Portal 2 on PS3: How to redeem the free Steam copy for your PC

by Richard Mitchell on Apr 19th 2011 4:21PM

So you've got a brand new PS3 copy of Portal 2 and you're ready to snag the included free Steam copy, compatible with your PC or Mac. Now what? As it turns out, it's ridiculously easy to redeem -- especially if you already have a Steam account.

Check out the video after the break to see how it's done.

Tags: mac, pc, playstation, portal-2, ps3, steam, steamplay

Reader Comments (65)

Be warned anyone thinking they are going to get slick and give/sell this extra copy. THE GAME IS LINKED TO YOUR ACCOUNT. It has to be the same account you use for the PS3 copy. If you do not have a PS3 to play on, you can't use the pc copy.

@Drakkenfyre
Correct me if I'm wrong, but they can't link your physical game to your account. The retail discs are all the same. Once you do this and activate your game on PC, you should be able to sell the disc and the new owner will just have to make/sign into their own account.

Likewise if you just wanted to give away the PC version to a friend, they could just sign in with their steam account.

@CaramelZappa

While that's true, all the retail discs are the same, the individual redemption code that comes with it is...well individual. ;)

@xJimmeh
Yeah, so you redeem the individual code on the account you want, not necessarily the account that will be playing the ps3 version. It's only the steam version that becomes locked to an account.

@CaramelZappa Yea, while I normally believe that to the be case, I recently heard that DC Universe PS3 physical discs were somehow linked to your PSN account. This would make it impossible to sell back. Don't know if anyone can confirm this.

@Dante940 The physical DCUO discs are not locked to your account. However, there is no way to obtain a new code for DCUO to create an account without buying a new copy of DCUO (either disc based or via PSN).

@CaramelZappa

No. When you put Portal 2 into your PS3, you need to register it to an account, or create a new one. Then you need to use that code on THAT account on the pc.

It checks to see if you registered the PS3 version. If you didn't, it doesn't give you the copy. So if you gave someone your code, they would have access to your Steam account.

@Drakkenfyre

Ahh man, I didn't want to sell it but rather give it to my friend.
So we could play coop since he doesn't have a PS3.

@Jawmuncher

Thread of truth:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1835282

@Drakkenfyre
Yeah but if you do have a PS3 to play on and only wanted the PC version, you could buy the PS3 version, link your accounts and download the PC version, then sell the PS3 copy so it's like you paid little to no money for Portal 2.

When you play it on the PS3, you have to log in to your Steam account. This account has to be the same between the two versions. You can work around for playing co-op with someone using you PS3, but giving or selling the disc won't work.

They made sure you couldn't just order the PS3 version, get the pc copy, then sell off the PS3 copy.

@Dante940
the product key is, not the actual game once you put that key in the game is pretty much useless.

30 second ad for a 1min video.

Niiiiiiiiice.

@VIDEOGAMES maybe it's maybelline!

@shabby329

Definitely the right demographic for this video....morons.

@VIDEOGAMES @VIDEOGAMES If your a member of Joystiq Pro you can skip the adds.

@MarkHawk If you refresh the page it also skips it too.

@Grimcicle You're right!

Mine was for Charmin toilet paper, and I live near a toilet!

@shabby329
you mean you aren't sure if it's maybelline? i'm not sure either.

@Grimcicle Lol are you mad?

It's called humor my friend.

Deeeeep breaths...

There might be a huge loophole in this. I could just rent it for a night, sign into steam and then take it back, but I'd still have the game.

@AutobotIronhide

Nope, the PC version has a serial you redeem. And the PS3 version does not install like a Steam game you find on PC either.

@AutobotIronhide You still have to enter in the redeem code before it works.

@AutobotIronhide
Yeah, Valve would totally not think of that at all...

@AutobotIronhide

Valve: "You must have Portal 2 for the PS3 in the system when booting up the PC version."

User: "But...how...?"

Valve: "Valve has spoken."

@AutobotIronhide

Given that Valve has already given Portal away for free to all comers, I doubt they're too concerned about that.

As long as you guys have time to post six different articles about Portal 2 today, do you think you might post one that summarizes your opinions of the game?

@copa

That's called a "review". And that is a timed event to counter the forces of IGN and 1UP.

@copa
Perhaps, possibly, they are contractually obliged to a certain time at which they can release their review? Or, even more likely, they did not receive a review copy in time to make a substantial review.

@B0HICAH

Valve held an elaborate review event at their facilities last week. I would really be surprised if Joystiq was not invited to that.

@copa

They wouldn't have went any way.

"So you've got a brand new PS3 copy of Portal 2"

No, it isn't released in the UK until Thursday :'(

@bvhj

The "UK" does that mean like France or Holland or something?? You non american countries need to stop taking our jobs, then you'd get your games faster.