Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Best gaming gadgets
  • New Games 2026
  • Arc Raiders
  • Summer Game Fest 2026 schedule
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Don't miss these
Gabe Newell
Games Valve's Gabe Newell always understood what Steam does better than every other PC and console store
Monopoly Go dice links
Mobile Gaming All free Monopoly Go dice links (May 2026) for free dice and more
Old School RuneScape carrying treasure
MMO Games Old School RuneScape players riot as YouTuber's account is reset hours after finishing 3-month grind
Escape from Tarkov Steam screenshots
FPS Games Escape from Tarkov promo codes (May 2026) and how to redeem them
Schedule 1 character in cowboy hat
Games PC gamers buy way more games that cost less than $30 at launch compared to console, analysts say
Gamble With Your Friends character with both hands out
Co-op Games Another friendslop hit prints money on Steam as Gamble With Your Friends sells 500k copies
Offroad vehicles race through a shallow stream in The Crew
Games Industry lobbyists ridicule "false premise" that "consumers 'own' digital games"
Forza Horizon 6 gameplay shows cars racing down the tight city streets of Tokyo in Japan at night
Forza Horizon Forza Horizon 6 leaks early in accidental Steam update, prompting requests for the full release
A shootout in Warframe: 1999
Action Games Warframe codes (May 2026) and how to redeem them for boosters, glyphs, decorations, and more
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen in an appearance on CNBC
Games GameStop CEO trying to buy eBay briefly banned on eBay
Battlefield 6 soldier grimacing
Games EA hopes you don't remember all the Battlefield 6 devs it laid off as it reports "record" year
Gabe Newell in a white shirt
Games "Gabe cannot buy yachts with wishlists": Steam expert begs devs to make the most of their hit games
Steam and Valve's Gabe Newell
Games 14 years ago, Valve boss Gabe Newell thought Steam would be replaced in "2 or 3 years"
Cookie's Bustle
Games Historians stop "an aggressive copyright troll" who spent years abusing DMCAs to turn bizarre game into lost media
Gabe Newell in an orange shirt
Games "Gabe really had a great vision": Steam became a PC icon because Valve built community, dev says
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action
  3. Battlefield 3

EA gives away a huge number of free games... by mistake

News
By Justin Towell published 15 October 2012

A free code that wasn't tied to one account? Oops

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

Electronic Arts recently ran a survey promotion on its online digital distribution service, Origin. Fill out some questionnaires, get a download code for any $20 game. It's the sort of promotion that happens all the time. But EA's code wasn't tied to the participant's account, nor did it expire after one use. No, with a simple log-out trick, it just kept on giving, allowing some gamers to download loads of games without paying a single penny.

According to Kotaku, the loophole took a good while to fix, by which time countless games had been downloaded. There were some corkers available, too - look at this gamer's 90GB haul:

Above: Some gamers downloaded over 15 games using various accounts

Latest Videos From
You may like
  • Xbox accidentally gave away the RPG that led to OG Fallout for free, and is now fixing broken copies
  • Graveyard Keeper 2 art with skull with dollar sign eyes A 100% discount on Steam is way better than a regular giveaway, indie boss says
  • Graveyard Keeper Giving your game away on Steam can earn you $250,000 in a few days, says Graveyard Keeper publisher

Acquiring free games through an exploit is stealing and it's explicitly stated in the terms of service that taking advantage of exploits will result in termination of your account. But seeing as a lot of people just signed up to Origin as a result, perhaps EA will turn a blind eye this once. Perhaps.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Platforms
Justin Towell
Justin Towell
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Justin was a GamesRadar+ staffer for 10 years but is now a freelance writer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.

Read more
Fallout Xbox accidentally gave away the RPG that led to OG Fallout for free, and is now fixing broken copies
 
 
Graveyard Keeper 2 art with skull with dollar sign eyes
Simulation Games A 100% discount on Steam is way better than a regular giveaway, indie boss says
 
 
Graveyard Keeper
Simulation Games Giving your game away on Steam can earn you $250,000 in a few days, says Graveyard Keeper publisher
 
 
A woman in a space helmet stares at something off the screen in Arc Raiders
Third Person Shooters "Gameplay and the economy suffers": Arc Raiders devs commit to suspending dupe exploit users
 
 
Battlefield 6 soldier grimacing
Games EA hopes you don't remember all the Battlefield 6 devs it laid off as it reports "record" year
 
 
Arc Raiders screenshots
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders streamer who popularized dupe exploit only gets a warning, fans wonder if Embark is serious about fair play
 
 
Latest in Action
the legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time
The Legend of Zelda Nintendo is "obviously" having a meltdown over Ocarina of Time remake says ex-marketing lead
 
 
Devil May Cry Capcom promises to do more with Devil May Cry as the 7-year wait for a new game rumbles on
 
 
Assassin's Creed Black Flag
Assassin's Creed To celebrate Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, Ubisoft's buried $500,000 in the Caribbean
 
 
Assassin's Creed merch on an ocean background
Toys & Collectibles Save yourself the Assassin's Creed Black Flag treasure hunt, I've got all the best loot right here
 
 
Star Fox
Action Games Shigeru Miyamoto filled Star Fox with animals because Star Wars and Gundam already had human sci-fi covered
 
 
An antagonist with a regal mask in 007 First Light has an RPG slung over their shoulder
Action Games 007 First Light will run at 60fps on PS5 Pro, IO Interactive confirms, and for $900 I'd sure hope it does
 
 
Latest in News
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Fantasy Movies Peter Jackson "didn't think much" of directing The Hunt for Gollum because Andy Serkis "knows [him] better than anyone"
 
 
A close up of one of the best star wars games, Star Wars Jedi Survivor
Star Wars Movies Luke Skywalker knows Jedi Fallen Order's Cal Kestis survived Order 66, new Star Wars book reveals
 
 
the legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time
The Legend of Zelda Nintendo is "obviously" having a meltdown over Ocarina of Time remake says ex-marketing lead
 
 
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic screenshot showing the silhouette of a Jedi wearing a cape
RPGs Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic boss Casey Hudson is done with 100-hour games
 
 
A hand squeezing NeeDoh beside a box of Cool Cats
Toys & Collectibles Where to buy NeeDoh, the viral toy sensation
 
 
Counter-Strike 2
Games "Valve can't stop winning": New Steam update revamps Community Market to Counter-Strike 2 fans' delight
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. A hand squeezing NeeDoh beside a box of Cool Cats
    1
    Where to buy NeeDoh, the viral toy sensation
  2. 2
    Nintendo is "obviously" having a meltdown over Ocarina of Time remake says ex-marketing lead
  3. 3
    Dave Filoni is "closely in step" with The Mandalorian and Grogu even though it's more standalone than planned season 4
  4. 4
    Subnautica 2 multiplayer and crossplay explained
  5. 5
    Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic boss Casey Hudson is done with 100-hour games

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...