Here's what happened: It worked completely fine when I first got it on Steam, then I seen my Steam account was linked to my old EA account. I called customer service, they helped me link my Steam account to my new EA account. After this happened, the game no longer launches at all.I've tried just about everything and called EA customer service three times today.Reinstalling The Sims 4 (Steam) and EA appRepairing The Sims 4 game & verifying game cache files (in Steam)Signing in and out of new accountTrying to open it through Origin instead of EA app (still does not launch)Game is NOT stuck in background, it refuses to launch: only opens EA app then nothing happensA customer service representative even suggested I link my Steam back to my old EA account (the one it initially worked on). We did. It still does not work.How can I fix this? I really want to play The Sims 4 through Steam, and I cannot download it using EA/Origin since it's "linked through Steam".I feel like Link2EA is where the problem is happening. I also suspect the game key may be broken and that's why it refuses to connect, but I got it for free on Steam.Can anyone help with this? It's driving me insane.SOLVED: Fixed by logging into another Windows user. It runs fine over there. Same Steam & EA account.

Whenever I try to launch the sims steam will open then ea will start to then a pop up comes up and it reads that the link i was trying to open has no assiciation to open it with when i have had steam and ea for close to a year now?

I have a similar problem, except, my game will launch about 50% of the time.If it fails to launch, it won't launch at all, no matter how many times I press play in Steam.I have to restart my computer to try again.The EA window opens but then closes again without launching the game.Restart the computer, try again, this time the game starts normally.

@stephenlewis2012 What antivirus do you use? Did you try the suggestion in the original post?

I just restart my computer. Eventually the game loads after restarting. I have had to restart once or twice to get it to work.I noticed a few days ago that Windows 10 was doing an update, which could explain this occurrence at that time, but it happened today as well with no updates happening. I have automatic Windows updates paused for 7 days at the moment.I use Express VPN, so that could be the cause. Or some other app on my computer checking for updates or logging in. However, when I ctrl+alt+del and check in Task Manager, there does not seem to be any obvious cause. I do not use a virus protection except for the standard Windows firewalls and protections. I find a virus scan protection slows down my potato too much.My best guess is that the problem is at the EA end of things, on their server. The reason I think this is that sometimes I get a message saying that "things are taking a little bit longer", and this happens when I first open the EA app.Lately EA has released their newest expansion, Growing Together, with game updates as well, and Steam has recently had a Spring Sale, where many packs were on sale at 50% off. I think this may have caused a greater than usual surge of gamers accessing the EA servers, and things may settle down a little after the initial excitement wears off.

@stephenlewis2012 If things don't settle down, I'd test without your VPN. The EA App doesn't always get along with VPNs, and neither did Origin. Why that is, I don't know, but I've read enough reports.

Forum Discussion

coldoska

3 years ago

The Sims 4 (Steam) will not launch, only opens EA app (SOLVED)

Here's what happened: It worked completely fine when I first got it on Steam, then I seen my Steam account was linked to my old EA account. I called customer service, they helped me link my Steam account to my new EA account. After this happened, the game no longer launches at all.

I've tried just about everything and called EA customer service three times today.

Reinstalling The Sims 4 (Steam) and EA app
Repairing The Sims 4 game & verifying game cache files (in Steam)
Signing in and out of new account
Trying to open it through Origin instead of EA app (still does not launch)
Game is NOT stuck in background, it refuses to launch: only opens EA app then nothing happens
A customer service representative even suggested I link my Steam back to my old EA account (the one it initially worked on). We did. It still does not work.

How can I fix this? I really want to play The Sims 4 through Steam, and I cannot download it using EA/Origin since it's "linked through Steam".

I feel like Link2EA is where the problem is happening. I also suspect the game key may be broken and that's why it refuses to connect, but I got it for free on Steam.

Can anyone help with this? It's driving me insane.

SOLVED: Fixed by logging into another Windows user. It runs fine over there. Same Steam & EA account.

16 Replies

erincaroline825
3 years ago
Whenever I try to launch the sims steam will open then ea will start to then a pop up comes up and it reads that the link i was trying to open has no assiciation to open it with when i have had steam and ea for close to a year now?
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
3 years ago
@erincaroline825 Please post a screenshot of the error. Please also let me know what antivirus you use.
milkypopp
11 months ago
Mine also does this issue, with game purchased through steam and running through EA.
I've noticed i have to "Verify integrity of the game files", through steam on Sims 4 - THEN go to the EA app and clear the cache there.
Sometimes the game will open doing this, but i've run into a new error of the game saying it's already running..
I do not use a VPN and this issue just happened recently as I never had issues before. Only other thing to fix this issue is to completely RESTART the computer each time..
I've run into multiple people now who have had this issue and i'm convinced this is some Steam / EA compatibility issue, as people who just run the game through EA do not encounter this issue.
People who have contacted EA about this issue are told to get a new PC, but that is clearly not the issue.
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
11 months ago
@milkypopp Rather than restarting your computer, try force-closing the EA App and the EABackgroundService in the Task Manager. The latter is under background processes.

If that doesn't help, there's a suggestion here that might be relevant:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/PC/CURRENT-ISSUE-Sims-4-already-running/m-p/13785451#M277450
Echoshib
7 months ago
This is not a solution.
EA_Cath
Community Manager
7 months ago
This thread has been open for a little while, locking it to prevent further necroposting.

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