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Gyldenloev's avatar
Gyldenloev
New Veteran
4 years ago
Solved

Can you install the base game if you already own it?

If you already own the Sims 4 base game, can you install a bundle pack which includes the the base game on top of the one you already have? And will it affect the saves you’ve already made? I’ve seen a nice bundle offer in a store for Black Friday and I like to buy it for a family member as a Christmas present, however, she already owns the base game and I want to make sure installing the bundle won’t ruin her old saves.

  • EA_Lanna's avatar
    EA_Lanna
    4 years ago

    Hi @Gyldenloev, 

    Yes, precisely. All that code would look to do is grant her access to the base game and DLC. She already has access to that base game so she'll be fine. 

    Saying that, It's never any harm to know how to back-up the Sims game saves. It's a quick and easy process to do (there's like 2/3 steps involved). If you'd like to have the saves backed up for peace of mind before hand, that guide I hyperlinked above will walk you through it. She'd have it done within minutes and be ready to redeem the bundle code in no time at all on Christmas day. 

    - EA_Lanna 

6 Replies

  • EA_Lanna's avatar
    EA_Lanna
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    4 years ago

    Hi @Gyldenloev, 

    Can I ask, would this person have their own EA account? Do they have a underage account? These details would be important to call out now before making any purchases since the game is not for you directly. I'll be better able to advise you on how to work this once I know what we're working with. 

    - EA_Lanna

  • Gyldenloev's avatar
    Gyldenloev
    New Veteran
    4 years ago

    Hi @EA_Lanna 

    Thanks so much for responding 🙂
    She has her own EA account and it’s not an underage account.

  • EA_Lanna's avatar
    EA_Lanna
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    4 years ago

    Hi @Gyldenloev, 

    Thanks for getting back on this with that context. 🙂

    There's two things to keep in mind so before picking up that bundle:

    1. Make sure she has the base game added to her EA account. She'll need the base game (The Sims 4) to run any Sims 4 pack contents (If she's been playing the Sims 4 already, she'll have the base game). You can check this from 'My Games Library' tab on Origin.  
    2. Make sure to be logged into the same EA account the base game is added to before buying the bundle. You want the bundle content to be added to the EA account the base game is on otherwise the content will not appear/be playable. So for example, if you have The Sims 4 on your EA account/she plays the game from your EA account, you should add the bundle to your EA account. If she has The Sims 4 on her own EA account, you would want to buy the bundle on her EA account. 

    Happy Simming o/

    - EA_Lanna

  • Gyldenloev's avatar
    Gyldenloev
    New Veteran
    4 years ago

    Hi @EA_Lanna 

    Thank you for the detailed explanation 🙂

    I can’t check her library as she’s my cousin’s daughter, but I know that she does have the base game already, because my daughter was introducing her to the glorious world of cc last time we visited them, and I’ve checked with my cousin that she has her own EA account. I’ll explain about the installation process when we see them for Christmas.

    However, I just have one more question to bother you with, if you don’t mind? I’ll be getting the bundle from a big electronics store in my country, not Origin because gifting from Origin would mean gifting it immediately from what I can gather, but the bundle I’m looking to get for her includes the base game and so just to make absolutely sure will installing an “extra” base game affect her old saves seeing as she already owns it or will the installation process just ignore the part of the bundle that includes the base game?

    I hope my explanation addressing my concerns isn’t too confusing 🙂

  • EA_Lanna's avatar
    EA_Lanna
    Icon for Community Manager rankCommunity Manager
    4 years ago

    Hi @Gyldenloev, 

    Yes, precisely. All that code would look to do is grant her access to the base game and DLC. She already has access to that base game so she'll be fine. 

    Saying that, It's never any harm to know how to back-up the Sims game saves. It's a quick and easy process to do (there's like 2/3 steps involved). If you'd like to have the saves backed up for peace of mind before hand, that guide I hyperlinked above will walk you through it. She'd have it done within minutes and be ready to redeem the bundle code in no time at all on Christmas day. 

    - EA_Lanna 

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