I refuse to buy anything EA/Origin related. I banned them when I bought Mass Effect 2 and it wouldnt work on my computer. It's not that my computer wasn't good enough, it's that I would have had to downgrade it in order to make the game work. If it had been on Steam they would have had a patch for someting like that before selling the game. So basically the way I look at it, they stole money from me since I now have a game installed that I cant (and wont downgrade my computer everytime I want to play)play.

The problem is that Windows is not recognizing that you have an internet connection. Origin (for whatever reason) looks to Windows for acknowledgement that an internet connection is present instead of attempting to query a server. So when Windows tells it that a connection is not present it takes this at face value and thus you cannot download or activate the game, regardless of other programs not complaining. So while Origin is the symptom of the problem it is not technically responsible (aside from its stupid connectivity scheme), but it is instead Window's fault. At least this is what I gathered when it happened to me, does an exclamation point happen in the systems tray over the network icon? If so then this is the problem. So you need to go about resolving this from a Windows stand point, and not from Origin's point of view. Unfortunately I don't know of a fix since my issue resolves itself after a restart. I'm not 100% sure that this is actually the problem, but this is what I believe is the cause of the error.

Defron,
I've followed both of those documents to no avail. I also don't get an exclamation point in the system tray. I seriously feel that Origin is causing the problem and not Windows. It downloads the game I am able to talk to customer support online but it hangs on validation? It doesn't make sense. Unless as was said earlier its using ports reserved for ISPs. I don't even know how to force those ports open.

It doesn't really do that, does it...? If true, that's one of the most [censored] things I've ever heard of: listening on ports that are reserved for major applications and which are frequently blocked is just asking for trouble and is wilfully stupid. In my case, port 80 isn't blocked by my ISP but it's blocked by me because it'll be absolutely hammered by all manner of miscreants otherwise. Wow. The fail is immense.

Edit: that's censored too? Bethesda, your autocensor list is getting out of hand.

Your Games from 2001, no wonder the product key was invalid

Take the game back to the shop with a receipt and get your money back, or do an exchange/trade

Papafern, that's what I plan on doing. I'll be deleting Origin too.

Happy Gaming :thumbsup:
Never encountered Origin before, I'm glad I haven't with all that I hear

It's listed as a necessary port to forward. Why I don't know, but it's on there. Even double-checked with a couple of other sites and sure enough it was on those too. Couldn't find the reason that origin needed those ports forwarded to your computer, but I can't think of any legitimate reason for the need.

Blimey. The suspicious old cynic in me suggests it looks a bit like a back door, but even if conspiracy-type theories aren't entirely off the mark, choosing port 80 isn't exactly subtle and either way, it's guaranteed to cause problems with such a huge percentage of the user base. The mind boggles.

Regardless of said conspiracy theories and Origin's apparent brokenness, having taken the time to look at it, it's crap. It's basically no better than GFWL was at the time of Fallout 3's launch, and possibly even worse.

Oh no, Origin is worse. Yeah, I had some minor issues with GfWL but there was easy work arounds for that. But Origin is so convoluted on any of its fixes. You spend hours upon hours scouring EA's site for any troubleshooting tips or fixes and you find nothing. Same thing when Origin was called The EA Downloader. I had issues with that too. Best one with that was I bought both DLCs for BF2 and only one showed up. I contacted EA and they reissued my missing DLC. I look on my list of games now under Origin and I'm missing one of my BF2 DLC's, AGAIN, on top of having a broken BF3.

I'm done with EA and Origin. I'm going to attempt to return BF3 to Gamestop on Wednesday and trade it in for something else. If that doesn't work I've already informed my wife that we may have to eat it and then if that's the case I'll possibly do something interesting with the game DVDs and post a vid on YouTube.

Just found this little gem over on EA's website: http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/7670743.page

I have to install IE9 to even get Battlelog to DL? Then Origin opens IE9 to launch the game through a website? Are they f'n serious? Is this why Origin tells me when I click on BF3, "You are now playing Battlefield 3" and yet it does nothing? What the hell is this Mickey Mouse horse [censored]?

Who designs this crap?

Seriously, everyone complains about Bethesda's games being buggy or that Steam is invasive. But at least Beth's games work and they support their fans and Steam work. EA has made it so difficult for a PC player to enjoy a game. Holy hell this is just mind blowing.

what is BF3 ... ?

Battlefield 3.

Well, I tried the whole IE9 thing and downloaded Battlelog and I can't even get Battlelog to install. Origin has forgotten my password. It's the same password I use to log in to the EA forum, Battlelog and Origin; the password is linked to all three accounts. But it won't let me log in to the Origin client anymore. I had to change the password which then changes the password on all of my other EA accounts. At this point, I've done everything EA's support site has suggested, I've done what EA's support techs have suggested and I've done what EA forum members have suggested. The game won't work. So, I'm done with it. I'm uninstalling Origin, Punkbuster, Battlelog (not that it even installed in the first place) and uninstalling BF3. I'd like to write a letter or something to someone about the poor treatment and broken game but feel it won't do anything. I already know I threw $60 out the window.

At least I know that the money I spend on Bethesda's games work and I get my monies worth out of them. EA on the other hand, left me with a very bad taste in my mouth; which is a shame really, they used to make awesome games and care. Its unfortunate that they've taken the stance of, "You play on PC therefore you are a criminal and must be punished. Here is your disk. Good luck getting it to run. Oh, and if you need help with it...feel free to not bother us. We have your money. Now, go pound sand."

Some people here have had very simular steam issues with bethesda games. You understand Beth using steam makes them the same as EA using origin right. You may have not have had problems with beth & steam but others have I guess is the point im making. This thread sounds like dozens I read back when half-life 2 first came out on steam many years ago.

You're argument would be valid if Origin was new. Origin is not new, it was released around 2006 under the name EA Download Manager. When Steam came out yes, there were problems and Valve worked diligently to fix them. The EADM has never worked properly and now that it's been renamed Origin it still doesn't work. So, you think I should just be OK with the fact that my $60 game doesn't work? I've been patient with it, been patient with EA and they've been of absolutely no help. Even the members of the EA forums have offered no help. At least with a Beth game if there is an issue one can get on here and someone will be able to help out and get it fixed. The same can't be said for EA and it's forums.

I installed BF3 last night and it works fine aside from me having to get used to launching the game from a browser.

Have you had any luck yet with this? It's a very good game so far. Don't give up on it. Try to get this resolved.

Store policies can be pretty flexible, depending on the person you end up dealing with and how you approach them (if you're frothing at the mouth and making threats you probably won't get very far, while if you're polite and coming at it with the attitude that you regard the person as being on your side and are trying to find a resolution that works for everyone then you'll have much better luck). Dealing with people face to face also makes them much more likely to want to be helpful as opposed to dealing with them through e-mail or phone (it's much easier to de-personalize people over these mediums as opposed to dealing with someone in person). There's always the possibility that you'll end up dealing with some inflexible [censored], but you won't know until you try. On top of that, if you don't get a refund from the store and end up disputing the charge, then the CC company has their own policies and they really couldn't give a toss about Gamestop's policies. Basically pursuing a refund through these routes doesn't take much effort and there's nothing to lose, so there's really no reason not to give it a try. After all, if you don't try then you definitely won't be getting a refund.


What matters is who you have a business relationship with. In short, if you want your money back then you need to take it up with the company you handed your money to.

UPDATE
I reluctantly took the game back to Gamestop. I told my wife to stay in the car because I expected to flip out. Surprisingly the kid I dealt with was very sympathetic. At first he had said that I could trade the game in for another copy of the same game but when I told him of all the issues he eventually caved in and refunded my $65. The kid said they don't usually take PC games back at all. I just explained the lack of support from EA/DICE and he said that hes heard of a lot of complaints. But he said the only way he could do it was as a gift card. Which was fine by me, my kid wanted MW3 so I bought that.

That was a pleasantly surprising outcome! After both my own experiences and hearing of so many others' I didn't have high hopes, so it's nice to hear it actually ended well.

Me too, I really had no hope of returning it either. In a way I'm sad that I got rid of it. I really did have high hopes for it but after it wouldn't run I was just fed up. Who knows, maybe I'll rebuy it a few months down the road when it hits bargain bin status. By then maybe Origin will be fixed and it'll be patched up and I'll be able to play it. Though, with EA's track record I doubt it.

That is surprising. Good on you for trying though.

Such a good game your missing out on. It was my first FPS that I’ve played. Unfortunately I'm having the same problem with another game. I will watch this thread.

The fact that it may be a good game is marred by the fact that it is completely unplayable. I tried for about a week to get it to work properly. It just got to the point where I didn't want it anymore because I was so frustrated.

I agree though. If you somehow find a way to make the game work on your system, go for it. I am not a fan of many competitive online shooters, and I am having a blast with the game. I am playing the inferior console port, however. :shrug: