So, I bought the Katy Perry version of Showtime for my daughter. The disk is just showtime, which is no big deal as I already have the Origin version of Showtime. What makes it "Katy Perry" are two codes to be redeemed at Sims3.com. One code worked - for the Katy Perry stage. But the Katy Perry outfits claimed that code was already used.

But if it was used, then why isn't it in my downloads section like the stage?

I ended up on the dreaded EA "Support" chat. You know, where sometimes they charge you to not help you and run up the bill. Yes, the bill. They've charged me before against my "Sims 3" account. And the guy was absolutely no help at all and was clearly trying to run up the chat time. Well, the guy was doing that to me again. Pretty sure he couldn't charge me, as I deleted my billing information after that. But he did ask for the info to bill me.

I'm kinda bitter about my experience. I pay for content I didn't get.

Not that I care for Katy Perry, but my daughter wants the Katy Perry stuff. I bought Showtime AGAIN just to get it.

Love the Sims. I could live without EA/Origin.

Kids like cute, it's not a moral issue.

I did not know there was a Katy Perry Showtime thing, but whatever...you would have been better buying the Katy Perry stuff pack no? I mean..while at it.

Yes, I got the Katy Perry stuff pack and it installed okay.

Wait, EA trys to bill you for help? Bastards!

Stuff like this is why I have been boycotting EA games since 2012, It is hard to avoid them on the PC because they are so big but I have not bought a single new game from them since then.

Back in 2012 I paid $90 to get the game Mass Effect 3 on release day and I rebuilt my PC just to make sure it would run correctly, well on one side quest I ran into a game crashing bug that wouldn't let me complete the quest or continue the game once I started the quest. I was able to avoid taking the quest on future playthroughs but I did start a thread in the tech support section of the Mass Effect 3 message board, i wasn't rude, i just let them know it was out there because i figured that was what that section of the forum was and it turns out I wasn't the only person running into this bug and it wasn't limited to PC users of the game, XBox 360 owners were running into it to.

Well the next time I tried to log on and play the game I was told I have been banned from Origin for disrupting the message boards and that I was no longer allowed to launch any games using the service, I tried to get tech support but I found I had been banned from the tech support site and the message boards for life for starting the thread. It took two weeks of angry phone calls and threats of legal action and a call to my SAG's office before EA lifted the ban on my origin account and let me play my new $90 game again, and to this day I am still banned from all EA tech support and message boards.

So sadly I find this story more then believable, welcome to the wonderful world of EA and how they treat people who pay to play their games. I have to say in their case I don't blame anyone who pirates their software as it is the only way to be sure you will get a working copy.

EA has been voted worst company in America for a very good reason and your problem with this expansion pack and their billing you for tech support is just the latest example of why.

Oh and that bug, it was latter patched, by a fan with a mod, not Bioware or EA.

but she's hot tho.. 'Hot and Cold" just saying..

Ugh yes I had this same thing! I don't even know why I bought the limited edition, I don't even like Katy perry but I guess back then it was because... new lots? (We all make mistakes )

But apparently somewhere on some piece of paper with the serial code, it says somewhere under it with the tiniest font ever, That you can't get the stuff anymore after March 6 2013. So we're pretty... late.

That reminds me of when the Katy Perry stuff was released. The EA team made her an account at the official forums, as if Katy Perry had registered like any other simmer. Lots of tweens sent "Katy Perry" friend requests. EA even made her a store wish list until they were shamed into taking it down. I really hope no 12 year olds spent their precious simpoints buying some pixel pretties for multimillionaire Katy Perry.

Makes me wonder what EA did with the money. But that's awful!

Again worst company in America, they had to work really hard to earn that tittle, but they did it, several years in a row. Wear that badge with pride EA, because it did not come easy.

How is it any different from 12 year olds spending their precious allowance buying songs for multimillionaire Katy Perry? It's their choice. Also, I doubt her estate made bank from that Stuff Pack. She's not living or dying by that money, it's more just for publicity and branding. I don't know. I don't get what's so objectionable about Katy Perry. Compared to other pop stars in her genre that cater to the same audience, I find her to be one of the least offensive in that I typically don't hear about her other than related to her profession and she seems like a relatively sane person who is famous and just sings cheesy, albeit catchy, songs. I guess her crime was entering into a deal with EA? Or maybe that the objects/clothes in the pack were not really applicable outside of whatever coked out bubblegum fantasy scenario one would have in their game. But considering the popularity of "Berry Sim" culture in the community, the items were actually quite prescient!

I like Katy Perry's music- well not all of it but some of it. She has a nice voice and she is a talented song writer when she aspires to more than bubble gum pop. I think simmers were upset that a whole SP was devoted to her very niche look. (BTW, @Emmett Brown -Master Controller hide by pack from CAS will be your friend when townies start to appear in cupcake bras- it is not pretty!)

Twelve year olds buying Katy Perry's music actually get her music. Twelve year olds buying an item for her from her fake wish list are getting nothing, and neither is she. Only EA profits from that transaction. To be fair, I don't think that was EA's intent. I think it was a serious lack of foresight, and considering that SP was targeted to her very young audience, which are the only people excited to see her fake sims account, EA should have considered that a fake wish list would yield real purchases.

Is there anything really worth getting in the Katy Perry pack other than clothes?

They promised you to get this really 'big' lot which I was really going for the day I bought it. And the hairstyle that's included. But this is basically what's in there: http://simsvip.com/sims-3-showtime-guide/
I lost the poster and guitar pins. I might have thrown them away, I can't remember >-< But for some weird reason I only have this piece of paper telling me about the venue for the limited edition. I either lost the collection edition code or I got the wrong piece of paper in it. (Besides the instructions of course),

Sweet Treats is maybe my favorite stuff pack, because of the moments it made me think "OMG! That's exactly what I need, right now!" when I found some of the decoration items or tacky furniture. It's very situational, but it's great when it works.

But something is pretty unclear to me. Why keep selling those editions if people can't get the stuff anymore with the code they have? I mean, you're actually paying 20 dollars more than you should. In fact, you're wasting it in my opinion. I mean I guess people would rather go for a non-limited edition when it comes to the part of the simmers community who just got into the sims and aren't really big player/collectors.

The Katy Perry Showtime EP comes with two codes for downloads from Sims 3.com; One, the Venue and Stage Limited edition content, sill works and downloads on Sims 3. The other, her stage props and clothing, doesn't work. I don't care for the Katy Perry stuff for my own games. My daughter seemed good with what she got. So, I'm not going to push it with EA, they cheated me fair and square. I'll just be bitter about Sims 4.

Edit: I didn't notice, but "KP Showtime" looks to be $2 less on Amazon than plain ol' "Showtime". So, maybe I got a bargin and shouldn't be bitter. Then again, I also have a copy of the regular "showtime" and bought the KP Showtime for my daughter.

I guess it might have changed over the time since I bought it waaay back when it got released but It didn't bother me that much because I didn't had a sims 3 account back then. Weird thing is, I looked it up what both prices were fpr Showtime and katyperry right here in the netherlands and showtime is 20 euros more expensive than the katy perry limited edition.

Found myself saying this after EA bought Maxis.

I often wonder what it would be like if Maxis still ran the show.

I think you may be giving EA more credit than they deserve. They probably didn't think of it ahead of time, but as soon as people started buying "gifts" for "Katy Perry" they should have removed the wish list. They knew, even if they didn't plan it, that they were making money off of kids buying gifts they thought went to the celebrity they idolized, and didn't put an end to it, which borders on fraud.

It's fine, with Katy's permission (which she likely gave them in the deal in which they used her name on the stuff pack), to create an account supposedly for her, and even interact as her, like if someone added her to their friends list, "she" could add back. And the 12 year old could be excited, "I'm friends with Katy Perry on Origin!" They could even, if she gave permission, blog as her, answer messages as her, or whatever, as long as it was all positive and not exploiting those who thought it was her.

But once they started buying her gifts, it crossed the line. What I've read about Katy as a person suggests she's decent, and any decent person with her kind of money would never encourage fans to buy stuff for her, even if she was really getting/using the gifts, much less what was really going on. Of course, I doubt anyone more than about 12-14 years old bought her anything, even if they thought it was really her, knowing (if it had been really her) she could easily buy stuff for herself. But encouraging people to do that, especially when she wasn't even getting/using it, is really exploitative and over the line.

Perfectly fine, and a nice publicity stunt: Having an account supposedly hers so people thought she played, with the implicit endorsement and the game seeming "cooler."

Gray area, but I'd consider it okay: Interacting with that account in positive, non-destructive ways.

Over the line: People spend money on "her."

I live in the Netherlands as well, and I remember that when I bought it, right after the release, the KP edition was waaaay more expensive than the 'regular' LE.

I've never once used the EA support forums, and it's a sad day when a company's own support is less reliable than modders/other gamers. Also, hilarious that they'd try to bill you for helping you when it was their website that fucked up and didn't give you your money's worth in the first place. I can't decide if EA is ballsy, or just incredibly stupid. Probably some mix of the two.