I also know a lot of you are wondering if this release will also include a 64-bit update for Windows players.
The first question I can’t answer is “but WHEN can I download it?” Please know that we’re getting it out as fast as we can and that the Origin changes you’re seeing are indicative that we’re pretty close. There’s two questions I can’t, and won’t, answer. Feel free to ask questions here and, if I can, I’ll answer them for you. I’m positive we overlooked something obvious (see above for some general discussion of changing time frames). We’ve published a FAQ for this The Sims 3 update a little early to help answer questions you might have about what’s coming up. This time that under-the-hood stuff isn’t invisible. So generally this step happens shortly before a release and, through the magic of not accidentally doing it in a way that your players can see, it’s an invisible process. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to update a catalog database months before the update is needed (what if everything changes?), and you don’t want to leave it to the last possible minute either (What if something goes wrong and you need time to fix it?).
Why is this happening now? Why not six months ago, or next week, or some other time? Because updating catalog/publishing databases is one of the final stages in releasing things! It’s what happens when you finally know how many parts there are, how big they are, when they will be available, etc. It’s a process that is happening over many days (hence some of you seeing some packs but missing others, only to have the others appear a day or two later). What you’re all seeing is the process of granting an Origin entitlement for this The Sims 3 release (and the packs and DLC) to all The Sims 3 owners. Surprise?” Still, that doesn’t make the magic any less special just less magical. It’s as though you’ve sneaked downstairs on late on Dec 22 and seen us setting up the Festivus pole – “Ha ha. Wow! So much excitement about that Origin catalog update! YOUR excitement is making all of us really giddy too! I can’t wait to get this update out to you macOS players so that you can have that awesome The Sims 3 experience on your up-to-date modern hardware running Catalina! But also – Ooops! Sorry for the confusion that the update in Origin has created. We have nothing to announce about a Windows roadmap. There is not a secret Windows update hidden in it.
Traditionally updating a publishing catalog is among the last steps you take in the process of publishing software (or any other content).Many of you are seeing a new TS3 and associated DLC show up in your Origin client yet there’s nothing to download.You can see by scrolling back that there’s been some excitement and developments over the last few days. Let’s start with: Have you backed up your TS3 saves? ‘Cause that’s NEVER a bad idea.