What happens if I buy a game I own on Uplay, on Steam?

Question

If I own a game, which requires Uplay, on Uplay, and buy the same game later on Steam, what will happen?

Here are a few of my thoughts of possible outcomes.

• Will I get a key from Steam, which I cannot use, or need to register a new Uplay account to use it?
• Will I be able to launch the game both ways? If so, will they be separate entries on Uplay?
• Will Steam override the Uplay purchase so I can only use it from Steam?

To emphasize my actual question: I already know that if I own a Uplay title on Steam, I can only launch it through Steam, and vice-versa. What I'm interested in is what happens if I (accidentally) buy a Uplay title on Steam when I already own it on Uplay.

Answer 1

I just did this. I have Assassin's Creed 3 on Uplay from a free download code when I got a gfx card a few years ago. I just bought AC3 on steam during the winter sale and now my Uplay account shows two instances of AC3, one of them is the uplay version that tries to download it from the Uplay servers and the other one is a link that starts the steam version.

Answer 2

If you buy a Uplay game on Steam that you already own on Uplay, you will now own the game on Steam as well. This means you can install the game from Steam. You can then launch the Steam specific version through the Steam launcher.

Uplay games generally require you to sign into a Uplay account--- even when owned on Steam and launched through Steam. This means you have 2 DRM levels for Uplay games that you play through Steam--- the normal Steam level, plus having to then authenticate with Uplay.

If you desire, you can create a new Uplay account and use that account to play your Steam game. Or you can simply use your existing Uplay account when you launch the Steam version of the Uplay game you already own. So you can make life as complicated or as simple as you like.

If you make a new Uplay account, be prepared to provide CD Key information on the Steam game you purchased. This will tie the game to the new Uplay account.

Answer 3

It will count as a double purchase, so don't do it. This is from a theoretical standpoint, and I'm not entirely sure what will happen.

According to here,

Steam keys and Uplay/retail keys are treated differently, even if you have them both on the same account. You must launch the Steam version of AC:R through Steam, which will then launch Uplay, in order to play your Steam copy.

so you can have two of the same games on one account, but it will be different keys, and that will confuse the system. In other words, Uplay would crash.