I recently bought a used copy of Hellgate: London for $6.99 at a local shop. While the game installed fine with the key code from the manual, I could not create a multiplayer account because the previous owner had used the code to create the account. I contacted EA support and asked them for a new key. They asked for my personal information, screenshots and I even sent them a scan of my reciept and the manual with the key on it. After days of back and forth, they finally told me they could not identify me as the owner of the key. Really, what a surprise. They wanted me to send them my manual or game disc and $10 to get a new key, just so I could create a multiplayer account. Glad I didn't do it now that the multiplayer is being shut down.
I have been able to play the single player game and thought repetitive, it has been enjoyable. It is really not very challenging as I have only died once. The levels also seem to be very repetitive. Essentially it is Diablo from a first person perspective with swords, guns and spells.
This is one of the reasons PC gaming is dying. No LAN multiplayer capability and dependent on a third party for providing the multiplayer support just so they can enforce their DRM. This game is a prime example of one that will die a sudden death and really piss off people who spend $29.99 or less to buy it from a bargain bin only to find out they can't play multiplayer at all.