Fanatical is an online retailer recognized for selling over 80 million officially authorized game keys to more than two million customers worldwide. Currently, it is home to 8,000 games from over 1000 game publishers and developers.
But is Fanatical legit to buy your game keys, or does it seem too good to be true? Let’s break down everything in detail to help you make an informed decision.
What is Fanatical?
Fanatical began its journey in the 1990s with affordable software and games that were available to all on PC CD-ROMs. The UK-based digital retailer was launched as Bundle Stars in 2012 and was subsequently rebranded to Fanatical in 2017, allowing it to expand its team and offerings.
Today, Fanatical proudly owns a catalog of more than 8,000 games from more than 1,000 publishers and developers. If you have heard names like Bethesda, SEGA, THQ Nordic, and Deep Silver, you would know how big these brands are, and surprisingly, Fanatical offers games from them.
As per the official website, Fanatical is now considered a part of the Fandom family. The move helped it become the world’s largest fan platform in 2021, increasing its reach. The company is renowned for offering the best choice and highest quality game keys in digital entertainment.
According to a source, as of October 2024, Fanatical’s annual revenue reached $3.8 million.
You can explore Fanatical as a platform with its discounted game bundles. It also offers daily deals on a variety of digital products, including eBooks and eLearning courses, to help users take advantage of the amazing features available.
However, before you purchase Steam game keys from Fanatical, you must know whether the platform is legitimate. There may be hidden costs that you are not aware of.
Is Fanatical Legit? The Short Answer
The short answer is “yes.” Fanatical is a legit company that sources keys directly from publishers. This means that the keys are legal and safe to use.
The platform is considered an authorized reseller. It sources game keys directly from more than 1,000 official publishers. You can stock keys from popular names like Bethesda and Rockstar Games.
Fanatical is also legitimate because of its positive reviews. Customers have rated the platform as brilliant, safe, and affordable for purchasing game keys. Fanatical has a 4.6 rating on Trustpilot, which effectively highlights the platform’s legitimacy and acceptance among game enthusiasts worldwide.
How Does Fanatical Work?
Fanatical has become a trusted name in the gaming community in a remarkably short period. Here is how it works.
Sourcing
Fanatical works with more than a thousand game developers and publishers. This is why the game keys sold through Fanatical are always authorized and legally acquired. This factor makes Fanatical a legit platform.
Game Keys and Bundles
One of Fanatical’s business aspects involves selling digital game keys at discounted rates. The official website features daily deals and flash sales. You can also benefit from exclusive bundles that offer significant savings.
Bundles are a major attraction at Fanatical. The packages are designed to offer multiple games to enthusiasts from the same genre or publisher. These keys are then sold at a steep discount.
As a buyer, you can choose from a large selection of games within a bundle. This way, you can tailor your purchase to your personal preferences.
The buying process on the platform is quite straightforward. Once you select a game or bundle, you can add it to your cart and proceed to checkout. The platform offers several standard payment methods, including credit and debit cards, as well as PayPal. There are also other alternatives available.
After you have successfully made the purchase, you receive a key or a set of keys within a few seconds. These keys are sent to your Fanatical account via email.
Once a game key is received, it is important to redeem it on an appropriate platform. If you are unsure how to do it, Fanatical provides clear instructions on the entire process. Most of the games offered at Fanatical are region-free. However, you can always search the site to find games that may have certain regional restrictions.
One of the best things about Fanatical is that it is more than just a platform for game sales. It provides multiple eBook bundles and software deals. You can also use it to benefit from occasional productivity tools.
There is also a loyalty rewards system. It helps give users extra discounts on their purchases. You can explore the platform to enjoy free games, as well as those recommended based on your purchase history.
If you are a regular Fanatical user, be sure to look out for regular promotions that run at a reduced price.
Are Fanatical’s Game Keys Safe and Authentic?
Yes, they are. Here are some reasons.
The Platform Sells Officially Licensed Keys
Fanatical only sells officially licensed keys. These are sourced directly from authentic publishers and developers. Fanatical doesn’t operate like gray market sellers who operate in unethical areas. So, when you buy a game key from Fanatical, you should expect to receive a 100% legitimate product that easily supports your interests.
Fanatical is Associated With Huge Groups
Fanatical is a part of Focus Multimedia Ltd. This is a well-established software publisher and a reputable distributor in the UK.
Besides, Fanatical is also a part of Fandom, Inc. This further proves the company’s standing and strong credibility among gaming enthusiasts. You can trust Fanatical to be transparent and trustworthy.
Positive Customer Reviews
You can’t deny that Fanatical has amazing customer experiences and reviews. If you conduct your search, you will find that the platform consistently receives high ratings on popular review sites, such as Trustpilot. Most of the reviewers there have praised the platform for its authenticity and amazing customer support. This factor proves that Fanatical is a legitimate platform.
Why Is Fanatical So Cheap?
Do you find Fanatical products cheap? We can’t blame you! The bundles are incredibly attractive and affordable. The deals and flash sales all help increase the affordability of game keys.
The good thing is that this platform offers deep discounts without compromising its authenticity or quality. Here is how it achieves it.
- The direct partnership with game publishers and developers allows Fanatical to obtain game keys. This leads to bulk purchasing agreements and promotional deals that help the platform purchase significant amounts of keys at a discounted price. This makes it easy for Fanatical to sell its products further at affordable rates.
- Fanatical operates online, so it has minimal operational costs. This enables the platform to offer its services at a lower price.
- The platform has a massive customer base, allowing it to sell large volumes of products at lower margins.
- Fanatical earns from promotional collaborations with developers. This helps generate extra revenue, making it easier for the platform to reduce profit margins by lowering prices.
Pros and Cons of Buying from Fanatical
Before you buy from Fanatical, be sure to review the list of pros and cons.
Pros of Fanatical
- It sells officially licensed game keys only, so it is a legitimate platform.
- You can enjoy massive discounts on the platform, especially gained through bundles and daily “Star Deals.”
- There is a catalog of over 8,000 games.
- All the payment transactions on the platform are performed securely.
- Fanatical also offers eBooks, software, and online course bundles, in addition to game keys as a bonus. These are available at steep discounts.
- The platform has a strong customer support team.
Cons of Fanatical
- Refunds are not available once the keys are revealed.
- Some bundles or sales are only provided on older or less mainstream games.
- There may be regional restrictions on some keys.
Customer Reviews
As stated earlier, Fanatical has a 4.6 rating on TrustPilot, which is pretty brilliant. Fran has shared that the customer service is quite fast, and the purchase happens within a few minutes.
Chelsea has shared that the site is easy to navigate. The pricing is also quite good.
However, there are a few customers who have issued complaints about mystery packs, as they can be a scam.
It is best to go through all actual reviews and evaluate the service before you get your keys from them.
Alternatives to Fanatical
If you don’t prefer Fanatical, you can go for its alternatives. However, be sure to weigh their pros and cons as well.
- Humble Bundle: The platform only sells authorized keys. Most importantly, it supports charity with every purchase, which makes it quite attractive to the masses. Humble Bundle is considered great for bundles and curated content. You can also avail yourself of a Humble Choice subscription for monthly game drops. However, some deals may be more expensive than those offered by Fanatical.
- Green Man Gaming: This is a legitimate Steam key seller offering great deals. The platform also provides a reward program for its members. However, at times, the official website can be difficult to handle.
- CDKeys: This platform mostly offers cheaper keys. A wide range of digital content is available. Additionally, the checkout process is simple, even without creating an account. However, since it follows a mixed model, you may find some gray-market keys among the authorized ones.
- Steam Sales: Steam Sales gets your keys straight from the source. It also offers frequent sales on all authorized keys, saving you a significant amount of money. However, some of the offers are time-limited, so you may have to wait for a discount.
Final Verdict
After reading the detailed review above, do you think that Fanatical is legitimate for game keys? According to our evaluation, it only sells authorized keys. In addition, the platform offers strong customer service and competitive pricing, making it quite attractive. Customer reviews on various platforms are also mostly positive.
Therefore, you can trust Fanatical for your next game key purchases. However, to avoid any mishaps, ensure that you navigate through the platform wisely. Plus, they benefit from the deals as much as possible.
