Game key vs game account - what is the difference
Some listings say Key and some say Account. They are genuinely different products, and buying the wrong one is a common source of disappointment - so it is worth thirty seconds of reading.
A key goes onto YOUR account
You redeem the code on your own Steam, PlayStation or Xbox account and the game is yours permanently, with your friends, achievements and saves.
An account is a ready-made login
You receive an email and password for an account that already owns the game. Cheaper, and often the only option for titles that never ship as keys.
Secure the account immediately
If you bought an account, change the password the moment you receive it, and set the recovery email to your own where the platform allows it.
Do not mix them up
A game bought on a supplied account cannot be moved to your main account. If you want it on your own profile, buy the Key version.
When something goes wrong
Can I play offline on an account product?
Usually yes, and offline mode is often the more stable way to play, since it avoids simultaneous logins.
What if the account stops working?
Contact support with your order number. Report it quickly - the sooner it is reported, the more likely a replacement can be arranged.
Questions
Which is safer?
A key, without question - the game lands on your own account and nobody else has any claim to it.
Why is the account version cheaper?
It is a shared-licence product rather than a fresh licence, so it costs the supplier less.
Next
Still stuck? Contact support - we answer around the clock.