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How to Connect to Spore Servers (Steam/GOG/EA App)
By CluckenDip
This guide used to show how easy it was to connect to the Spore servers, but in 2021, EA blocked Steam users from accessing their CD keys.

If you already redeemed your keys, you are unaffected, but for new Steam users, you only have a few options.
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Created by
CluckenDip
Offline
Category: Achievements, Characters, Co-op, Game Modes, Gameplay Basics, Loot, Maps or Levels, Modding or Configuration, Multiplayer, Secrets, Walkthroughs, Workshop
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
23 Dec, 2015 @ 6:10pm
13 Aug, 2023 @ 4:02am
66,695 Unique Visitors
1,294 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
The Problem 
METHOD 1: Manually Redeem your CD Key(s) 
METHOD 2: Contact EA Support 
METHOD 3: Last Resort 
Things To Be Aware Of 
Comments
The Problem
Connecting to the Spore servers allows you to:
  • VIEW people's creations
  • SHARE your creations to the Sporepedia (includes Captains & Adventures if you own the Galactic Adventures expansion)
  • EARN more achievements


If you already own the game on EA App, you're safe :)


If you own it on Steam or GOG, then you have to follow these steps to access the Spore servers on that platform:
  1. Create an EA account
  2. Redeem your CD keys through EA website or EA App
  3. Sign into your EA account in-game

The problem for Steam users however, is that EA revoked access to their CD keys due to a refund exploit where players could receive free games. This means that if you cannot access your CD keys, you cannot connect to the Spore servers.

All is not lost! There are several workarounds you can try.



PLEASE refer to this EA Answers forum post that explains the situation in greater detail.
METHOD 1: Manually Redeem your CD Key(s)
Steam won't show you your CD key, but it does exist. Follow this guide to manually locate it and create a new spore account to access the servers.

For GOG owners - follow this support article[support.gog.com].


Once you have your CD key(s), redeem them at EA's website.You can also redeem them through EA App itself, but the website is more stable.


Then, run Spore through Steam and log in to your EA account using these fields:
METHOD 2: Contact EA Support
If you were unable to find your CD key, your best bet is to contact EA Support, explain your situation and have them activate Spore to your EA App account.

Make sure you have your proof of purchase (receipt and email) ready to show them.


To access your proof of purchases in Steam:
  1. Click your profile name and select "Account details" from the drop-down menu,
  2. In the Store & Purchase History section, select "View purchase history",
  3. Find the entry with your purchase of Spore and select it,
  4. Desktop-screenshot the details.
If you purchased the expansion packs in separate transactions, screenshot those too.


They will hopefully redeem it themselves or provide the CD key for you to do it (follow Method 1).

Not all EA Support staff are helpful. If they aren't helping you redeem Spore through EA App, try again the next day.

METHOD 3: Last Resort
ONLY CONSIDER THIS IF YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY DESPERATE TO ACCESS MYSPORE AND HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OTHER OPTIONS!


Many people are reporting that if you purchase SPORE™ Creature Creator, then your EA account will register as owning the regular game and you can successfully log in through Steam.

You do not need to install Creature Creator. It just has to be purchased. If you refund it, then you will lose access to the servers again.

I do not recommend buying another game, but people have claimed it's worked. Some even convinced EA Support to give them Creature Creator, though that is rare.
Things To Be Aware Of
- Make sure your EA account password is alphanumerical in nature (letters and numbers only). The game can't handle certain symbols.

- DO NOT change your password in-game. Do it through EA's website in a browser.

- DO NOT have more than one installation of Spore at once. Only have it installed through one platform at a time.

- If Sporepedia isn't behaving properly in-game, open the file explorer and go to where your AppData is located (for example, C:\Users\Admin\AppData\Roaming\Spore) and delete the files "Pollination.package" and "GraphicsCache.package". That will reset Sporepedia.



If you are still encountering issues, please go over the two links I sent to see if you missed anything. They are this EA Answers forum post and this Steam guide.
714 Comments
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Puerto dragón De un ruso 27 May @ 10:10am 
Hello, if you bought Spore too long ago (like me) and can't get a receipt anymore, Valve support may be able to give you your CD key if you ask nicely. They did it for me
HELTY 1 Apr @ 5:15am 
01.04.2025:
*Sorry for my English, I'm translating through a translator*

A friend bought a game and it was sent as a gift. I can't confirm the purchase, because there is no record of it in https://steamhost.cn/account/history/ .

However, information about the game being on the account is here: https://steamhost.cn/account/licenses/

I wrote to EA support and they responded immediately, I provided a screenshot from account/licenses/ and wrote that I had no record of the purchase account/history/ because it was a gift.

Before writing to support, I linked EA Play and Steam (where the game Spore was).

They asked me for my email from EA Play, after which they asked for another screenshot from https://steamhost.cn/help_steampowered_com/ru/wizard/HelpWithGame/?appid=17390 , which displays information about whether you have the game or not.
HELTY 1 Apr @ 5:15am 
After that, I was asked to re-enter EA Play and the game appeared there. I deleted the game from Steam and downloaded it from EA Play. I logged in and authorization in EA was successful. After that, I downloaded the Steam version and was able to easily log into my EA account.

I also asked a person from tech support to raise this issue for EVERYONE WHO EVER LOVED this game.

They answered me:
Thank you for your feedback and to make sure I will highlight. But also I would like to inform you that there is currently an ongoing issue running on the steam platform regarding Spore game in which if a player buys a spore game from steam so that the game does not work and to fix the issue, we ask steam proof of purchase and then add the game in EA app and as of now this is the only workaround of this issue.
But on which team are already on it and once the issue will fix then the player would be able to play the game on steam as well.
Aci 23 Mar @ 5:22am 
After following this and getting the game on my EA account and trying to register in Spore with it, I just get an "there was an error connecting to the spore servers" error... Do you happen to know how to solve that?
CluckenDip  [author] 2 Mar @ 2:22pm 
@Sgt Soaked did you get an email when someone gifts a game to you? Or are you able to ask if they could provide you eith their receipt / proof of purchase?

And yes, Steam has hidden the CD Key for a few years now which is why I linked to another guide in that section which should help you locate it.
Sgt Soaked 2 Mar @ 11:50am 
How would I go about getting a Proof of Purchase when someone gifted the game to me on steam? I showed EA Support a picture that I own the Spore License but this wasnt enough. Also Steam is hiding the CD Key so That method of activation also doesnt work.
CluckenDip  [author] 25 Feb @ 9:06pm 
I wouldn't recommend Steam support @Callsign_Kettle. I suggested EA Support in the guide as Spore is published by EA.
Callsign_Kettle 25 Feb @ 3:55pm 
fighting steam support for the cd key is a pain in the ass
denikp669 22 Jan @ 2:48pm 
this method dont work in windows 10 - on 2025th. folder not exist, file-code emphty, registry not have folder by name, and all numbers this things - 0000000... and 000000001, site do not go to next page, game write - mistake, folders of game have strokes like - playofline true... is it ok? 20 years game old, i think what any trobles have results for this time... what i can do next? i sure what folders not exist with game-id in pc - by install, maybe some else?
Aatotz 30 Dec, 2024 @ 8:32am 
Method 2 worked fine. The EA support was pretty slow, they need 4 minutes for every single step. Took like half an hour, but in the end it was pretty easy and free. I'm sure bying the editor for 0.99€ would also have been a great choice given the price.