A Guide to Adding Retail Games to Steam & Free Steam Games

It’s no secret that most members of the Mana Pool review team like Steam. We know that not everyone shares this opinion, and that’s ok. For those who do really like Steam, we’ve compiled a few handy bits of information in case you were not previously aware.

All this information is up-to-date at the moment this article was written.

Free Steam Games

Everyone likes free games. Below is a list of games you can install for FREE on Steam:

For ATI/AMD (Radeon) graphic card users: install – storefront
- Half-Life 2: Deathmatch
- Half-Life 2: Lost Coast

For Nvidia (GeForce) graphic card users: install – storefront
- Half-Life 2: Deathmatch
- Half-Life 2: Lost Coast
- Portal: First Slice (demo install – storefront)

For all Steam users:
Alien Swarm: install – storefront
America’s Army 3: install – storefront
BattleForge: install
Between]: install – storefront
Codename Gordon: install
COIL: install – storefront
Mightier: install – storefront
Moonbase Alpha: install – storefront
Peggle Extreme: install – storefront
Sam & Max: Episode 4: install – storefront
Spacewar: install
TrackMania Nations Forever: install – storefront

Full credits for this list to IvanDoomer for his original topic on the Steam Forums, where you can find the most up-to-date list.

Retail Games on Steam

All retail Valve games and a number of third-party games can be registered to your Steam account. All of the following games can be registered through Steam:

• Valve CD Keys in this format: ####-#####-####
• Valve CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• AI War CD Keys in various formats
• Aliens vs. Predator (2010 Release) CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Alpha Prime CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Audiosurf CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Call of Duty: Black Ops CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is not accepted on Steam
• Civilization V CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Commander: Conquest of the Americas CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Cricket Revolution CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Dark Messiah CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Dark Messiah CD Keys may also have been printed incorrectly, please see the Dark Messiah article
• Darksiders CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
  • Note: The number 2 and letter Z may look very similar.
• Dawn of War II CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Defense Grid CD Keys in this format (Direct2Drive only): 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Empire: Total War CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-DDEFGH3-IJK4L-MNOPQ-RST56
• F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Fallout: New Vegas CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Football Manager 2009 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2CD3FGH456I7JK8LMNOP9Q
• Football Manager 2010 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2CD3FGH456I7JK8LMNOP9Q
• Football Manager 2011 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Front Mission Evolved CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Global Agenda CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
  • Note: Keys purchased directly from the Global Agenda website cannot be registered on Steam.
• GTI Racing CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• GTR Evolution CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Just Cause 2 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
  • Note: Please input all O’s and 0′s as Q’s for Just Cause 2
• Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Killing Floor CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• King Arthur – The Role-playing Wargame CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• The Last Remnant CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Lionheart: Kings’ Crusade CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Lost Planet: Colonies Edition CD Keys are not accepted on Steam
• Mafia 2 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Metro 2033 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• MLB Front Office Manager CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Mount & Blade CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Mount & Blade: Warband CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• NBA 2K9 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Napoleon: Total War CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Order of War CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Prey CD Keys in this format: AAB1BB2C345CDD6E E7
• R.U.S.E. CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
  • Note: R.U.S.E. keys from Ubisoft’s Digital River service are not accepted on Steam
• RACE – the WTCC Game CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• RACE 07 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Ragdoll Kung Fu CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Railworks CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Red Orchestra CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Rogue Warrior CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• SiN Episodes: Emergence CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Saint’s Row 2 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Serious Sam HD CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Shattered Horizon CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• The Ship CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Ship Simulator Extremes CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Silent Hill Homecoming CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Sniper: Ghost Warrior CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Space Trader CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Speedball 2 – Tournament in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Star Trek: D-A-C CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• STCC – The Game CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Supreme Commander 2 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Torchlight CD Keys in this format: 1ABC-D3FG-4567-JK8L
  • Note: Only keys purchased directly from Runic Games or Perfect World prior to May 19th, 2010 can be registered on Steam.
• Unreal Tournament 3 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2-3FGH-456I-K8LM
• Velvet Assassin CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009 CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q
• X3: Terran Conflict CD Keys in this format: 1ABC-D3FG-4567-JK8L
• Zeno Clash CD Keys in this format: 1AB2C-D3FGH-456I7-JK8LM-NOP9Q

Opposing Force CD-keys cannot be registered through Steam. Opposing Force was included in a retail Half-Life package. The Half-Life CD-key included in the package will unlock all of the games in that package, including Opposing Force.

Source and most up-to-date list can be found here.

Adding non-Steam games to your Library

You can also add non-Steam games to your Library in Steam. It’s important to note that this will only add a shortcut to your game in the Steam client. This will not allow you to download updates for your game through Steam but will in some cases allow you to use the Steam overlay. It’s worth noting that some games don’t particularly like this. For example, Dragon Age: Origins retail version can crash when it’s being run through Steam – despite being available on Steam as well.

Adding a shortcut to a non-Steam game;

1. Launch Steam.
2. Click the Games menu, choose Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library.
3. Browse for games on your computer or put a check next to the game(s) you wish to add to the Library.
4. Click Add Selected Programs