Yesterday, there was a nice little giveaway of Blackwell Deception from the developers. You had to go to their site, add it to your cart and input a code and you'd get it for free. It was rather nice. Unfortunately, that giveaway ended. More unfortunately, someone here on Steamgifts decided that was not acceptable and posted a direct link to the key generator. They'd taken down the frontend of the giveaway, but not the backend at the time. 30,000 keys were stolen overnight. The mods were already at work deleting multiple copies of these giveaway and suspending the users for exploited key giveaways before this. Now, we're likely going to delete every giveaway of Blackwell Deception posted from this giveaway and it has already been removed from the giveaway list. Every key is likely to be revoked from this giveaway. They are currently trying to revoke only the keys used after midnight (not sure what time zone that is but it appears to be midnight GMT), but in case that is impossible, prepare to have every key, including the legitimate ones, removed from your Steam account or whoever you gave it to. Everyone who made multiple giveaways here for these keys will be suspended and have their giveaways deleted. Everyone who didn't exploit the developer's generosity may unfortunately fall victim to the latter anyway to avoid a ton of work for support and yourselves dealing with "fake" giveaways. My apologies to everyone for this, but unfortunately everyone is put out now thanks to one person's greed.

Update: The developer has confirmed that any keys recieved before midnight will be allowed to stay.

Update 2: cg's PSA

11 years ago*

Comment has been collapsed.

If this is not enough, one guy obtained 100 COPIES OF MAFIA II AND 96 COPIES OF CIV 5 from GmG, and posted it at steamtrades. Got quite a lot of negative rep as a leecher too, even though that's unallowed feedback.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That guy has too much time on his hands.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Oh man I really wanted to try out this game, but I simply clicked on the "Buy" button and got the key, does this mean it will get removed from my account?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I already had this game, but i taked a key for a friend... maybe if you send them the email with the legit transaction (1-click buy -2 insert code Boo) they will reactivate your game.

Maybe... anyway it's really sad..

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I doubt my key will be revoked, since I got it directly at the point when the giveaway is still running. I got the email to prove that too.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Yes this was exploited and abused but that doesn't change the fact that WEG can't organise/control their shit. I already had a less than stellar opinion of them, this hasn't improved it.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Wadjet Eye Games is controlled by a single man named Dave. As far as I'm aware, he's the only true employee. From Wikipedia:

"It was founded in 2006 by Dave Gilbert as a means to publish his own games, but has since expanded to publishing games by other designers as well."

No one is infallible.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This. Wtf is with all the victim blaming? Everyone so quick to justify their grey scruples

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Victim blaming is way easier than looking inward to try to better one's self.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I don't really blame myself though, I blame the guy that posted the work around and the people that participated in the late night grab.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

You would be accurately assessing those that should take responsibilities for their actions and not take them subsequently. I see no issue with that.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

His wife is also an employee.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Actually, it's BMT Micro who are in control of the link. Nice try though.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This is also true.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Damn, such greedy people =(

So, if I got myself Blackwell games much earlier from bundles and steam store itself, will I lose them? That would be not good at all =(

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

No. Only the ones that got Deception through the giveaway.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Of course not, the keys for this giveaway was a specific series, your paid products are safe.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This is sad in more than one way...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

After that and Civ 5 and Mafia 2... I think that it'll be ok to give them away, but because they are free they shouldn't give any contribution value. I thought that the point of steamgifts was to give away something that you've spent money on. No matter how little you've spent, at least you're doing something to give it away, which deserves a higher contribution value. Doing that for free games is just exploitation.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

this is the first time ive ever enjoyed jade's feedback lol touche sir, and i like that this exploit is being taken care of swiftly. touche indeed ^__^

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I'm OK with this. I know it seems unfair to some people who got 1 key and activated it for themselves, but it's better than to ruin a small dev team forever.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Deleted

This comment was deleted 6 months ago.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

We can only hope that next time they (or any other dev) will be smarter and contact cg in order to give 100/250/500 steam keys here, inside a fair giveaway with the same rules for all participants.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Late to the party 1 hour ago :( this was such a worthy popcorn thread.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

https://twitter.com/WadjetEyeGames/status/396280566816849920

"Okay. I received a list of all the codes that were given after midnight last night. These will be the ONLY keys that will be disabled."

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Well, this is great news.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

i like that generic unlimited activation code they tried to do at the last phase. i think future free promo should use that code (which expire if unused after promo period ends) than single individual keys

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Are you sure it was unlimited? Because from what I understand, it was a 1 key per IP thing.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

ah my bad, i thought the link that was shared was a single key, apparently after reading the tweets, it was a generator page, my bad...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

after reading the tweets and the replies above*

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Battlefield 3 had an unlimited key just a while ago and that was good work from EA.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Well ... I took 1 key. Asked few friends ( 3 or 4 ) if they need the game ( they told me no ) ... and wanted to post in here on the forum about it ... I deleted later the post after i saw what is going on. Look like the key i got is still active on my steam.

I think few of us that did the same they will still have the game active and i will like to say Happy Halloween.

For the rest ... Well ... nature says the rest.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Isn't that what always happens? People are really greedy and dumb. I've just seen someone who had 25 Civ 5 and Mafia 2 keys he offered on a trade forum. I could hardly believe that, then I saw someone on the same forum who had more than 40 (!) keys he offered. It's not hard to understand why the world is in such a bad condition.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

World is full of selfish evil people, some are smaller some bigger.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

So.. i redeemed a few hours ago the Blackwell Deception key and activated it, does that mean it will be removed? :l

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It depends, did you generate the key before midnight? Since the developer's from New York (I believe) check for his timezone. If so, then no, it won't be removed. But if you generated it after midnight, then yes.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I don't know... i still have the game though...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Humans ... so greedy creatures.I couldn't even get 1 key ...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Then start baning ppl not just suspending (maybe if it is a year suspension).
Most of them are young ones and maybe they will learn sth, and others if will see bans will also learn.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Suspensions can be bans. Most of them are timed, but there's some that are permanent.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

If I'm not mistaken I think it was only a matter of wording since the system changed. Was it?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Basically.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Man, I hope my Steam account is safe from suspension/banning. :/

It'd totally blow to lose 100+ games for clicking a seemingly innocent link and entering a working code. :(

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Dave the guy behind Wadjet made sure that the keys get removed and NO BANS are made by steam. so you are safe.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Oh shit... i actually didnt know that i wasnt supposed to use the key from that link (it was posted in a thread somewhere in the steamgifts forums).

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Yea, same for me. :(

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

same =/

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Hmmm. Not really on topic but if I were a dev I'd do what supsoap did (The Faerie guys) imitating valvE when they gave Portal for free, simply put it on steam store.

The thing is, though. That that way you don't get publicity to your site. So I dunno, maybe generated a non-tradable 100% off voucher with the key? And that the game was non tradable too..

Anyways, this is why we can't have nice things.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

He could have just gave away 100-1000 copies here, or via Raptr, Alienware Arena and such 3rd party services. Would save him a lot of money for servers and bandwidth, and would have no problem with what happens with keys after he gives them to giveaway manager.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

That too would be a good option, but the thing is you don't get to see their shop or make an ccount there. I dunno.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Private giveaway so he could add entry requirements?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

They should use same system that humble bundle uses :P

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Damn. I used a key from the link. Will anything happen to my 250+ games steam account???

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

no, only the games activate with keys taken from the generator after midnight(GMT I think) will be removed.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Thanks. I don't want that game anyway

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

why you activated it then ????

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Some people...

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Because it was free?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

:facepalm:

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

It's sad but if they find it necessary, can't blame them.

Well if was free after all. (or maybe I payed with my private information which is already around the net anyway lol)

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

This is literally why we can't have nice things. Ban 'em!

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

I got the key 9:16 my time... My key was still removed, so I am guessing east coast time.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Mine too, I claimed mine before 12am GMT time which is roughly 5hours ahead of USA and it was still revoked. BS

looked interesting too, guess i won't be bothering with the franchise now

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Did you get it through the buy process or just the generator (first should give you proof of purchase so you could get another working key)?

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Same. If they are going to disappoint potentially new fans on their own fuck up, then fuck them. I did nothing wrong and it is like giving child something to only have it taken away because it was a mistake. Sounds ridiculous, but the whole situation is ridiculous considering the fact I was one of a few that didn't abuse this privilege.

11 years ago
Permalink

Comment has been collapsed.

Closed 11 years ago by thejadefalcon.