Did you buy FUEL today? :p
And yes, they have a right to complain. But this will get sorted out. This is akin to some of the smaller chains doing preorders and actually over-preordering. The distributor has X copies, and each of 12 stores get last minute pre-orders for X/10 copies. Some people get a bit buggered while it gets sorted out. That problem is just magnified tenfold because of how fast digital distribution works.
Plus, chances are that the regional restrictions still apply. Since there are different distributors for each region, it is quite reasonable to assume that there would be different people who get paid for the keys.
It is a mess, no buts about it. But retail is a mess too. Just pointless to single out Steam (unless you are looking for an excuse to single out Steam. But none of us would ever take every opportunity to rant about a petty grudge :p).

Guys, guys, I sugges you to redirect your Steam bashing and counter-bashing here.
Impulse:
Trine 75% off ($4.99)
Osmos 25% off ($7.46)
Spellforce Platinum 50% off ($7.49)

Why yes, yes I did. I bought a game and I cant play it. Steam have my money yet I have no product.
It's people like you that keep Steam and Impulse where they are. Always making excuses when retail is cheaper and better.

Then if retail is so much cheaper and better, you should steer clear of Steam and Impulse? :p
Seriously, it isn't that hard to understand. There was a sale on a game that a lot of people wanted. A lot more than anyone expected. And they ran out of keys. I would have expected them to have a better way to handle this by now, but it might be a fundamental flaw/advantage with the system. I have a sneaking suspicion that the keys aren't fully assigned until the first time you download (since I had to download before I could register Jade Empire with Bioware :p), so that is probably the problem. Will take a lot of infrastructure changes to fix.
How to avoid this: Don't buy any underrated games when there are freaky awesome sales :p

So if it happened to you you wouldn't care? Good to know.

I would care, but I wouldn't blame Steam. I would probably blame the people who didn't provide enough serial keys for the sale, or just the annoyance of retail in general.
I also want to know why it is good for you to know this. :p

So you have nothing against the shop selling you empty boxes? Thats just fine, you can wait for your game.

Seriously guys, take it to the other thread.

Again, you miss the point. Let me repeat it
"I would care, but I wouldn't blame Steam. I would probably blame the people who didn't provide enough serial keys for the sale, or just the annoyance of retail in general. "
This would be like getting angry at Toyota because you got stuck in traffic while on your way to see a movie.
But I will just drop this. Clearly you were just looking for an excuse to bash Steam. And I was foolish for trying to actually respond to mindless bashing :p

Steam is responsible for the outbreak of World War I.

And you don't do the exact same thing for GOG?

No I don't. Can you find a review of mine? No? STFU.

Why do you need a review to be pro-GOG?
I would think all you need is a fanaticism in your portrayal of GOG. As I see you regularly stating your pleasure in the use of GOG, I assumed you to be part of the fanatical GOG cult.

Blah blah blah.

Let me just say that the views of Jacob in no way reflect my own :p
And to get slightly back on topic: I ended up buying Guild Wars. Debating between a Necromancer and a Dervish. The former lets me make an army of undead and rip the souls out of people, the latter has a scythe.
Thoughts? :p