Make Sims 3 Retail Keys Activate-able on Steam

[Fang Knight]

Steam already accepts a variety of retail keys for the games on its stores, but what surprises me is that it doesn't accept the Sims 3 retail keys. The Sims 3 is a very popular game and most of the loved expansions are available in stores. But for those whose discs get outdated very quickly and who dont want to use EA's origin Service, Steam seems like a viable option. I've already spent £80 on retail editions, and I want to use them through steam, but in order to use Steam, I'd have to rebuy everything, worth £120, making an overall cost to me of £200. Steam support have told me EA is to blame. So lets see if we can change that as a community.

[Spawn of Totoro]

That is up to EA, not Steam. Contact EA and ask them to.

[Fang Knight]

Originally posted by Spawn of Totoro:

That is up to EA, not Steam. Contact EA and ask them to.

Steam is better equipped to talk to EA as they have their product on their store and likely has direct access to the peopl who would need to be spoken to, also, I was told by Tech Raymond, an admin on Steam, to post my 'Suggestion/Idea' here because it would be noticed, if enough users complain, it'll catch EA's attention more than just one, and I'm sure I'm not the only one annoyed by Steams inability to activate the retail keys.

[Spawn of Totoro]

EA doesn't check these forums so it won't catch anything from them. Techs always suggest posting here when it is not something they can take care of.

EA will listen to complaints on their own forums though.

[ChrisW]

If it does get their attention, EA will simply tell you to activate the game on Origin. While it would be nice if we could activate our old games on Steam, it will never happen without some sort of contract signed between Valve and the game publisher. Those games were sold under a different license, so Valve can't just start distributing those games without a contract.

[Fang Knight]

Well I just talked to one of the EA Support staff and he seemed shocked that you couldn't activate the keys on steam after you've activated them on Origin, because if you wanted to resell in future, you couldn't because the keys are wirthless, also, if you wiped your system reinstalls wouldn't be easy. He said thanks for informing them and he'd refer it to the higher-ups.

[Spawn of Totoro]

You can't activate the key on Steam reguardless. Only Origin. Otherwise you would be getting two copies for the price of one.

Re-installs are easy with Origin and Steam. Just log in and click download. I've done it many time with both systems. The key is tied into your account and never has to be entered again.

I'm sure his higher up already know since they set the policy.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7480-wusf-3601

Sims isn't even listed there for the retail games that Steam accepts the keys for.

[ManiacMal]

I contacted EA and they were shocked their whole library wasn't on Steam already. He said he would contact the higher-ups to get all the games on Steam.

[ChrisW]

Originally posted by Hashbrick:

I contacted EA and they were shocked their whole library wasn't on Steam already. He said he would contact the higher-ups to get all the games on Steam.

I think he was pulling your leg.

[tmwfte]

I contacted Ubisoft's VP Public Relations and she was steamed that Electronic Arts' games couldn't be activated on my ColecoVision. She said she would contact the Dark Lords of the Universe to catch that pesky duck, Howard.

[ManiacMal]

Originally posted by tmwfte:

I contacted Ubisoft's VP Public Relations and she was steamed that Electronic Arts' games couldn't be activated on my ColecoVision. She said she would contact the Dark Lords of the Universe to catch that pesky duck, Howard.

That was pure class, gold star!

[Fang Knight]

Thanks for trolling a perfectly good suggesstio/idea, all I'm trying to do is get a problem noticed and resolved and you do this, how very kind of you...

[ONe_mOMENT]

Originally posted by MoneyWonderUK:

,all I'm trying to do is get a problem noticed and resolved

Thats just it, its not a problem to be resolved.

You bought the Physical version of Sim's 3, now you want a free downloadable version from Steam. Normaly if you buy a physical copy and the discs get wrecked your stuffed, and normaly Dev's / Pubs don't give you a free back up of the disc if you ask, but EA have given you the opportunity to download it through their system at no extra cost, and your turning that down and complaining?

You may as well ask Valve to give you a free copy of every Retail game you have ever bought.

[tmwfte]

Originally posted by MoneyWonderUK:

Thanks for trolling a perfectly good suggesstio/idea, all I'm trying to do is get a problem noticed and resolved and you do this, how very kind of you...

But it's not a problem, you just want something for free on the platform that you want instead of the platform that the publisher offers, and posted some ridiculous hearsay from "EA support" that makes no sense whatsoever.

Look up reductio ad absurdum.