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Good Guy EA™ ends supports for Sims 2, BUT offers free upgrade to Ultimate Collection

Thomper

Member
Just got this email from EA:
Dear Origin gamer,

Your current version of The Sims 2 will lose technical support on 22 July 2014. We want you to have the most up-to-date version of The Sims 2 in your collection, so you will see a brand new addition to your Origin library: The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection.

This is the most up-to-date version of The Sims 2 and the version that is still supported by Origin. It also features a lot more content than you may already have in your current version ofThe Sims 2.

The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection will appear in your Origin library automatically. You’ll need to download and install it to your computer to play it.

You’re free to continue playing your existing version of The Sims 2, but please note that it is an older edition of the game that will soon lose technical support. To continue receiving support on your progress of The Sims 2 – including Sims characters, houses, etc. — you will need to transfer your save files of The Sims 2 to the Ultimate Edition. To learn more about backing up your data, please visit http://help.ea.com/en/article/backing-up-your-sims-2-files/.

Once you’ve migrated your Sims’ lives to The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection, you can better organize your Origin game library by hiding your previous version of The Sims 2. Click on the tile for The Sims 2 in your Game Library for the option to hide it. If you need additional directions, we’ve got you covered.

Thanks for your continuing passion for The Sims.
That's pretty neat! Sims 2 is 10 years old at this point, and I haven't played it in a while, but this is a pretty good offer. There's no details on what the 'Ultimate Collection' is, but when they released a similar thing for Sims 1 it was the main game + every expansion pack. If this means I get a free upgrade to every piece of Sims 2 content ever: awesome!

Edit: EA confirms it'll include all expansion packs + stuff packs http://help.ea.com/en/article/the-sims-2-ultimate-collection-faq/
 

Drkirby

Corporate Apologist
Got it too, pretty nice to be honest.

Ending support for yet another game
Sounds like they will still support it, but they only want to support a single version now.
 

btkadams

Member
Will the Sims 2 Ultimate be available for purchase, or is it just an upgrade for those who already own it? Last time I looked, The Sims 2 wasn't on Origin (or anywhere else digitally) anymore.
 

Thomper

Member
Will the Sims 2 Ultimate be available for purchase, or is it just an upgrade for those who already own it? Last time I looked, The Sims 2 wasn't on Origin (or anywhere else digitally) anymore.

I'm assuming they'll sell it. It hasn't been added to my Origin account yet, which is probably happening on the 22nd. They'll likely put it on sale then, too.
 
If this is a free upgrade to a "complete" collection, that's awesome but I can't help but feel bad for the people who bought all eight EPs for $30, and then the super hardcore fans who bought all ten Stuff packs for $20. Basically people who only bought the base game would be getting for free what these people paid $440~ for haha.
 

Thomper

Member
If this is a free upgrade to a "complete" collection, that's awesome but I can't help but feel bad for the people who bought all eight EPs for $30, and then the super hardcore fans who bought all ten Stuff packs for $20. Basically people who only bought the base game would be getting for free what these people paid $440~ for haha.

The last Sims 2 release was still like six years ago at this point. If you did buy everything you probably got your money's worth from it over the past few years.

It's not entirely fair, I suppose, but the group of people who bought everything but hasn't upgraded to Sims 3 yet is probably real small. And for those who do get a lot of free stuff it creates a lot of goodwill which cancels out the complaining from the others, probably.
 

Zafir

Member
What about retail copies, can you still get this offer? I've got a retail copy from launch day way back when, but the sims site won't take the code, nor will Origin.
 

Thomper

Member
What about retail copies, can you still get this offer? I've got a retail copy from launch day way back when, but the sims site won't take the code, nor will Origin.

You could try contacting EA's support. I've heard of them adding games to your Origin account if the code won't activate. Worth a try?
 
The last Sims 2 release was still like six years ago at this point. If you did buy everything you probably got your money's worth from it over the past few years.

It's not entirely fair, I suppose, but the group of people who bought everything but hasn't upgraded to Sims 3 yet is probably real small. And for those who do get a lot of free stuff it creates a lot of goodwill which cancels out the complaining from the others, probably.

That's true.

But I really do feel bad for the people who bought all the stuff packs.

What about retail copies, can you still get this offer? I've got a retail copy from launch day way back when, but the sims site won't take the code, nor will Origin.

When you install the retail copies on your PC it pops up with an option to register your game with EA (using your email address) for support and stuff. I would presume you'd had to have done that at some point for you to get the email.
 
Wait, EA did this?

tumblr_m8pig8oJjN1qd9n6d.gif


You sure they didn't' get hacked or something?
 

Zafir

Member
You could try contacting EA's support. I've heard of them adding games to your Origin account if the code won't activate. Worth a try?
Well, in the queue and there's a half hour wait. xD
When you install the retail copies on your PC it pops up with an option to register your game with EA (using your email address) for support and stuff. I would presume you'd had to have done that at some point for you to get the email.
Hmm, I did play it at one point, but I can't remember registering it I don't think. I thought it just had securom on it.

Edit: Just got off support and they've added it to my Origin account, phew!
 

Foshy

Member
Sounds nice. Can I register my Sims 2 to Origin when I've been playing without the client up to now so I'm eligible for the upgrade?
 

Zafir

Member
Sounds nice. Can I register my Sims 2 to Origin when I've been playing without the client up to now so I'm eligible for the upgrade?

I had a retail copy and had to contact support to get it added. Support were quick to add it though, just asked for the serial and account details and they added it no other questions asked.
 

wagamer

Member
I have a copy of Sims 3 in my Origin library and I seriously have no idea where it came from.

Probably some Humble Bundle, can't remember which but somehow I had two copies of the game.

Can't wait the same happening to Sims 3 in 2019.
 

Shiina

Member
Sounds like a PR stunt. Like who the hell gets technical support for Sims 2? They probably had the janitor on shift answer the emails for that.
 

Grayman

Member
Pretty decent when companies do this for older games. EA also did something similar with battlefield 2 where the expansion pack content was eventually given to all users in one of the last patches. MMO games will also do this with some of the carrots to buy expansion packs. Getting all players to a certain baseline would make support, even if just in the form of knowledge bases, easier.
 

Flandy

Member
I have a copy of Sims 3 in my Origin library and I seriously have no idea where it came from.

I bought The Sims 3 at retail when it came out. Few years after that I log into Origin and I see a copy of The Sims 3 in my account. Wonder if it's for registering it on the old EA website or something. Can't remember what their thing was called before Origin
 
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