Why have one account link/lifetime limit?

[to_colorful]

There's no shortage of people here discovering this issue trying to link our EA accounts that can be 10+ years old to our various accounts, especially with things like Xbox Gamepass.

The community manager here is unable to help us beyond pointing us to the apparently also unhelpful support chat.  I can understand it's a tough position for them, seeing these frustrated people and being unable to help. Can the message that this limit should be changed to something like 1 active account link or have a cooldown period between links get pushed up the corporate chain to someone that can help?

I'll be annoyed if I can use my xbox account and EA account with the same Email address, come BF2042 time.

[EA_Mako · Accepted solution]

Hey @ryandirocco,

Each account can have a single other platform of each type (PSN, Xbox, etc.) linked to it, and I'm afraid that isn't something that can currently be changed.

The one link per lifetime message would be how this works at the moment, though we can certainly pass along the feedback. Thanks! 

[EA_Mako]

Hey @to_colorful,

As you mentioned, each EA Account can currently only have a single other account from any particular platform linked to it. That limitation is not reset or removed when unlinking an account, but there are a few workarounds for certain situations such as if you've just lost access to the old email address. 

A few of those situations are outlined here: https://help.ea.com/en/help/account/link-your-console-accounts/#troubleshoot 

In many cases this comes down to being able to verify enough information about an older account for us to make changes. For situations like the one you've mentioned where an EA Account has already had the same type of account linked in the past and is now hitting that limitation, we can certainly pass along the feedback, thanks!

[ryandirocco]

I'm currently trying to change the Xbox account my EA is linked to, but it gives me a one link per lifetime error, but I don't use that account anymore and want it on my new one, is their any possibility I could do that?

[EA_Mako · Accepted solution]

Hey @ryandirocco,

Each account can have a single other platform of each type (PSN, Xbox, etc.) linked to it, and I'm afraid that isn't something that can currently be changed.

The one link per lifetime message would be how this works at the moment, though we can certainly pass along the feedback. Thanks! 

[SexyTRex]

@EA_Mako This issue has been around for years so...

[Wtfaatp]

Why limit it to one account for life? Why let us unlink? If I can ever link another account what is the point of unlinking? 

[nogenonoparty]

hello i got limit of 45 days i wait 45 day and after i join 1 account and still got limit why?? its bag or some? i delete every my account of my playstation plz help me to remove this bug plz ea respond me 

[DixonErHands]

Isn't it obvious? It's money. Make it as complicated and frustrating as possible so people give up and make another account and repay for older games. $5 over thousands of accounts is flat profit for them. I know for me personally I had to pay for EA play through steam to get access event though I already had GamePass. That's an extra $30 they made because of their garbage customer service. This is the same strategy as to why they don't have any information links to contact them on any page and we're forced to google it. All I know is there's becoming large swaths of people that are making crowdfunded games and that crowd is growing every day. I'm hoping folks put more money into those than these broken-upon-release games like BF2042 and Madden since like 2008. They do all sorts of things that aren't technically illegal to try and frustrate customers into giving up and just making another account. EA is trash and that sentiment keeps growing. They think they're too big to fail: They're not. 

[121c6569581080ae]

Hello,

It's Memorial Day 2023.  It's a great morning for me and my best bud Brad.  We're going to download this new co-op game called "A Way Out" and experience a thrilling Jailbreak narrative over a long 3-day weekend.

Oh what's this?  Did you want to play too?  Well I hope your still using the XBox 360 GamerTag you set up back in 2013.  Because that's the only way you're logging in to EA's broken service!

Don't bother using their internal tools to unlink the account.  It turns out that even if you attempt this pointless task, your account has been LIFETIME LINKED to your old email address.  A helpful EA customer service specialist will review your account details in an estimated never days. 

Thanks EA.  This Memorial Day, I'll be remembering more than just our fallen American soldiers, I'll be remembering this wasted morning and watered-down coffee, which still left a better taste in my mouth than this wasted 3 hour experience.

[StolenVelvet]

I'm seeing that this reply is from March of 2022. It's been over a ear and a half and the issue is still apparent. So not only was I allowed to unlink from an old account, but when I try to link a new one, I'm turned away entirely? Why let me unlink at all? This makes no sense.