Sorry, but I just like this forum better than any other, and that's why I ask all kinds of questions here, including Steam questions. If no one can help, I'll try the Steam forums, but this forum's members are usually knowledgeable so I'm gonna give it a go. I think I asked this before, but have forgotten the answer (if I got one).

Here's situation. Purchased Fallout New Vegas long time ago, installed it, and registered it with Steam. A few months ago though, I caught a good sale for Fallout New Vegas Ultimate Edition, which includes all of the DLC. So, in essence I now have TWO copies of Fallout New Vegas (and ONE copy of the DLC).

Can I give one of those two copies of the base game itself away? As in, the one that's installed now??? Could I uninstall it, give the code to someone, let them install it and use that code, and all be ok??? Or is giving used codes away a no-no???

What would you guys do??? The thing is it APPEARS (not 100% sure) that there is only one code for the Ultimate Edition. Had there been one code for the base game and another for the DLC, it would be easy to then just give away the new copy of the base game and use the DLC code for myself. But in looking in the DVD box, I can only see one code.

Thanks for any and all answers.

Ultimate Edition is 1 code if memory serves but you cannot transfer an activated game

the way i understand it is that once you enable your retail key on steam it is bound to your account alone. if u would give the retail key to someone else now, it would try to register it on THEIR steam account. steam would notice that the key has been used and wouldnt let them install it.

so the answer, as far as i know is that you have the 2 (your retail and the ultimate edition) linked to your account permanetnly

Very few games on Steam give you extra copies in the case of, lets say, buying/activating a key for the base game and later buy/activate a key for the game + extras. If memory serves me right, this works for Left 4 Dead games and Serious Sam 3 Deluxe. It doesn't work for Fallout NV (and many many other games too).

If, however, you acquired separate keys for Fallout NV base game and for each DLC, then *maybe* you could gift the unused ones to someone else. I don't see this happening very often with Steam keys, though (or at all).

(and here's a linky for you)

Usually the answer is no, you can not give away a code for at game you already have activated on Steam. If the NV Ultimate Ed. only comes with one code then you need to activate the code on Steam and it will simply download the DLCs since the base game is already installed. If the in the Ult. Ed. the base game and all DLCs have seperate codes then you could give the code away for the base game but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

TL:DR. My best guess is that no, you cannot give away any code and will have to activate the one code for Ult. Ed. on Steam and it will simply DL the DLCs.

The Ultimate Edition will simply replace your normal version of New Vegas, so you sadly don't get an extra copy.

I think the Steam FAQ specifically mentions which games give you a free copy if you activate something but have part of the games already, and that for everything else it doesn't. I think it's mostly Valve games though.

Ok, thanks guys.

I think the consensus here is that the answer is no, and I suspected that anyway.

No biggee, I just thought it would've been cool to give the game to someone who hasn't played it yet, but definitely don't want to break Steam rules.

I'm just gonna go ahead and install it today and forget about it.

Thanks again for all of the answers.

Think of buying the ultimate edition as an upgrade, not a new copy of the base game.

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but perhaps you could trade the complete edition for the dlc to add to your already installed standard edition?
(sorry - it short on time to read full thread!)

Everyone above me is right, once a game is activated for your account (meaning through a Steam key, purchased directly to your Library instead of a gift to keep in your Inventory, or activated from your Inventory to your Library) there is no way to deactivate and transfer that copy elsewhere.

Also, if you have a vanilla (base) version of any game, and you add and activate for yourself the same game that includes DLC and extras, the moment you activate that game, everything you don't have is added except the items you have (game, other DLC). Those are lost forever. It would be great if you could save those items to at least gift to somebody, but you can't :(

And I can confirm the last part I wrote. My brother had only Saint Row The Third (vanilla version) and I gift him The Full Package (SR The Third with all DLCs), and he succesfully activated that game, but the base game got lost as expected.

That does depend on the game though, sometimes the full package and base-only are different products as far as Steam's concerned. In those cases you may still have the base game _as well as_ the complete package you just redeemed.