There is already something like a Steam redeemable list, so I thought, why no Origin redeemable list? Yes I know this is Steamgifts, not Origin. But I like to think we have a nice community here. ^^

If you happen to god awfully hate Origin, there are plenty of Origin thread already on Steamgifts and I'd prefer if you would vent your emotions there. :)

I have already found a list of games that do not activate on Origin (directly, see third bullet below). List may seem outdated, but I have this feeling there has not changed much about it.

As Origin/EA puts it themselves, there are 3 ways to redeem a key for Origin:

  • Activate a key through the client or at https://www.origin.com/us/account for games from 2008 and onwards.

  • Activate a key through https://activate.ea.com/activategame.do for games released prior to 2008.

  • Activate a key through support for certain exceptions (they list Crysis + Crysis Warhead, Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, Spore, The Sims 2 and Command and Conquer for example).

I am gonna try and list also what ways where used to redeem a key in Origin and also if the key came from Steam or not.

Additions to this list are more then welcome!

If you have any additions, pleasy mention the origin (hehe) of the key and what way you activated it.


List of keys that are confirmed redeemable for Origin:

  • Alice Maddnes Return (key from Steam) option 1.

  • Battlefield 2 (retail key, possibly also Steam) mixed reports, some works with option 2, others through support.

  • Batllefield: Bad Company 2 (key from Steam) in my case redeemed through support, but other options probably work as well.

  • Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box (key from retail copy) activated through the client.

  • Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (key from Steam) option 2.

  • Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath (key from Steam) option 2, most likely also gets activated by activating just the C&C 3 key, at least from Steam.

  • Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight (key from Steam) option 1/through the client.

  • Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (key from Steam) option 1/through the client.

  • Crysis (key from Steam & retail) mixed reports, some works with option 2, others support.

  • Crysis Warhead (key from Steam & probably retail) mixed reports, some works with option 2, others probably through support.

  • Crysis 2 Maximum Edition (key from Steam) activated through option 1/the client.

  • Darkspore (key from Steam) option 1.

  • Dead Space (key from Steam, you have to look it up in the registry though) activated through the client.

  • Dead Space 2 (key from steam) activated through the client.

  • Dragon Age Origins (key from Steam) method unknown.

  • Gatling Gears (origin unknown) option 1.

  • Mass Effect (key from Steam & probably retail) mixed reports, some works with option 2, others probably through support.

  • Mass Effect 2 (key from Steam) option 1.

  • Medal of Honor: Airborne (retail key) activated through support.

  • Mercenaries 2: World in Flames (key from retail copy) option 2.

  • Need For Speed Hot Pursuit (key from Steam) option 1.

  • Need for Speed: Undercover (key from Steam, you have to look it up in the registry though) option 1.

  • Shift 2 Unleashed (key from Steam) option 1.

  • SimCity 4 (key from Steam, look it up in registry) added through support.

  • The Sims 2 + Expansions (origin unknown) one report of mixed succes through support.

  • The Sims 3 + Expansions (key(s) from Steam) method unknown.


List of keys that are confirmed to not give a key in Steam:

  • Mirror's Edge (no Steam key) the one big exception to EA games giving keys in Steam, Necroblight and also myself can confirm that support can help you with this by providing a screenshot (next to the Origin account in my case).

  • Shank (no Steam key) because it is not published by EA on Steam.

  • Shank 2 (no Steam key) because it is not published by EA on Steam.


I have some more keys (not much) that I have that I am gonna try through support, so off course I will also update the result of that here.
In case there are a lot of keys mentioned that do not work (or maybe just through support from the list mentioned earlier) I might also create a list for that. Most likely actually about keys from Steam (like Mirror's Edge, which does not give a key).
As you can see, it is a rather short list now, but I hope to expand it with your help. Especially the EA games keys that are also available on Steam. I will probably try some Command & Conquer games shortly.

Update:

As Necroblight pointed out, all games from EA can in some way be activated through Origin.

If the key is not provided by Steam directly, it will be in the registry. Only exception to that would be Mirror's Edge.

Complete list of EA games on Steam (except Darkspore) is here.

And as much as I might like to shout to following back at him at this very moment (which might in part be through the fact that I lost the text of this topic first just before I wanted to create it), I trust everyone can read it without using headers or caps.

Does it not work for any reason? Ask Necroblight why (not seriously). :P

11 years ago*

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As Necroblight pointed out, all games from EA can in some way be activated through Origin. If the key is not provided by Steam directly, it will be in the registry. Only exception to that would be Mirror's Edge.

How would I find Bulletstorm's key then? The one Steam gives isn't valid on EA's end, last I checked.

11 years ago
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It is, talk to support.

11 years ago
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Red alert 3 uprising works?

11 years ago
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Should be, as all keys should work in some way, and it is recent enough for it.

Don't know what option though.

11 years ago
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How do I find my Shank 2 key in the registry?

11 years ago
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By reading the OP. :P

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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It seems some of those games give mixed reports (the ones that are mentioned with option 3). Like some newer keys atiavte through option 2, while some older only activate through support. At lesat, that is what I am thinking of it.

In your case, if you would like it on Origin as well, I would definitely contact support about it.

Also, right now, I also have some C&C games myself in inventory, but might be used for trading at first. But I will update my findings on how they activated.

Edit to edit: Yes, I have had that as well numerous times. But when using an already used key (by myself) it does say, key already used. So seems to be more of a generic error notification to me.

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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Got to try that one myself. :D

Tried, kinda worked, but didn't show in Origin account. Chat support fixed it for me though. But yes, it does seem you get Kane's Wrath along with just the C&C 3, at least my confirmation mail also mentioned it.

11 years ago
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If you redeem EA games on origin that you have previously purchased on steam, will you get ban or something??

11 years ago
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Why would they do that? Makes no sense at all. Also I never heard of such an occasion. It is not like you are abusing a system or anything.

11 years ago
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I've already tried once long ago but saw this and that activation link so I thought I'd give it a go. Tried C&C3 & Kane's Wrath, Need for Speed Most Wanted, Carbon and ProStreet, Mass Effect and even BF2 to no avail. All of them are retail. I know for a FACT though that Kane's Wrath was in Origin at one point, but for some reason it disappeared. Guess I'd have to try support for most of them.

EDIT: Support was able to add everything but Most Wanted and ProStreet (didn't ask about BF2). Kinda odd seeing as how ProStreet came after Carbon... The person I talked to claims that support for the 2 NFS games (and maybe others) would be coming later.

11 years ago
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Thanks for the insight. So it actually is possible they are actively working on improving what can be redeemed on Origin (although probably with a low priority).

11 years ago
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I can confirm, that my retail version of Mass Effect couldn't be activated on Origin. I had to contact support and they gave me a key, which was redeemable in Origin, for a digital Mass Effect version. (It was a pain, because they can only give you a key for a game with release date prior to 2008, if you have an account on the old EA site, which is now not accessible; so you have to make an account on the only site, which uses the old EA system, which is pogo.com. :D THEN they will be able to associate the game with your old EA account, and they merge it with your Origin account, and THEN you will have an account with the digital copy of Mass Effect.) But at least I got a 15% discount which I used to buy Pinnacle Station. :)

11 years ago
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That sounds awfull. Hope I am lucky enough by having created a BF2 account a long time ago (which is probably my current Origin account), to avoid having that problem.

11 years ago
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If you can login with the same account on pogo.com, then you're alright. :)

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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At least Necroblight has. Seems you have to be a bit pursuasive though.

Edit: They also did so for me. I did it through chat support, didn't even really have to demand it or anything. Showed them a screenshot of Steam account with Mirror's Edge next to my Origin account (both the same username), after which the support guy simply asked me moments later to refresh the 'My games' in Origin, which now included Mirror's Edge.

11 years ago
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I managed to activate Sleeping Dogs both on Steam and in Origin when I bought it from a third party retailer.

11 years ago
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Interesting. Think mine came from Square Enix website, gonna give that a try.

Edit: nope, didn't work for me.

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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Can EA deactivate their games from my Steam account?

11 years ago
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Why would they do that? Also I have never heard of any such occasion.

11 years ago
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I could not locate a simcity 4 key in my registry. I had no problem finding deep space 1 in my registry though. Any tips?

11 years ago
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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Electronic Arts/maxis/simcity 4 deluxe/ergc
For WinXP, Vista/7 have a different structure though. Someone in this very topic mentioned it, so at least you should know the very general direction to search in.

Edit: I will give you my Dead Space directory as well, so you can compare those and search for the right place:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Electronic Arts/EA Games/Dead Space/ergc

11 years ago
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Windows 7: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Electronic Arts\EA Games\Dead Space\ergc

11 years ago
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Thanks for this, but https://activate.ea.com/activategame.do doesn't want to work for me at all. Guess I'll bug their support soon for seven games. :D

11 years ago
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Which games? Did you already try the other options? As that link should be mostly for games that don't work through https://www.origin.com/us/account or the Origin client. :)

11 years ago
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Tried it with Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. Wouldn't let me make an account at all, so... shrugs And yeah, I tried all the ones that would have gone through option two with the client and that link. I'm about to talk to Support, just waiting in the queue.

Edit: In case you didn't see, worked

11 years ago
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The retail keys for The Godfather and The Godfather 2 redeems on Origin. The Godfather 2 should redeem right away while the one for The Godfather will require that you contact support.

here is the proof: clicky

11 years ago
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I can confirm Dragon Age Origins (Ultimate) activates through method one.

11 years ago
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Bulletstorm activates as option 1. It used to not work but it should work now (even though its a GFWL key).

11 years ago
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Game update: Command & Conquer: Generals and Zero Hour retail keys cannot be activated, even through Support. However, the live chat guy instead removed all my C&C games (Tiberium Wars/Kane's Wrath, RA3/Uprising and C&C4) and gave me the Ultimate Collection instead. Just be polite, have the box and manual on hand for a picture with reference numbers and all that, and you're set!

11 years ago
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11 years ago
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I'd like to add my experience with key activation.

I've activated Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2, without any problems.

However Mass Effect 1 required a chat with support.
It took about 1 hour, I had to create a new sub account called "classic persona", more than 1 agent had to be involved, there were some problems in their system, game was activated but wasn't showing in the account
In the end they fixed it and now I have ME1 activated and available on Origin.

11 years ago
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I can confirm that Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Uprising on Steam does not provide a key at all.

11 years ago
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Did anyone have problems with Sim City 4 ? The key I got from the registry was already taken. I'm thinking the steam distribution of the game all got the same keys.

11 years ago
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hi,same problem here with NFS Undercover..key from registry is already taken...

10 years ago
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another question,i have a retail copy of "The Sabouter" and i tried to activate it on Origin(you can buy this game on Origin) but whit no luck..is there anyone who was able to activate this game on origin??how??

Tnx

10 years ago
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Did you tried both options? If both did not work, try their support. :)

10 years ago
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you can add to the list
Battlefield 1942 (the expansions don't tho)
Battlefield 2142

10 years ago
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Closed 10 years ago by Crizyz.