Installing 2nd hand game

[Braden]

I've searched the forums here, on STEAM and the .com to no help so far

I have purchased a 2nd hand boxed DVD copy of Empire. However, as it was pre-registered with STEAM it won't allow me to install with a new STEAM account.

How do I get round this? I'm going to assume that if I'd chosen "register with existing account" for installation it would have asked me for log-in details I just do not have.

Anyone else encountered this issue? Should it even BE an issue? Is this preventing follow-on sales by legit methods (i.e. trade-in stores etc)?

[Durallan]

did the person who sold you tell you anything about the fact it needs to be registered with a steam account and that they had already done so? Yes this does prevent the traditional sell on of games at trade in stores. Games publishers are trying to stamp this out because the game stores make most of their money on second hand games because they profit 100% of what they sell the second hand game for. I would be suprised if a game store sold you this second hand, because of the steam thing.

I would suggest you go back to the person/company you bought it from and demand you either get a FULL refund, or you get the steam account it was subscribed to. However then you won't have a choice of a username and yyou'd have to change the password pretty damn quick, if they gave you the correct account details(I really would try to get your money back). I'd wager your going to have to go back and get a refund because I don't see how else you are going to be able to play it. Steam did have an empire week with it 50% off last week, unfortunately over now? or is it still on...

If you live in australia/NZ, you can get the total war anthology for 100 bucks which includes empire total war (and all the previous games)

Otherwise you may just have to end up buying it off steam or an original copy in store. Hopefully someone else has better news for you, but I don't believe Steam would help you anywhere with this because you didn't buy it from them and they would say its not really their problem (and theres the fact of piracy which they might just quote). I also have absolutely no idea if you can Unregister something from a steam account, I don't believe you can, once you register it with an account its there for as long as steam is I believe

[Braden]

Hmmm…purchased from Ebay and the only info on the advert (actually been monitoring Empire games on there for quite a while and it seems they ALL basically just say the same) is “STEAM account required”.

So, I have contacted the seller regarding account details if I have no response in 48hrs I will initiate a return.

This is annoying and pretty much a monopoly, which in the EU shouldn’t be allowed under legislation.

[Durallan]

its not pleasant, I wouldn't say I'm an expert on these things, but I wouldn't be onselling my empire game once it was registered to a steam account, but thats just me, Hopefully someone else on the forums has better advice or good news for you! not being allowed in the EU is an interesting question, because how do they legislate on something that is based in the US? even in australia I don't know how you would go about this, its one of the dangers of buying second hand goods I suppose, mind if I ask what the sellers rep was at? hopefully I'm wrong about this and hopefully its just been a misunderstanding, I'll keep an eye out for updates and goodluck on this.

[Braden]

100% feedback on seller. I only buy from regular sellers to be honest.

As to the EU laws, not sure myself but if they can fine Microsoft unpresedenced amounts for price fixing I think CA and Steam would be small-fry!

Thanks for the help I'm hoping the seller is responsive, but as I used PayPal at least I have some protection.

[Ethelred Unread]

I think it's in the EULA that you can't sell on the software which the original purchaser would have had to agree to to install and register with steam so I think it would be legal, sadly.

Legally it's a bit of a black hole

I'd go for a refund through paypal option, and look out for it 50% off on steam, or in game or a.n. other retailer.

[pevergreen]

You bought a game, second hand which is only activated and then tied to a single account?

Silly mistake.

I don't condemn you for buying second hand, but you should have done some research. Thats like buying a second hand copy of battlefield. Sure, you've got a game, but you can't use it.

No one to blame but yourself, or if you want a scapegoat, the guy for lack of infomation. He sold you a game, you bought it. Nothing illegal about it.

[Durallan]

nothing illegal about it possibly, but there is the whole fact that he must have known that no one else could play the game because he'd already tied it to an account, and that would be misrepresenting the item that he had sold. If he said, selling hardcopy of ETW, CANNOT BE USED TO PLAY THE GAME, ONLY USE SO YOU DON"T HAVE TO DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE THING, that would be a reasonable explanation of the product he was selling. I haven't seen what the seller said, but its veeeerry dodgy to sell a game like that that needs registration. I would agree with pever though in that if theres any game that needs a serial key, don't buy it used unless you want to collect it and put it on yer shelf,

unfortunately thats the way these things go, I don't believe any consumer protection laws protect us from this stuff on ebay, if it was from a physical store you would have a case, (I think thats why there is hardly any second hand PC game sections anymore in stores like EB and that, or if there is, they are incredibly old games) but you have to rely on ebay's existing protections and hope for the best I suppose.

[Beskar]

I don't condemn you for buying second hand, but you should have done some research. Thats like buying

a 2nd hand pair of underwear which has been well used.

[pevergreen]

nothing illegal about it possibly, but there is the whole fact that he must have known that no one else could play the game because he'd already tied it to an account, and that would be misrepresenting the item that he had sold. If he said, selling hardcopy of ETW, CANNOT BE USED TO PLAY THE GAME, ONLY USE SO YOU DON"T HAVE TO DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE THING, that would be a reasonable explanation of the product he was selling. I haven't seen what the seller said, but its veeeerry dodgy to sell a game like that that needs registration. I would agree with pever though in that if theres any game that needs a serial key, don't buy it used unless you want to collect it and put it on yer shelf,

unfortunately thats the way these things go, I don't believe any consumer protection laws protect us from this stuff on ebay, if it was from a physical store you would have a case, (I think thats why there is hardly any second hand PC game sections anymore in stores like EB and that, or if there is, they are incredibly old games) but you have to rely on ebay's existing protections and hope for the best I suppose.

EBgames notify you when purchasing a game that if it has any online componant, they will not take it back.

Plus they don't trade in PC games.

Beskar: hot.

[Braden]

Well yeah, guess I should have done research but when you're used to the "buy-game-play-sell-on" scenario for 100% of the PC games purchased previously including other 2009 titles, like me...and have no experience at all of STEAM or what it is, again like me...then would you even think to research somewhere for "Can I buy a 2nd hand copy of the game that works".

Hmmm...I don't believe there is anything to indicate this factor unless you actually KNOW this detail before you purchase the game new or second hand either.

Requires Steam Account and internet access...sounds pretty normal for a game these days (to access additional content etc) and doesn't give any purchaser the full following on scope of this.

Anyway, I have been given the previous users STEAM account details...by him...on request not sure about the sellers own security but...I'm happy as I have Empire working.

I will reiterate that I had not found this explained in ANY of the eBay adverts for Used copies of the game either so potentially there are a lot of people out there with the same issue.

[pevergreen]

I think a CD key tied to an account is hardly new.

Change the password of the steam account, that way he can't change it on you and have you lose access to empire. Change password and email of it.

[Braden]

Change the password of the steam account, that way he can't change it on you and have you lose access to empire. Change password and email of it.

Oh trust me, done AND done last night...

[pevergreen]

Smart man.

[Braden]

Smart man.

Hmmm...but not smart enough to by a 2nd hand game I can use "off the shelf" though.

[pevergreen]

Hmmm...but not smart enough to by a 2nd hand game I can use "off the shelf" though.

...
I like your style.

[Braden]

...
I like your style.

Thank you…and with that, I think this thread has been covered and can be closed.

Let this thread be an ever-searched one that can now be found.

[pevergreen]

Aww man!

Where was the correct response:

I like your moves.

[Braden]

Bottoms!

*thinks..must be a colonies thing*

[pevergreen]

Oooh ouch

[Braden]

Evil ain't I