# Its little wonder the PC games industry is having problems **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 5, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438 "2013-10-05T15:07:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/1 "2013-10-05T15:07:26Z")
A few months back I bought a copy of Crysis 3 in good faith from a reputable store. Today I tried to install it, having broken the seal and opening the packaging, only to be informed by the Origin system that the product code had already been activated. Contacted an EA customer adviser to be informed that he could provide no satisfaction regarding the matter. Unlike many people who download games illegally I try to support the games industry and do everything above board, but if this is the result I’m definitely not impressed. Waste of my hard earned money. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/2 "2013-10-05T15:27:04Z")
Did you try entering the product code again, in case you made a typo? EA are well known to be asshats, but you might be able see this resolved if you contact the place you bought it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/3 "2013-10-05T17:11:27Z")
Those who download illegally have been known to use code generators to register their illegal game. It’s possible that somebody generated your code. It’s also possible that someone before you discovered that the code hadl already been used, exchanged it at the store for another copy, and the store put the returned game back on the shelf. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/4 "2013-10-05T17:26:09Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > you might be able see this resolved if you contact the place you bought it. That would be my plan for recourse although since he bought it several months ago and just now tried to activate it, I doubt they’ll do much. Be different if he had just bought it that afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/5 "2013-10-05T20:15:09Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Did you try entering the product code again, in case you made a typo? Yeah, having made that mistake before I’m careful about typing the code in slowly _(doesn’t help that sometimes the characters are ambiguous!)_ > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Those who download illegally have been known to use code generators to register their illegal game. It’s possible that somebody generated your code. It’s also possible that someone before you discovered that the code hadl already been used, exchanged it at the store for another copy, and the store put the returned game back on the shelf. I’ve definitely been shafted in some way unfortunately. > [@Jophiel](#): > > That would be my plan for recourse although since he bought it several months ago and just now tried to activate it, I doubt they’ll do much. Be different if he had just bought it that afternoon. That’s the problem, I tend to buy games on a whim and keep them until I feel like playing them, I bought the game sometime this year _(as vague as that)_ and although I know where I bought it I don’t have a receipt. edit: thanks for the answers everyone, just felt the need to vent! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/6 "2013-10-05T20:46:30Z")
Most of the times I’ve tried to install Steam-reliant games, I’ve had to call their help desk and open a trouble ticket to install freshly-opened games, complete with product code. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/7 "2013-10-05T23:22:11Z")
The PC gaming industry isn’t having problems. I’m surprised people still purchase boxed PC games. Is downloading games not option for you? Still pretty assholish fo them not to offer you some sort of help. Maybe a receipt and box scan. I’d unlock the game for you in that case. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/8 "2013-10-05T23:44:43Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > I’m surprised people still purchase boxed PC games. Is downloading games not option for you? Generally I’d download but maybe he saw it on a discount rack for 75% off or had a gift card to that store or something. I’ve seen big box retailers trying to get rid of some software at a big discount because it’s taking up shelf space and they just want it gone. Or, hey, maybe he just saw it retail and felt like buying it. Of course even buying digitally isn’t a guarantee for a good key unless you’re buying it direct from they key agent: Steam/Origin/Uplay. There’s been keygen scams before that affected people trying to buy the game legitimately from Amazon, GMG, etc and stuck them with a “used” key (Dead Island for instance). > [@](#): > > Still pretty assholish fo them not to offer you some sort of help. Maybe a receipt and box scan. I’d unlock the game for you in that case. Well, he said he didn’t have the receipt any longer. A key scan would be nice but, without a receipt, there’s no telling if he bought the discs open box from a garage sale, a friend gave him the discs and said “just call and they’ll transfer the key” or whatever. Even with the receipt it’s hard to say but he doesn’t even have that much. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-little-wonder-the-pc-games-industry-is-having-problems/670438/9 "2013-10-06T12:07:34Z")
I don’t know if it was Origin or not, but, at one point, there was this big problem where all the keys for a particular game were printed backwards. Ever since that, I always try putting the code in backwards and seeing what happens.