Game removed from library, EA not willing to restore it

I've had Spore in my library since almost the day of the release years ago.

I purchased the physical edition and redeemed the codes in the back of the manual. Today, years later, I wanted to replay it, but to my surprise the game is gone from my library.

Searching it everywhere I ended up in the EA store, which to my greater surprise again, it says that I still own the DLCs, but not the base game.

Contacted support via chat, and told me that since the game was purchased in the physical edition they cannot do anything and the only thing I can do is to ask for a replacement on the original store (sounds like a joke honestly, is not the store fault and Spore is not sold anymore and I purchased it 16 years ago) or to buy it again from the EA store.

I know is cheap but please this feels like a scam, is there anything else I can do?

purchase issue

EA_Leeuw
15 days ago
Hi Motbest ,

I get why this situation feels off, but I want to be clear on one point: games aren’t randomly removed from EA accounts. If a title has been successfully redeemed and attached to an account, it remains attached to that account.

When a base game appears missing while DLC still shows, that usually points to an account or entitlement mismatch, not a removal. The most common causes we see are:

Logging into a different EA account than the one originally used

Older retail (disc) codes are not being linked to the current account you’re accessing

Library display issues, especially with legacy titles like Spore

In cases involving physical editions from many years ago, support can only restore access if they can verify the original entitlement on the account. Without a confirmed link (for example, via the original code or proof of redemption), they don’t have a way to manually re-add the base game.

I’d recommend double-checking:

You’re signed into the exact EA account used when you first redeemed Spore

Any older email addresses or accounts you may have used at the time

Whether you still have the original CD key or proof of purchase

If you can locate any of that, it’s worth going back to support with those details so they can take another look.

7 Replies

qaylula
Rising Novice
17 days ago
I don't have an answer, but sharing my sympathy. I feel like a complete fool, having been scammed by EA for purchasing lots of Sims packages over the years, and I cannot play when I want, only whenever EA decides I can play when their app or downloads start working.
EA_Leeuw
Community Manager
15 days ago
Hi Motbest ,

I get why this situation feels off, but I want to be clear on one point: games aren’t randomly removed from EA accounts. If a title has been successfully redeemed and attached to an account, it remains attached to that account.

When a base game appears missing while DLC still shows, that usually points to an account or entitlement mismatch, not a removal. The most common causes we see are:

Logging into a different EA account than the one originally used

Older retail (disc) codes are not being linked to the current account you’re accessing

Library display issues, especially with legacy titles like Spore

In cases involving physical editions from many years ago, support can only restore access if they can verify the original entitlement on the account. Without a confirmed link (for example, via the original code or proof of redemption), they don’t have a way to manually re-add the base game.

I’d recommend double-checking:

You’re signed into the exact EA account used when you first redeemed Spore

Any older email addresses or accounts you may have used at the time

Whether you still have the original CD key or proof of purchase

If you can locate any of that, it’s worth going back to support with those details so they can take another look.
Motbest
New Novice
15 days ago
Thank you for your reply, however that's not solving my issue yet
You’re signed into the exact EA account used when you first redeemed Spore
I only use this account within EA, I don't have another one.
Any older email addresses or accounts you may have used at the time
Same as before, same email as forever
Whether you still have the original CD key or proof of purchase
I do, and I sent a picture of it when I contacted support, and copied the key on the manual on the chat, even tried to activate it through the launcher and the launcher told me the key is valid but was already activated. And even with all of that, support told me that wasn't enough to prove it
I will try to contact support once more then.
Thank you again for taking your time to reply.
thistlenot
Rising Rookie
10 days ago
My sympathies . I wish I had a better answer but really they don't care .
GraniteRock
Seasoned Newcomer
7 days ago
I just wanted to echo I seem to have the same situation as you. I've had the spore physical edition since day 1.
It's been a while since I've been in my EA account. But I was checking it out now that I have EA play through Xbox. I thought it was odd I could purchase Spore even though I own both of the DLCs. I thought maybe it was a UI glitch (maybe related to the fact I can still play it through EA play) but then I noticed it wasn't in my library. Just out of curiousity I googled the issue and landed here.
I will concede, I can't rule out an attachment issue as EA_Leeuw suggests. The game originally was standalone and it is possible the DLC were bought as digital purchases that some how origin then ea play were able to track but I never entered the main key into the main apps. I'll have to dig up my key and see if my previous standalone activation prevents me from attaching it to my account.
EA_Leeuw
Community Manager
7 days ago
Hi again Motbest ,

To help you as much as possible, we made a rare exception via the forums and looked into whether we could check your account ourselves. We were able to do so.

Without going into details, I can confirm that Spore is no longer registered on your account for a specific reason I can’t discuss here on the forums.

For more information about why it was removed, you’ll need to contact the Customer Support team directly.
Motbest
New Novice
6 days ago
Hi!
Amazing you checked on this days later without being asked to do so, thank you very much.
However, I tried to contact support just to know the reason as you told me (I wasn't even asking to recover my game) and they told me that... they wont tell me, supposedly since I purchased the game on a third party store, they can't tell me why it was removed from my library. This sounds really weird and... not legal maybe ?
At this point I don't care if I can't get my game back, I know I wont, I'll just get a DRM-Free copy over the net, but was really curious why it was removed from my library if the copy is legit.
Edit: just to add, just checked and I purchased the physical copy from GameStop 16 years ago. This store (and the whole trademark) no longer exists on my country, which makes the situation even funnier since everytime I contact support they ask me to go back to the store to ask for a new code.