EA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 11
As we head into the holiday season and the year comes to a close, I feel it’s the perfect moment to take a breath, slow things down a bit, and ensure our digital lives stay just as safe as everything else we’re wrapping up for the year. Last month, we talked about Privacy & Data Protection in Online Games - how your in-game actions shape your digital identity and why those privacy settings really matter. If you haven’t had a chance to review them yet, this is a great time to do it before the new year begins. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the discussion or try this month’s quiz - and yes, you’ll earn a special forum badge for taking part! Stay safe, stay mindful - and enjoy the season! Security Focus: The Weakest Link The holidays often mean new devices, increased online activity, and, unfortunately, more opportunities for attackers. That’s why this edition is all about finding and fixing your weakest security link, so you can step into the new year with confidence. Everything Is Connected Your accounts, devices, apps, habits, and inboxes form one ecosystem. Attackers don’t look for the hardest entry point - they look for the easiest. Sometimes the weak point is something small: an old email account you forgot you had a password you’ve reused for years a device waiting for an update a profile on a service that no longer exists Find Your Weak Point Before you can fix a weak link, you first need to spot it - and that starts with a bit of honest self-checking. These quick questions will help you identify where your digital defences might be softer than you think. Ask yourself: Do I reuse any passwords? Do I delay updates? Do I know how many accounts are associated with my primary email address? If the answer is “yes, but…”, you’ve found your weak spot. Strengthen the Chain Once you’ve identified your weak spots, the next step is reinforcing them. Small changes can make a big difference - and most of them take just a few minutes. Secure your email first -it’s the gateway to all your other accounts Turn on 2FA everywhere it’s available Delete or update old accounts you no longer use Keep your devices updated - it’s your digital immune system Review app permissions and remove those you no longer need Back up your data regularly to protect against loss or ransomware Check your inbox rules and filters to make sure nothing suspicious was added Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive actions unless you’re using a VPN Review connected devices on platforms like EA, Google, Microsoft, and Apple Even strengthening just one of these areas can meaningfully improve your overall security — and make your weakest link a lot harder to break. How to keep your EA Account secure Shared Devices - Shared Risk - danisoff article, which explores the potential security risks of shared devices Online Security Newsletter - Volume 11 Quiz
Friday Highlights - January 16th
Sul Sul my favorite Simmers! Happy Friday and happy January! We are now officially 3 weeks into the new year, how are you holding up on your new years resolutions? Mine was to get more sleep, which unfortunately I’m already failing on 🙃 So what big plans have you got for 2026? Any exciting personal goals you want to achieve? I’d love to hear about it! We had some very exciting news this week: On Tuesday, the newest game update was released, which included a number of bug fixes and the very fashionable Coach Collection! Be sure to check out the notes here for everything included. And yesterday, the newest expansion pack was announced! You can read all about the new world of Ondarion and everything included in this pack here. Royalty & Legacy will be launching on February 12th, let the countdown begin! But that’s not all! To celebrate Royalty & Legacy, we’ve got a very special 5 week Discord event, The Royal Court, which will feature daily challenges, exclusive reveals, and giveaways 🫅 Make sure you head over to the Official Sims Discord to check it out! Sunset in Selvadorada, posted here, by the_mikado Ready to settle in with this week’s highlights? With the exciting announcement of Royalty & Legacy yesterday, I think we’re all prepping a save file to play, so AaronRulz78 wants to know what your plans are for your new royal family! This pack seems like the perfect opportunity for a true Cinderella style rags to riches challenge, so I’ll be starting fresh and working my way through the Nobel Rankings to eventually claim the throne for myself 😈But how will you be playing- are you planning a brand new save, or are you going to pursue monarchy with an already established family? Will your Sim be rising through the ranks, or will you start as an heir to a current ruler? Be sure to share how you’re planning to play, and what stories you’ll be telling! 👑👑👑 Our very own GLovely1 is starting off the new year strong with an Eco Lifestyle giveaway! In order to enter, you’ll just need to download this Sim from the Gallery, and share a screenshot of him in your game. This giveaway will be open until Sunday, so be sure to share those screenshots for a chance to win. Best of luck to you all, and have fun with your new Sim! ♻️🌳🚮 For this week’s featured build, we have a colorful and quaint Enchanted Cottage, created by cbarber89. This little bungalow is surrounded by flourishing greenery, small ponds, and several gardening plots for all your apothecary needs. Inside you’ll find a large kitchen leading to a walk-in pantry, a sunroom, and two bedrooms, all furnished with natural and earthly decor. So whether you’ve been searching for the perfect little cottage for your fairy family, or just want to add some color to your neighborhood, this is the perfect home for you! 🌼🌹🌱 If you’ve been a member of the forums for a while, you’re most likely familiar with the Cantrell family as we’ve followed them along through their biggest adventures and life stages. But what was Erik’s childhood like? How exactly did he rise to fame? And how did he and Kayleigh meet? Well, we’ve got a brand new story to follow thanks to GalacticGal, called Way Back, A Cantrell Restart. This story focuses on Erik’s younger years, as he tries to launch his career, settle into adulthood, and meets the woman of his dreams.This new chapter adds even more lore and history to an already famous family, so be sure to catch up if you can’t get enough of the Cantrell Saga! 🏆🎶 Let’s finish this week off with an impressively detailed Darkmoor Village inspired World for The Sims 3, created by KarilynMonroe2. This World is based on all our favorite classic movie monsters, each with their own themed attraction, like the Frankenstein Manor, a vampire themed steakhouse, and even a werewolf themed rollercoaster! This little village is fully walkable for your Sims, with room for 14 commercial lots and 9 residential lots. You can either download the world with all the lots ready to go, or you can grab an empty version and add your very own spooky themed lots! So if you’re a classic horror movie lover, be sure to check this world out 🧛🐺🧟 And that’s all for another wonderful week! As always- stay safe, have a great weekend, and happy Simming! 💚 Till next time! -EA_Solaire
Friday Highlights - January 9th
Sul Sul! Happy New Year!!! 🎉 Long time no see! I hope you had a nice time over the holiday season and are well rested to tackle 2026. How did you spend your time? I had a very lazy break, I stayed by the stove watching sitcoms, eating chocolates and filling colouring books, and it was glorious 🤗 A quick recap of the week: 🛁 The newest Laundry List was released on Tuesday and you can catch up on the details here. 🐮 On Thursday, a Cowplant Lore challenge started on Discord. You can check all the details here if you’d like to participate! Beak careful out there! posted here by sillyangel0906 Let's jump into the highlights! 📸 Are you ready to take on a yearly challenge? If you are, the One Month One World One Year Challenge 2026 by belalucina (originally started by Karababy52) might be for you. The goal is simple: start with a teen sim, make them move and explore worlds, and post one screenshot per day during the year of 2026. There are other rules for this challenge that you can read in detail on the thread, but at the end of the year, you will basically end up with a mini-diary of your sim’s life, scattered over a full year. I think this idea is very nice, it’s kind of like having a sim that is growing along with you every day. I can’t wait to see all of your screenshots at the end of the year, it’s a very fun project! 👶 Next up, purplexbutterfly has a very important question: they need to find who would be the best sim to become the father of the future child of a very famous actress. But it must be a father who should also not get involved in anything as the actress wants to raise the baby on her own (and does not want a tube baby). So, we need to find an attractive male sim, who will not hang around for too long after... easy peasy right? Don Lothario could be a great choice, but purplexbutterfly is not feeling it. So maybe Brant Hecking then, but he might be too committed 🤔 There are more recommendations in the thread, someone is suggesting that the actress could pick a film director for example. If you have any more ideas, make sure to share them in the thread. Let’s hope the actress finds her match! 🎄 If you or your sims are not over Christmas yet, BreeMiles created a great Holiday Restaurant for our Sims 3 players. So if you want to extend the holidays and experience some Christmas magic, this would be the perfect place! Inside, everything is decorated with red and green items: red bricks, green pillars, red wood, green cushions… with of course a big Christmas tree and a fireplace. The restaurant can accommodate small and large groups and small children as well. This beautiful build might come in handy if you are already nostalgic of the holiday season. 🏡 sirhc59 is back this week with another fabulous Family Home made with only base game items. This house contains 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and would be perfect for a large family or for a sim who needs a bit of space. There is a very nice back garden with a protected pool, so kids can roam and play freely. Inside, the rooms are nicely decorated with modern and colourful items. My favourite place is the luminous sun room at the side of the house, where sims can have a nice book or a cup of tea on a rainy afternoon, or doze off on the couch a sunny day. If you are interested, this build is available on the Gallery for download! Lastly, for those who are planning a wedding in their game, LaylaFrisknut is sharing lots of helpful tips and advice to make sure that everything goes according to plan. For example, don’t hesitate to kick out unwanted visitors who will show up unexpectedly. Or make sure that there is enough room for your sims to walk around, because having an obstacle while the bride or groom walks down the aisle would ruin the mood a bit. Jehane40 has also replied by adding other tips, such as using smaller venues if possible. The most important piece of advice is that you must accept that no matter what you do, your guests will arrive with the outfit that they picked… and it might not be the most fitting 🙈 And that concludes the very first highlights of the year 2026! Have a wonderful weekend folks, and see you soon! Dag dag! Cath
Battlefield 6 - Community Update - Holiday Wrap-Up
Hey everyone, As we head into the holiday season and say goodbye to 2025, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on everything we have accomplished together and share a little about what is coming next for Battlefield 6 in the new year. It has been an incredible year for the team. We introduced Battlefield Labs, launched Battlefield 6, brought Battle Royale to the franchise through REDSEC, and kicked off Season 1. This is only the beginning, and we remain committed to continuing to build Battlefield 6 with the community in the year ahead. Thank You Whether you’re reading this between matches, on the way to see family, or taking a well-deserved break from the battlefield, thank you for being here. Your support throughout launch, your energy during Season 1, and all of your Only in Battlefield moments have made this year unforgettable. We have seen players of every kind jump into the game. Battlefield veterans grinding Multiplayer and PTFO. REDSEC players chasing the perfect drop. Portal creators building experiences we never imagined. You have each left your mark on the game in your own way. Your reports and thoughtful discussions have helped us iterate quickly and focus on the things that matter most. We will continue to build on this collaboration as we move into the new year. Battlefield 6 & REDSEC by the Numbers Let’s take a quick look at some of the incredible results from the all-out warfare you’ve created together: Played over 1.7 billion matches and logged 383.5 million gameplay hours Delivered 12.4 billion kills and 871 million revives Deployed classes across all modes as: Engineer: 28% Support: 27% Assault: 26% Recon: 19% Scored over 300 million shotgun kills and more than 2 million players with defibs Destroyed 102 million helicopters and jets, with engineers alone turning over 18 million tanks into scrap Team Highlights We also asked a few folks on the team for their favorite Battlefield 6 memories this year: One of my favorite moments was an animation bug with the sledgehammer that accidentally made the MP5 deploy animation look like a hidden easter egg. Watching the community clip it and react to it as if it were intentional was hilarious. https://x.com/DRUNKKZ3/status/1989256562268099060- Florian Le Bihan, Principal Game Designer In one Breakthrough match on Empire State, an attacker knifed me on the basketball court, spotted my developer tag, and immediately started yelling in All Chat for everyone to hunt me down. That turned into a match-long manhunt, full of melee duels and sledgehammer bonks, with both sides laughing and spamming love in chat. We still defended Manhattan, but my belly hurt from laughing so much. - Oli Zielinski aka spacebarisdefect, Technical Designer I was really touched by a longtime Battlefield fan facing serious health issues who was worried they might not make it to see the BF6 release. Motive organized a visit so that they could play the game early, meet the team, tour the studio, and leave with a BF swag pack. Seeing everyone go the extra mile for a single community member was incredibly special. - Alexandra Lucas, Game Writer II My favorite moment was being at the multiplayer reveal event and hearing the crowd erupt when we announced Portal. I was blown away by the crowd’s reaction. After working on Portal for almost 5 years, from BF2042 to BF6, it was a little stressful but incredibly rewarding to see that reaction and feel the team’s hard work pay off. - Ricardo Rojas Avellaneda, Quality Designer I Celebrating the launch at the office with all my colleagues and watching the player-count graph fly up towards the sky as we opened the flood gates was unforgettable. - Oliver Andersen, Tech Lead Portal Recently, we began featuring community-made Portal experiences in-game, and we will continue highlighting creations that stand out for their innovation, fun, or unique twists on Battlefield gameplay. Here are a few experiences from the community that we have been thoroughly enjoying: FaithWalker’s Hardcore Conquest Created by: FaithWalker Experience Code: MPHD Features: Custom-set limited HUD, crawl when downed, 90% movement speed, open weapons with DMR’s removed, faster vehicle destruction, and fine-tuned damage that makes most weapons 1-2 shot kills depending on caliber and range. RPGs Vs Golf Carts Created by: Choanie Experience Code: Z85X9 Defend the platform with RPGs while waves of golf carts attempt to crash into you. Survive the assault or destroy every cart before it reaches your position. Gulf of Lyndon Conquest Created by: Kurtinthegrind, viperstudioandy, and Byarlant Experience Code: ZFBV2 A large-scale Conquest setup featuring vehicles, intense urban combat, air engagements, and naval warfare across the Gulf of Lyndon. Community Highlights One of the best parts of Battlefield 6 is seeing what you create on the battlefield. From clever plays to cinematic moments, you have been sharing incredible clips, stories, and creativity across our community spaces. Here are just a few of the many moments that made their way around the team this year: Zero-kill win in Battle Royale: https://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield/comments/1ou8v3j/after_65_attempts_at_a_zerokill_win_in_redsec_i/ Amazing player using his mouth only to play BF6: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQW9JPIEQ4t/?igsh=MXVoeW5kZmNieGt2cg== Pea playing Battlefield 6: https://www.tiktok.com/@poopernoodle/video/7578950861640994070 Battlefield 6 Photographs: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/J5Z8NyUE7XI The flank of the century: https://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield/comments/1mn9hyh/excuse_me_guys_i_just_need_to_destroy_this_apc/ Please keep sharing your moments, experiments, and “did that really just happen?” plays. We love seeing them, and they continue to inspire the team. Looking Ahead to 2026 We’re already deep into planning what’s next for Battlefield 6 in 2026, and we’ll have more to share in the new year about the future of the game, upcoming seasons, and how we’ll keep evolving the experience with you. Some of the things we’re focused on right now include: Refining core gameplay, balance, and quality-of-life improvements across Multiplayer, REDSEC, and Portal. We are developing new maps and weapons that introduce fresh tactical opportunities and keep the experience evolving in meaningful ways. Preparing fresh experiences for future seasons so there is always something new to jump into. Exploring how we can expand Battlefield Labs by bringing more of its experimentation into the live experience. BR Solos: This is still on our minds. We are working through the technical details to deliver it at a quality level that feels right for Battlefield. Once we are confident in the plan and timing, we will share more. And for those keeping an eye on the skies… yes, a certain little bird is eager to say hi again. We’ll have more to share in the new year as Battlefield 6 continues to grow with your support. Holiday Quiet Time As we head into the holidays, remember to make some time for yourself and your loved ones. Take some time to rest and relax. And if you do plan on jumping back into the Battlefield, make sure to check your 6 and above. The team will be taking a short breather to recharge before returning in the new year. Communication may be quieter during this time, but core support and anti-cheat operations will continue as usual. If you encounter any issues, you can still report bugs on the EA Forums, and our Battlefield Discord remains a great place to stay connected with the community. From all of us on the Battlefield team, thank you for an amazing year. Happy holidays, stay safe, and we will see you on the Battlefield again soon. //The Battlefield Team This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.Friday Highlights - December 12th
Sul sul It’s starting to feel a lot like Christmas now! Have you started listening to the iconic Fwingle Zibbs yet? 🎄This week, I'd like to know what you will have on the Christmas menu 😋 I will probably be not original at all and just have a nice ham with potatoes and veggies, but I can probably use some inspiration! What’s on the news? 🌿 On Thursday, the creator kit Prairie Dreams was released! Have you grabbed a copy? 🎁 Those are the last Friday Highlights of 2025! But don’t worry, the fun isn’t over because Simsmas is starting on December 19th… 👀 and the Highlights will be back on January 9th! Early Merry Christmas from Grace… posted here by Armika74 And now, let’s check out the highlights! 🎲 First up, atreya33 is asking you to pick which imaginary friend to choose for a toddler. As part of the Supersim challenge, this toddler needs to grow up and start a family of his own… but first, he has to befriend an imaginary friend so she can turn real and they will start their family together! So this is a pretty important choice: should this little sim befriend Pretty Pegacorn, or Krafty Kid? Krafty Kid will help developing imagination, but Pegacorn might be more fun to hang around with… If you have any suggestions regarding the imaginary friend and their personality, make sure to send them to the thread! 💒 Next, Frn0731 is sharing some wedding fun if you’d like to have a laugh: the planning was tedious (planning a double wedding seems like a lot of work!), the scenes was set, outfits were ready, everything was on track… until the guests arrived, wearing paper bags over their faces. Yes, all the guests. Was it a joke? A stupid prank? They were actually wearing their fancy clothes, so they did put some effort! While it can be a bit disappointing at first, it actually created a funny and unique situation. Everyone will remember this wedding for the years to come! I hope they removed their bags during the pictures at least… 🏠 This week’s build is brought to you by ManicPot8to with Salt Haus Quarter. This build serves many purposes as it is a bakery café, an art gallery with a studio, a restaurant and a lounge. This lot will keep your sims busy at any time of the day! It combines different original architecture styles, but the finished result is very coherent: cosy café, modern art gallery, chic lounge bar, all blend together perfectly. It is a bit difficult to describe the build and capture all of its magic with words, so make sure to take a look at the full tour and you can head over to the Gallery if you’d like to add this fantastic build to your neighbourhood 🍵 🎅 In need of a new Christmas playlist? RainRecel got you covered with a fantastic musical Advent Calendar, the Winter Plumbob Carols! One song is released every day until December 31st (so it’s even better than a regular advent calendar). All the tracks are inspired by the winter season depicted in The Sims 4: the chilly and snowy neighbourhoods, Winterfest of course, and all other neat little details that bring the Christmas spirit to life! Make sure to check out the playlist while you’re gaming or preparing for the holiday season 🎶 🎁 Finally, this last thread fits the Christmas vibes perfectly because it is the season of giving: so make sure to check out GLovely1's generous giveaway for a chance to win two kits or one stuff pack of your choice - the perfect way to treat yourself or a loved one during the festive season. You can participate up until December 20th, so don't miss the deadline! And that’s it for this year peeps 🤗 Once again, it’s been a real pleasure to share the highlights with EA_Solaire, and we can’t wait to see you next year! In the meantime, have a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate, a Happy New Year, have plenty of rest and most importantly plenty of food! 🍲🍗 Dag dag! Cath
Legend Meta - Dev AMA recap
Hey Legends! Our latest AMA covers various aspects related to Legend meta in Apex Legends. Check out the full AMA here or dive straight into the questions below! Here’s our team on deck: u/RSPN_Josh, Lead Game Designer u/RSPN_Berryhill, Game Designer Q: Are we going to see any changes to Octane soon? He is my favorite legend but there are so many better options at this point. Q: Octane - Why does he still take damage to move fast, when so many other legends have gained bursts of fast movement without damage. Do we really think it would break him to take away stim damage? Could he have a “fuel meter” instead ala Valk so stim isn’t spammable. Q: Why is Octane the only movement legend that has a drawback when using his main movement ability? Q: I main octane and I’m wondering if their will be any buffs to him soon I feel that his abilities need a little more love similar to the recent buffs like rampart, valk, horizon, bang, etc. Q: Can already see a lot of comments around octane needing a buff. Previously he’s gone under the radar because his pick rate stays high regardless (+10 respect to octane mains) -Are there already any plans for octane and if not already are those the sort of things that would be considered? Q: What is the reason to rework or balance some legends per season and other keeps untouched? Overtime some legends are forgotten and creates a meta with a few good legends but the other ones seems outdated and bad in game. - Why dont you balance all legends every season with at least minor changes to adapt at the patch overall? Q: I like the movement meta (speed bursts, blinks, dashes, jumps). But the movement is so high and easily accessible, combined with the low ttk, playing movement legends is now the only way to play. Unless another legend has a very powerful critical utility, like rezzing. It’s got to be clear that adding movement perks is increasingly leaving all other utility and the associated legends in the dust. <snip> The question is: where are we going? What is the long term plan with this? Q: Are there plans to nerf caustic. He’s been in the meta fairly regularly since the evo perk changes came in season 20. He’s way too strong at the moment, feels awful to fight and die to and the play style isn’t particularly engaging. Q: Are you guys satisfied with the state of Controller legends? Considering how handicapped they are in early game, I feel like they could use some love Especially catalyst lol Q: Considering that Caustic and Wattson haven't been nerfed significantly, in addition to legends like Valkyrie and Rampart that have received quite substantial buffs, is this a sign that moving forward legend abilities are intended to have a higher overall power level than previously? Q: Any plans to update Crypto to be more relevant to the meta? Idea of allow him to ultimate while the drone is on his body? (Suicide ultimate?) Q: Are there any legends you think could use a rework rather than buffs? Last rework was a year ago.Friday Highlights - December 5th
Sul Sul everyone! Happy Friday, and happy December! Can you believe we’ve only got a few more weeks left of 2025? I feel like this year has flown by. Have you all started your Christmas shopping and wrapping? What presents are you hoping to get from Father Winter this year? I’ve got my fingers crossed for a new crock pot and coffee maker 🙏 Did you catch all the news from this week? On Tuesday, the newest game update was released which included a number of fixes, and a sneak peek at our upcoming Creator Kit - Prairie Dreams. For a full list of what was included with this update, check out the notes here. And on Thursday, our two newest kits, SpongeBob’s House and SpongeBob Kids Room launched. Don’t forget to join our Official Screenshot Thread for these kits to show off all your nautical new builds! A magical night at the Romance Festival, posted here, by ManicPot8to Ready for this week’s lovely curation of highlights? New kits mean a new giveaway! simgirl1010 is hosting another exciting giveaway this week for the Bikini Bottom Bundle - this bundle includes both the Spongebob’s House Kit and the Spongebob Kids Room Kit and the giveaway will be open until Tuesday, so get your entries in now! To enter, just share who your favorite character is from the show (The Flying Dutchman obviously….) Winners will be announced next week on the 10th, good luck everyone! 🧽🦀🐌 If you still need to decorate your house for the holidays, cozysimslifeyt can give you some great inspiration with this Festive Christmas apartment build! Nestled into the Fashion District of San Myshuno, this little apartment includes 2 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, a cozy kitchen and dining nook, and a small but inviting living room with a perfect view of the city below. Each room is decorated floor to ceiling with Christmas lights, garland, and snowflakes, so if you’re looking to add a little Christmas magic to your game, be sure to check it out! 🎄🎁 Earlier this year, we highlighted a lovely little slice of life gameplay story by DaniRose2143 called Diary of a Country Girl. Well we’ve got an exciting new update as Aurora and Tre recently welcomed the newest member of the family, Kya! Since we last heard from them, the couple has settled into parenthood, found success in their farm store (despite a few rowdy customers) and expanded the family even more with a new litter of puppies. Life is good out in the country, so be sure to settle in for this heart-warming story. 🐕🐾 If you’re needing a build that’s a little less seasonal, sirhc59 has got one for you with this Family Base Game Home. This traditional two-story home opens up into a red and black modern style living room with a large attached kitchen and dining area. Upstairs, you’ll find 3 bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a balcony overlooking a small front garden. This classic home also includes a backyard with a playground, BBQ pit, and pool, all perfect for hosting neighborhood BBQs or pool parties. And bonus - this entire build is base game only! 🏊👒 And to finish our week out, davidp12 is looking for a little advice on how to keep their game fresh and exciting 🤔🤔 From chaotic storylines to creative gameplay challenges, and even your recommended packs, we want to hear it all! Be sure to share with us all the different ways you keep your gameplay feeling fun and new! And that’s all for this week! As always- stay safe, have a great weekend, and happy Simming! 💚 See you in 2026! -EA_Solaire
EA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 9
Hello everyone, and welcome to the 9th edition of the EA Forums Online Security Newsletter. It’s October Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We’ll revisit key topics from previous editions to refresh our knowledge and prepare for this month’s optional challenge. Staying secure is essential and should be a priority in every online interaction or purchase. As usual, if you share your experiences or take a quiz, you’ll receive a unique badge on the forums as a token of participation. Now is a good time to introduce this month’s additional, optional challenge. Since October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, let’s promote online security even more: talk about online safety with your family and those most vulnerable, like your grandparents or kids. Exchange experiences with friends and share the tips you use every day. You can use the information in this newsletter or other resources (check the InfoHub). And, most importantly… Stay safe! Cybersecurity Awareness Month Downloading games Download apps and games only from official stores. Check reviews and ratings, and review requested permissions. Keep your operating system and apps updated, use antivirus software, and avoid illegal “cracked” versions, which often carry malware. Keeping your account secure Use strong, unique passwords and a password manager. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), such as Google Authenticator (biometric options are often supported). Watch for phishing: verify senders, avoid suspicious links or attachments, and never share personal information. Secure your email, the gateway to many accounts, by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), monitoring activity, and using encryption for sensitive messages. Biometrics security Biometrics (fingerprints, facial recognition, voice) and passkeys use on-device cryptography to reduce or replace passwords. They resist phishing, brute-force attacks, and password theft while enabling faster logins. Devices store encrypted templates, not raw fingerprint or face images, helping protect security and privacy even if a device is compromised. Online purchases Buy games and currency from official stores or verified sellers; avoid offers that seem too good to be true. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts and use trusted payment methods (e.g., PayPal, Google Pay) with buyer protection. Keep your system and antivirus up to date. Be wary of social engineering: double-check links, verify senders, and remember that legitimate support will not contact you through unofficial channels. Password creation psychology People often prioritize convenience over security, opting for simple or familiar passwords (such as birthdays, names, or team names), reusing them, or following predictable patterns. To strengthen security, use passphrases with unrelated words, employ mnemonics, store unique and complex passwords in a password manager, and update them periodically. Psychology of phishing Phishing exploits the principles of urgency, authority, curiosity, rewards, and social proof. Counter it by pausing when a message sparks excitement or panic, verifying claims via official channels (not embedded links), checking sender details and branding, and treating unsolicited gifts or windfalls as suspicious. If a message seems to come from a friend but feels off, confirm through a separate, trusted channel. In short: slow down, verify independently, and think before you click. Security vulnerabilities A security vulnerability is a flaw that attackers can exploit to steal data, disrupt services, or gain unauthorized access, distinct from cheating, which manipulates in-game mechanics. If you discover a vulnerability in an EA game or service, report it via the Security Vulnerability Submission form on the EA Security website. Include the product, platform, version, discovery time, impact, reproduction steps, and any supporting evidence. EA evaluates reports using CVSS and a four-tier severity scale (Critical, Important, Moderate, Low), alongside the STRIDE model. Cheating or account issues should be reported via in-game tools or EA account support, not through this form. European Cybersecurity Awareness Month Cybersecurity Awareness Month CISA National Cybersecurity Alliance How to keep your EA Account secure Online Security Newsletter - Volume 9 QuizFriday Highlights - November 28th
Sul sul everyone! I hope you’ve had a great week, especially if you are celebrating Thanksgiving since you got a shorter week than us, you lucky ducks! Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend? It might be time to start the Christmas shopping already... Let’s do a quick recap first: 🎲 Would you like to try out The Sims Board Game? You're in luck because on Monday, a Sims Board Game giveaway started on Discord with a chance to win one of 10 games! ❓Then on Tuesday, we got a awesome Q&A with the Sims Team on Discord. 📨 And the latest Laundry List also got released on Tuesday, you can check it out here. Going to the other side... posted here by sillyangel0906 And we can move on to the highlights! 🐺 We have a lot of screenshot threads in this community, but apparently we are still missing some! SanniSilli realised that we didn’t have a space yet for our werewolves, so they decided to start the Werewolves screenshot thread so we can finally see your beautiful furry sims! So far, we were introduced to Ikarios Goth, living in a mansion with horses and rabbits (the absolute dream), as well as a cute werewolf family on holiday in Selvadorada. Make sure to share with us your best screenshots of your favourite werewolves now that they are getting their dedicated space! ✨ A few days ago, Simmerville asked for suggestions regarding celebrity fan clubs, and most specifically about what to do with a fan club when a celebrity (in this case Olivia Clump) has passed or will be passing away. It’s very nice to see all the interesting suggestions! crocobaura suggests that Olivia’s house could be turned into a café where her fans could meet to reminisce about her and listen to her songs. Ellupelluellu added that portraits of her could be hanged in the place where the fan club regularly meets. Great advice to make sure that the fan club carries on,t that the fans keep meeting on a regular basis and maintain their bond 🤗 📹 We have a brand new chapter for The Fields Family Saga by Tcee11 , and we are entering a new beginning: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again. In the latest episode, the Fields Family was reunited and living in Barnacle Bay. For this new story, we know that Emit will have to cause one more Time Warp to set things straight, so we are meeting a new Lilly Fields, a famous alien whose lifetime dream is to become a superstar athlete. In this video story, we follow Lilly for a full week as she goes to work, works out, participates in a hotdog eating contest, or maintains her good reputation as a celebrity. This is a perfect introduction to this new rendition of Lilly Fields, and a very well made story video! 🏗️ I’ll also include a small little thing for our Sims 3 players in here: TheUltimateSim34 is attempting to rebuild an old house from The Sims 3: Pets from PlayStation 3, but building from memory has its limitations. So if you own a copy of The Sims 3: Pets for PS3, you may be able to help out a fellow simmer by sharing a few pictures of the house 🙏 🌳 Finally, Cevans1962 has shared a beautiful restaurant build located on Riverside Retreat in Granite Falls, Treesong. Entirely made with logs, it looks like a wood cabin and fits in perfectly with the landscape. It includes a dining room, a bar and lounge area, outdoor seatings and all other amenities, and is nicely furnished and decorated with a mix of rustic and modern items. It looks perfect for a date night, a family gathering, or for a brunch with friends. It would also be a good place to relax, have a nice meal and a refreshing walk in the forest after. Make sure to check out all the beautiful pictures, and you can also pick up this build on the Gallery if you’d like! 🦃 We got one last thing for you: since a lot of people are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, we wanted to use this occasion and invite you to share what you are thankful for! Even though it’s a bit cheesy, I am always thankful for all my family, my friends and my dog, and for all the nice food we get to share 😋. I am also thankful for the opportunity to be writing the Friday Highlights and for connecting with the awesome Sims community 😙 Not everyone can say that they write paragraphs about werewolves or sims-fan clubs as part of their daily job, so that’s pretty neat, and your comments are always so lovely and appreciated 💓 And that’s it for this week folks! Have a wonderful weekend, eat all the nice food, and see you next time - in December already 😨 Dag dag! CathFriday Highlights - November 21st
Sul Sul my lovelies! We’ve finally made it to another Friday, and it’s almost time to start winding down for the holidays. For those of you celebrating Thanksgiving next week, have you already got your meal planned out? Are you more of a turkey or ham kind of person? And more importantly, how do you feel about the season’s most divisive dish - green bean casserole? (It’s my personal favorite 🙃) Before we dive in, let’s catch up on the news from this week: On Tuesday, the MySims Cozy Bundle finally launched for both Xbox and PlayStation. If you’re looking for a relaxing way to spend your weekend, be sure to pick it up here! Working on Finnegan’s school project together, posted here, by Sindocat Time to get started on this week’s highlights! To celebrate this week’s console launch, simgirl1010 is hosting a new MySims Cozy Bundle Giveaway! This giveaway is for both Xbox and PlayStation so if you want to enter, just share which console you play on and what region you’re using if you’re on PlayStation. This giveaway is open until Tuesday, so be sure to enter and best of luck to everyone! 🎮🎮🎮 We all love to get lost in a good gameplay story, and Lesamith is in the process of writing up a brand new legacy narrative, but is looking for a bit of your input first. They’re specifically wondering what kind of stories you love to read - do you prefer short and sweet, with screenshots telling most of the story, or would you rather read longer and more detailed chapters? And would you rather see in-game screenshots of the action, or do you like more realistic looking AI renders of Sims? Be sure to share all of your story reading preferences with us to help make this upcoming story as exciting as possible! 📒📚 For this week’s build, we’re highlighting this breathtaking rustic style Alpine Ranch, created by Le_Slacker. This spacious 64x64 ranch includes a beautiful country home with 2 bedroom suites, a game room, an indoor spa and sauna, and a covered wrap-around porch leading to a gazebo and large pool area. This estate also has several impressive outdoor features including a large horse barn and training yard, a small corner garden and even a fenced in duck pond. This lovely ranch is the perfect place to play out all your country living dreams, so be sure to take a look! 🏇🏽🏇🏽🏇🏽 Up next, we have a gameplay story written by gidget1234 for the forum’s newest eligible bachelor, Theodore Ito Scott, as he begins a Romantic Elimination Competition in search of his soulmate. This week, 8 fantastic women join him in Del Sol Valley and begin competing for his love and attention under the watchful eye of Theodore’s dear Aunt Nanami (and let’s be real, she’s the real star of this show). So which girl will be crowned the winner? What kind of hot gossip will Aunt Nanami uncover with her listening device? And will dinner ever be served on time? Make sure you tune in to find out! 💖💏 Let’s wrap our week up with a new version of an old classic thread - Sims 4 Random Thoughts, created by Ellupelluellu. This is the go-to spot for all your random, unorganized and spontaneous Sims related shower thoughts, from pointing out strange in-game notifications to sharing your Sim’s super embarrassing holiday sweater outfit 🫣 So feel free to drop in and spill all your chaotic and scattered thoughts with us - the more unhinged the better! And with that - I hope you have a wonderful weekend, stay safe and happy Simming 💚 Till next time! -EA_Solaire
