What is a Video Game CD Key? Are They Safe to Buy Online?

A video game CD key is a string of letters and numbers, pre-authorised by a developer or retailer to verify you own the title.

You’ll activate your code -- which is unique to your transaction -- to authorise a download or access the online environment where the title lives.

XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX is a decent-enough blank example of what your CD key will look like. Assigning the code to your game places it under your account, rendering it useless to others from then on.

You can buy video game CD keys online safely, from reputable sources curated by NEXARDA, such as Steam. Your money is as safe as any other purchase online with a legitimate business, provided you verify the seller.

How game CD keys are made

CD keys are generated by game studios, publishers, or retailers using algorithms. They’re then assigned to game copies and made available for purchase.

The key creator, usually the publisher, then sells those CD keys to resellers, who’ll sometimes resell the keys to other retailers. That’s why there are official sources and prices, and so-called grey markets.

Ownership of a video game CD key equals what?

Paying for a game key is effectively the same as paying for a physical game copy in days gone by, except your copy lives virtually and not in your CD drive.

What you get is a licence to play the game assigned to your account, wherever that account may live.

Ownership of a video game CD key is somewhat unromantic then. You have a code, download and access to the title, and hours of playtime, but no disc. The code has no resale value and is almost always not transferable.

Where to buy video game CD keys safely

Video game CD keys are purchasable from official stores, key sellers, and marketplaces. A quick rundown:

• Official stores. Have a direct agreement with the game publisher. Your CD key is provided from the source.

• Key sellers. Stores that buy keys in bulk and pass them on for cheap. You’re still buying from a company. Be prepared to pay checkout fees.

• Marketplaces. Where individual sellers list their keys. Easily the most high-risk for dodgy sales, but there are legit sellers.

Legitimacy in any case is the most important part of your purchase. You can buy from any seller provided the transaction is sound.

NEXARDA curates 100+ retailers including official stores, key sellers, and marketplaces. We sort them by trust type and compare their prices, providing links to their stores for you to continue shopping for any given key.

How to spot a bad deal

Trust your instinct and follow these clues:

• Prices that aren’t in tune with reality. Sellers offering 70-90% off are well worth additional scrutiny. There’s basically no reason to give away an in-demand game key for much less than expected, unless it’s stolen or fraudulent and the seller needs to get rid of it fast.

• Peer-to-peer marketplaces. Those that allow anyone to sign up and start selling game keys are rife with fraudulent users. Most marketplaces do a decent job of removing them, but there’s always the risk.

• Region locks. Some of the cheapest keys are in foreign languages, or they’re set for regions that won’t work in your own. The small print will give this away, unless the seller hasn’t been good enough to disclose it in the first place.

• Random key bundles. They’re not uncommon and seem like a decent deal to grab multiple keys, usually around game genres and franchises. But they often contain pre-used codes and unwanted games.

• Vague seller reputation. Spread across all seller types. Game code CD keys have a simple delivery mode. There’s no reason for these sellers to have poor or low review scores if they’re providing what they should.

The bottom line about video game CD keys

Video game CD keys are codes you purchase or are provided with as part of a purchase to activate your game copy. They are safe to buy online from trusted vendors and are usually a one-time, non-transferable product.

Additional reading: Learn about the game engines behind your favourite games. Plus, view the latest game deals.