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MsDSweets's avatar
MsDSweets
Seasoned Ace
16 hours ago

Main Menu Background Updates in Off-Line Mode??

I am a bit concerned that EA/MAXIS infiltrates my personal computing system without my express consent.  

To Start:
A)   ALL Update settings are set to OFF in the EA App.
B)   The EA App is set to Off-Line mode.     

1 - Why was the EA app closed?   2 - Who closed the EA App?    3- How is a global change made to a non-updated game?  

On Monday, May 11, 2026, I was in off-line mode.  On the Main Menu page, the background was that original blue swirly thing.   I was playing one of my saves and was actually in her house.   I left my computer on and the game open.  The gameplay for the household was paused.   I did not put my computer to sleep.

The Sims 4 Update was Tuesday, May 12, 2026.    I did not use my computer on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.  Nothing should have changed on my computer.

Today is Wednesday, May 13, 2026.   I went to my computer and it was in sleep mode.   I did not put my computer to sleep.   My computer security check is on.

Much to my annoyance, the EA App was closed.  (This is not the first time.  I've been paying more attention.)   Upon logging back into the app, I immediately went back to off-line mode.    At first the game would not open.  I had to log out and back in again and went back to off-line mode again.    This time the game opened and much to my surprise the main menu background is the Bridgerton Ballroom. 

How did the main menu background change to the Bridgerton Ballroom if I am playing off-line and have not updated my game?   How is the code changed and applied to my computer if I have done everything to keep that from happening?   This is only possible because EA/MAXIS must be accessing my computer and making changes at will.  Which would then explain why the only thing closed was the EA App.

I last updated my game on April 30, 2026,   My current game version is PC: 1.123.85.1020, which it should be as I have no intention to update for the next few weeks.   As stated, my game is in off-line mode and all updates are turned off in the EA App settings.

Before using the EA App, I NEVER had this type of intrusion into my computer.  I could leave my computer on for weeks and it would not shut down nor close programs I left open.   My concern is none of the other software I use has ever closed my computer and forced anything without me initiating it.   

I am now a bit concerned and actually afraid EA/MAXIS may be doing other things to my computer without my consent.   Any explanation, as it relates to the above thereto, would be greatly appreciated.

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1 Reply

  • EA_Leeuw's avatar
    EA_Leeuw
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    4 hours ago

    Hi MsDSweets​ ,

    I understand why that would feel alarming, especially if you were intentionally keeping the EA app offline and avoiding the latest game update.

    That said, the information here does not point to EA or Maxis remotely accessing your computer or making changes outside the EA app/game environment. A system going to sleep, the EA app closing, or a menu background changing would not by itself indicate unauthorized access to your PC.

    A few possibilities are more likely:

    • Windows may have put the system to sleep due to power settings, an update, a crash, or system maintenance.
    • The EA app may have closed because of a crash, timeout, background process restart, or Windows session/power-state change.
    • A main menu background can potentially appear from content already present in your installed game version, cached data, or a previous online session, rather than requiring a full game update.
    • Offline mode prevents normal online activity, but it does not necessarily guarantee that every cached UI element, entitlement check, or locally stored menu asset will remain visually unchanged.


    Your reported game version, PC: 1.123.85.1020, is useful. To look into this properly, could you please share the following?

    1. Whether Windows installed updates, restarted, or entered sleep/hibernate between May 11 and May 13.
    2. Whether the EA app shows any crash/restart behavior in Windows Event Viewer.
    3. Whether your game files show a modified date after April 30.
    4. Whether the Bridgerton Ballroom background remains after clearing the EA app cache and launching offline again.
    5. Whether the same thing happens after fully shutting down the game and EA app, restarting the PC, then launching offline.


    I do want to be clear: we do not want anyone to feel that their system is being accessed without consent. But based on what you’ve described so far, this sounds more like app/game state, cached content, or Windows power/session behavior than EA/Maxis “infiltrating” your computer.

    If you can provide the details above, we can try to narrow down what actually changed and when.

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