sims2mods.com
What happened, in order
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 2014 | EA emails Sims 2 owners: their version will lose technical support on July 22, 2014. Everyone who registered a digital copy on Origin gets the Ultimate Collection in their library within five days |
| Late July 2014 | EA opens it to every Origin user: redeem I-LOVE-THE-SIMS under Redeem Product Code in Origin's Games menu, free until July 31, 2014 at 10 a.m. Pacific |
| After 2014 | The free code expires. Origin is later replaced by the EA app |
| January 31, 2025 | EA releases The Sims 2 Legacy Collection for Windows 10 and 11, for The Sims' 25th anniversary |
At the time, PC Gamer pointed out that the Ultimate Collection was not on sale as a digital purchase. It was handed out rather than sold, and EA's store page for The Sims 2 is now the Legacy Collection.
Ultimate Collection vs Legacy Collection
| Ultimate Collection (2014) | Legacy Collection (2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| How you got it | Free on Origin in July 2014 | $29.99 on Steam; also on the EA app and Epic |
| Expansions | All eight, University to Apartment Life | All eight |
| Stuff packs | Every stuff pack, as reported in 2014 | All except IKEA Home Stuff, per EA's list. Also comes with The Sims 4 Grunge Revival Kit |
| Windows | Older build; on new PCs players add fixes such as Graphics Rules Maker | Rebuilt for Windows 10 and 11, with old bugs such as black shadow boxes and pink neighborhoods fixed |
| Engine fixes | UC builds of tools such as TS2 Extender | LC builds of the same tools |
The eight expansions in both are University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, FreeTime and Apartment Life. EA's Help site today only has pages for the Legacy Collection.
Moving your Ultimate Collection saves to Legacy
EA says old Sims 2 saves work in the Legacy Collection as long as they aren't corrupted, but they live in a new folder. EA's steps:
- Back up your old user folder, the one that holds
Neighborhoods, to another drive. - Start the Legacy Collection once so it makes its own folder, then quit.
- In
Documents\Electronic Arts, cut the newThe Sims 2 Legacyfolder and paste it somewhere else as a spare. - Rename a copy of your old save folder to
The Sims 2 Legacyand paste it intoDocuments\Electronic Arts.
Many players find the Legacy folder under Documents\EA Games instead. Use whichever location the game created. Before your first load, swap UC engine fixes for their LC builds and scan the neighborhood with HoodChecker. Which mods carry over is covered in Sims 2 Legacy Collection mods.
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Your Sims 2 family, no collection to hunt for.
LifeSim is a free life simulator in the browser and on iPhone, with nothing to install or patch. Import your Sims 2 household, or type who you are, and the game draws the character and starts the life in a real city.
Still playing the Ultimate Collection?
If you claimed it in 2014 and it still runs, nothing forces you to switch. Its folders differ from Legacy's:
- User folder:
Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection(the folder name contains a ™ sign, so open it in Explorer rather than typing it). - Program folder:
Fun with Pets\SP9\TSBin, where engine fixes such as DXVK go.
On a modern PC, set texture memory and resolution with Graphics Rules Maker and use the UC build of TS2 Extender, both listed on the main page. Mods and CC go in Downloads exactly as on Legacy; see how to install Sims 2 mods.
FAQ
Can I still get The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection for free?
No. The I-LOVE-THE-SIMS code expired on July 31, 2014. The Legacy Collection is the version EA sells now.
Is the Legacy Collection the same as the Ultimate Collection?
Close. Both have the base game and all eight expansions. Legacy is rebuilt for Windows 10 and 11 and lacks IKEA Home Stuff.
Is there an Ultimate or Legacy Collection for Mac?
The Legacy Collection is Windows only. Mac players use Aspyr's The Sims 2 Super Collection from the Mac App Store.