Steam Problem : Product Code can't be activated in region

I'm getting the steam error as in the title when i'm trying to activate CS source i bought in india on my UK steam account. Can i do anything because i really want to play the game? I thought it would still work.

Cheers
Sean473

 

You will have to use a proxy or VPN based in India to activate, and even then you will not be able to play online unless you do it through the same service, which will cause your ping to be so high as to be unplayable. Just one of the many reasons I avoid Steam titles.

 

how do u do that? Its allright.. ping isn't a problem for me.. my broadband connection has 6Mb/s speed so it fast.. and pings low.. but how do u activate using a proxy?

 

Don't buy CSS in india next time.

 

thanks for the excellent suggestion but i need help and not sarcasm...if i'd known i wouldn't have bought it.. any ideas plz?

 

maybe you can try contacting steam about it? (although id try this as a last resort thing)

 

i'm doing that too but i rather have a solution.. knowing steam, they won't do anything..

 

Your internet speed does not matter, when it comes to proxies, Sean.
It's the speed of the proxy server that matters and finding a free proxy server to play counter-strike trough, its near impossible.

Just buy it in the UK, man.

 

Actually just contact steam about it, they are usually quite helpful when this happens - a lot of people who run into this end up having all present and future region restrictions removed after talking to them.

 

ok man.. i'll wait.. hopefully steam are nice... i have had a lot of problems with steam.. really don't like.. with my G73 issues on my mind , this isn't good... i'll wait for their answer.

 

how long does it usually take steam to reply? I've got no reply yet although i sent the ticket on thursday.

 

You can also pay for a virtual proxy server to play on, but its costs like a few bucks a month, here is a service you can use. I t works for more CSS as well WoW Tunnels - Reduce Your World of Warcraft Lag, The Easy Way.

 

The last time I went to India, I bought Left 4 Dead 2 there for a very good price and I activated it fine in India and it was added to my Steam account. When I came back to the U.S, the game wouldn't run because of region restrictions. I had to request Steam to remove it from my account and then purchase it again here. All of my Steam games bought here worked there, no problem, but not vice versa.

So if an Indian moves to the U.S for instance, with his Steam account, none of his games will work. Sucks.

However, I was able to buy GTA4 there and use it here with no issues whatsoever. I guess its best to just watch out for Steam games.

 

once you contact steam they should be able to remove the region lock on your account as they did with mine, cheers

 

i have a topic about this floating around the forums, for me i haven't been able to get the region lock unlocked on three of my five steam games i brought while in India, L4D, CS.S and one other, the reply i got from Steam was that the game is region locked and they can do nothing about it, i would need to contact the retailer and ask for my money back......they stated region locked games are often times a lot cheaper and due to this are not allowed to be played away from that region, so i wish you luck in getting them activated, but don't hold your breath.

 

My opinion is that as long as you activate the software in the region you purchased it, you should be able to play it anywhere. The companies are worried about grey-market dealers buying many of these keys from these regions and selling them to us. It would be very hard for them to buy all these copies and then activate them in a certain region.

Besides, its not fair to those from those regions who bought those games, they may move to another country and just cannot play the game at all. Maybe they could at least pay a small "region conversion" fee instead of buying the games all over again>

 

all your points are valid mate, im not saying i like it, just explaining the experience i had with most of the steam games i brought in India, it really does seem to only be steam that this applies too, all my other games work perfectly.

i can in a way understand why some of these games are region locked though, i mean L4D cost me 350rps..(when it first came out)....which at the time was only around $6, so if people can get new releases out of India for less than $10 they have to stop it some how.......not saying its right, just saying i understand it.

 

Yea, pricing in India is a big reason why games bought there cannot be activated or played elsewhere. For Steam at least.

 

Actually , my version of CS Source bought and activated in india was downloadable and playable while I was in US.

So i guess, if u can get someone to activate it to your account from india , that should do it.

 

the pricing was same as in UK lol.. anyways , i contacted steam support and they said they can't do it. So what can i do? I sent a reply that i can't get a refund and if they can't lift the lock , i'm calling the buisness beaurau.. anyways , they said steam support can't do anything.. so who should i contact in steam? Isn't it steam support? I'm attaching their reply below.

Hello Sean,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

The message "Steam Error: Game not available in your territory", indicates that the CD Key you have purchased is restricted to the territory where it was sold.

Unfortunately, you will need to contact your reseller for a refund, as Steam Support cannot make changes to territory restrictions.

Note: Purchases made directly through Steam are not restricted by territory.


More information is available here:
Game Not Available In Your Territory
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1266-QFZC-2141

Any ideas ppl?
Thanks
Sean473

 

Did you buy the game from the steam store or from a third party? If it's from the steam store you should have a receipt or transaction number that you can give them.

 

Just for future reference, does anyone know if "purchases made directly through Steam are not restricted by territory" refers only to Valve games, or to all games purchased through Steam regardless of who made them? I swear I have read other instances of people having this same problem as well.

 

I would reply something like this:

"I'm aware that the game isn't for the correct region, however, I bought the more expensive box in the UK, and as you should know, you can't often return video games.

I have to travel between the UK and India a lot, and I often game through Steam to relax. It would be highly appreciated if you could region unlock just this game, and I'll be weary to buy through the Steam Store from now on. If you can do anything further, thank you."

Nice, professional, and a lie. Sometimes you have to finagle companies to give you what they can, nevermind what you want.

Good luck.

 

this game was bought from a third party reseller.. no way to get refund.. steam sent a reply saying they refuse to remove the restrictions by giving excuse they can't... i wrote ur reply Hybrys and hopefully they understand.. otherwise i'll just sell the game on ebay...

 

sean your reply was identical to the ones i received,there seems very little they can do, its a third party product, it really should fall on the third party to state clearly and directly on packaging that the game is region locked and cannot be used out side of the a fore mentioned country, but good luck trying to get that to happen with Indian games sellers.

ive traveled all over the world and have never had a problem with any game that i have brought directly through steam, the only exception is the third party steam games that can be region locked, but again there is no firm rule for that either, i have brought six steam games via third parties in india, empire total war, CS.S, DoW2, the last remnant, loki and L4D of those six three couldn't be played out of india, CS.S, Loki and L4d the other three work perfectly where ever i am, which makes me think its a gamble at best......

 

Here you can buy certain steam products, from a third party reseller, but they do mention that the game is available to be activated only in certain countries in the EU.

 

well i'll see what i can do. No reply yet but if they don't refund , i'll sell it on ebay.

 

Oh and FYI physical copies are usually region locked too.

Always ALWAYS do your research before clicking buy on a game from one region and plan to play in a different one.

 

Need Help
Hello

I got a game from Ebay & the seller mailed the DVD & e mail me the Activaion Codes & said I could download & play it on Steam

How do i download game I have not purchased from Steam
but I do have Activation code for it

Need Step by Step Instruction on where on the site I could downlaod game from

PLEASE PLEASE HELP

 

No hope.. i'm selling on ebay.. anyone from india want it?