Product code won’t work for MacOS on launch

Hey people!

I recently bought Sims 3! yay. Everything was working including redeeming my CD Key on the Sims 3 website. I was able to download Sims 3 but when I opened the Sims 3 program. It asks for my CD Key for the like third time, and this time, it does not work. An error message pops-up. I have contacted 3 different EA representatives with questions asking why this is happening and they have not been useful at all. I was wondering if any of you could help me out?

Thank you so much for your time

@sparkling_aria7  When in the process of launching the game are you getting that message?  I've installed in macOS numerous times, and while I need the codes for the install process itself, I've never been asked for it when launching the game.  And you're downloading directly from Origin, not installing via disc, right?

Since you've entered this code successfully before, I take it you're not confusing the letter O with a zero or anything like that.  Still, you can try copying and pasting the code into the box instead.  Origin should show you the code before you install, or you can find it by right-clicking on the TS3 icon in your game library and selecting Game Properties.

Please also make sure that you're using the key that is being requested.  In addition to the base game, each pack has its own code, and perhaps it's one of those codes that's being requested.

On a similar note, did you buy the base game as part of a bundle, and if so, what was in the bundle?  There have been issues with some of the later bundled disc copies that only came with one code for both the base game and the included pack(s).

If none of this helps, let me know, and I'll ask if someone else can help.  Please let me know which packs you've installed, if any, and what version of macOS you're running.  You can check by clicking on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of your screen and selecting About This Mac.

@sparkling_aria7 I'll send you a DM in a bit 🙂

I have the same problem with macOS, I have a MacBook Pro mid 2012. With Mojave I’m able to get the newer updates and I bought the game off steam and took the CD keys for The Sims 3, Generations, Seasons, and Pets. When transferring the keys over to Origin the games pop up in the library and download and install properly and on launch it asks for the registration/ product code again, where you re-enter it and it goes away and pops up again as if nothing even happened.

@r34rdon_821  I've moved your post to the Mac section, since the other was in the PC section and the original poster never came back to say whether this was happening in Windows or macOS.  Now merged.

You're saying that the base game and packs are all properly installed and showing in Documents?  Where in the process are you asked for the code—when you try to open the launcher, or after the launcher opens and you press play?  This might be a new problem, but I'm not sure yet.  (You're the second person to say something like this, but the first was kind of vague and I think originally bought the game via disc.)

Could you take a screenshot of the error?  Hit cmd-shift-4 and drag your cursor over the section of screen you want to capture.  The pic will land on your desktop, and you can attach it directly to a post.  Just be sure to black out any personal info, or your game code if it's showing.

There is no error message it simply just asks for the registration code and when typing it in and clicking done it doesn’t go away and just asks for it again 

@r34rdon_821  The reason I asked for screenshots is that I wanted to know where exactly you were running into trouble.  This is the way it's supposed to work:

You download the base game (or a pack), then when it's done, you click Install.  You get a screen with the product code showing:

What I did here was use cmd-C to copy the 20-character code, blacked out in the above screenshot.  Then after I clicked Install and got through the first few screens, the installer asked me for the code:

I put my cursor in the first box and used cmd-V to paste the code.  When I clicked Continue, it worked.  Is this where you kept getting asked for a code over and over?  If so, please make sure you're using the code that corresponds to the content you're installing.  Each pack has its own code, of course, and you need to use that, not the base game code.  In the above screenshot, where it says "The Sims 3™ Registration," it will say the name of the pack you're installing, so you'll know which code to use.

If this isn't the part of the process that's asking you for a code, please tell me where it's happening, and take a screenshot of the message.  As I said, this might be a new error, although I've installed TS3 into Mojave several times without any issues.  My codes are also from Steam, by the way.

Putting the code into that format works I can try to get a screenshot to post when I get the MacBook back, it’s my girlfriends I got it for her for her bday and one of the main reasons she wanted it was for Sims 3 so it’s just annoying as all hell that I can’t get it to work lol

@r34rdon_821  Alright, let me know when you can grab some screenshots.  If this is in fact some new error, I can ask one of the EA community managers to look into it, but he'll want to see exactly where in the process the problem occurs, and what it looks like.