Introduction
As known to the gaming public, many online stores provides some product keys to download video games for free. Essentially, this is a mechanism to gain visibility among the audience. At its core, there is a system of mutual assistance between developers and content creators: developers gain visibility for their products through articles and/or videos on various online platforms, while content creators obtain material to offer to their followers. The request for product keys from online stores collaborating with developers for game sales is, in itself, a genuine administrative task that requires time and patience to be followed.
However, in light of all this, there is a peculiar habit among some content creators of requesting product keys without even activating them. Unfortunately, there are also reports about product keys provided for advertising purposes that end up being sold for money, which is blatantly prohibited and can lead to a genuine claim for damages through legal action.
In consequence of the considerations mentioned above, sante76.eu applies the following internal regulations:
Type of stores key provided and used rules
Every online store adopts its own terminology regarding the codes provided for game downloads. There are various types of product keys available, each with its own characteristics. On this website, we will adopt the following terminology:
PressKey
These are product keys provided for promotional purposes. PressKeys are supplied to anyone who requests them, provided they can prove to be the curator of a website, a YouTube channel, an influencer, or someone capable of bringing our products to the attention of the public in any other way. PressKeys are registered and constantly monitored and supplied in a max number of 5 per request. They are uniformly revoked one month after issuance if still unused. In the case of a request for a greater number of PressKeys than one, any unused ones will be revoked, in any case, after one month. They cannot be gifted or sold to third parties for any reason. In such a scenario, they can only be transferred to individuals within the requester’s staff and solely for the same purpose. Additionally, we request the submission of direct links to the produced content as soon as they are made available to the public. Activated PressKeys for which no online content has been produced are considered unused. Please request PressKeys only if you have the necessary time to dedicate to our video games. If you are currently overwhelmed with work, kindly consider requesting PressKeys at a later time. PressKeys usually come with a set of limitations imposed by online stores, so it is necessary to refer to their documentation to understand these limits. We only handle distribution, subject to the authorization of the store issuing them.
GiftKey
These are product keys provided in the form of a gift. Downloading the video game using one of these product keys is entirely equivalent to purchasing it. We never provide GiftKeys in response to a simple email request. The transfer of GiftKeys can be considered as a reward when there is genuine satisfaction on our part regarding the work done by someone who has previously reviewed our products in a manner that suits them. This doesn’t necessarily require a positive review, but rather a motivated effort that maintains a moderate tone even in the case of a negative review. GiftKeys are sent solely on a spontaneous basis and cannot be requested. GiftKeys can be transferred, if necessary, to audience of reviewers, but only and exclusively free of charge and exclusively before their activation. Their generation, however, is subject to review and approval by the issuing store. GiftKey never expires.
BetaKey
These are keys provided to end players for the purpose of testing a video game before its presentation to the public. They are provided free of charge and intended to be revoked, in any case, at the end of the testing cycle. BetaKeys are also revoked for those players who remain absent from the game during the testing phase, making themselves unreachable. We do not guarantee the conversion of BetaKeys into GiftKeys at the end of testing, but we reserve the right to do so at our sole discretion, subject to authorization from the stores with which we collaborate. So you have to ask for this type of key just in the spirit to have some fun.
Other cases.
Steam “Curators”
The Steam platform includes the figure of ‘Curators’, individuals or organizations that create recommendations to help others discover the most interesting games in Steam’s catalog. The role of a Steam curator is subject to specific regulations set by the Steam platform. Curators, when requesting PressKeys, can only receive them through the mechanisms provided by Steam and will be subject to the regulations adopted by Steam itself. In the event that a curator has YouTube channels, a website, etc., he/she may request to receive keys outside the ‘Steam Curators’ system, but will be subject to the same rules as any other publishers, as outlined in the previous paragraph. In any case, unused keys will be revoked after one month, as with others, in the absence of reviews.
Link to sites with no activity
We continue to cyclically check the sites for which keys have been requested. Generally, keys are refused to those who provide links to a “dead” site, i.e. one that has not been used for a long time or has no content. Sometimes, due to the number of requests, some of these sites slip through our fingers and receive keys, even though they shouldn’t. At any time we realize that we have sent keys to one of these sites by mistake, the keys will be revoked without notice and immediately.
Live broadcast
We appreciate live broadcasts, really. But is really difficult that a person interested at a game is in front of computer in the same time somebody speak about it! So, we don’t take account at live broadcastes, but just about video recorded and make available to be viewed in any time. If you frequently make live broadcastes but never record them, its quite sure your request of PressKeys will be rejected.
Bundles sales
We are not interested in bundles sales at all: don’t ask. We can accept only request coming directly from stores which we collaborate (the same from which our video games can be purchased) or reality strongly reccommended from them. All others request will be trashed with no answer.
Unsolicited submissions
Sometimes, we may take the initiative to send PressKeys to propose our products to YouTubers, influencers, etc. In these cases, while everything previously mentioned still applies, the PressKeys sent are immediate, exempt from any expiration date.
This regulation is to be considered retroactive and is adopted unilaterally. No criticisms of any kind will be accepted. It can only be discussed with the personnel of the online stores with which we collaborate.