A Developer’s Guide to Region Locking Game Keys

Region locking Steam game keys helps studios protect global revenue and prevent the regional pricing gaps that give rise to gray market activity.

It is also simple to do. And yet despite that, the true value of locking down your keys is often underestimated. In this guide, we’re going to spell out exactly how to region-lock your keys.

On the whole, the region-locked process is handled directly from the Steamworks partner account:

1. Head to your game’s landing page within Steamworks.
2. Under ‘Technical Tools’, you’ll see the option ‘Request Steam Product Keys’. 
3. From there, you want to opt for ‘Default Release Keys’ if you plan to make them available to consumers.
4. Next, when you request keys, you can set a specific region. Note that region locks are tied to specific packages, so you may need to create specific packages for each region – and be sure to label and tag packages by target region; you’ll thank yourself later.
5. You also need to think about how you break down regions. If you don’t have a dedicated sales and release manager, established regional groupings might be most realistic for you, meaning MENA, CIS, LATAM, EU, SEA, ROW, (Rest of World), and so on. We’d also recommend splitting out the China region from the rest of Asia - you can read more about China’s games market here.
6. Consider releasing your game to different regions at distinct times, especially when regions have significantly varied prices. This will let you focus on your marketing and release efforts in manageable sections. Equally, consumers may be disappointed or less inclined to make a purchase if they see players in neighbouring regions getting what they perceive to be a better deal.

Finally, a quick note on how to set your regional prices. Within Steamworks, your game’s ‘Package Details’ page (as seen below) lets you set the current price in your local market, and can suggest appropriately adjusted prices for other currencies.

Beyond the process of region locking game keys being surprisingly simple, there are two major gains.

Firstly, region locking is an effective countermeasure to losing revenue to the gray market. Generating game download keys lets you sell your game beyond Steam, including into many more regions. But that opportunity exposes you to a vulnerability; the gray market. Simply put, a single game will be priced differently across the world, to meet the reality of local economies. Not everywhere has the same consumer spending power, meaning in some countries a game’s RRP will be significantly less than elsewhere. The gray market occurs when a title is priced differently across regions for economies, causing an imbalance in pricing. Without the right controls in place, those gaps can meaningfully erode publisher revenues.

Gray market sellers exploit that reality by buying keys in regions where prices are low, selling them for a profit elsewhere. It’s a practice that can eradicate your revenues. Region locking your game keys means they can only be used where they are sold.

Secondly, an effective release and pricing strategy is the foundation of not only the success of your current game, but also the future prospects of your studio. Region locking lets you implement your carefully considered release strategy at global scale. From delivering a staggered global release, to balancing regional pricing to maximise sales in each country, region-locked keys keep control in your hands.

Region-locking codes and setting prices is simple as a process, but releasing globally demands considerable effort and a highly effective strategy. Every region and economy has its own unique considerations, from local spending power to tax laws. Navigating global markets effectively means combining the right technical infrastructure with deep regional expertise, from local pricing dynamics to consumer behaviour and sales events. If you are looking for a strategic partner to help you build a global release strategy, optimise regional pricing, and reach new audiences at scale, Rokky is here to help, please get in touch.