Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

by Holger1405
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Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

[ Edited ]
★★★ Novice

Last week, I bought a Sims 4 bundle from Walmart. It worked fine, and I had a lot of fun, but I was missing the one thing that sold me on Sims 4 to begin with: Get Together.

So while browsing the web a couple nights ago, I stumbled upon DealsCube.com, advertising the Get Together expansion pack for $8.99. I was so excited! Sims 4 and its expansions are relatively pricey for my family, especially during this time of year, so I jumped on it and bought it right away. The seller emailed us to let us know it wouldn't work online, and to confirm that our emails were real, then proceeded to send us a .zip file and installation instructions, with an activation code.

 

The instructions mention things like:

  • "This expansion is for Sims 4 and only works offline without Origin."
  • "Scroll down and from Updates section uncheck the box for “Automatically keep my games up to date”"
  • "You can manually update the game if you want to, but then you would need to reinstall the expansion after update"
  • "Origin must be completely turned off using these steps before playing Sims 4 or the expansion will not work. You can also uninstall Origin if you do not need it for other games."
  • "If you get “source file not found” error during installation or “Origin needs to be running” screen when you try to play, then your antivirus or windows defender is blocking the game from starting. Please add the game folder to exception for your antivirus or windows defender and reinstall the game. If you need help with adding exception, please let me know which antivirus you are using."


I followed the instructions, turned off automatic updates, completely closed Origin, and unzipped the file.

The zip file held 3 files:

  • setup.exe
  • setup.7z
  • setup-FILES.7z


During installation, I started to worry I may have been installing a pirated copy unintentionally, but I told myself I was just being paranoid.
After the installation finished, however, I tried to open Sims 4 from the desktop, as the instructions said, and nothing came up. I tried again. Still nothing. I opened the start menu, and tried opening Sims 4 from there, and still no game opened. 
I decided to forget the expansion and play without it, so I opened Origin and tried to open Sims 4, and STILL nothing happened.

I finally restarted my laptop, and the game opened, but there was no Get Together expansion applied. Screenshots and gameplay videos show there should be an icon in the corner, but there is none. My Library claims I still only have Dine Out and Movie Stuff, no Get Together. I even went so far as to disconnect from the internet completely and shut down Origin from the Task Manager as the game opened. I'm not getting anything.

 

I've already contacted the seller to inform him that it won't open, telling him every step I've taken, but I'm still suspicious.

 

In the past, I wouldn't have worried about downloading a pirated game, but I've since gotten in trouble for it and I don't want to have that problem again, especially since I bought it in good faith. If it turns out it IS a pirated copy, I don't want to get blamed for it and lose the ability to play my new game.

 

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EDIT 12/25/16 8:42 PM

I'm still in contact with the seller, and he's telling me to turn off my antivirus and reinstall the exe he sent me, then turn it back on to play. This makes me extremely uncomfortable. I'm not sure if I should confess my concerns to this person, in case they become hostile or shut down.

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Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

[ Edited ]

@Mizuki_Ukitake

 

Well, yes you did buy and installed a pirated Sims 4 expansion.

Something that should have being clear to you after reading the instructions. (And I think it pretty much was, wasn't it?)

 

Anyway, you need to remove the expansion and on top of that reverse anything you changed to get that thing working.

Furthermore, there is a very good chance that you introduced a couple of viruses and/or malware to your machine. Therefore a complete virus and malware scan of your system is necessary, a fresh Installation of Windows would probably be the best way.  

 

Edit: Btw, https://www.origin.com/usa/en-us/store/the-sims/the-sims-4/.../the-sims-4-get-together not as cheap, but much less headache.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a players helping players forum, I don't work for EA.
Dies ist ein Spieler helfen Spielern Forum, ich arbeite nicht für EA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
Ulysses - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

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Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

[ Edited ]

@Mizuki_Ukitake

 

Well, yes you did buy and installed a pirated Sims 4 expansion.

Something that should have being clear to you after reading the instructions. (And I think it pretty much was, wasn't it?)

 

Anyway, you need to remove the expansion and on top of that reverse anything you changed to get that thing working.

Furthermore, there is a very good chance that you introduced a couple of viruses and/or malware to your machine. Therefore a complete virus and malware scan of your system is necessary, a fresh Installation of Windows would probably be the best way.  

 

Edit: Btw, https://www.origin.com/usa/en-us/store/the-sims/the-sims-4/.../the-sims-4-get-together not as cheap, but much less headache.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a players helping players forum, I don't work for EA.
Dies ist ein Spieler helfen Spielern Forum, ich arbeite nicht für EA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
Ulysses - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Message 2 of 12 (16,996 Views)

Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

★★★ Novice

That's what I was afraid of. I've contacted the seller to ask for a refund, and I'm working on uninstalling and deleting the files now. 

And yes, the instructions did set off alarms in my head, but I really didn't want to jump to conclusions.

 

I think from now on, I'll only by my Sims expansions directly from Origin, never a third party.

Message 3 of 12 (16,112 Views)
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Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

@Mizuki_Ukitake

 

That would be for the best. It would be nice if you could tell us if the seller actually granted you the refund.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a players helping players forum, I don't work for EA.
Dies ist ein Spieler helfen Spielern Forum, ich arbeite nicht für EA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
Ulysses - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Message 4 of 12 (16,103 Views)
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Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

★★★ Newbie

it would be nice if EA didn't try to rip us off by selling expansions for 40 bucks. Maybe 20. But, they're money hungry, huh?

Message 5 of 12 (15,385 Views)

Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

@ChelseaRyfkogel

 

Hundreds of people working on this packs for a very long time, this people want to get paid, and a company, any company in the world, has to make revenue to survive

That has nothing to do with greed, money hunger or someone ripping you of, it is just the way it is.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a players helping players forum, I don't work for EA.
Dies ist ein Spieler helfen Spielern Forum, ich arbeite nicht für EA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
Ulysses - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Message 6 of 12 (15,375 Views)

Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

★★★ Newbie
@Holger1405 Please stop feeling pity for EA, they're greedy and that just a fact Standard smile
Message 7 of 12 (13,388 Views)

Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

[ Edited ]

@angelbaby0309 

 

A fact is what I wrote above.

 

In my book someone is greedy that don't want to pay for the good work others do because... well, he is greedy. Standard smile

 

Also, I am curious, where do you work?

If someone comes to your business and tells you that he will pay only half for whatever you make or sell, will you confirm that you are greedy and sell it for halve the prize? Thinking

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a players helping players forum, I don't work for EA.
Dies ist ein Spieler helfen Spielern Forum, ich arbeite nicht für EA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
Ulysses - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Message 8 of 12 (13,332 Views)

Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

★ Novice

@Holger1405if you call 500 Bucks for a fully functionial game with many things which should be in it with the beginning (Like seasons or pets I mean its an simulation game.) a fair price ok. I call that robbery. Sure there are people working at it and should be payed but do you really think they see this much from this price? Ever seen how these prices are made and who gets how much of it? The devs see the least from it and manager plus publisher the most. So by buying these dlcs you arent really supporting the real workers on it. So your question is also lacking realism. If he is a worker he sees the least amount of the selling while his boss will take the most.

Message 9 of 12 (12,199 Views)

Betreff: Did I buy a pirated Sims 4 expansion (Get Together)?

@Tengarnos 

 

Well, as fare as I am aware The Sims 4 is a fully functional game without any Pack.

Nobody is forcing anyone to buy a Pack, or people can just choose what they like instead buying anything, or wait for a discount.

 

The point is that a company, any company, must make a profit to survive.

Again, if you think the price is to high, or if someone can't afford it, don't buy it.

 

It really is that simple.

 

I am also pretty sure that Maxis employees are paid well. Standard smile
And yes, capitalism sucks sometimes, but unfortunately history shows that it is the only system that works.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is a players helping players forum, I don't work for EA.
Dies ist ein Spieler helfen Spielern Forum, ich arbeite nicht für EA.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
Ulysses - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Message 10 of 12 (12,162 Views)