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gemjasmine's avatar
gemjasmine
5 years ago

Origin says the packs are installed, but they don't show up in game

I asked about this on Answers HQ, but decided to try my luck here as well.

I have all of the Sims 3 expansions, yet two of them are missing from the launcher and my game (Seasons and Island Paradise). Origin says they're installed, but the game is not recognizing them. So far, I've tried:


  • repairing the game through Origin
  • deleting Origin cache
  • deleting the pack folders where the Sims 3 was installed, then re-installing the packs
  • uninstalling and re-installing Origin
  • uninstalling and re-installing the missing packs entirely, then deleting Origin cache
  • uninstalling and re-installing the Sims 3 entirely, then deleting Origin cache
  • uninstalling Origin using an uninstaller called Revo, which deleted the leftover Origin registry files and folders that a regular uninstall didn't delete, and then reinstalled it
  • did a clean boot of my PC by disabling a bunch of programs
  • made sure I was an Administrator (I am)
  • made sure my antivirus accepted Origin (it does)
  • made sure Origin was up to date (it is)
  • I also have a brand new gaming computer, so my graphics aren't an issue


Nothing seems to work. Again, Origin says the packs are installed and I remember playing them all years ago, so I'm not sure why these specific packs are disabled now.

I was informed on Answers HQ that EA has been deactivating packs attached to codes sold by an unauthorized third-party source. I brought this up (SEVERAL times) when contacting EA for support and was told that EA doesn't deactivate codes. I was also told that codes have nothing to do with the game, since it's already on the account. I'm still half-convinced that that's the problem, but the FIVE EA-reps I've gotten into contact with all say that it's not a possibility.

Anyway, I refuse to accept that there's no solution so I'm asking here. I'm also willing to just buy the packs again, but the EA-rep said that wouldn't help. I'm not convinced, though. So, if anyone knows if it's possible to re-buy a pack and change the code, please let me know. But, before resorting to that, has anyone had success solving this issue with another method?
  • igazor's avatar
    igazor
    5 years ago
    I don't know what kind of training or restaffing issues or whatever might be going on with Customer Support, but the fact is that many thousands of players have had individual blocks on specific TS3 EPs and SPs placed on their Origin accounts over the past couple of years. Some of them may well have been mistakes on EA's end, but in most cases the packs were purchased from unauthorized re-sellers and were subject to a chargeback scam, which means that unbeknownst to the end-user/customer, EA was never really paid for them.

    Given that you have already done much more than the typical troubleshooting steps, this almost has to be the case here. It sounds like "you have deactivated my codes" and "there is apparently a block on my Origin account that I need help with" mean two different things to support agents. Once such a block has been placed, there is no combination of repurchases and reinstalls that will lift it, only EA can do this from their end.

    I suggest you stay with Answers.HQ (I see your thread) and hopefully a Community Manager there can step in and help you get in communication with the right Customer Support agent who can actually help you by identifying any blocks and getting them lifted so that repurchases from an authorized source on that account will actually work.
  • gemjasmine's avatar
    gemjasmine
    5 years ago
    "igazor;c-17353084" wrote:
    I don't know what kind of training or restaffing issues or whatever might be going on with Customer Support, but the fact is that many thousands of players have had individual blocks on specific TS3 EPs and SPs placed on their Origin accounts over the past couple of years. Some of them may well have been mistakes on EA's end, but in most cases the packs were purchased from unauthorized re-sellers and were subject to a chargeback scam, which means that unbeknownst to the end-user/customer, EA was never really paid for them.

    Given that you have already done much more than the typical troubleshooting steps, this almost has to be the case here. It sounds like "you have deactivated my codes" and "there is apparently a block on my Origin account that I need help with" mean two different things to support agents. Once such a block has been placed, there is no combination of repurchases and reinstalls that will lift it, only EA can do this from their end.

    I suggest you stay with Answers.HQ (I see your thread) and hopefully a Community Manager there can step in and help you get in communication with the right Customer Support agent who can actually help you by identifying any blocks and getting them lifted so that repurchases from an authorized source on that account will actually work.


    Thank you for replying. I'm starting to really believe that my codes were deactivated now. I just cannot convince EA that, lol. One of the support people I talked to even contacted both their supervisor and a "specialist team" and neither had any clue about deactivated codes.

    I feel like such a pest continuously asking people for help, but I guess I'll keep trying to get support from EA. This time I'll try rephrasing by telling them that there's a block on my account, rather than insisting that my codes were deactivated. Hopefully that gives me a different response. :/

    Edit: After four more attempts, I FINALLY got support. They just gave me new codes and that worked. :smile:

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