A license key, or product key, is a sequence of characters used to activate a game. It verifies that the copy of the game is legitimate and has been purchased.

It was 2:00 AM. The dial-up modem had screamed for six hours to pull those files from a flickering forum thread. Leo stared at the progress bar, his eyes bloodshot. When it finally hit 100%, he held his breath and opened the folder.

If the game won't launch, go to Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off . Find Legacy Components , expand it, and check DirectPlay .

If you are looking for a or a repacked version of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

While individual downloaders are rarely sued, depending on your country, you could receive a copyright infringement notice from your ISP. In Germany or Japan, for example, penalties for piracy can reach thousands of euros.