MysterD: EA still was not allowing Steam-activation on their titles (from retail, Non-Steam versions on digital stores, etc)...even way back in the EADM era. They were pushing that service big time, even back then - before it became EA Origin.
You could literally, back in the day - buy a EA game from Direct2Drive, Gamersgate, retail, anywhere...and then just go activate it on EADM/EA Origin.
Here's a post on EA games putting them on Steam (i.e. you basically need to buy them on Steam directly) -
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Origin-Client-Web-Technical/Origin-games-onto-steam/td-p/9181643 This is even a post from EA themselves on this stuff on that matter -
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Origin-Client-Web-Technical/Activate-a-Product-on-Steam/td-p/9210050 There other way around did exist - i.e. buy a EA title on Steam, take CD Key to activate it up on Origin - if you bought a game on Steam directly that was an EA title and it had a CD Key, you could activate that key on Origin. EA did this to try to pull gamers away from Steam, if they could.
Well I have Origin already installed but I haven't used it an awhile.
Can that CD Key method I did with Prey work with Battlefield 2 but on Origin?
Because remember BF 2 is not even sold on Origin either.
Wow, BF2 is probably old by now; probably why it's no longer sold.
Anyways, I'd say give it a shot anyways on activating onto Origin - but chances look slim here, from what I'm reading.
Probably won't work, as it sounds like they probably never added BF2 Complete keys to Origin's database; and since they didn't always add older games onto Origin.
See here, on people having issues activating BF2 retail keys onto Origin -
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Other-Battlefield-Games/Can-t-add-Battlefield-2-to-Origin/td-p/5731723 I'd say if you get a BF2 Complete retail key: go contact EA Origin Support; tell them your retail key for BF2 Complete won't work and that you want it to activated on Origin; and then let them check the database for whatever BF2 Complete key you have - then they should issue you a new one, as they should notice you have a legit key.
EDIT:
Here's the PC Gaming Wiki on BF2:
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Battlefield_2 If for some reason you can't activate on Origin or EA Official Support won't give you a new key:
- Good news is if you have to patch it up manually, you need to install first Patch 1.41.
- And then install Patch 1.50.
- Then, unless you need/want to mod it up, you're set.
- It looks like Patch 1.41 removes the disc's DRM Check and also contains all DLC's in that patch.
