Opinion? What's that?
If you are unable to activate or register the game (via SDC, or after installing the latest patch), you're likely encountering one of a few common problems.


1) Your game came with NO serials at all.
There have been some reports of legitimate retail copies of the game not coming with a serial key at all. If you are sure your copy is legitimate and it did not come with ANY serials, contact support@stardock.com.


2) You're using the wrong serial.
This is a simple but common mistake. The Collector's/Limited Editions of the game normally include two serial keys (one for the game, one to unlock the special extra content). Be sure you're not trying to register with the CE serial (the one that begins with GC2). Use the other one which consist of 28 letters/numbers (A-F and 0-9 ONLY) with no dashes.


3) You bought a used copy of the game.
If you (intentionally or not) bought a used copy of the game, you may receive a message when attempting to register/activate to the effect of the serial already being in use, or your email address not matching the one the game was originally registered with. Stardock will not remove an activated serial from the original owner's account and give it to you.

You have a few options in this case. You can:
  • Keep the game and stick with the 1.0 version on the disc.
  • Return the game to the place of purchase. Some retailers still accept returns, especially if they resold to you a returned copy that the original owner has effectively pirated (resale is prohibited by the EULA).
  • Contact stardock support (support@stardock.com) and ask about pruchasing a new serial code at reduced cost.


4) You bought the European Limited Edition.

Some copies of the Limited Edition of the game distributed in Europe were shipped with only the code to unlock the special Ltd. content, (beginning with GC2) and not an actual game serial. You can request a game serial by providing your Limited/Collector's Edition serial and email address on this form: http://galciv2.com/paradox/index.aspx


5) You bought the US Collector's or Standard Edition in June or later.
There have been several production runs that shipped to retail in the US without the correct keys. Some Collector's Editions shipped to WalMart and Fred Meyers included two CE keys (beginning with GC2-), but no game serial. Some Standard Editions have shipped to Best Buy and other retailers with a single CE key and nothing else.

In either case, please first try inputting your serial and email address on the European serial exchange page, which has been updated to include most of the serials from these production runs: http://galciv2.com/paradox/index.aspx. If that does not work, please contact support@stardock.com with your problem and they will provide you a game serial to use.

Please keep in mind they can only answer during business hours, so if you contact them on a weekend you will not receive a [human] reply until Monday at the soonest. You should receive an automated reply immediately upon receipt of your email, though (check that it is not filtered by any spam protection you have in place). If you do not receive an automated reply, your own message was likely stopped by Stardock's spam filters, so you will obviously never get a reply to that particular message! If all else fails, try getting on Stardock Central's Chat and speaking with an employee directly during business hours (IRC users: irc.stardock.com, channel #Stardock or #GalCiv).


6) You bought a pirate/bootleg copy of the game.
Despite our best efforts, sellers on eBay and elsewhere continue to sell bootleg copies of GC2. There are usually many tell-tale signs that these copies are not legitimate which become obvious once you receive them: poorly printed disc art, cheap-looking packaging, missing documentation, etc. Most of these copies claim to be used "Import Version" games, and the sellers claim that documentation is excluded because it is not in English. If these copies contain a serial key at all, they are generally already registered or just random gibberish.

In any case, there is no support for users of pirate/bootleg copies. If you purchased them through eBay, you may be able to file a claim and get your money back, but there are no guarantees. If you wish to own the game with updates and support, you must purchase a legitimate copy, which will entitle you to your own serial key and all the associated benefits.

Comments (Page 26)
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on Nov 05, 2013

TerranEmperor
Can someone please direct me to a patch I can download?

There are no stand alone patches in the wild.  You can download an updated game though.  They're available on Steam.

 

on Nov 06, 2013

^So my only option is to re-download the entire game?? That makes no sense.

 

And on top of that, my internet connection isn't that great to begin with.

on Nov 07, 2013

I bought GalCiv II Ultimate physical (boxed, retail), and I can not update the game from GameStop, and is not valid the serial to activate in  my StarDock Account, says it is not valid ... what happens? I need help. I've opened a ticket, but do not respond.

on Nov 07, 2013

Support should be able to assist. When did you open the ticket? Normal turnaround is two business days, but if you reply to your own ticket before hearing back it can delay it.

on Nov 07, 2013

I've opened a ticket at 3pm, I hope to have an answer tomorrow.

on Nov 17, 2014

Tried to run Galciv 2 from my desktop icon, crashed on the last setup screen. Tried to run through Gamestop app. Same thing. I uninstalled. Reinstalled. Loaded and ran a game briefly before updating. Updated. Then got a text file saying this:

 



Application start: 2014-11-17 1.52.55

Silent mode

Mode 1, short info

Submitting activation request...

Download: success

Activation result: 12

Error activating the product

Please check the serial number that you have entered and ensure that it is associated with the email you used. Try to activate the product again. If you are using Stardock Central you can right-click on the product and attempt to activate without reinstalling. Please include this log file when contacting support@stardock.com.

 

I bought this game new a long time ago and even used to run it through Game "stop". 

on Nov 17, 2014

Since you created a new account to post, you're likely using a different email address than you did originally--contact support@stardock.com directly and they should be able to help track down your old account and get you sorted out.

on Nov 17, 2014

This is truly flabbergasting. Support apparently created an account for me lastnight, I uninstalled Gamestop only to find I can't uninstall the games without it, I go back to Gamestop to get the app. Can't find it on their website. I finally find a link in a search, but it's dead. I dig through my downloads for my original .exe. I run it to reinstall GS. It does. My games are even ther. And it tells me it does not recognize my computer. They send me a code to enter because, you know, "I'm cool". I enter the code. I does not take the code.

All because I had a couple of RARE extra hours yesterday and wanted to burn some time in GC2. I've run out of time. I appreciate your prompt reply, but you guys are going to have to dig deeper to explain to me how this is good for business. Unbelievable.

It truly is GAME-STOP

on Nov 17, 2014

It sounds like you were working with GameStop support--you don't need to bother with GameStop at all. They might have given you a Steam key since that is all they sell now, but that's just a guess. They dropped support for the client app entirely a while back now and didn't support third party key registrations for a couple of years before that.

At any rate, you can download the game straight from us off the Stardock store website. All you should need to do is locate your old account with us, which our support should be able to help with if you don't recall the details to access it. Since you were having an activation issue related to (likely) using the wrong account, it's the same solution whether you need to reinstall or not.

on Feb 19, 2015


It sounds like you were working with GameStop support--you don't need to bother with GameStop at all. They might have given you a Steam key since that is all they sell now, but that's just a guess. They dropped support for the client app entirely a while back now and didn't support third party key registrations for a couple of years before that.

At any rate, you can download the game straight from us off the Stardock store website. All you should need to do is locate your old account with us, which our support should be able to help with if you don't recall the details to access it. Since you were having an activation issue related to (likely) using the wrong account, it's the same solution whether you need to reinstall or not.

 

I'm having activation troubles through the GameStop app, and thought I'd download it straight from my Stardock account instead. Buuut it looks like that option has been removed, as in the Downloads page it doesn't have a Download button next to GC2: Gold Edition and directs me to the GameStop App.

 

My problem is that when trying to activate the game gives me a notification: "Invalid Registration". The codes for GC2 and GC2:DA are the same, and they are listed separately in app. ToA has a different code, and doesn't even acknowledge my attempts to activate it.

I've emailed support but haven't heard back, and its nearing the 48hour mark. Hoping you might have some help for me...

on Feb 19, 2015

It's likely just Gold that didn't get put up there--the separate packages for DL, DA, and TA are on the downloads site if you have registrations for them. Support should be able to get back to you before much longer with a solution, though (make sure you did at least get the immediate autoreply with your ticket number if you emailed, and don't reply back until you hear from them).

on Dec 14, 2015

Hello,

Old timer here who's just returning to GC2.  I originally got it thru the Stardock portal, which became GameStop.  Have played it since it was Gamestop, probably about a year ago at the most recent.

Tried today, and couldn't get the game to work at all, so I uninistalled/re-installed.  Now it wants the serial, but the one supplied by the GameStop app isn't accepted.

Any ideas how to proceed?

Thanks

on Dec 15, 2015

You should be able to get everything from the downloads page on store.stardock.com. In particular make sure you use the same email address as is currently on your account here if you've changed it since then. If the key on the downloads page still won't work, open a support ticket and they should be able to help.

on Dec 15, 2015

Thanks, I'll open a support ticket.  The page you pointed me to shows the same code as the GameStop app.

on Dec 15, 2015

Sorry, I'm brain dead.  I don't see where at that site to open a support ticket.

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