The king of G2A is back, and the big question is whether this new game key marketplace will be a force for good or bad in gaming.
Kinguin is a company that specializes in digital goods. They sell games, software, and other popular media. The company has been around for many years and has a large customer base. But recently, they have been under scrutiny by the gaming community because of their business practices.
Since the online gaming community blossomed owing to platforms like Steam, Origin, and Blizzard, online gamers have been scrambling to find the cheapest and most convenient way to purchase the newest titles. However, until recently, if you wanted to buy the latest release for a low price, you had to wait for one of the platforms mentioned above to reduce the cost as part of a campaign.
However, since its inception in 2013, the Kinguin marketplace has snowballed, presently boasting a global client base of over 4 million people. For those who are unfamiliar with Kinguin’s business, in a nutshell, they provide a marketplace where sellers and buyers may swap game keys at low, inexpensive costs.
For example, Windows 10 costs about $88 on Amazon, yet Kinguin sells the Windows 10 product key for around $26. That, I’m sure, has piqued your interest. However, as a result of an article claiming that many of Kinguin’s game keys were obtained by hackers using stolen credit cards, there is a lot of doubt about the integrity of their product keys.
Before we go any further, let’s take a look at how Kinguin operates from a customer’s perspective.
How Does Kinguin Work in Practice?
I’m sure everyone has been there: a new game gets out, but you don’t have the cash on hand to purchase it right away. This is your lucky day because of the large number of vendors presently trading on Kinguin. You can get all of the newest AAA game titles for a fraction of the price. So whether you’re looking for PubG or the most recent Rage 2 code, Kinguin will almost certainly have a solution for you at a fair price.
It’s not only games that can be bought and sold on Kinguin; the Windows 10 operating system, Office suite, anti-virus software, and other software can all be easily acquired. So, where should I begin?
That, too, has been simplified by Kinguin. You go to their website and enter the goods you want to purchase, such as Rage 2. Then, click on the product to bring up a list of vendors’ inventories, and click “Buy Now.” That’s all there is to it.
Once you’ve reached the checkout page, you’ll be asked to buy Kinguin’s Buyers Protection, which we’ll go over momentarily before finalizing your money and completing the transaction.
Following payment, you will be sent your product key and some promotional garbage that will have no effect on your life, which signifies the end of your deal. Excellent.
Naturally, some more wary buyers may wonder whether Kinguin is secure. Things start to become a little more intriguing at this point.
You can look at the latest Kinguin games & software prices here.
Is Kinguin a genuine company?
Is this product legit!? Is the million-dollar question when something appears too good to be true. Kinguin has attempted to solve this problem by providing clients with its “superb” Buyers Protection program, which provides a full money-back guarantee if the product key does not work. Finally, we’re promising that you’ll be covered even if we’re not genuine.
However, as ‘wonderful’ as this sounds, many forum posts have surfaced in which customers paid for product keys that were either already in use or didn’t function at all. In many cases, Kinguin has been less than sympathetic in dealing with the matter, lowering the credibility of both their customer service and buyer protection.
In addition, what does a buyer protection program say about your company? A buyers protection program, in my opinion, reduces your company’s overall reputation in a market that depends significantly on trust. It says, “We know there’s a good risk you’ll get scammed, so why don’t you take up our protection insurance as a backup?” It’s not the kind of place where people love sharing personal information—especially with the threat of hackers and fraudulent behavior looming.
So, where did these keys originate?
Origins of the Product
Before we go into where Kinguin gets their product keys, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Not long ago, there was a lot of talk about fraudulent conduct.
According to the narrative, Electronic Art’s Origin, a service similar to Steam and Blizzard, was used to buy many game codes, which were then traded on Kinguin’s marketplace. All of the principles had been sold, and everything seemed to be in order, or so it appeared.
Weeks later, it was revealed that the codes acquired on EA Origin and subsequently sold on Kinguin had been obtained using stolen credit cards. In addition, hackers were able to amass many stolen credit cards, which they used to buy game keys using.
When Ubisoft learned of this, they physically withdrew the game keys, making them unusable and leaving thousands of unwitting customers with damaged products. Kinguin said that approximately 4,600 clients were harmed by the scam, severely damaging their reputation.
Since then, Kinguin hasn’t made a concerted attempt to inform the general public that they are actively striving to prevent this kind of conduct on their site, which seems highly irresponsible.
When you purchase a game key or product code from Kinguin, you’re buying from someone who may be anywhere and hasn’t been subjected to any background check to ensure they’re a legitimate vendor. “By deactivating it, the consumer accepts full responsibility for any possible concerns,” they state in their buyer’s protection program. But, of course, this merely contributes to the site’s shady reputation.
The marketplace is available to all types of merchants, so I’m sure a lot of what’s being transacted is genuine. Consider firms that get cheap pre-release copies of games, consumers who have completed or are bored with a game, and regular trade dealings. The ratio of legitimate to shady items on that site has yet to be determined, so be cautious if you want to use their service.
What Happens If You Buy A Fake Code?
If you’ve read thus far, you’re undoubtedly curious about what would happen if you bought a wrong product key that didn’t function. But, of course, that depends entirely on the situation and whether or not you purchased the Buyers Protection Program.
1. With the Buyers Protection Program, you can rest easy.
The safest approach to utilize Kinguin’s service is in combination with their BPP (Buyers Protection Program), which provides a safety net if anything goes wrong between you and the seller. Similar to eBay and other similar businesses.
So, when a customer purchases both a defective key and Kinguin’s BPP, the customer informs Kinguin, who then conducts an inquiry before issuing a refund or a replacement code. Of course, this isn’t always the case in real-world circumstances, as many would attest, but the concept is sound.
2. In the absence of a Buyers Protection Program.
As previously said, Kinguin states in their service standards that if you choose not to take out their BPP, you, the customer, are responsible for any difficulties with purchases. Nice!
This all contributes to the site’s shadiness, in my opinion. There have been instances when BPP was not bought, and Kinguin looked into the matter after several customer care complaints were made, but I wouldn’t put my money on that occurring all of the time.
So, as a customer, what does this mean? It essentially says that Kinguin is OK with you buying from shady dealers and then doing nothing about it if you didn’t pay for their premium rate protection service.
3. Buyers’ Protection Program Costs.
The cost of the BPP is dependent on the goods you purchase. For example, if you want to purchase Windows 10 via Kinguin, the BPP will be more than if you bought a PubG product key.
If you decide to buy anything from the site, you should expect to pay an additional $5-7 for software and $3-4 for games, making it quite decent value for money.
It still questions their ethical and legal attempts to prevent such behavior, but it’s a start, I guess.
Should I purchase Kinguin?
Finally, we get to the crux: should you purchase from Kinguin?
It’s a difficult question to answer, and it raises a lot of questions about you as a person. However, based on what we know so far, it seems that Kinguin is a bit of a gamble as to whether the vendor will be genuine or not.
One aspect to consider is if you’re comfortable sponsoring a company that has unwittingly permitted the use of unlawful marketing tactics like hacking and other ways owing to inadequate quality control standards.
If you answered yes to the first question, the next one to consider is if you’re willing to assume the risk of purchasing a product that may be damaged, utilized, or revoked by the supplier in the future.
If you’re nodding your head in agreement, you’re just a few clicks away from many game and software vendors eager to give you a good deal.
Using a Kinguin Promo Code
Rather than waiting for you to discover what Kinguin is all about, we decided to jump right in and utilize their service to see what it’s like from the buyer’s perspective.
We decided to purchase Shadow of the Tomb Raider to discover how simple or difficult it was to do so. After making an account, we quickly located the game using the site’s search bar and selected our preferred seller.
After finding a suitable vendor, we proceeded straight to our basket and then to the checkout. Upon checkout, Kinguin redirects you to the terms of service page, where you are asked to agree to a slew of garbage that can be bypassed. We signed up for the newsletter so that any updates will be sent to us immediately.
The next step was to complete the transaction by providing bank card information and confirming the purchase. Everything is relatively straightforward. My email notification popup informed me that I got a new email from Kinguin just 30 seconds after the transaction.
It was the code for my product. I went directly to Steam without wasting any time and completed the necessary procedures to activate the key, allowing me to download the game. Everything went well, with no hiccups or issues.
Conclusion
I’ve had an enjoyable experience studying and utilizing Kinguin’s services, yet, contradictory viewpoints have left me confused.
On one part of my brain, I’m telling myself that this is a service that had enough safeguards, resulting in thousands of angry customers who may or may not have been compensated. Not to mention the many forum threads and YouTube videos debating harmful practices.
On the other hand, I find the service convenient, particularly after getting a fantastic price on a new game.
Finally, businesses like Kinguin have a place in today’s gaming world and provide good value for money. However, since there are still unresolved doubts about the site’s validity, we won’t know whether our money was wisely spent until we spend it.
Kinguin is a digital distribution platform that offers PC and mobile games, software, e-books, movies, music, etc. The company has been around for quite some time now and has made a name for itself in the industry. However, there are mixed reviews about Kinguin. Some say it’s incredible, while others say it’s not worth the money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get scammed on Kinguin?
A: No, I do not think so.
Is Kinguin a trustworthy site?
A: Kinguin is a reputable website.
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