Steam Codes and How to Redeem Them: The Full Story

Steam codes! For anyone who games on PC and purchases their stuff via official third-party retailers - like 2Game - Steam codes are an ever-present fact of life. An easy way of not only accessing your purchase but also transferring it from one medium over into a verified and veritable game you can download and play virtually momentarily!

But, if you're new or inexperienced with this part of the industry, they can seem a tad confusing and complicated. After all, why wouldn't a third-party license activation service be attached directly to Steam? Today, we aim to explain why Steam codes matter so much, why they're simple and handy, and - indeed - how to get and activate them quickly and easily.

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How to Redeem Steam Codes?

This guide is going to seem totally innocuous and, perhaps, even useless to anyone familiar with Steam/PC gaming, but it does seem that a bunch of people could use a short guide on how to redeem Steam codes! The process, then, is delightfully simple.

Once you've got an actual Steam code in hand, first check out the upper left corner of the Steam UI. There, click on the 'Games' button and select the 'Activate a Product on Steam...' option from the drop-down menu, as shown in the featured pic:

Immediately afterwards, you'll be treated to the 'Enter your product code' screen. This interface is self-explanatory: simply copy/paste your Steam code into the appropriate box and hit 'Confirm' on your way out.

It won't take more than a few moments until your valid Steam code is active, with the appropriate product having been added to your Steam library! The system is simple, foolproof, straightforward, and - most importantly - extremely fast. There's no way to mess it up, and the fact that virtually every modern video game storefront has adopted an equivalent approach speaks to its value.

Where did Steam codes come from, though? And why isn't there a more streamlined way of accessing your PC game purchases?

Why are Steam Codes so Important?

Steam codes harken back to a rather old era of PC gaming, wherein gamers would need to input CD/DVD keys during the games' respective installation processes! This was the given default for the longest time, since the early '90s, until Valve's all-new activation system finally came to fruition. Even though gamers weren't all too keen on Steam in the service's early days, some of its features were extremely forward-looking. There was, obviously, a need for gamers to quickly and easily activate their games, and adapting the CD key activation was an obvious way of going about things.

The system clearly works. While it's not perfect, and it certainly can be a bit annoying to input multiple keys at a time - in the case of game bundles and the like - it remains the most widely used game activation system to date. It is unlikely to change anytime soon, too, as even though some services support auto-activation via Steam API, it's hardly the default choice.

Where can I get new Steam Codes?

Obviously, the games you purchase via Steam don't come with a code. As soon as the purchase is completed, the game is added to your library for good - no activation process is required. Any purchases made via third-party retailers and resellers do feature codes, however, as that's how game developers and publishers provide game copies to their partners.

Are all Steam Codes Legit?

Building onto our previous paragraph, it's important to remember that not all Steam codes are legit. Or, rather, some of them can get pulled from your Steam account retroactively! PC gamers need to make a distinction between official third-party game retailers and unofficial grey market resellers, such as G2A. As TechRaptor aptly explains, these grey market sites basically resell game keys that regular people purchased and are trying to sell off. This isn't a problem in and of itself, of course, but the issue lies in the fact that these games have often been purchased with stolen credit cards and the like.

It's only a matter of time until these infringements are uncovered, of course, and once that happens, all affected grey market purchase are tracked down and purged from the buyers' Steam accounts - sometimes years down the line. To that end, users need to understand the difference between official and unofficial third-party gaming marketplaces to keep their Steam accounts and purchases safe.

Grab Awesome New Games on the Cheap - 2Game

Finally, if you're wondering where on earth you could possibly get Steam codes on the cheap without risking your money and your Steam account, you should be looking at official, partnered third-party game retailers. Like 2Game!

2Game works directly with the biggest game developers and publishers to supply clean, official Steam codes to buyers worldwide. This means you're never at any risk and have full access to our standalone game deals and discounts. For example, you can always open up our Hot Deals page to get the latest scoop, and we recommend checking out the Community Hub for extra deals. For example, we've been running an awesome Mortal Kombat 1 release day deal with free bonus games for days now, and there's always something new and exciting on the horizon.

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