Region-specific activation, explained

Some products have region-specific activation requirements. A key like this can only be redeemed on a platform account that belongs to one of a listed set of countries. Publishers set these restrictions, usually because a game is licensed, rated or priced differently in different markets, and the platforms enforce them when the code is entered.

A key that does not match your account will be refused at activation, and once a code has been revealed it can rarely be refunded. That is why we show the requirement on the product page before you buy, rather than leaving it to the small print.

What the product page shows you

Next to the price on every product page there is an activation notice. It takes one of a few forms:

• Activates worldwide. The key carries no country restriction. It can be redeemed on an account from any country the platform itself operates in.
• Activates in your country. The key is restricted, but your country is on the list. The full list is shown underneath.
• This key does not activate in your country. The key is restricted and your country is not on the list. If you buy it, you will not be able to redeem it on an account from your country.
• Region-locked, with a list of countries or a region name. We could not tell where you are browsing from, so we show the full list and ask you to check it yourself.

How we know where you are

We compare the key's country list with the country your internet connection appears to come from. We do not ask for your location, and we do not show a browser permission prompt. Nothing about it is stored.

That method has one limitation worth understanding. It is your platform account's country that matters, not where you happen to be. If you are travelling, or using a connection that routes through another country, the notice may describe the wrong place. In that case, check your platform account's country in its settings and compare it with the list yourself.

Please do not use a VPN to activate

It can be tempting to work around a region restriction with a VPN. Do not do this. Platforms treat it as a breach of their terms, and the consequences fall on your account rather than on the key, from a refused activation to restrictions on the account itself. Choose a listing whose activation notice includes your account's country instead.

Finding keys that will work for you

The game keys page has two filters built for this:

• Region-free shows only keys with no country restriction at all. For most people this is the simplest choice, and it is the safest one if you are buying for somebody in another country.
• Activates in lets you search for a country or a whole continent and shows only keys that can be redeemed there, including region-free keys, since those activate everywhere.

Many games are listed more than once, for different platforms and regions. If one listing does not activate in your country, there is often another that does.

Why some games are missing

Occasionally a supplier lists a product as restricted without saying where it can be activated. We do not list those at all. A notice that cannot tell you whether a key will work for you is not much use, so we only sell keys whose activation countries we can show.

If you are still unsure

If the notice is unclear, or you are not sure which country your platform account belongs to, ask us before buying. Email [email protected] with a link to the product and the platform you play on, and we will help you choose.