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Is CDKeys legit?

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I was looking around, and found an online marketplace called cdkeys.com, selling incredibly discounted PC game keys for Steam, GOG, etc. Have any of you used this site before? Is it legit?
 
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This is an old thread but since it's back at the top of the forum I'll add a comment.

It's not really about the web store, it's about the key that you get. Lots and lots of the keys on these sites are spare keys from humblebundles or similar that people didn't want, and they're entirely legit. Even I've looked to list my spare Steam keys online.

However, I've heard some keys - particularly for new AAA games - might have been bought with a stolen card and listed to make some fast money for the thief. I've never heard of a real case, but it seems likely to be true. In such a case Steam, Epic or wherever can and will revoke the key.

So as a rule, old games and cheap keys are probably fine. New expensive keys are more of a risk.

Also, very cheap keys for computer software are often fake.
 
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LightBeam said:
I keep seeing people mentioning how they get their Windows keys .....

Why would you keep buying keys from dodgy websites when you can HWID activate it for free with massgrave.dev ?
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You don't even need to activate Windows, all it tries to block is customization and you can bypass that with a program.

Windows 10 LTSC is likely my final Windows OS (I'm not gonna bother with 11 as I hate it) so after 2028, it's Linux Mint and Android for me.
 
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LightBeam said:
I keep seeing people mentioning how they get their Windows keys .....

Why would you keep buying keys from dodgy websites when you can HWID activate it for free with massgrave.dev ?
Click to expand...
Not everyone on the market knows about this technique. A lot of people do need authenticated copies of Windows for business purpose. Microsoft can still hit you with a lawsuit if it finds out you're profiting off bootleg software while running a small business in the background. Although a small chance of this being a concern. Microsoft might not be happy if they catch an Amazon employee running a pirated copy of Windows.
 
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K3Nv3 said:
Not everyone on the market knows about this technique. A lot of people do need authenticated copies of Windows for business purpose. Microsoft can still hit you with a lawsuit if it finds out you're profiting off bootleg software while running a small business in the background. Although a small chance of this being a concern. Microsoft might not be happy if they catch an Amazon employee running a pirated copy of Windows.
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But how are (probably stolen) keys sold on gray market better in that regard tho ? I'm not sure it's more legit than anything else

Marc_LFD said:
You don't even need to activate Windows, all it tries to block is customization and you can bypass that with a program.

Windows 10 LTSC is likely my final Windows OS (I'm not gonna bother with 11 as I hate it) so after 2028, it's Linux Mint and Android for me.
Click to expand...
Understandable. I like W11 but that's only because I run AtlasOS (might try ReviOS later on), so I don't have any of the bloatware. I couldn't stand a "true" Windows 11 installation, that's for sure.

Installed Bazzite on dualboot just for fun ... Always loved Linux for work, hopefully one day I'll be fine with it as a daily driver, it's really great. Gaming performance is even better on SteamOS compared to Windows lol.

I'm just wondering how small .exe games, the kind you can find on itch.io or stuff like that, would work on Linux (considering that anticheats are becoming available on Linux, I don't think multiplayer games are as much of an issue anymore)
 
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LightBeam said:
But how are (probably stolen) keys sold on gray market better in that regard tho ? I'm not sure it's more legit than anything else


Understandable. I like W11 but that's only because I run AtlasOS (might try ReviOS later on), so I don't have any of the bloatware. I couldn't stand a "true" Windows 11 installation, that's for sure.

Installed Bazzite on dualboot just for fun ... Always loved Linux for work, hopefully one day I'll be fine with it as a daily driver, it's really great. Gaming performance is even better on SteamOS compared to Windows lol.

I'm just wondering how small .exe games, the kind you can find on itch.io or stuff like that, would work on Linux (considering that anticheats are becoming available on Linux, I don't think multiplayer games are as much of an issue anymore)
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"stolen keys" still grant authentication
 
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K3Nv3 said:
"stolen keys" still grant authentication
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So does massgrave HWID, difference is that it's free and much more convenient.

If we were talking about KMSpico, I could understand that for just a few euros/dollars you would prefer to not have the inconvenience of refreshing regularly the activation and make sure it's not getting deleted by Windows defender.

But this is even easier than buying stolen keys, it's HWID activation for free. You put some powershell command once (simple as copy/paste, press 1, done), and even if you reinstall Windows. You could wipe your whole system, and it'll still work because it's seen as legit.
Absolutely 0 difference, except I don't have to put my PayPal on some gray market and waste the price of a Monster can.

I genuinely encourage anyone to stop buying those and just use massgrave.dev, I see no reason not to.
 
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LightBeam said:
So does massgrave HWID, difference is that it's free and much more convenient.

If we were talking about KMSpico, I could understand that for just a few euros/dollars you would prefer to not have the inconvenience of refreshing regularly the activation and make sure it's not getting deleted by Windows defender.

But this is even easier than buying stolen keys, it's HWID activation for free. You put some powershell command once (simple as copy/paste, press 1, done), and even if you reinstall Windows. You could wipe your whole system, and it'll still work because it's seen as legit.
Absolutely 0 difference, except I don't have to put my PayPal on some gray market and waste the price of a Monster can.

I genuinely encourage anyone to stop buying those and just use massgrave.dev, I see no reason not to.
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The entire universe won't know this method they'll know about a cheaper way to get a cdkey first.
 
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That's good for me actually, maybe Microsoft will be less keen on cracking it down then. But I'm still going to advise the best solution, if anyone is still using a worse solution despite the better being cheaper and easier, that's up to them, but they aren't doing themselves a favor
 
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Did y'all know CD Keys are now known as Loaded? That's such a stupid name for a website that sells gaming keys.

It's no worse than Twitter being renamed X. What's wrong with the people in charge of these websites. 😑
 
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Marc_LFD said:
Did y'all know CD Keys are now known as Loaded? That's such a stupid name for a website that sells gaming keys.

It's no worse than Twitter being renamed X. What's wrong with the people in charge of these websites. 😑
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ikr? i keep forgetting that name because it's just so forgettable. good thing they still have "formerly cdkeys" under it when entering their website
 
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