Sell game keys
This use case allows you to sell game keys through a store on your website using the Xsolla payment UI. You can sell activation keys for gaming platforms and independently distribute games or in-game items with your own DRM-free keys.
Key advantages
- Quickly create a website with the ready-to-use templates.
- Sell games and DLC in the same store to increase revenue and save money on the platform fees.
- Fully control your game distribution and marketing throughout the game’s life-cycle.
- Accept payments with 1,000+ payment methods in more than 200 countries.
- Access all user data that can be used for data analysis, personalized offers, increased repeat sales, community engagement, and other marketing strategies.
- Increase conversion through promotions and A/B testing.
- Calculate your return on advertising spend (ROAS) and optimize your marketing campaigns using advanced analytics tools.
Features
- Set up regional pricing. You can increase your sales by setting up prices for different regional price regulations.
- Set up restrictions on purchases for specific countries.
- Set up and run promotion campaigns. You can increase your sales with discounts, bonuses, promo codes, time-limited offers, and other promotions.
- Add a bonus feature to boost user loyalty or attract new users by regularly offering free items as rewards.
- Set up bundles containing virtual items and game keys.
- Provide personalized offers for different user groups, for example, a welcome bundle for new users.
- Update prices via a file import.
- Customize email templates, for example, for order confirmation or receipts.
How it works
You can sell game keys in the following ways:
- On a website created with Xsolla Site Builder, using the following templates (the user flow for a purchase on the website is described below):
- Single game page. This template is suitable for selling one game and allows you to import information from your game to the website: media, texts, and colors will appear automatically.
- Multiple games store. This template is suitable for selling several games and a catalog. If you want to create a multi-page site with individual pages for each game, follow the Multi-game store integration guide.
- On your website using the In-Game Store API.
- On your website via a widget.
- Via a direct link. In this case, when clicking the link, the user is redirected to the payment UI to purchase an item whose details are embedded in the link.
- The user opens the game catalog.
- The user clicks the purchase button on a card of the desired game.
- The user enters their email and proceeds to the Xsolla payment UI to complete a payment.
- After successful payment, the user receives the key via the specified email.
- The user activates the key on the corresponding platform or game.
- If an issue occurs or a refund is needed, the user contacts Xsolla customer support.
Basic integration flow
For a basic setup to sell game keys, you need to create and configure a website using Xsolla Site Builder. In this integration scenario, you do not need to configure user authentication.
- Create a project in Publisher Account.
- Create game keys packages.
- Create a site and set up the main blocks.
- Test the site in sandbox mode.
- Set up your custom domain (optional).
- Set up an access (optional) and publish the site.
- Connect analytics services.
- Test the site in live mode.
Extended setup
Additionally, you can set up promotions, connect analytics services, set restrictions on the sale of game keys. To implement some of the advanced settings, you need to set up user authentication and handle webhooks.
Set up user authentication
You can set up user authentication using either Xsolla Login or your own authentication system, for example, to enable personalization. Keep in mind that mandatory authentication might reduce purchase conversion.
Set up webhooks
If you want to receive additional information about transaction details and purchased items to grant purchases to users, set up handling the webhooks.
Set up regional prices
You can boost sales by setting different prices for different regions and enabling payments in your chosen currencies and regions, including those not supported by gaming platforms. To do this, set up regional prices.
Set up promotional campaigns and pre-orders
You can build a gaming community, reward selected users, and gain deeper insights into the gaming audience. To do this, set up and launch promotional campaigns:
Use pre-orders to expand your player base and start selling and testing the game before its official release.
Additional features
Keep users engaged by following our recommendations:- Group pre-orders into a separate section.
- Offer discounted DLC as a thank you for user loyalty.
- Offer the user an upgrade, for example, a premium game version instead of the basic one.
- Set up regional restrictions.
- Publish news articles on the site.
- Set up upsell to offer users to buy an item with additional value.
Found a typo or other text error? Select the text and press Ctrl+Enter.
