I didn't get the Vibing Streamer Gear Digital Content

Hi @EA_Cade,

I don't want to repeat myself so please refer to my previous reply regarding the same topic. The link you're providing doesn't mention any local retailers, especially for Europe. You haven't commented on that and that was also the issue for some, that they bought a box version of the Expansion and didn't get their preorder bonus.

I can't say how upset I am by this response. I bought my game at one of the biggest retailers in Austria and did not receive a code. When I ask them about the bonus they keep referring me to EA support, as it is your software. EA support keeps referring me to the retailer. The retailer already made their sale, they are not interested in helping me and I cannot exchange the game since I already redeemed my code. 

Instead of apologizing for the constant fiascos with broken and buggy Sims releases, the loyal players get nothing. Corparate geed at its highest level. It would cost you literally nothing to distribute a code to people who did not get one and come seeking help at EA support. I have bought every Sims game so far despite all the mess-ups and never complained or posted anywhere online, but this might just be the final straw. 

Again, it would not be that hard to distribute codes via EA Help to people who did not receive the content, but instead you give one "final update" saying that some of us are out of luck and that there is nothing you will do about it. 

No offence but this whole situation is just unprofessional. Why not share a list of all eligible retailers beforehand? It's not the first time this has happened either.

"If you purchased from an ineligible retailer we will not be able to assist you further with this issue "

Every retailer gets their codes from the same place. From EA. Where exactly are those "ineligible" retailers getting their codes if not from EA?

Sure would be helpful to get more ''eligible'' retailers added to that list other than just the digital ones. And honestly, still, the communication is so poor on this. Hope something is gonna be posted on EA help or Sims twitter for the people who don't watch the forums 24/7 so they know whether to contact EA (again) to try and receive their codes - which shouldn't even be a thing.

I reached out to Amazon and their support says that they don't know about any codes and it is an EA issue. 

As a person who happily spends the money on new content for this game, I feel cheated.  Obviously there was an issue with the distribution system and EA needs to give their support reps the power to resolve the issue and not push it back to the retailer support teams who have no idea what is going on. 

Hi @EA_Cade ,

Does your instruction for us to turn to EA Support include the customers that have missing Vibing Streamer Gear Digital Content AND experienced having duplicate High School Years Expansion Packs appear in their Origin Libraries and their In Game Main Menus? Or is this only for those with JUST the missing add on content?

I'm sure you have read through all the issues in this thread and are aware a lot of us also have that additional issue where it says we own the game but have an additional version of it we cannot download for some reason, and it won't disappear from Origin or the Main Menu.

Please advise on how we would proceed as inquired above.

Thanks for the assistance.

See attached photos for your reference again.

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@EA_Cade wrote:

Hey all, 

Final update on this issue: We have now confirmed that all authorized retailers have been supplied codes for the Vibing Streamer Gear content and have the ability to distribute them, if you purchased The Sims 4: High School Years pack and haven't received your bonus content please reach out to the retailer for a code. 

If you purchased from Origin/EA App and are missing the content please contact us at http://bit.ly/EA_Contact_Us for further assistance. 

If you purchased from an ineligible retailer we will not be able to assist you further with this issue, for a list of eligible retailers in your area you can check the EA Help article here. 

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What kind of solution is this? lol. Leave it up to EA to make their customers have to jump through hoops, and go out of their way to contact their retailer in order to get a code that wasn't originally supplied. What happens to the people that don't notice this issue until after September 8? People who no longer have their receipts? People who received this pack as a gift? EA should be fixing this problem retroactively, in a way where the customers shouldn't even have to do anything. You already admitted it was an issue on here and via your The Sims and EA Helps twitter accounts.

I also have this problem. It's a bit ridiculous we have to jump through hoops to get some small assets they could just give us as part of a base game update. This is the second time they've done this promotion and the second time there's been issues with missing content. 

@EA_Cade 

There are people still reporting their missing preorder bonus, even after purchasing from Amazon [that is one of very few retailers on your list]. Please review their reports.

The only acceptable solution to this issue is for EA to give out the items to everyone that adds the HSY EP to their EA account before the 8th of September 2022.

No one here seems to know who is an actual authorised retailer, not even retailers from your very short list under the link you provided are supplying people with the promised bonus.

For the chaos you, as EA, created, you should do at least that much. Accepting as a solution "go and fight at the retailer" when the problem is clearly on your side is disrespectful to the playerbase and unacceptable.

"The only acceptable solution to this issue is for EA to give out the items to everyone that adds the HSY EP to their EA account before the 8th of September 2022."

I just dont see why this isnt the most obvious and only way to do things since cottage living. I dont believe for a second they created keys that unlock the pre-order items. That would be just unbelievable incompetent because it completely ignores how players download the game or when they need to download it again incase they reinstall the game. A flag on the account, an additional file to download, a mechanism to check for the flag and done.

"No one here seems to know who is an actual authorised retailer, not even retailers from your very short list under the link you provided are supplying people with the promised bonus."

The list is hidden in the dumbest way possible on this page: https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/faq/where-to-buy-ea-games-v2/
See screenshot attached.

I only found it by accident.

@Zasz_Zerg I already explained earlier in the thread that this link is absolutely not sufficient as it doesn't include any local retailers.

Compare even North America and Europe sections - all that Europe has is Amazon and GameStop. America at least has Walmart or Target added... The biggest "local" retailer I can think of in Europe is Media Markt, operating in multiple European countries. The only way I can check if I have chances of getting the bonus content at their store is if they have a promo picture on their website... but if you read the thread even further I had a situation in which my store [as in the one I placed my order at] also had the promo picture on their website, and they removed it on release day. Thankfully after calling and messaging them I finally got my bonus code, but if a store can put up even a screenshot of the promo on their website, possibly remove it in the meantime as well, and when a customer returns for a code tell them to "go to EA", then the whole organisation of this promo is just a laughing matter. Because clearly EA has no means of verifying the stores or holding them accountable. 

If they had, I believe this thread wouldn't be that long.

EDIT: And once again I point out that even people that purchased HSY through Amazon are reporting their bonus content missing. Even PSN players reported it. This link is just pointless. 

I was only pointing out that there is a list the community manager is pointing at, that its essentially hidden for no good reason and as you explained its inaccurate and in dire need of an update. But looking at the official responses I doubt there will be any news as soon as the people somehow get their bonus items. Until the next expansion will suffer the same problem and Im sure that will be the next expansion with pre-order items. I wonder what excuse they will make up then.

@Zasz_Zerg Yes yes. Sorry if I sounded rude or anything, I'm only annoyed at this situation happening. I'm aware not everyone will read through the whole thread so I wanted to sum up what I said earlier. I hope you didn't take it personally.

This is just unbelievable.

No worries. My skin isnt that thin 🙂

I think I know why my items don't appear, it says that I don't have the new expansion pack, and I do, look at how it shows for me to buy, and two identical expansion packs appear.

Have you repaired your game yet?

Repairing the game doesn't fix the Expansion Pack appearing twice. Moreover, getting the bonus content also doesn't. 

Someone from EA would have to correct me there, but I believe one copy is the one you add with a key to the account (that doesn't have the bonus as they want you to use a second key), and the other one showing is an Origin version (which has the bonus items injected). Basically if you'd buy through Origin you wouldn't have this bug with two Expansions showing. And you can't download the other copy because if it's Origin one that you don't own then it's only highlighted as Owned as a bug related to owning a key version, the one that shows up as Installed.

It's only my speculation though (that I hope I explained clearly).

This is my current situation. No one has helped me with my issue of duplicate packs. The forum staff tell us to go to EA Support for help, and guess what EA Support says to wait for the Twitter to update. Furthermore, they completely ignore my concerns and think I'm only asking about the missing bonus content when I'm also annoyed by the duplicates in my origin library.

I agree with your theory that this may be a bug with physical/retail/code packs VS. buying straight from Origin. I bought Cottage Living off of Origin last year and had no issues with the bonus content. Also, the second copy I cannot seem to download but 'Own' in Origin lists the add on content while the other one that I have been able to download doesn't.

It's ridiculous though how no one can really tell us to our faces what is the appropriate next step. I feel like everyone who got the duplicate pack glitch will have it indefinitely. ☹️

I ordered the game through Origin itself the app and I did not get the additional content on release day either, and I still do not have it in my game.