If they activated they're legitimate keys, it doesn't matter how they were purchased. That's a problem with the merchant software and for the CC companies. This sounds more like regional pricing protection bullshit than actual stolen keys. Fine, if that's the kind of party they want to have I'm going to stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

I like the "Extreme discounting below the published price on our website may be a clue" part. PC gaming is all about extreme discounting - that's Steam's model...

Cutter wrote on May 26, 2015, 17:52:
If they activated they're legitimate keys, it doesn't matter how they were purchased. That's a problem with the merchant software and for the CC companies. This sounds more like regional pricing protection bullshit than actual stolen keys. Fine, if that's the kind of party they want to have I'm going to stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

CC gets stolen. Keys are purchased with stolen CC. CC gets reversed. Keys get banned. Simple really. If the key was traded to a third party then it sucks to be a third party.

Nowhere does it mention parallel or grey keys from discounted regions.

Cutter wrote on May 26, 2015, 17:52:
If they activated they're legitimate keys, it doesn't matter how they were purchased. That's a problem with the merchant software and for the CC companies. This sounds more like regional pricing protection bullshit than actual stolen keys. Fine, if that's the kind of party they want to have I'm going to stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

I love how every time this happens a bunch of people come out screaming about how they're somehow being ripped off somehow by the developer.

Here's a tip, if you buy stolen goods, they can and will be revoked from you.

Here's another tip. Instead of blaming teh developer/publisher how about BLAMING THE STORE THAT SOLD YOU THE STOLEN GOODS IN THE FIRST PLACE. If you bought a tv from the bank of a van, then the cops come and reclaim it because it was stolen, you don't scream that Sony ripped you off do you? The tv was 'legit' when you bough it, it turned on right? So you can tell the cops that it's yours! See how far that gets you.

Julio wrote on May 26, 2015, 18:05:
I like the "Extreme discounting below the published price on our website may be a clue" part. PC gaming is all about extreme discounting - that's Steam's model...

Hence the "may be a clue" part of their statement...?

Armengar wrote on May 26, 2015, 19:40:

Cutter wrote on May 26, 2015, 17:52:
If they activated they're legitimate keys, it doesn't matter how they were purchased. That's a problem with the merchant software and for the CC companies. This sounds more like regional pricing protection bullshit than actual stolen keys. Fine, if that's the kind of party they want to have I'm going to stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

CC gets stolen. Keys are purchased with stolen CC. CC gets reversed. Keys get banned. Simple really. If the key was traded to a third party then it sucks to be a third party.

Nowhere does it mention parallel or grey keys from discounted regions.

Also the transactions themselves cost the respective companies money. Yes, that's right! Even if the transaction is automated it still costs them electricity.
If the customer's money has to be refunded then that's more money spent on another transaction.

Satoru wrote on May 26, 2015, 20:02:

you don't scream that Sony ripped you off do you?

It's alright, Sony rips off people on a daily basis, that's a no brainer.

Cutter wrote on May 26, 2015, 17:52:
Fine, if that's the kind of party they want to have I'm going to stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

But that would ruin the mashed potatoes for everyone. eww

I personally dont think theyre going far enough here. I think they should be calling out the online key resellers that these fraudulent keys originated from.

Cutter wrote on May 26, 2015, 17:52:
If they activated they're legitimate keys, it doesn't matter how they were purchased. That's a problem with the merchant software and for the CC companies. This sounds more like regional pricing protection bullshit than actual stolen keys. Fine, if that's the kind of party they want to have I'm going to stick my dick in the mashed potatoes.

Yeah so? All they are doing is warning the customer of buying stolen keys that put the customer at risk of identity theft. Your saying fuck the customer let their credit card # get stolen and keep this cycle going? Canceling the codes is the right thing to do. Then the customers can get into contact with the fraud department of their credit card, dispute the charge and also have a new card issued since their old one is at risk.

kookaveetsa wrote on May 26, 2015, 20:19:

Satoru wrote on May 26, 2015, 20:02:

you don't scream that Sony ripped you off do you?

It's alright, Sony rips off people on a daily basis, that's a no brainer.

but... but... but... MIRKOSOFFT RIBS OF MOOOAAARRR!!!11

Leave it you people to defend the corps and screw the workin' man trying to catch a break. It's no wonder this is such a shitty world. Perhaps you feel we'd all be better off as slaves instead of the indentured servants we really are.

Cutter wrote on May 26, 2015, 23:03:
Leave it you people to defend the corps and screw the workin' man trying to catch a break. It's no wonder this is such a shitty world. Perhaps you feel we'd all be better off as slaves instead of the indentured servants we really are.

How is the 'working man' being screwed here? Feel free to explain how being sold stolen goods is in some way in the best interests of the 'working man'.

Remind me to rob you blind, sell all your stuff on Craigslist, then we'll just laugh when you know the 'working man' bough it 'legit' so you won't get anything back. After all the 'working man' on craigslist bought a 'legit' tv and a 'legit' console and a 'legit' car.

Go ahead I'll wait for your rediculous mental gymnatics on how theft is super aweseome.

Lol, first time I've ever heard of buying a stereo from Cheech's van in an alleyway described as "trying to catch a break." Oh yeah, I am feeling so oppressed by retail prices!

Cutter wrote on May 26, 2015, 23:03:
Leave it you people to defend the corps and screw the workin' man trying to catch a break. It's no wonder this is such a shitty world. Perhaps you feel we'd all be better off as slaves instead of the indentured servants we really are.

I know the bigger picture of what your trying to say here but in this context it doesn't work. However yes Bethesda could have a better way to turn these potential customers into real ones. I don't think banning customers' keys outright is always in their best interest either.

Maybe throwing them onto a low performing/cheap/laggy server is better than banning them, or maybe there's another better way to deal with these situations. From a marketing perspective, these users have expressed interest in the product. They are high probability customers.

Mordecai Walfish wrote on May 26, 2015, 20:39:
I personally dont think theyre going far enough here. I think they should be calling out the online key resellers that these fraudulent keys originated from.

There is a reason for that. The keys are valid, and the resellers are legit. Someone hit the nail on the head, these are NA or EU customers buying valid keys intended for the Asian or African market at a large discount. I don't see how anyone could get a hold of 'stolen' keys without some serious hacking of the ESO publisher, is that something that they are claiming happened? Noes, its the evil hackers using stolen credit cards to buy and resell ESO keys....Yeah right. Like these guys haven't got better ways to make a buck...

InBlack wrote on May 27, 2015, 02:14:

Mordecai Walfish wrote on May 26, 2015, 20:39:
I personally dont think theyre going far enough here. I think they should be calling out the online key resellers that these fraudulent keys originated from.

There is a reason for that. The keys are valid, and the resellers are legit. Someone hit the nail on the head, these are NA or EU customers buying valid keys intended for the Asian or African market at a large discount. I don't see how anyone could get a hold of 'stolen' keys without some serious hacking of the ESO publisher, is that something that they are claiming that happened?

Dude, read the story and the thread? As has been pointed out this whole shebang is about FRAUDULENTLY obtained keys that were THEN sold on via key sites. A fraudulently obtained key is by its very definition not a legit key. They even explicitly say "STOLEN" in the official post.

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with your wild imaginations about regional price wars. Maybe at least read the story before tossing around unjust accusations.

Finally, many of those key portals only serve as middlemen so it is very easy for people who steal a credit card and use it to buy copies of the game in bulk to sell keys to unsuspecting (as far as you can call it "unsuspecting" when an offer is looking too good to be true anyway) third parties.

Here. Full quote minus the very long list of officially endorsed retailers. So you don't even have to click the link which apparently seems to be too hard to do...

We’ve recently seen an increase in the sale of fraudulently obtained digital game keys for The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited.

We want to remind gamers to shop wisely and only purchase online keys from a reputable source. Fraudulently obtained keys obtained via Steam and then re-sold via third-party websites is a violation of both our and Steam’s Terms of Service. We will be deactivating all game accounts created with such stolen keys starting on Tuesday, May 26th. Affected users will receive an email with instructions on how to regain access to their game account via a valid game purchase.

The companies selling stolen keys make a practice of using stolen credit cards, or misappropriating credit card information from their own customers to buy codes from legitimate retailers. Often these companies have the lowest price available anywhere for the digital item they are selling. Customers who purchase from these vendors are at increased risk for identity theft.

Extreme discounting below the published prices on our website may be a clue that the digital key purchased for the game may have been fraudulently obtained.

We want to ensure that you have the best game experience possible. To avoid unknowingly purchasing a stolen game key we suggest that you purchase from our site or one of the official retailers listed below.

Deactivating peoples' accounts is the wrong way to go. It doesn't really matter if the keys were legitimate or not. Players will only see this as Bethesda screwing them over and will remember that the next time Bethesda releases a game.

I think Ubisoft faced a similar situation with Far Cry 4. Initially, they started revoking activations but after community outcry, they decided to leave them be.

Also, doesn't the non-subcription version of ESO still have plenty of microtransactions? If that's the case, they could have still monetized players with illegitimate keys.

Stolen keys. Got it. Stolen from where?

Bullshit.

Im really supposed to believe that credit card fraud criminals are buying keys from ESO (with stolen credit card info) and reselling them to pimply faced nerds?

Im sure there are millions to be made in that racket...

Cases like this make me weary of our digital only future.

In the case of physical goods the burden of proof would be on the company to prove any merchandise was stolen and require the assistance of the authorities to retrieve.

With digital goods companies have all the power to revoke your purchase at anytime for any reason and aren't required to prove anything prior to doing so. My guess is even if they were taken to court they would argue the EULA gives them the right to do anything they want rather than try to prove anything about fraudulent keys.