Is Steamunlocked Safe?

Is steamunlocked safe? Before any kind of answer can be given, first we must understand what steamunlocked is and what it is linked with. Steamunlocked is a website related to a very popular online store known as Steam.

What is Steam?

Steam is an online video game retailer and digital distribution service. It goes deeper than being an online video game store as it also handles the downloading and installing of the games, as well as having a community feature that lets you play with friends.

Steam is by far the most iconic and well-respected retailer on the internet because of this. Any ‘gamer’ who owns a laptop or desktop computer will have heard, and probably downloaded, steam.

What is steamunlocked?

Steamunlocked.net is an ‘unlocked’ version of steam in terms of not having to pay for anything. Instead of making an account and buying games, you can choose to just download the games for free straight to your computer from your browser Via the internet. They will appear as a zip file that you just need to open to execute the install. While the idea of free steam games might appeal to a lot of people, for obvious reasons, it is in fact illegal to do so.

The illegality comes from these being pirated games, which is no different from going into a shop and taking a game right off the shelf. It may be online, however, the premise is still there. While your chances of facing any kind of punishment are slim, there are a lot of ethical reasons as to why you should not use it.

The games available to download can be anything on the Steam store including applications and VR games.

Why not use steamunlocked?

The reason that video games have a price is so a company can continue making money. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that part of the money will go to the employees that work there. It is no different from other industries such as music and film. Actors and singers must get paid for their work, video game developers, animators, writers, and designers are no different.

As previously mentioned, it is theft. It is illegally distributing intellectual property and legitimate steam files. While similar sites, such as the grey market, distribute steam keys, their methods are legitimate as they buy the keys in bulk for a reduced price and then sell them below retail value. Such sites are still frowned upon by companies however they are much more legitimate than downloading games and free steam keys. The punishment for these crimes is either a fine, that goes towards the price of copyright, or jail time. Quite a high risk just to save a bit of money.

On top of all this, websites such as this will give you a signup bonus or ask you to complete ‘easy surveys’ before you can access the treasure trove of free games. This is so that you link your email and complete data entry fields. These scam sites will have you sign up for an account and give personal information so that they may sell it to make a profit. Sometimes this can happen when you visit a fake website. Fake websites do all of that, and then continue to restrict you from accessing anything you were promised.

Is steamunlocked safe?

Before I mention the safety of Steamunlocked, a counterpart must be mentioned. There is a similar site called ‘steam unlock’ that is incredibly different. The latter is a scam and puts your computer at risk of getting a virus as soon as you press the download button.

Despite this, Steamunlocked is rather safe. While Steam is yet to invest in enhanced anti piracy mechanisms, Steamunlocked has got some impressive security software. Reports by users more educated than I say it is ‘completely safe’ with ‘no malware whatsoever’. With reviews like that, the website is considered safe. This is delightful news for the participating community who prefer piracy to more legitimate methods.

Online safety

Despite steamunlocked having reports of being safe, it is still worth mentioning that other websites such as this are very much unsafe. There are simple ways to ensure you’re safe online. The easiest way would be to just use the legitimate steam platform or a different program such as the Epic games store. But then again, you cannot persuade people or the participating community on the internet to pass up on the chance to download free games whenever they want.

Safe sites and scam sites – how to tell the difference.

In your browser at the very top, you can see your web address. On the left-hand side of this, just where the text begins, there is a padlock. On some browsers or computers, it will change color but it won’t on all. The main thing to know about it is if it is unlocked, then that means the website is not secure. This does not mean it is definitely dangerous but it is more of a ‘proceed with caution’ warning. If the padlock is shut, then that means it is an official site and should be rather secure. Despite this, it is best to still proceed with caution as you should whenever using the internet.

Check for viruses or malware

Websites that are illegally distributing intellectual property will sometimes use the file you are downloading as a trojan horse (yes, like the ancient Greek myth). This means that while you may think you are about to download free games, you are actually downloading a virus.

You can get a lot of anti-virus software online that will not only detect them on your computer but will also get rid of them and check files you download in the future for them. While some are free, you must pay a one-time fee or a monthly subscription to others. Some computers come with basic anti-virus software pre installed and ready to use right away to help you stay safe. The pre installs are good and provide basic security but for those users who care more about their security, better packages are available for a premium.

When your computer has a virus it is easily recognizable as it may be running slower, showing too many notifications that are unrelated or it may also be stealing your intellectual property.

Good anti-virus software

For more detailed information and a look at the prices of each package, click the hyperlinks to visit the official websites.

Bitdefender

Bitdefender is currently rated as the best anti-virus of 2021 and offers you a basic package with premium features.

Despite always running in the background, Bitdefender takes the trophy for having the lowest impact on the performance of your device when compared to its competitors.

If you do not enjoy Bitdefender, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee no matter what package you opted for.

Norton

Norton offers a 2-year plan for half price and allows the addition of the official Norton VPN to any device you want it on so you can browse freely and anonymously.

For users in the UK and Germany, Norton will also scour the dark web and notify you if they see your data on three. Other similar sites do not do this, and it is quite a luxury service.

Mcafee

Probably the most Iconic anti-virus on the web, Mcafee includes not only bank-grade encryption on your data but also offers a variety of tools to help optimize your PC so that it runs quicker when performing day-to-day tasks.

Mcafee is one of the most affordable anti-virus software and is available on up to 10 devices should you buy any premium plan of theirs.

Kaspersky

Kaspersky offers a feature-rich mid-range package that optimizes your pc but also helps revert the damage done in the past by viruses.

A content restrictor is also included so you can have child-safe browsing to save them from the more adult content on the web.

Bullguard

Another affordable anti-virus software, Bullguard helps you spot a scam before it’s too late. With an intuitive and efficient user interface, Bullguard make protecting an entire smart home a breeze.

With an elegant interface that can scan your pc at the push of a button, you don’t have to be an expert to get to grips with this software.

Conclusion

To finally answer the question once and for all, ‘is steamunlocked safe?’ Yes, yes it is.

Despite this, you still should not use it. I can see the appeal of hitting a download button to get a free version of steam with pre installed games but the morality of it is too much. For those who prefer piracy, they must not have thought about who it impacts. The game developers and their team deserve any profits that come their way, same as artists, musicians, and actors.

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