Troubleshooting the Game Loop: A Frustrating Experience with Steam and Origin

Hello, fellow gamers!

Today, I want to share a frustrating issue I’ve encountered while trying to enjoy some recent game purchases through Steam and Origin. Before diving in, I want to clarify that this post is not intended to criticize any specific brand or company. I genuinely appreciate the friendly assistance I received from customer service representatives, despite their inability to resolve my issue.

The Setup

Here’s the situation: I recently purchased and installed three games via Steam, all of which my system can run without any issues. However, EA’s games are uniquely tied to Origin, which complicates the launch process. Instead of starting up directly through Steam, these games require the Origin client to launch, making the experience a bit cumbersome.

The Core Problem

Herein lies the main issue: when I attempt to launch the game through Steam, it redirects me to Origin, which does not recognize that the games are already installed on my hard drive. This perplexing situation leads to one of two scenarios if I attempt to install the game through Origin:

1. If the game isn’t installed yet, it initiates a download via Steam.
2. If the game is already installed, I receive an error message saying that the download could not be completed.

This cycle has created a significant barrier to enjoying the games I bought.

Attempted Solutions

I reached out to EA support to get some guidance on resolving this issue. While the representatives were well-meaning, the standard uninstall and reinstall procedures they advised ultimately wasted more of my time. After waiting three days for a fresh installation due to my slow internet, I found that the problem persisted.

In a later conversation, another EA rep provided additional insights, suggesting I address potential issues on Steam. I cleared the download cache and repaired the library folders as per their advice. With renewed hope, I launched the game, and it seemed like progress was made! Now, Origin recognized the game as installed—but wouldn’t let me play it.

Clicking the play button results in an unresponsive situation where the game attempts a first-time setup via Steam before returning me to the Origin homepage. Quite the disappointment.

Seeking Help from Steam

In an effort to find a solution, I contacted Steam support as well. Unfortunately, they reiterated that I needed to speak with EA or seek a refund—which is a whole other issue, given my experience with internet speed delays during downloads.

Final