The existing instructions that I've found on here to link my Steam and origin accounts are outdated. Now, if I go to Steam and find an EA game, instead of hitting "Play" and then letting the game install, it tells me that I need an EA Play subscription. My girlfriend has 1500 hours of Sims 4 time and all of the expansions, and she wants to play with her steam account so she could SEAMLESSLY use Steam Link. This is supposed to be supported, but not with a $5.00 a month subscription. We purchased the EA play for 99 cents for the first month to see if it will link. What is the FREE way to link our accounts? Do we have to download something free like Apex in order to make it happen? I don't understand these controls that make this an hour long research project to make happen . . . You have a section in the EA account page that shows linked accounts without being able to add anything new. Your execs are taking this money guarding thing WAY too far.

@joeygates27 The only way to link Origin and Steam accounts is to buy an EA game in Steam, and specifically one that requires that the accounts be linked. In your case, you'd need to buy a copy of Sims 4 in Steam, uninstall the game in Origin, then start to download the base game in Steam, which should prompt you to link the accounts. Once the Steam version is installed, you could download the packs from Origin, and they should work with the Steam install. I think this should also work if you download Sims 4 from EA Play, but I've never tried it or heard from someone who has, so I don't know for sure. The problem is, once you add the Steam version of Sims 4 to your Origin account, it overrides the Origin version. Then if you remove the Steam version, Origin will act as if you don't own the game and will block you from playing. This happens all the time to people who buy and refund Steam copies of Sims 4, or who take advantage of a free trial from Steam. To get around it, you'd need to renew your EA Play subscription or buy a standalone copy of Sims 4 through Steam. Just so you know, Origin will still run in the background when playing through Steam. There's no getting around that.

Any idea if a free epic game would work? Like Apex?

@joeygates27 Downloading Apex Legends through Steam would certainly link your accounts; you can see that in the terms and conditions on the right side of the Apex product pgae on Steam. But the only way to "own" Sims 4 through Steam is to obtain a copy through Steam, either by buying it or by downloading it from the Steam version of EA Play, if it's offered. Again though, playing Sims 4 through Steam has proven to be an extra hassle for many people. It doesn't get rid of the Origin requirement, it doesn't come with an enhanced version of the game, and it introduces extra complications that could easily be avoided.

Yeah, the main reason for steam at all in this case is to allow for steam link to work. Sometimes steam link falters when you point at An Origin game with steam. I tried it both ways last night and Sims definitely starts more smoothly with it installed via Steam, and even opens up way faster. Whereas, if I point to Sims as it exists within origin, it will still work, but within the steam link, you will see it opening other windows and switching around until it gets to Sims in 15 to 30 seconds. Further, if you click anywhere while that's happening, sometimes the focus gets lost and it won't start up properly.It did look like both seem to be working fine once the game was loaded, and it did seem like it referenced save files in the same location. I think to be safe I want to take off Cloud saves for Steam if that is automatically enabled because if I recall, Sims already handles that internally and backs up saves periodically. Thanks for your input. I think this is all set now and her account is linked. Only cost me $0.99 to get it installed appropriately. Hopefully now that it's linked, it will remain updated even though I don't have the subscription. We'll see.

@joeygates27 Yes, Origin and Steam installs both read the Sims 4 user folder in Documents\Electronic Arts. The game doesn't automatically save though. It does however keep the last five saves made before the current one, so if you ever need to revert to a backup, you can do so either from within the game or manually. (Those are the .verx files within the saves folder.) Older backups are deleted as newer ones are created.

Have Sims on Origin: Want to use my Steam Client: How do I link my account?

11 Replies

puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@joeygates27 The only way to link Origin and Steam accounts is to buy an EA game in Steam, and specifically one that requires that the accounts be linked. In your case, you'd need to buy a copy of Sims 4 in Steam, uninstall the game in Origin, then start to download the base game in Steam, which should prompt you to link the accounts. Once the Steam version is installed, you could download the packs from Origin, and they should work with the Steam install.

I think this should also work if you download Sims 4 from EA Play, but I've never tried it or heard from someone who has, so I don't know for sure. The problem is, once you add the Steam version of Sims 4 to your Origin account, it overrides the Origin version. Then if you remove the Steam version, Origin will act as if you don't own the game and will block you from playing. This happens all the time to people who buy and refund Steam copies of Sims 4, or who take advantage of a free trial from Steam. To get around it, you'd need to renew your EA Play subscription or buy a standalone copy of Sims 4 through Steam.

Just so you know, Origin will still run in the background when playing through Steam. There's no getting around that.
joeygates27
5 years ago
Any idea if a free epic game would work? Like Apex?
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@joeygates27 Downloading Apex Legends through Steam would certainly link your accounts; you can see that in the terms and conditions on the right side of the Apex product pgae on Steam. But the only way to "own" Sims 4 through Steam is to obtain a copy through Steam, either by buying it or by downloading it from the Steam version of EA Play, if it's offered.

Again though, playing Sims 4 through Steam has proven to be an extra hassle for many people. It doesn't get rid of the Origin requirement, it doesn't come with an enhanced version of the game, and it introduces extra complications that could easily be avoided.
joeygates27
5 years ago
Yeah, the main reason for steam at all in this case is to allow for steam link to work. Sometimes steam link falters when you point at An Origin game with steam. I tried it both ways last night and Sims definitely starts more smoothly with it installed via Steam, and even opens up way faster. Whereas, if I point to Sims as it exists within origin, it will still work, but within the steam link, you will see it opening other windows and switching around until it gets to Sims in 15 to 30 seconds. Further, if you click anywhere while that's happening, sometimes the focus gets lost and it won't start up properly.
It did look like both seem to be working fine once the game was loaded, and it did seem like it referenced save files in the same location. I think to be safe I want to take off Cloud saves for Steam if that is automatically enabled because if I recall, Sims already handles that internally and backs up saves periodically. Thanks for your input. I think this is all set now and her account is linked. Only cost me $0.99 to get it installed appropriately. Hopefully now that it's linked, it will remain updated even though I don't have the subscription. We'll see.
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@joeygates27 Yes, Origin and Steam installs both read the Sims 4 user folder in Documents\Electronic Arts. The game doesn't automatically save though. It does however keep the last five saves made before the current one, so if you ever need to revert to a backup, you can do so either from within the game or manually. (Those are the .verx files within the saves folder.) Older backups are deleted as newer ones are created.
joeygates27
5 years ago
@puzzlezaddict Some other info. My steam install did not have the majority of the content. It had all of the dlc checked. Further, even my origin install would not work. I had to Uninstall the steam version and tell Origin to install again. All the files were already there so it just took a few seconds. They did not make this work well at all.
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
5 years ago
@joeygates27 No, they really did not. That's one of several reasons I suggest that people might want to reconsider before switching to a joint Origin/Steam install. It's all kinds of awkward and often doesn't work properly no matter what people do. It's too bad, this could have been a great opportunity. I say that as someone who owns Sims 3 through Steam and happily uses that version rather than the one from Origin.
leenjoan
Newcomer
3 years ago
does this really work?
My sims 4 wont work anymore via origin :/ IDK
So i was thinking via Steam...

I tried everything xo
This is kinda my last resort you see xo
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
3 years ago
@leenjoan Linking your Origin and Steam accounts won't help here, and buying Sims 4 through Steam could help but might not, depending on the nature of your issue. But the easier troubleshooting step is to try playing through the EA App instead. You can download it here:

https://www.ea.com/ea-app-beta

If that doesn't help, please let me know what happens when you try to run Sims 4, including any error message you get.

In macOS, you wouldn't be able to use the EA App or Steam, so let me know if you happen to have a Mac.
sweetc77
3 years ago
So does that mean it won't link if you had the free version of sims 4 on steam?