EA Desktop asking to download already installed and played games

[jdp117]

Product: EA Desktop
Platform:PC
Error Report ID (learn how to create an Error Report ID in the sticky post)
Which client functionality are you experiencing this bug with? Launch Game
When did this happen? (dd.mm.yy hh:mm) 25.05.21
Summarize your bug EA Desktop not recognising previously installed / played games. Prompting me to download games.
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? Not sure
What happens when the bug occurs? Nothing. Being prompted to download games I have already played and installed.
What do you expect to see? I expect to be able to launch the games without issue.

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Hello,

Being an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, I thought I'd give EA Desktop a download and get the benefits of EA Play on my PC. Everything was fine, I've managed to download and play Titanfall 2, A Way Out and FIFA 21, without any issues at all. But for some reason, I logged into EA Desktop the other day and the client is now asking me to download these games I already have installed and have previously played for several hours. I have also had an issue where the play button is replaced with a greyed out "loading..." button, but nothing ever loads. I've noticed that these games have also gone missing from my list of installed games on the Xbox Game Pass for PC app. I've obviously checked and double checked the install folder and everything is where it should be, with every game in its right location. 

I also own outright Battlefield 4, which EA Desktop is also prompting me to download, so it doesn't seem like it is an XGP / EA Play account issue and more of an issue with the EA Desktop app not recognising my installed games even though I've played them through the app before. I am able to launch and play Battlefield 4 through Origin like normal. When I do happen to hit the download button, it doesn't actually start downloading anything and hangs on "calculating time" forever. 

I really like the EA Desktop app's design and usability, but it is such a buggy mess and it's a shame that Xbox Game Pass subscribers are forced to use it if they want to check out EA Play as Origin does not support EA Play through Game Pass. 

[EA_Jason · Accepted solution]

Hey @hektorgg,

It could be that the cache is the cause of this.

You can easily clear the cache of the EA app by clicking on the 3 lines in the top left, and then going to Help > App Recovery.

That should do the trick, please let me know if it doesn't.

[hektorgg]

For me the issue is similar. I started to download FIFA 22 with EA Desktop, then changed to Origin to continue the downloading. The download was finished with Origin and I'm able to play FIFA 22 with Origin, but in EA Desktop I can't play it, the game shows the Pause icon in the bottom right, but it is not listed in the Download manager. Please help I want to play FIFA 22 in EA Desktop. Thanks.

[EA_Jason · Accepted solution]

Hey @hektorgg,

It could be that the cache is the cause of this.

You can easily clear the cache of the EA app by clicking on the 3 lines in the top left, and then going to Help > App Recovery.

That should do the trick, please let me know if it doesn't.

[hektorgg]

Hey @EA_Jason  It worked!! thanks!

[EA_Jason]

@hektorgg That's great! Thank you for letting me know.

[pjay1980]

I recently had this problem and found that clearing the recommended files from the Programdata\origin directory and origin cache files from the guide below  worked.

I have no idea why the app stopped working but this has worked for me to play games already installed. I have not been able to play one game that is stuck with a downloading update loop but getting every other game to work is better than nothing.

https://help.ea.com/en/help/faq/clear-cache-to-fix-problems-with-your-games/

[FaygoDrank]

This does not work for me, please give another way to get the games to work on EA Play, I have Anthem and Need for Speed Heat downloaded and all of a sudden I don't have access and I have to re-download when its already downloaded.

[joecrane123]

hello

for some reason my EA app wont let me play the games in my collection what ive been playing for a while> when i go to play them it is telling me to download them again but i it wont let me download them becuase there already in my libary? if you could help me out id apprieciate it no end mate

[FaygoDrank]

I have the same issue and no one is helping me out either, only thing I know is that EA launcher does not have the right file pathing to where the game is but I don't know how to rewrite that so were on the waiting game for a admin here to help us out.

[lostsaga99]

I am having the same issue too with Madden NFL 22. Clearing the cache did not work for me.