Often times as a way to sweeten the deal, GPU vendors throw in a game code or two with certain graphics card purchases. Both AMD and Nvidia cards have had different games on offer at different times. In a not unexpected move, Nvidia is moving to restrict the transferability of their bundled game codes with a new GeForce Experience hardware verification check.
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According to Nvidia, all future game code redemptions must take place through GeForce Experience. There is also a further verification step to ensure that the PC is also using an eligible graphics card for the game code. This means if you got Watch Dogs 2 with your GTX 1080, you must have a GTX 1080 in your system when you redeem the code. While the hardware check isn’t linked to a serial number, it does require a specific graphics card. Once the code is redeemed and connected to a Steam account for instance, there will be no more limitations on when or how or on what hardware the game is played. The redemption must be done through GeForce Experience.
By enforcing this strict hardware check, Nvidia is cracking down on the sale of unwanted game codes. Selling unwanted game codes to help offset the purchase price has long been a standard practice among gamers. This is because the game codes might not necessarily be interesting to the specific gamer. Moving forwards, it looks like Nvidia customers will have to find a buyer that is using their specific Nvidia graphics card, limiting their potential market and value. So far, AMD has not made any moves to lock down redemption of their game codes, making those a far better value if none of the games interest you. I for one feel that this is an unnecessary move by Nvidia that will only serve to hurt their customers.
