Re: Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

by cvalentinec
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Original Post

Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

★★★ Newbie

Hi there,

 

I have misplaced my Sims 3 CD and am trying to locate my username or email address which I used to register this game.

I have contacted support via chat/phone and they were unable to help me as they were unable to authenticate me and asked for proof of purchase.

 

I provided them the CD key to 4 expansion packs which I also own, however this was not enough. This is quite distressful for me as I feel that now I have lost access to the Sims 3 game for good and all of the expansions which I also own, what a waste of money.

 

This game came out 8 years ago, whichever email address I have used to register is now long gone. 

 

Is there anyway to isolate the username/email based on the product key of the game? Or is that not an option as it seems to be the last hope register this game.

 

Hopefully somebody can help, or someone else has had a similar experience and can suggest an alternative?

 

Kind Regards,

Val

Message 1 of 7 (528 Views)

Re: Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

★★★ Newbie

I have the exact same problem, I have a new computer but has no CD player so I can only download it. I have the product key and the cd itself. Though I do not have a receipt anymore and have lost the email/username and password to the account the game is registered to. I have no idea. If anyone can solve this problem it would be a great help.

 

 

Message 2 of 7 (514 Views)

Re: Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

Hero (Retired)

@cvalentinec  The disc that came/comes with the game and packs are generic. Since the game was released the DRM has changed which makes the coding on the disc dated because of patches and updates. It is best to get the digital download from Origin. Origin wasn't developed until some time after the release of Sims 3 and didn't become the DRM until Windows 10 and El Capitan dropped support for SecuROM and SafeDisc. The code that comes with the purchase is an activation key and also proves ownership that gives you certain rights. For a long time when you buy software you don't own the software, what you pay for is a license to use the software under the terms of the EULA. Do you have the code for the base game? As far as I know your user name and email you used with EA are not saved on your computer. Did you purchase discs or digital downloads? Do you have the original papers with the codes? Altimately it is up to EA to decide how to resolve this issue. In the last few decades personal information protection has become foremost when when dealing with other people's information.  

Message 3 of 7 (509 Views)

Re: Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

★★★ Newbie

Hi there roberta591,

 

I do still have the activation key however it seems that this does not prove ownership, as none of the EA staff were able to assist me in retrieving my username/email address which I used to register this game. I also provided them with 4 other product keys of expansion packs which I have linked to this base game.

 

I purchased this game (disk/s) 8 years ago, so any memory of username / email address I used to create the first origin account is long forgotten. When I purchased the Sims 4 I created a new user account. I wish to link these Sims 3 games now to this account however I am finding this extremely difficult to do because I do not have my original username/email address. I just realized even if I had the CD I still wouldn't be able to register the game due to the fact I do not know these credentials.

 

And to be honest even if I did have the email address, I wouldn't be able to reset my password because that email address would be deleted by now for inactivity.

 

I understand how personal information is a high risk when dealing with consumers however I just think that prior to the Sims being linked to Origin I never would have had to worry about these types of issues as all I needed to play the game was the CDs that I purchased.

 

I am someone who has played the Sims since the Sims 1 was first released in the early 2000's, and just find it pretty poor that I can't get any help, and that the Customer service team has ONLY 2 ways to authenticate somebodies account ;

1 - Their email address

2 - A proof of purchase (if anybody keeps receipts from 8 years ago you might as well be an accountant.)

 

Mistake me if I'm wrong but this is what was stated to me last night on the phone by the customer service team & the chat service team line.

 

However, thanks again roberta591, I do appreciate your input.

 

Kind Regards,

Val

 

 

 

Message 4 of 7 (497 Views)

Re: Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

★★★ Newbie

Hi alwatzee,

 

It seems that the only information Origin can use to authenticate our accounts is our email address / Proof of purchase.

 

Unfortunately it looks like our luck is up on this one. I'm assuming we have to buy the games again.

 

Regards,

Val

Message 5 of 7 (494 Views)

Re: Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

Hero (Retired)

@cvalentinec I've been playing these games since Sim City and I still have the physical DRM (sheet of red paper) that came in the box with the 5 1/4 diskettes. Most of my Sims 3 games are dvd disc and the paper with the codes is in the jewel case that they came in. I don't know what the issue is but if you have the paper with the codes you should be able to fax those to EA to prove ownership. I don't know why people change their email address as I still use the same one I created when AOL was dial up. I now have several email accounts that I use frequently for different reasons. As we continue into the age of internet for everyone and physical media disappearing, DRM has to evolve for todays distribution. For a long time you don't own the game you purchase, you pay for the license to use the software under the terms of the EULA. Nobody read the EULA before and users don't read it now. With the state of personal information these agreements are being enforced more then ever. I've been an software author and I'm a gamer so I've seen both sides of the fence.

Message 6 of 7 (485 Views)

Re: Unable to locate username/email address for Sims 3 account

★★★ Newbie

Thanks for replying CVALENTINEC, 

 

I agree with you, just have to buy the games again. It bums me out that I have to but I still enjoy playing the sims. Hopefully in the future it won't happen again. 

Message 7 of 7 (471 Views)