If I don't redeem bundle keys, do the devs save money?

A lot of digitally-sold bundles of games contains keys that can be redeemed on Desura or Steam. If I don't redeem these keys, will the developers (or distributors) save money that would otherwise have to be paid to Desura/Steam?

If it's the humble bundles, I think it all goes to charity. Except for that THQ bundle, which went to THQ.

What they do if they get to save the money isn't my question here. My question is whether they get to avert payments to wrapper/downloader services if I don't use those services' keys.

No.

They paid to receive the keys before giving them to you to begin with.

edited 28th Dec '12 9:22:17 PM by burnpsy

Considering the sorry state THQ is in now, it probably still counts as charity.

edited 29th Dec '12 6:31:19 AM by eternalNoob

I don't really think that the bundle guys could just ask for the keys from Steam without prior arrangements, so it doesn't really help...

I think how it works is that the Bundle guys request a set of keys beforehand (might involve paying Valve and such), and when you purchased a game, it got a key from the bundle's key DB...

@Marioguy 128: No, where the money goes in Humble Bundle depends on who you set to send to...

edited 29th Dec '12 7:25:47 AM by onyhow

If I'm not mistaken, the Humble Bundle people first try to estimate how many people will buy it and ask Steam for that many keys. When you buy a bundle and then click on the "get Steam key" button, it takes one of the available keys from the pool and links it to your bundle. If they run low on keys, they ask Steam for another batch.

So unless your one additional key happens to put them over the edge to get another batch, it makes zero difference.

Umm, how the heck system where they give money only if keys are redeemed would work?

Thats like if you would buy wii points but money would stay on account until you buy something instead of going to nintendo since you bought their points

...Wait, that wouldn't make sense since how would people who put up games on wii shop get money?

...*shrug* I have no clue how transactions work

A better analogy would be asking if you have to pay to get a copy for your housekey if you never use it.

Don't worry about things like this, they know how to handle this themselves. You only are required to click a "Get key" button so they aren't wasted, it's not costing them extra.