GFWL stole my game

[w4tch0]

Well, not really. Here's my situation:

So I got Dirt 2 of Steam. I downlaoded it into Steam and run it.
After the intro the game asks me to login into windows live.

So to login I input my regural windows live account credentials. Now it asks for game serial, so I paste the serial Steam told me to paste after I installed the game. Wait for a while for the thing to process ... and damn I get informed that its not possible to use my windows live account, something about unsupported country.

Well not the first time to see that happen in a GFWL game (the famous error code 80154017 ... unsupported country) ... So I decide to login with my other windows live account that was registered with UK adress (call it what you want, alternate, other, fake). The thing askes me for the serial again. So I put in the serial and get informed that its not possible to use that serial since its already paired with a different windows live account?

So now my game is paired with an Windows live account I cannot use with Games for windows live? How the hell is that even possible. And so the question is: How to fix this?

[Koks1]

I got the same problem

It was my first time to use Windows Live, and I choose wrong country (because last month I was working in Eastern Eurpe and my Windows settings were set to that country)

Now I can't play the game which I bought
I was waiting for this game so many time, and now when I buy it - I can't play it

Please tell me how to solve this problem

[Atomic_Punch]

Originally Posted by w4tch0

Well, not really.So I decide to login with my other windows live account that was registered with UK adress (call it what you want, alternate, other, fake). The thing askes me for the serial again.

That's unfortunate, that would annoy me no end. But ..as you are aware? or should be, you can't use two accounts for one game on gfw live. I think you will have to challenge Microsoft's GFW LIVE support network?.

[Koks1]

Originally Posted by Atomic_Punch

That's unfortunate, that would annoy me no end. But ..as you are aware? or should be, you can't use two accounts for one game on gfw live. I think you will have to challenge Microsoft's GFW LIVE support network?.

I dont want to use 2 accounts for one game
If it possible i can delete old accaunt if i can use cd-key to a new account

[w4tch0]

Exactly don't want to use it on two accounts either. Just one that works.
Unfortunatelly, changing the country in the first account does not help, since for some strange reason GFWL is not affected by it and it always uses the country that was entered when creating the account for the first time. And I cannot add or swap the game to a different GFWL account that works (UK adress)...

Also why they need to pair the game with the GFWL account permanently is beyond me. The game is already paired with my Steam account (which has its own copyright protection and drm already built in). In addition it also uses SecuROM ... so why a third layer?

To be honest I don't really care about online play or achievements. I can ommit that just like I did in other GFWL games I played (only Fallout 3 if I remember). But well, you cannot even play the single player because the save games/ save progress does not work when not logged in into GFWL ... so every time you restart the game you have to go from start (the looong and annoying intro included).

Next time Codemasters, if you want to implement such functionality in a PC game: please, pretty please, use Steam works for it. Unlike GFWL it actually works and is not slow, buggy and annoying. And does not have a cockblock country limitation.

[XStalkerxx]

Originally Posted by w4tch0

So I put in the serial and get informed that its not possible to use that serial since its already paired with a different windows live account?

you just answered to one of my big questions..... so what that basically means is that greedy Steam basterds, don't regenerate you a new code each time you download it.

And as we know Codemasters used the "cdkey-linked-to account" feature, so that serial number is used.
Aaaaand again we redirect our attention to crap STEAM for not regenerating a new GFWL code, and that finally means = your DIRT2 product from STEAM, is EXPIRED when it comes to Multiplayer.

You just got a half-working functionality game.

till this moment i always thought if you buy a GFWL title on Steam, each time you download it, Steam issues you a brand new 100% working cdkey...guess i was WRONG

[w4tch0]

What the hell man,
why would Steam generate a new key everytime? Totaly not needed.

This isn't by any case Steam issue, its GFWL issue. If I'd buy the game box (CD or DVD or what ever it comes on), I would have the same problem now.

[Koks1]

Someone from Codemasters
Can you help us with this problem

You made a GREAT game - so we buy it - but we can not play becouse of this problem

When I buy a game I dont find any words about - "you can't play this game multiplayer if you login in windows live with account with unsupported country"
It was my first Windows Live experiense - and I don't even think about what country i registered with.

Maybe if you contact Games for Windows Live and show them this problem - it will be solved faster

[lbbt]

I was thinking about importing this game from the UK to Germany, because it only costs 20€ (converted from British pound) in Britain and 50€!! in Germany.

Now after reading this, I'm a bit afraid, because the main thing for me is multiplayer. I hope they fix this problem.

edit
To the people who are affected: What country did you choose??

[Ice]

Please find below a list of all Games for Windows Live Supported Countries/Regions

Countries/Regions with LIVE Service