CD Key Issue

So, this has been my journey with NBA 2K9 for the PC.

2K9 is one of my favorite 2k's of all time, but I never owned it for the PC. To my delight, it was still being sold on Amazon. So I bought one, and got all pumped up! Once received, I put the disc in my cd rom, anxiously awaiting running with my Iverson/Melo Nuggets, only to be prompted to enter my CD key. No big deal, right? Well, the CD Key wasn't included. So, I contacted the retailer and asked if they had it, they said no... and gave me a refund and let me keep the disc because they dubbed it "Useless"

I said to myself "Okay, lets try again". So I bought the game from a different retailer on Amazon, got it... and was really pumped. Put it in my CD ROM, same thing happened. No key either. Contacted the retailer, they said they didn't have one.

So I am sitting here with two NBA 2K9's for the PC. I decided to contact 2K support, they told me that I was out of luck and they don't supply CD Keys for that game anymore.

So I contact STEAM support, and am waiting to hear back.

When 2K9 was first released, they admitted to an issue where they sent out a bunch of 2K9 games with no CD keys. So now I am wondering.... will I have to keep purchasing 2K9 games for the PC until finally one has a CD key with it? Or will Steam Support help me?

Stay tuned...

I had a similar adventure picking up NBA 2K9 some years back. Someone was selling it on eBay because their kid changed their mind, but as it happened, they'd already activated the key. They apologised and issued me a refund. No problem, it happens. I later found a new, sealed copy on eBay, and bought it. Fortunately, it did have an unused key, so all good on the second attempt.

At this point, it may be a case of luck of the draw. If eBay is an option, maybe you could look there as well as Amazon? As I said, I was lucky the second time around, when I picked up a brand new, sealed copy.

Yeah, I think I may just buy another one and hope for the best.

STEAM support got back to me and told me they couldn't help me because I "didn't buy the game through Steam". Which makes no sense... it's still a game that requires Steam Support, as it cant be played without a Steam CD key.

So it looks like I may be out of luck.

STEAM support keeps telling me they can't help me, and to return the product.

Like you said, I may just have to keep purchasing, and hope to get lucky with a new one. I was advised against buying a used one, as the CD key will have already been used and can't be used again.

I tried g2a.com for a CD key, and they don't carry 2K9 CD keys.

Any idea of any sites they may carry them?

I guess it's technically not purchased through the Steam store, even though it's activated there, hence their inability to help. Unfortunate.

Definitely don't buy used, that's where I got caught the first time. Well, the description made it sound like it was never played after being opened, but unfortunately the key had been activated. I'm guessing they didn't know how that all worked and they did give me a full refund, so no harm done. But yeah, it's going to be luck of the draw with a new, sealed copy I'd imagine. If you can find it cheap on eBay, it might be a better bet than Amazon, but obviously there's still some risk there. Hope you can find a copy!

On NBA 2K9 number 4 with no CD key. Just received it from Amazon "used/like new".

I'm so desperate to get this for PC that I also have another one coming in this week, that will be attempt #5 at getting a working PC version of 2K9.

Ugh.

Man, that's unlucky. Hope fifth time is the charm!

On PC NBA 2K9 needs a steam key.
so if not real new, you cant activate the product, in the same way that you cant redeem a steam key a second time.
I had the same problem, contacted the vendor and 2K support... they dont care... so i got the original DVD, the proof of buying, and found how to launch the game

On PC NBA 2K9 needs a steam key.
so if not real new, you cant activate the product, in the same way that you cant redeem a steam key a second time.
I had the same problem, contacted the vendor and 2K support... they dont care... so i got the original DVD, the proof of buying, and found how to launch the game

Every one I have bought doesn't have the steam key. I can't launch any of them.

I literally have 4 NBA 2K9 PC discs that are useless. I've bought both new and used, same result.

I contacted steam support and 2k support, both stated that they don't give out steam keys anymore.

I had a key with the DVD but had ths error :

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

I had a key with the DVD but had ths error :

[ Image ]

I'm worried about getting that result as well.

I don't think ever heard of this happening with a game before.

Cross your fingers.
btw key was inside behind the front cover.

Cross your fingers.
btw key was inside behind the front cover.

Thanks.

I believe I get the 5th attempt in the mail today.

Attempt #5 failed. No CD key included.

Ugh, you'd have the worst luck with this. As I said, the first one I got was a used copy off eBay and the key had been redeemed, but the second one (new and sealed) did have a working key.

NBA 2K's launch on the PC wasn't smooth. The missing keys was a huge blunder, though they were at least able to resolve it at the time.

bad luck but vendors arent correct, saying new with no cd key inside

Indeed. It was a huge mistake that now affects the retro market, since 2K support won't replace missing keys like they did at launch.

Just so there is no question on whether I am telling the truth or not lol

Here is all 5, I took this screen this morning.

Whenever I try and launch the game offline, it tells me that I MUST be online on steam to install the game. Once I get on online on steam, it asks for the CD key.... which I don't have

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

The only other thing I can think of would be to find a seller that's willing to check if a new copy has the key in it, given that new copies without keys was an issue upon launch back in 2008. They may not be because it'd be forfeiting the "sealed" description, but it might also save them the hassle of having to refund someone after selling them a game without a key.

you're not alone

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Yeah, I have a feeling that this is happening quite often.

The only other thing I can think of would be to find a seller that's willing to check if a new copy has the key in it, given that new copies without keys was an issue upon launch back in 2008. They may not be because it'd be forfeiting the "sealed" description, but it might also save them the hassle of having to refund someone after selling them a game without a key.

I may give this a try if I can't figure anything else out.

Thanks.

If they're sceptical, you may want to link them to this article discussing the issue around the time of launch: https://techcrunch.com/2008/10/23/pc-ve ... ut-cd-key/

Another source: https://www.shacknews.com/article/55472 ... c-ships-to

I know this is a unique situation, but this is what worries me about the all-digital gaming trend that is happening. You never actually own the product

Agreed. Digital content can be also be removed or altered (such as songs being patched out of GTA because they've lost the rights), whereas physical copies are yours to keep in an unaltered state. Digital content has its advantages, but we've seen plenty of cases where its drawbacks are on display as well.