G2A, the global digital gaming marketplace, has become quite infamous among gamers and developers alike. Unlike most digital distribution platforms like Steam and Origin, G2A allows private sellers to sell the game CD-Keys from those sites, making it some sort of middle man that operates in a questionably legal space. As such, some developers have been fighting back G2A in an effort to prevent their games from being sold on the site.
Nick Popovich, the co-founder of Monomi Park and developer of last year’s cute, first person simulator Slime Rancher, is the latest developer to publicly call out G2A on its shady business practice in an email he shared on Twitter.
Popovich was asked by G2A if he wanted Slime Rancher to be included in their July bundle, which is similar to how Steam bundles some of their games together at a discount price. The difference with G2A is that its the keys for the games that are being sold.
Popovich’s response to that email is sheer gold:
Thanks, but after careful consideration, I’ll have to pass on working with you and your incredibly shady company that’s terrible for devs and consumers alike.
He ends the email on a sadly realistic note, though: “I’m sure Slime Rancher keys will find their way to your site’s claws whether I like it or not.”
A major criticism developers have with G2A is that they allow individuals to sell multiple copies of a game at a discount price, with none of that money ever getting back to the developers. The controversial news spread amongst gaming news sites like Kotaku about year ago, and game developers began calling G2A out. Inevitably, high-profile partners on YouTube and Twitch, such as Jack Frags and LIRIK, ended their partnerships with G2A following the string of controversies.
If gamers want to purchase Slime Rancher legitimately, its available on Steam as an early access title for $19.99 ($13.39 during the current Steam Summer Sale).