G2A a place where people can purchase PC game keys, has recently had a run-in with Gearbox Software. The controversy started when Gearbox Software cancelled a partnership to sell keys through the marketplace after being prodded by the gaming community about the practices of the online retailer.
According to a statement sent to Game Revolution, G2A says that all the sales of keys on their website are legitimately acquired.
“The reality is that the keys on G2A.com come from legitimate sources,” reads an excerpt of the statement. It also calls allegations otherwise “false and defamatory.”
The allegations they refer to are the ones that sparked the problems between Gearbox and G2A. YouTuber Total Biscuit called for a boycott of developers that work with G2A, calling into question their practices. With millions of subscribers on YouTube, this likely prompted Gearbox to take action and sever the relationship with the key seller.
G2A has been in the headlines for months regarding allegations of dealing in black market or stolen keys, that which developers see no money from. Though a recent Reddit AMA got the story going again when Reddit users brought to light the practice of selling ill-gotten keys on the website. While G2A says that they play no part in it, they certainly profit from it if it is indeed happening.
These fradulent keys are said to come from pirates or other networks where they use stolen credit card information to acquire keys in bulk and then re-sell them on the marketplace.
Despite these claims by G2A of all keys being legitimate, developers and users of the service have spoken out about fraud on the marketplace. One developer, Tiny Build, says that G2A sold over $450,000 worth of game keys on its market that they did not see a dime for.
