The Sims 3 is sold in in-game stores around the world, but if you've purchased the game before, you can download it for free via Origin. The Sims 3 can also be downloaded for free using a file-sharing protocol known as BitTorrent.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Via Origin
Step 1. Go to the Origin downloads page at
www.origin.com/rus/ru-ru/store/download. The Origin client allows you to manage games that have been purchased and downloaded in the past.
If Origin is already installed on your computer, skip to step # 6
Step 2. Download Origin on Windows or Mac OS X
Download the installation file (by default it will be saved in the downloads folder).
Step 3. Double click on the Origin setup file to launch the setup menu
Step 4. Select the Origin client installation folder and other options
Step 5. Click Install and then read and accept the End User License Agreement
Step 6. Log in to Origin using your Origin account credentials
Enter the email address or Origin ID you used when purchasing The Sims 3.
Step 7. Go to the "My games" tab
All games you purchased through Origin will be displayed here, including The Sims 3.
Step 8. Right click on "The Sims 3" and select "Download."
Step 9. Follow the instructions on the screen to download and install The Sims 3 on your computer
Method 2 of 3: Via BitTorrent
Step 1. Download and install the BitTorrent client
This program allows you to connect to other Internet users via the BitTorrent file sharing protocol to download The Sims 3. Here is a list of some of the popular and reliable BitTorrent clients: uTorrent, Azureus, and qBittorrent.
Step 2. Visit the BitTorrent directory
The BitTorrent Directory is a list of torrent files for finding and downloading movies, TV shows, applications, games, and music. The most popular torrent sites include The Pirate Bay, ExtraTorrent and KickassTorrents and RuTracker.
Step 3. Enter "Sims 3" in the search field on the torrent tracker website
Some BitTorrent directories allow you to filter your search results by category. For example, if you're visiting The Pirate Bay, check the box next to Games and search for Sims 3.
Step 4. Sort the list of torrents by name, number of seeds, download date and other parameters
Seeds are BitTorrent users who distribute these torrents so that other users (known as lychees) can download the files faster.
Step 5. Click on any torrent to find out more information about the torrent file
Review comments and information about the file, such as OS compatibility, file type, and file size.
Step 6. Click on the magnet link to download the torrent file
This will add the torrent file to the BitTorrent client. To download the magnet link, click on the word "magnet" or the magnet icon.
Step 7. Select the Sims 3 torrent file in the BitTorrent client and click "Resume" to start downloading the Sims 3
Step 8. When the game downloads, click on the Sims 3 torrent in the BitTorrent client
Step 9. Click "Stop" or "Remove" in the BitTorrent client
The Sims 3 game files will be available in the default Downloads folder.
Step 10. Double click on The Sims 3 icon and then follow the instructions on the screen to install and launch the game
Method 3 of 3: Troubleshooting
Step 1. Try updating the operating system on your computer if you are unable to install Origin
Origin is only compatible with Windows 7 and OS X 10.7 and later.
Step 2. If you encounter errors while installing Origin, please make sure there is enough free disk space
Origin requires 250MB of disk space on Windows PCs and 150MB on Mac OS X.
Step 3. If the client you are using does not work correctly, try downloading another BitTorrent client
BitTorrent clients are by no means perfect, and some are more compatible with certain operating systems. For example, Windows users prefer to use uTorrent, while Mac users prefer Azureus.
Step 4. If you have problems finding The Sims 3 torrent, please visit another BitTorrent directory
Some users download torrents to their favorite sites, and Sims 3 may be available on another torrent tracker.
Advice
When visiting and browsing BitTorrent directories, make sure your antivirus is running in the background. These sites are very often loaded with malware that can harm your computer
Warnings
- BitTorrent files may contain malware or other annoying programs. Download files at your own risk.
- Use BitTorrent at your own risk as there are penalties for downloading files from torrent sites in some countries. Receiving Sims 3 in this way violates EA Games' policies and may result in fines and the suspension of your Origin account.
- Some games have built-in add-ons that change the game if it was downloaded illegally. In The Sims 4, for example, the mosaic effect will gradually fill the entire screen.