaper prices on such websites. Some say that we should stay away from it, some say they have had no issues since years and some say they just prefer original keys. In this review of Kinguin, I will be talking about it’s features, how trustworthy it is, what are other people talking about this site and finally share some precautions that you can use while buying game keys from Kinguin to be on the safer side.
Contents
Some Highlights Features of Kinguin
Kinguin is basically a marketplace where you can get Steam CD keys, Nintendo, PS4 and game keys of almost any platform. Apart from game keys, you can even get the latest CS:GO skins and bet on live games on Fast2Play which is a partner website. Now let us have a look at some features of Kinguin which you may or may not be aware of:
- Buy Triple-A titles, Steam or Origin keys, Nintendo and even codes from the back of retail game cards at a discounted price
- All game titles are organised into different categories like Genres, Platforms and even based on price
- You will also find deals on softwares and Windows keys
- You can become a seller on Kinguin and start selling game keys for cheap and start earning
- They offer Kinguin buyer protection which you can buy for a nominal charge while buying keys to be safe and get refund if anything goes wrong
- There’s a latest feature of “Pre-Order” that allows you to order keys in advance so that you can start playing the game when it’s released immediately
- You can also earn Kinguin gift cards on recurring purchases
- They also have the Android and iOS apps so that you can surf on mobile devices as well
Is Kinguin Safe & Legit?
Now coming to the main question, is Kinguin actually a safe marketplace to buy Steam or any game keys from?
Before we talk about different opinions and sources, I’d like to share my personal experience since I am a hardcore gamer. I have used Kinguin and G2A as well for getting several game keys for a cheap price. I once got the Halo Wars 2 pre-release (for a discount of $20) and I chose a high-rated Kinguin seller for the same. One of my friends who got some DLC also has faced no issues yet, here is what he has to say as he posted on Reddit,
“I like Kinguin. In the last 2 years I have bought games without any issues. I bought some DLC for a PC game that I could not get any where else. I was even told by the game company I would need to buy another $60 copy of the game for the dlc (bought need for speed off GMG wanted the deluxe edition EA refused to allow me to upgrade and said I would need to buy the game out right again) got just the dlc on Kinguin for $3.40”
The point is, if the people who are selling these game keys, buy them from the local shops in countries that have low economy, and then resell them for cheap to the people using Kinguin platform, then it’s totally legitimate.
People do this all the time in business. To say things like “they use stolen credit cards” and other things, are just wild accusations with absolutely no evidence to back the claim. If you want to learn more about gray markets, this article on Polygon reveals some dark secrets.
Are Windows Keys from Kinguin Risky to Buy?
As I have seen on Kinguin, they sell OEM licenses. It is illegal, but Microsoft doesn’t do much to solve this issue. Technically, that license works and it is genuine, but it is intended for use by system builders, not by end users.
There is also a risk since many sellers use the KMS software that allows you to generate keys for Windows OS. These keys are valid only for a month and then they deactivate. KMS is a program by a firm which provides legit keys from Windows but it is available to the public in the form of a simple app.
Are Kinguin Game Keys Legit?
These keys are real and are acquired from the exploits in the developer network. If someone at Microsoft takes notice of these keys being used, they will all these keys will be disabled. This might take quite a long time to face but it proves that the keys are not 100% legitimate for usage.
The keys which were acquired by illegal ways will be blocked today or tomorrow. Though there have been many successes and people are lucky enough that the keys are still working. But as I said, sooner or later, they will be blacklisted or disabled.
Precautions
- Buy game keys ONLY from a high rated seller on Kinguin
- Pay using Paypal so that if something goes wrong, you can get refund using it’s buyer protection policy
- Be wary of purchases. Don’t buy keys that are suspiciously cheap, and use your head when buying
- Stay away from the Russian sellers
- If the lowest price is significantly lower than the others, don’t buy that key, it’s likely fake or stolen
Final Words
This is indeed a deep topic if we go on discussing more, so I will just stop right here. I am not defending Kinguin or something but it’s basically a marketplace for people who want to sell the keys they don’t want anymore. For example, if you have a PS4 code for GTA V which you got as a free gift in a lucky draw online and since you don’t have a PS4, there is no harm in selling it on Kinguin for say $30 or something.
There might be times when some rough things can happen but real business also takes place on a large scale on Kinguin. We hope you will now be able buy the keys with a better success rate by following my guide.
Kinguin is safe to use if you know how to identify the right sellers and if you follow the precautions I shared. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions or insights to share with us. Thanks for reading!
