I brought a preowned Sims 4 in cash converters and I inserted disc 1 and followed the instructions so I had installed the first part of the game correctly but then when prompted I entered my serial code and it said it had been used.
I'm trying to register my game but it says the serial code is invalid/already used
Depending on the situation the solution to this may vary.
You bought the game on Origin
If you bought the game on Origin, it's not necessary to register the code anywhere. Download the Origin Client here: http://origin.com/download, login with the same email you bought the game with and find the game in the My Games tab within the Origin Client to download. You don't need the serial code.
You bought the game on DVD and the box was sealed
Make sure you typed the code right. The following letters look very similar and are easily mistaken for each other
If it still says it's invalid, try taking it back to the store you bought it from and exchange it. If they are not willing to do that, contact an EA Game Advisor with proof of purchase ready.
You bought the game on DVD and the box was not sealed/it's a used game
Used games cannot be re-registered. Take it back to where you bought it and get a refund.
You bought a key from a key seller
Contact the key seller for a replacement. If you bought the game from a unauthorized seller, it's possible that EA blocked the key if they were bought fraudulently by the seller. You're better off to only buy from authorized sellers.
You have already registered the game yourself and are trying to reinstall the game
The game does not need to be registered again. Login in the Origin Client with the Email/PW you first registered the game on and download and install the game from there. The game only needs to be registered once and you won't need the code again after your initial registration. This is true for both the DVD and the download version. You can skip the activation step on reinstalling.
Source: http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-4/FAQ-Serial-Codes-Game-Activation-and-Download-Issues/td-p/4228232
Most re sale stores have stopped taking games like TS4. Physical distribution of software is disappearing fast. Tombraider pc version was Steam only. First most people do NOT read the End User License Agreement. Second you are NOT buying the game. You are buying a license to use the software. What this license gives you the right to use the software in a way written in the User Agreement. When Valve first created Steam I though it wouldn't last 6 months but 12 years later Steam continues to grow. Today I would guess most EULAs prevent the transfer of the license. Like a pink slip for a car proves ownership. He who possesses the proof of code owns the license well not quite. The first to activate the code retains ownership. The code is a mechanism to simplify the means by which the licensee to redeem a license. I'm beginning to sound like a lawyer but is not that complicated. You pay for the code, you activate the code, and you are licensed to use the software. The license is valid as long as you conformed to the terms of the license. Should you violate the terms of the license the owner of the software can revoke the license and stop the use of that software.
Cash Converter sounds like a commercial business so I would try to return it for a refund explaining the product can not be used as a second hand product.
Good Luck
Community Manager
