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    Valve games, Retail Copies, Need to keep CDs?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by masterchef341, Nov 19, 2008.

  1. masterchef341

    masterchef341 The guy from The Notebook

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    If I buy left4dead from circuitcity for $40, when I install it the first time, is it then tied to my account like any other steam game? Do I need to keep the CD's or can I reinstall from the steam servers?
     
    masterchef341, Nov 19, 2008
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  2. qwestman

    qwestman Notebook Guru

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    You can reinstall them from the steam servers. Technically, you could throw away the cd's after attaching them to your steam account, although I would probably hold on to them just in case.
     
    qwestman, Nov 19, 2008
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  3. xxERIKxx

    xxERIKxx Notebook Deity

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    i have the orange box retail copy and i was able to download it off steam when my cd's where miles away.
     
    xxERIKxx, Nov 19, 2008
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  4. masterchef341

    masterchef341 The guy from The Notebook

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    cool. i'll probably head over to circuit city at 11:00 then and pick up my game ;)
     
    masterchef341, Nov 19, 2008
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  5. mrsamsa

    mrsamsa Notebook Evangelist

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    I bought Half-Life 2 a million years ago, on disc, when it 1st came out. I can reinstall if perfectly fine over the steam servers and have a few times, but installing from the disc gives an error, since it wants to register the CD-key.

    Moral: I dunno if you need the disc, but it can be faster for the 1st install of a game.
     
    mrsamsa, Nov 19, 2008
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  6. cjcerny

    cjcerny Notebook Consultant

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    When you buy a Valve game in-store, you are really just paying for the key. You don't even ever need to insert the CD--just punch the key into Steam.
     
    cjcerny, Nov 19, 2008
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  7. Jlbrightbill

    Jlbrightbill Notebook Deity

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    Like others have said, all Valve games have full Steam integration no matter what media format you buy it in, so the DVD in-store will tie in with Steam and be downloadable later on. Some 3rd party games are only available in one form or another, I'm blanking on which titles though, but it's either a Steam edition or a physical disc.
     
    Jlbrightbill, Nov 19, 2008
    #7