What is a Steam key?

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Steam is a secure platform for buying games. You don’t risk buying a fake game, and there are options to resell a game, something you don’t often see with digital purchases. When it comes to game distribution, Steam checks all the boxes and more.

Steam keys

A Steam key is a tool that developers use to distribute their game. It is a promotional tool (but developers are free to use it however they want), which can be used to share a copy (release or pre-release) of your game. The key allows users to install the game without purchasing it.

Get Steam Keys

If you search for Steam keys online, you will find many, many websites that sell Steam keys. These keys may or may not be authentic and chances are high that they are not. It is generally a bad idea to use them. If you are buying a Steam key for a game, it is best to buy the game. If the game is expensive, add it to your wish list and when it goes on sale you will receive an email. Games tend to go on sale frequently and several times a year. Sometimes they have a discount of more than 50%.

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Install a Steam key

If you’ve been given a Steam key (or purchased one), here’s how you can use it to install a game.

Open the Steam client on the desktop (make sure you are logged in).
Go to Games> Activate a product on Steam.
Click Next in the window that opens.
Accept the end user license agreement.
Enter the Steam key in the given field.
Click Next.
Click Finish.
The game download window will open.
Click Next to begin the download.
Once the download is complete, you will be able to play the game.

Generating a Steam key

If you are a game developer looking to generate a Steam key for your game, you can do so from your game’s page on Steamworks. It’s a good idea to read the Steam Keys documentation if you plan to request them. There are three different types of keys that you can distribute, and they all have their own terms of use.

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conclusion

Steam keys sold online offer games at a lower price. Some of these keys may be authentic, but unless a game developer distributes them directly, you risk paying for something that won’t work. If you are looking for a discounted game, you may also consider purchasing a second-hand game on Steam.