After you bought the PlayStation + membership for your PSN account, you are getting still the same update error message when you install the game, correct?
-Correct, paying for a PSN+ account did nothing to solve the problem.
Had you any other issues aka do you own any other disc based games for the console yet?
-The only other game I bought was Little Big Planet 3, it has no issues.
Have you linked your console via wired rather than wireless connection to the internet and tried to power-cycle your router?
-Already done both of these, no solution there either.
It might even be that the disc is damaged somehow but I guess you bought a new game without any scratches on the surface?
-Brand new retail disc, no problems with the surface of the disc.
May I ask where you bought the game and if there is any chance to borough a PvZ:GW gamedisc from a friend of yours?
-I live on Okinawa, bought the game from the base exchange. No idea who else would have a copy around here.
I also spent an hour in text chat EA trouble ticket #16705359, I really don't think the guy had any idea what I was referring to. He would ask account information 10 minutes into the conversation and ask me for my game code after I told him that I purchased a CD version. No progress at all was made during this time.
I have had one other thought. When first loading the game it specifically states that the game must be updated to use network functions, then adds the update to the download. The next time I try to load the game it gives me the log in error, however the update hasn't been applied so that would make sense as the update enables network access. So the problem appears to be why cannot the update actually work. Is there different types of update files based upon geographic location? If so that means I'm downloading a JP update and attempting to apply it to a US game. If so is there a way to download the US file on a computer and transfer it via thumb drive?