Serial key
Software theme
Requires some form of alphanumeric key or similar to be presented to prove you own an authentic copy. A weak copy-protection mechanism, but more useful as GUID which it is also used for.
254
games
8platforms
Alternate names: Product key, CD-key, Serial number, Unlock key, Registration key
WIN 2008-10-21
WIN 2007-11-16
WIN 2003-09
WIN 2007-10-09
WIN 2009-06-26
X360 2012-05-09
WIN 2007-02-19
WIN 2009-05-12
WIN 2013
WIN 2009-04-07
WIN 2000-12-17
WIN 2008-02
Unlock key (a.k.a. registration key) is used by shareware or other "limited" games to unlock the full game. There's very little difference to the other key types than the fact that you actually have the full game already, but can't play it in full without unlocking/registering it first.
This can function as a form of DRM by preventing play as long as no correct key is provided, in some games this limitation only affects singleplayer or multiplayer but not both (commonly the latter is blocked if not both).
This can function as a form of DRM by preventing play as long as no correct key is provided, in some games this limitation only affects singleplayer or multiplayer but not both (commonly the latter is blocked if not both).
Popular tags
aspectratio-16-9 aspectratio-4-3 cdrom cpplanguage demo directx8 directx9 download drm drm-activation dvd firstpersonshooter gamespy leveleditor lua mediaindrive milessound openal opengl physx proprietarynetwork safedisc securom securom7 selfupdate shadermodel2 shadermodel3 vorbis widescreen win2k win98 winvista winxpGames by year
The first Serial key video game was released in 1998.
Electronic Arts, THQ, Ubisoft and Atari published most of these games.