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Usually, no. A game bought from a digital storefront is normally a personal, account-bound license rather than a transferable object. PlayStation, Nintendo, Microsoft and Steam all prohibit or do not support moving a redeemed purchase to another account, and Steam specifically bans selling or gifting an account. A disc or cartridge is a clearer resale item, but its online entitlements, one-use codes and virtual goods may stay locked to the original account.
What a digital game purchase actually gives you
At checkout, the storefront generally grants a license to use the game under its terms rather than transferring copyright ownership of the software. The license is recorded against your platform account, and the platform’s servers check that account when you download, install or start the game. You receive permission to use the copy within the stated conditions; you do not receive a separate property right that can automatically be handed to another person.
That distinction matters when you close an account, change platforms or try to sell a library. A downloaded file can be copied, but copying the file does not copy the license. The buyer would still need an account that the storefront recognizes as entitled to the game. Digital storefront agreements commonly describe the license as personal, private and non-commercial, and they reserve the right to restrict transfers.
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- PHYSICAL DISC - Standard Edition for PlayStation 5 (disc) includes the full EA SPORTS FC 27 game. Not compatible with PlayStation 4 console.
- Experience The World's Game in EA SPORTS FC 27. Play in The Grounds, team up with friends in Clubs, learn from football mentors and express your style on and off the pitch
- Enjoy more authentic gameplay with dynamic corners, enhanced attacking intelligence, player-focused defending and community-inspired innovations that give you greater control in every match.
- Build your legacy in Manager Career with a rebuilt Transfer Market and Dynamic OVRs, then create your dream squad in Football Ultimate Team and showcase your achievements in the new FUT Gallery.
What the major storefront rules say
The exact wording and regional agreement control your transaction. These published rules show the normal position on the largest platforms:
| Platform | Published rule | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation Store | PlayStation says you buy “a personal license to use that product for private, non-commercial use” and that the license is not transferable unless applicable local law requires it. Its terms also prohibit reproducing or transferring content for resale. | You normally cannot sell a redeemed purchase or move it to another PlayStation account. A legal rule in your jurisdiction could alter the result, so the local agreement matters. |
| Nintendo | Nintendo Support says, “It’s not possible to transfer digital purchases from one Nintendo Account to another.” | There is no account-to-account transfer process. Other users on the purchasing console may use downloaded content under Nintendo’s console-sharing rules, but the purchase remains on the original account. |
| Microsoft digital goods | Microsoft’s rules state, “Except as may be permitted below, you may not transfer or resell any licenses to any Digital Goods.” They also say selling a device containing digital goods does not give the buyer rights to use those goods. | Including a downloaded game with a sold console or PC does not transfer the license. The buyer needs their own entitlement. |
| Steam | Steam Support states, “Steam account ownership cannot be transferred. Buying, selling, trading, or gifting a Steam account is a violation of the Steam Subscriber Agreement.” | A Steam library cannot be sold as a bundle by selling the account. An attempted transfer can put the account at risk and is not a supported way to recover value. |
These rules are contractual and platform-specific. Read the agreement displayed for your country, because wording, consumer rights and available features can change.
Why DRM prevents a normal digital resale
Digital rights management (DRM) combines legal terms with technical controls. The account records which user is licensed; the client checks that record when downloading or launching; and servers can revoke access when an account is closed, compromised or out of compliance. A transferred file without a transferred entitlement therefore fails the authentication step.
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WIPO describes this combination of end-user license agreements, terms of service and technical protection measures as the standard way publishers restrict used digital-game markets. DRM is not itself a court ruling about ownership. It is an enforcement mechanism built around the contract you accepted and the platform’s authentication system.
Disabling or bypassing a protection measure can create a separate legal or contractual problem even if your goal is only to sell a copy. Platform terms commonly prohibit circumventing DRM, reproducing content or using it for resale. Do not treat a crack, unauthorized account change or copied activation token as a legitimate transfer method.
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- PHYSICAL DISC - Standard Edition for PlayStation 4 (disc) includes the full EA SPORTS FC 27 game. Not compatible with PlayStation 5 console.
- Experience The World's Game in EA SPORTS FC 27. The Grounds mode, including Clubs, only available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2 versions.
- Enjoy more authentic gameplay with dynamic corners, enhanced attacking intelligence, player-focused defending and community-inspired innovations that give you greater control in every match.
- Build your legacy in Manager Career with a rebuilt Transfer Market and Dynamic OVRs, then create your dream squad in Football Ultimate Team and showcase your achievements in the new FUT Gallery.
Can you sell a redeemed digital game?
Assume no unless two things clearly say otherwise: the regional storefront agreement permits the transfer, and applicable law gives you a right that overrides the restriction. A marketplace listing, a downloaded installer or a receipt does not by itself establish that right.
There are practical reasons a sale usually fails:
- The entitlement is attached to the seller’s account, not to a file that can be delivered separately.
- The storefront may prohibit resale of the license even if the buyer receives the hardware on which the game is installed.
- Online modes, downloadable content, achievements and cloud saves can depend on the original account or a separate publisher account.
- Changing the account email or handing over credentials is an account transfer, which can violate the service agreement and expose both people to fraud or loss of access.
Before attempting to recover value, check the current refund policy for the storefront and your region. A valid refund, where available, returns the transaction through the platform’s process; it is not a private resale and may have time, playtime or eligibility limits.
Can you move a game between your own accounts?
Most platforms provide no transfer function. Creating a second account, changing the sign-in address or merging profiles does not move the purchase history. If the game is needed on another account, the normal supported route is a new purchase on that account.
Console sharing is access, not ownership transfer
Some consoles let other profiles on the purchasing console play downloaded software. Nintendo explicitly explains that anyone on the purchasing console can use downloaded content. Comparable sharing features on other platforms likewise depend on the original account designating a console or enabling a household feature. The other user receives limited use under that arrangement; the purchase, receipt and entitlement remain with the buyer’s account.
Sharing can stop when you change the designated console, remove the account, lose network authentication or violate household-use limits. It should not be represented to a buyer as permanent ownership.
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- PHYSICAL DISC - Standard Edition for XBOX Series X (disc) includes the full EA SPORTS FC 27 game. Not compatible with XBOX Series S.
- Experience The World's Game in EA SPORTS FC 27. Play in The Grounds, team up with friends in Clubs, learn from football mentors and express your style on and off the pitch
- Enjoy more authentic gameplay with dynamic corners, enhanced attacking intelligence, player-focused defending and community-inspired innovations that give you greater control in every match.
- Build your legacy in Manager Career with a rebuilt Transfer Market and Dynamic OVRs, then create your dream squad in Football Ultimate Team and showcase your achievements in the new FUT Gallery.
Family libraries and similar features
Where a platform offers a family or library-sharing feature, read whether it covers the specific game, downloadable content and simultaneous play. These systems grant revocable access under the platform’s rules. They do not create a marketable license that can be sold independently.
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Can you sell or give away a gaming account?
Selling the account is not a workaround. Steam expressly says that buying, selling, trading or gifting an account violates its Subscriber Agreement. Other platforms also describe accounts and digital goods as personal and non-transferable. A buyer who receives credentials may lose access if the original owner recovers the account, if automated security detects a location change, or if support refuses to recognize the buyer as the account holder.
Account sales also expose personal data, payment history, saved addresses, chat records and linked accounts. Removing a card does not erase every identity or security risk. Do not provide one-time codes, recovery keys or an entire account to complete a private sale.
Gifting a game without reselling it
Gifting is a new license issued to the recipient, not a transfer of a license you already redeemed. Use the platform’s official gift flow when it offers one. If no direct gift option exists, a platform gift card lets the recipient buy the game on their own account. A gift card therefore transfers spending value, not your purchase history.
- Confirm the recipient’s country and storefront region; codes and gifts can be region-restricted.
- Check whether the title, edition or downloadable content is eligible for gifting.
- Keep the purchase receipt and gift status until the recipient confirms redemption.
- Never send account credentials as a substitute for an official gift.
If you already redeemed the game, an official gifting flow generally cannot “unredeem” it for someone else. Check the refund rules instead of advertising the account or an installed copy.
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- Full version of EA SPORTS NHL 27 on physical Blu-ray disc for Xbox Series X. Xbox Series X only – not compatible with Xbox Series S and Xbox One consoles.
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When a physical disc or cartridge can be resold
A physical copy is a tangible item that can normally be handed to another person, subject to local law and the publisher’s terms. One 2K end-user license agreement illustrates the usual distinction: it permits permanent transfer of the entire physical copy of pre-recorded software when the seller keeps no copies, while saying that special features tied to a single-use serial code are not transferable.
Before listing a disc or cartridge, inspect what the buyer actually receives:
| Item | Typical transfer result | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Disc or cartridge containing the base game | Usually the clearest resale object. | Region, platform, condition and whether the game runs without an account entitlement. |
| Single-use activation or serial code | Often remains with the first account that redeemed it. | Whether the code is unused; never advertise a redeemed code as transferable. |
| Downloadable expansion or season pass | Often tied to an account rather than the physical media. | Whether it is a code, a disc entitlement or an account-bound purchase. |
| Virtual currency, cosmetic items and special features | Commonly non-transferable. | Publisher EULA and the account to which the item was granted. |
| Online multiplayer access | May require a separate account, subscription or server. | Current server status and any one-time online pass requirement. |
Do not keep a duplicate copy after a permanent transfer if the applicable license requires you to retain none. Also disclose missing codes or online-only features so the buyer does not mistake a complete box for a complete entitlement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Copyright exhaustion and regional law
Whether copyright law permits resale is not answered by a single worldwide rule. Statutory exhaustion doctrines, consumer-protection laws and contract enforcement differ by country. Modern games complicate the question because they may combine software with an account login, recurring service, downloadable updates or remote servers.
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- Copyright: Does local law recognize exhaustion or another resale right for this type of copy?
- Contract: What license and terms did you accept at checkout, and do they restrict transfer?
- Service access: Even if a physical copy changes hands, will the buyer receive the online account, code or server access needed to use it?
The answer can vary by country, edition and game. If the transaction has significant value or you are operating a resale business, obtain advice specific to your jurisdiction rather than relying on a general internet summary.
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A safe decision process before you transfer anything
- Identify the object. Is it a redeemed digital license, an unused code, a disc, a cartridge, a gift card or an account? Treat each as a different transaction.
- Open the current regional terms. Search the storefront’s license, digital-goods and account sections for “transfer,” “resell,” “gift,” “license” and “non-transferable.” Save the version date or a copy for your records.
- Check account dependencies. List downloadable content, publisher logins, virtual currency, cloud saves, subscriptions and multiplayer requirements.
- Choose an official route. Use gifting for a new license, console sharing for limited household access, or the storefront refund process when eligible. Do not exchange credentials.
- For physical media, test and disclose. Confirm the disc or cartridge reads, state whether codes are unused, and identify every feature that requires the original account.
- Verify local law for an exception. A regional consumer or copyright rule may override a contract in some circumstances, but do not assume that a rule for physical copies applies to account-based digital games.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
“The game is installed, so I can sell the console with it.”
Installation is not an entitlement. Microsoft says selling a device containing digital goods does not give the buyer rights to use those goods. Remove your account, explain that the installed title is not included, and factory-reset the device after preserving anything you need.
“I will just change the email address.”
An email change leaves the account and its transaction history intact. It can still be treated as a prohibited account transfer, and the original owner may retain recovery control. Use a new purchase or an official family-sharing feature instead.
“A code is the same as a game license.”
An unused code may grant a new license when redeemed, while a redeemed code is generally consumed and tied to the account that used it. State its redemption status accurately.
“A physical box means every feature transfers.”
Online passes, single-use serials and virtual goods can be excluded even when the disc itself changes hands. Check the publisher EULA and describe those exclusions in the listing.
“DRM proves the publisher owns my hardware.”
DRM controls authentication of the licensed software; it does not, by itself, determine every question of property or copyright law. The enforceable result depends on the contract, technical design and applicable jurisdiction.
Quick Recap
Bottom line for each situation
| Your situation | Safest assumption |
|---|---|
| Sell a redeemed digital game | Not permitted or not technically supported unless local law and the current regional terms clearly provide an exception. |
| Move a purchase to another personal account | Expect no transfer function; sharing may grant limited access without moving ownership. |
| Sell a Steam library or any platform account | Do not do it; account sales are prohibited or unsupported and can result in loss of access. |
| Give someone a game | Use an official gift option or a platform gift card so the recipient obtains a new license. |
| Resell a disc or cartridge | Usually possible for the physical copy, after checking codes, online requirements, virtual goods and local law. |
| Recover money from an unwanted purchase | Check the storefront’s current refund process before considering any transfer. |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
