NBA 2K9 PC Ships to Stores Without CD Keys; Update: Fix Through Steam

October 21, 2008 3:10 PM

Update: Valve let us know that Steam now takes care of this issue: "Owners of the retail version of NBA 2K9 for the PC may now install their games without the CD key, provided the disc is in the drive. And those considering a purchase of NBA 2K9 may do so without concern of installation issues related to the lack of a CD key."

Original Story: According to a seven page thread on the 2K Sports forums, the company forgot something important when it shipped the PC version of NBA 2K9 (also, PS3, X360) to stores: there is no CD key to be found anywhere in the box.

"I just located 2k9 for the PC and when i got it, it does not include a cd key but says it needs one to install...what do i do?" asks the starter of the thread, with other posters confirming a similiar situation no matter what store the game was obtained from.

2K Sports has acknowledged the issue, noting that the company is "working hard on a solution." That solution should be posted on this page later today.

Thanks to Tom Tran for the tip.

Maarten Goldstein

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DewFuel

 reply
October 21, 2008 3:13 PM

Solution: make a CD-key algorithm and give the customers a CD-key.

I just worked on the problem and it took 35 seconds
- vezatron
  
   reply
  October 21, 2008 3:24 PM
  
  how would you verify they bought it?
  - DewFuel
    
     reply
    October 21, 2008 3:31 PM
    
    have them call in.
  - DewFuel
    
     reply
    October 21, 2008 3:34 PM
    
    or download a patch that verifies install CD. can't be THAT hard.
- shirif
  
   reply
  October 21, 2008 3:26 PM
  
  hahha, do you think they write down every single key that comes with a game?
  - DewFuel
    
     reply
    October 21, 2008 3:32 PM
    
    no but a computer does.
    - shirif
      
       reply
      October 21, 2008 3:34 PM
      
      A computer does nothing unless instructed to
      **hint** : an algorithm
      - DewFuel
        
         reply
        October 21, 2008 3:37 PM
        
        read OP... making an algorithm doesn't necessitate them "writing down every single key".
        
        hence the algorithm.
        
        shirif
        
         reply
        October 21, 2008 3:39 PM
        
        What you don't seem to understand is that the keys that come with games are generated by their publishers using an algorithm. Obviously keys are not the problem here, but getting them to the customers. That's another subject entirely.
        
        DewFuel
        
         reply
        October 21, 2008 3:46 PM
        
        i'm sure they can think of a much better way, however:
        
        "or download a patch that verifies install CD. can't be THAT hard. : DewFuel"
        
        bashildy@speakeasy.net
        
         reply
        October 21, 2008 3:56 PM
        
        This doesn't solve the problem at all. Theres no way to uniquely identify paid customers with a CD at this point besides the physical case/CD. If they give out free keys based off the checksum then everyone who downloads the iso gets a key. The publisher is pretty much screwed right now and needs to either work with distributors to hand out keys or simply release the tool and give away keys to people who have the ISO but didn't purchase the game.
        
        doomed
        
         reply
        October 22, 2008 1:23 AM
        
        They can check if the cd is legit or not and it is possible to differentiate from an ISO and the proper CD.
        
        They do this already, with cd checks, right?
        
        The problem i see with handing down the "keygen" to clients is how would they limit how many cd-keys you would be able to generate from one original cd.
        
        Otherwise I would take my original cd and generate legit keys for all my friends (which could then play online with a copy).
  - DewFuel
    
     reply
    October 21, 2008 3:32 PM
    
    you might have heard of them.
- rock elf
  
   reply
  October 21, 2008 3:30 PM
  
  Great, you've solved the one problem that was already solved, generating the CD keys.