What if i buy a publisher pack but i alreayd have a few games in it?

[Valhuen]

Originally Posted by xboxer

You've never bought a pack before have you?

You won't get extras unless otherwise stated.

Actually I have, just not one that contained games I already owned.

[Valhuen]

Originally Posted by Critch

Simple answer is NO.

The more complicated answer is that in some cases the packs are offered as a bundle of separate game activations, and in this case you can buy the pack and all duplicates are filed in your inventory to trade or gift as you see fit.

In MOST cases the game pack is one single activation for all the games and can not be separated out into individual titles. Even if you gift it to yourself you just get one item in your inventory that activates all the titles.

It will be abundantly clear AT THE POINT OF SALE if your game bundle will give you extra copies or not. (I recently bought the cube pack and this had extra copies and was very clear about it)

This may seem odd or unfair if you already have a few odd titles - but hey - I dont make the rules ...

As a side note - I would like to be able to trade a game I own - is in my game list - but have not played yet. But theres probably some complicated reason why this cant be done.

And as a second side note - these bundles are usually so cheap that it is still worth getting the pack with a duplicate title. To steal the analogy from above its like wanting three apples, only being given two because you already have 1 at home, BUT only paying the price of 1 apple anyway.

And lastly - OK the pack prices are good atm, but if you look at the pack details in this summer sale, almost every single title is on sale at a good price too - so you dont need to buy the pack

This is why I rarely buy packs, and only ones that have titles I don't already own. Would rather just purchase the individual game I am interested in. If extra were able to be gifted/traded would be a much better incentive. At any rate, thanks for the information, have not really paid attention to the various packs the last few years.

[Kidofthecentury]

Originally Posted by Mivo

This is why I don't buy any of the publisher packages. I'd generally be interested in some of them, but there's not a single one where I don't already own some games from. If I could get extra copies, even if only for gifting and not trading, I'd pick them up.

If you're interested in a bundle but (example) you already own 3-4 games out of 10 and you'd still save something rather than buying separately each game you miss, it's silly to not take advantage of it.

[Wolfrip_Sixshot]

Originally Posted by Tommass

Let me know when you find a physical game store that has the kind of bundle sales steam does. Let me explain it again, they do not allow you extra keys because these bundles are mainly meant to give huge discounts to players who do not own most or any games from the franchise.

When you buy Digital Download game bundles from Amazon you get a key for EACH game. (Amazon has been doing some hugh discounts on bundles)

Why can't steam do the same amd give us a gift/key for each game?

[Valhuen]

Originally Posted by Kidofthecentury

If you're interested in a bundle but (example) you already own 3-4 games out of 10 and you'd still save something rather than buying separately each game you miss, it's silly to not take advantage of it.

No denying that, it's just that my game library (between Steam and other DD sites) has become rather large the last few years, so I rarely come across a bundle now days that has more than one or two games I don't already own (hence making it cheaper just to purchase the games individually). The only publisher bundle I have ever purchased was the Valve one during the first sale a few years back.

There are some amazing deals though, for example the Bethesda bundle (If I did not already own Skyrim that would be a must-buy).

[Valhuen]

Originally Posted by Wolfrip_Sixshot

When you buy Digital Download game bundles from Amazon you get a key for EACH game. (Amazon has been doing some hugh discounts on bundles)

Why can't steam do the same amd give us a gift/key for each game?

Yep, that is the only place I buy large bundles now. Since I usually own most of the titles in the bundle I can gift the extra keys to friends, or make the occasional trade.

[Al_Chemist_]

There is a simple solution to it which also works out alot of other problems.


Don't put all your games in one account. Have different set of games in different accounts. That way the extra games don't get loss and can be useful incase you want to play with your brothers etc.

I used to do it before there was any 'inventory'. I just gifted my games to other accounts.

So when I bought battlefield BC 2, I gifted it to different account. Then when I bought the pack (including speckit and vietnam), my BC2 copy wasn't wasted. So now I own two copies, one vanilla and one with Vietnam.

Same goes with other games.

The only drawback is that you have to login to different accounts to play different games. Which I don't like to and I am sure alot of others won't.

But thats the only solution atm.

[Wolfrip_Sixshot]

Originally Posted by Al_Chemist_

There is a simple solution to it which also works out alot of other problems.


Don't put all your games in one account. Have different set of games in different accounts. That way the extra games don't get loss and can be useful incase you want to play with your brothers etc.

I used to do it before there was any 'inventory'. I just gifted my games to other accounts.

So when I bought battlefield BC 2, I gifted it to different account. Then when I bought the pack (including speckit and vietnam), my BC2 copy wasn't wasted. So now I own two copies, one vanilla and one with Vietnam.

Same goes with other games.

The only drawback is that you have to login to different accounts to play different games. Which I don't like to and I am sure alot of others won't.

But thats the only solution atm.

The other solution is to tell valve your not going to buy the (non) valve bundles until they do it the same way as Amazon. A different key for EACH game.

As far as i am conserned if i pay for a bundle i should get all the games and if i want to trade or gift some of them that is my right. Mamy gamers are going to own at least 1 or 2 of the games in the bundles they like already so i don't see how anyones losing money by letting people get the extra copys as gifts.(such as what valve does with theirs and amazon does on their site.)

If anything the companys are losing money as none of the bundles will end up being bought by a lot of gamers as its cheaper to buy the games one by one even if you only own 1 in it. You also get to avoid the games in them bundles which are low quality.

[MidgardDragon]

Originally Posted by Warpath13

But if I am paying for 10 games I want 10 games.

Imagine you are going to the store:

"I would like 3 apples for 1$ each"
"Of course - 3 $ please"
"But you gave me only two!"
"Cause I know you have 1 at home"

Imaginable? I don`t think so. But look - Valve done it and there are strange people who accept it.

Some of you can call it part of agreement - for me it`s stealing.
Price is for e.g. 10 games, I am paying full price, I want 10 games - simple.

Treating digital goods as if they are the exact same as physical goods is the reason we're in such a mess with idiotic copyright legislation, studios refusing to put their content online, Hulu having actual channel and region restricted content, etc. etc.

Please don't do it. We have to get out of this mind set.

[Ryamu1985]

But the thing you need to realise is you're not paying for a game, or even for a key, you're paying for a LICENSE. a license to allow you, the end user, to play that specific piece of software. Nearly all EULA specify that you can't sell, trade, publicly display, staple to a monkey etc etc etc the game once you buy it, its your game for you to play.

When you buy a bundle, you're buying a LICENSE to allow YOU, the purchasing end user, to play that specific game. If you buy two licenses to allow you to do the same thing then that's your bad, they can't let you do it twice as you were already allowed to play it. Works the same way with any license. People need to realise that as far as software goes you're not buying a key, you're not buying a product, you're not buying a game, you're only buying a license.

[Warpath13]

Originally Posted by MidgardDragon

Treating digital goods as if they are the exact same as physical goods is the reason we're in such a mess with idiotic copyright legislation, studios refusing to put their content online, Hulu having actual channel and region restricted content, etc. etc.

Please don't do it. We have to get out of this mind set.

Digital product and physical product - I do not see a difference. In retail shop you buy a game that is recorded on physical medium (DVD) and in digital store you buy a game that is recorded on physical medium (on store`s servers, than on your hard drive). The only difference is the way of distribution. Concerning stupid legislation - depends where you live. I am quite satisfied with legal situation in Poland (in discussed scope).

Originally Posted by GusTheCrocodile

Oh please, it's not stealing if it's a transaction you agree to. The checkout still warns you that you won't get extra copies, yes? So what's being stolen?

What's happening is you're being offered a deal you don't like. That's normal, happens millions of times a day around the world. It's not so different from the way you get discounts on flour or toilet paper or anything else if you buy in bulk - if you don't need all of the bulk purchase, you can't just go to the counter and request the same unit price be applied to a smaller package. Or rather if you do, the store can refuse.

As much as you'd like it to be otherwise, companies are allowed to offer different prices to different customers, based on pretty much any sort of condition they can make up (generally save for anti-discrimination laws).

To be clear I'd much prefer it if they put the extras in your inventory too. But they're not doing anything wrong by not doing that.

Wise argument. Freedom of agreements. But I am a consumer/client so freedom of agreements is limited in my case. When I am going to check out it must be clear and visible info what games I am buying and for what price.

If someone is buying for X $ Y games - I want to buy at the same time, during same promo Y games for X $ price.

Conclusion: I love Valve sales and everything but in this scope they suck.

Amazon shows the normal way of handling such a case.

[Ryamu1985]

Originally Posted by Warpath13

Wise argument. Freedom of agreements. But I am a consumer/client so freedom of agreements is limited in my case. When I am going to check out it must be clear and visible info what games I am buying and for what price.

If someone is buying for X $ Y games - I want to buy at the same time, during same promo Y games for X $ price.

In this world, as stated above, people get offered deals they don't like every day. You know what I'd do? Just not buy it. You can't spend X $ on Y Games because you're not entitled to do so. You're entitled to use the Steam service to purchase games at whatever price they deem necessary to sell them for. Don't like the deal? Don't like the price? Don't buy the product.

It certainly doesn't mean the retailer is obliged by some obscure legal duty to offer a magical deal that is somehow awesome for everyone (as proven by the fact that every single sale no matter how awesome the discounts, the forums will be full of people complaining about one aspect or another, talking about what they're owed and how things aren't fair).

EDIT: you also say when you check out, it must be clear and visible what you're buying and for what price. When you check out with a bundle, it is CLEARLY stated in a very visible warning that you will not be provided giftable keys for games you already own. The price is shown clearly on screen, and it's up to you whether you accept this fact and proceed with the transaction. To copy someone else's wording in this thread, if I go to buy 3 apples and the guy tells me he'll only give me two for the same price as he knows I have one at home you know what I'd do? Just go buy my apples somewhere else...

[Cammalleri]

Steam should make their Collection pack Dynamic , say you want to buy the Bethesda collection but already own a game or more , the program replace these games with the most recent Bethesda titles you don't have

[Wolfrip_Sixshot]

Originally Posted by Ryamu1985

In this world, as stated above, people get offered deals they don't like every day. You know what I'd do? Just not buy it. You can't spend X $ on Y Games because you're not entitled to do so. You're entitled to use the Steam service to purchase games at whatever price they deem necessary to sell them for. Don't like the deal? Don't like the price? Don't buy the product.

It certainly doesn't mean the retailer is obliged by some obscure legal duty to offer a magical deal that is somehow awesome for everyone (as proven by the fact that every single sale no matter how awesome the discounts, the forums will be full of people complaining about one aspect or another, talking about what they're owed and how things aren't fair).

If i buy a bundle of games at a shop that are discounted i get all the games regardless of what games i already own and i can gift each game to different people if i choose.

If i buy a bundle of games at a Amazon that are discounted i get each games CD key regardless of what games i already own on steam and i can gift them to other people if i choose.

If i buy a bundle of games on steam i don't get any of the games i already own and i can't gift any of the games. I can ONLY gift the bundle itself. If i buy it for myself the games i already own suddenly disapere or the copys of them games don't get given to me even though i payed for them. At the very least we should get giftable copys of the games we own. (the only exception is some of valves games)

See the issue? It's only steam/valve doing this nobody else. There isn't a excuse for it other then its just steams/valves policy not to get other publishers to do the same. They should follow amazons example and get publishers to do it..

[warmaster670]

Originally Posted by Warpath13

But if I am paying for 10 games I want 10 games.

Imagine you are going to the store:

"I would like 3 apples for 1$ each"
"Of course - 3 $ please"
"But you gave me only two!"
"Cause I know you have 1 at home"

Imaginable? I don`t think so. But look - Valve done it and there are strange people who accept it.

Some of you can call it part of agreement - for me it`s stealing.
Price is for e.g. 10 games, I am paying full price, I want 10 games - simple.

you bought a pack of 10 games, you were given a pack of ten games, no stealing about it, just people who lack sense.

just because you already own one or more of the games, doesnt mean they have to separate anything for you, your still getting your games, as has already been mentioned, your buying a pack, 1 pack, that contains 10 games, your not buying 10 games, this is no different than buying a collection of games on a disc, you cant separate those games even if you own the discs for half of them already.