Forum Discussion

Proteus-846's avatar
Proteus-846
13 years ago
Solved

If I buy a Sims 3 Expansion Pack in Origin as a Download, can I play with out a disc even though the base game uses a disc?

I own the Sims 3 in disc form from when it first came out, but I don't have any Expansion Packs. If I purchase one digitally in Origin, can I play the game without a disc? Right now, I can only play ...
pc
technical issues
  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    since it installs locally to your hard drive, you shouldn't need the CD unless you want to make a clean re-install or something. Keep it handy (and the serial code) but your downloads should run normally inside the original Sims game. 

Proteus-846's avatar
Proteus-846
13 years ago
So if I buy an Expansion Pack as a download, I won't need my disc anymore? (I'll still keep it obviously, but I don't want to bring it with me all the time)
Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
13 years ago

since it installs locally to your hard drive, you shouldn't need the CD unless you want to make a clean re-install or something. Keep it handy (and the serial code) but your downloads should run normally inside the original Sims game. 

  • Smeagol2008's avatar
    Smeagol2008
    13 years ago

    excuse me... i dont think u understand unless i dont understand haha

    so your saying the sims 3 even without expansion packs you can play the game without the disk?   thats not so true at all... if u only have the sims 3 without expansion packs.. You Still Need The Disk to load the game out but u can take the disk oout after its loaded...

    hes wondering if he buys an expansion pack from origin will he therefore still need the original sims 3 cd to still be able to run the game???

    • EA_Spectre's avatar
      EA_Spectre
      Icon for Community Admin rankCommunity Admin
      13 years ago

      If you download the base game and your expansions from Origin (which you should be able to do once you registered your games) you won't need the disc anymore to play.

      • Anonymous's avatar
        Anonymous
        12 years ago

        I have the base game, Night Life and Loft Stuff through Origin (thanks Humble Bundle!). Can I still install other EPs from disc and play through Origin?

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    11 years ago

    im confused... so if i buy the download i dont get a cd in the mail it goes staight into my computer?

    • roberta591's avatar
      roberta591
      Hero (Retired)
      9 years ago

      @minaakbari The DRM used for TS3 was (notice I say was) confusing. For the pc when TS3 was released the DRM was SecuROM and SafeDisc. SecuROM had an install limit and SafeDisc required the latest released to market pack DISC in the optical drive to run the game. If the pack was the download version you didn't need the disc (obviously) and the game would start w/o a disc in the optical drive. When Windows 10 and El Capitan was released they do not support SecuROM and SafeDisc and if you added a pack to the game you then needed to change the DRM to Origin. I for one never liked SecuROM because it was considered a rootkit and now you don't need a disc to play. I am not sure how the mac handles the DRM. When you redeem the base game in Origin (if you haven't already) Origin will update the game to version 1.69 which will remove/disable SecuROM and Safedisc. Origin is the new DRM.

About The Sims 3 Technical Issues

Get help with issues in The Sims 3 from fellow Simmers.83,286 PostsLatest Activity: 4 hours ago