ME2 Won't Launch, "Invalid License. Reason code = Invalid Cipher (0x0006)"

Hi there 🙂

Been trying to get ME2 working for a few days now. Both ME1 and ME3 launch and run fine on my computer, but ME2 is having some real issues.

I've contacted EA support a few times, got escalated to "the specialist Johnnie" but I was unable to respond to his email directly so I have no way to

contact him. For context I am running Windows 10 and have ME2 installed along with all of my other Origin games on an external HDD.

Things I've tried:

Disabled firewall
Clean boot + re-install
C:/ProgramData/Ea/Licenses and deleted the .dlf files
Run in compatibility mode (XP SP3, 7, and 8)
New game code + re-install
Repair the game (multiple times)
sfc /scannow
CCCleaner
Disabled Windows 10 Sync settings
Disabled Origin in game
Moved game to C:/ drive
Renamed .exe launchers
Created new Admin account on computer to launch from there 

If I launch ME2 from the .exe directly, I'm asked to log in to my EA account to verify whatever and that's when the error hits. Launching from Origin brings me straight to the invalid license error. This leads me to believe that the error lies with EA verifying or validating whatever it is they do and not the game itself.

Any chance anyone else had this/has this error? What have you guys tried? Any luck? 🤞