Base Game not Compatible with current Expansion Pack

[Audren]

I recently updated my game to 6.5.1.011031 after re-installing Origin. Now, I am unable to enter the game because "Your Sims 3 Base Game is incompatible with the current Sims 3 Expansion Pack. Please update your game via the game launcher." Now, I cannot play the game at all, either through the launcher or bypassing it via this. What do I do?

[Pam]

If it's telling you to update your game via the game launcher, that's what you should try to do.  Open the Sims 3 Launcher and click on the "Game Updates" button at the bottom.  It should update your game automatically.  If this fails, you may need to reinstall your entire game to get everything back in proper working order.

[Audren]

My game is already updated as far as it will update automatically. I will try re-installing. I'm going to assume that I re-install the expansions as well?

[TheChronicR]

I had this error multiple times and I think it happens because I try to keep the expansions and reinstall the base game only thus saving me time. This doesn't work most of the time and I am forced to reinstall everything. That's the only solution I've found. If anyone has another workaround it would be greatly appreciated thank you.

[TheWiseMan]

I had this problem. I solved it by deleting the Version.tag file inside the "C:\Users\Username\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3". Username is your user account on your computer. This should work, assuming that you have patched everything properly.

[Audren]

I've tried both deleting the file WiseMan suggested doing and uninstalling the games. Neither worked.

[CharlotteDaBookworm]

Did you update the game every time you installed the next expansion pack, this happened to me last time I didn't.

[Noodles]

I've tried both deleting the file WiseMan suggested doing and uninstalling the games. Neither worked.

Did you re-install the games in the order they were released, and patch in-between?

I've had this problem when installing EPs in "wrong order", and re-install fixed it in both cases. First, I had the Base game & Ambitions patched up to the 1.22 patch, and only then bought & installed WA... I got this error. Same happened when I installed LN a couple of months ago. Both times a complete re-install did the trick.

BUT... wasn't the 1.22 patch (or 1.24, one of the most recent ones anyway) supposed to remove the need to update individual EPs and thus get rid of this "base game not compatible..." problem? I remember reading about it in some patch notes.

[Audren]

The way I un-installed was LN, Amb, HELS, WA, Base Game. I re-installed in chronological order of release. On WA and later, a pop-up said, 'Your Sims game needs updating' or something to that effect. I clicked yes, waited a minute or two for it to finish, then went on with installing.

[jessiethedog]

This happened to me once, when I accidentally got the Italian (or something like that) version of the game-we have satellite internet and for some reason it thinks we are Italian, so if we order from Amazon it doesn't usually work well-and I had to change the registry code in Registry Editor to 1:Worldwide, I think. My uncle did it first, and he works in computers. I could change it all back when the expansion pack had installed, though.

Note to self: only buy from stores from now on!

[Seabody]

[...] On WA and later, a pop-up said, 'Your Sims game needs updating' or something to that effect. I clicked yes, waited a minute or two for it to finish, then went on with installing.

I don't believe that this is Patching, because I got that on my most recent reinstall (and had no error messages whatsoever) when I wasn't connected to the internet. I think it's just enabling what comes in the Patch alongside it.
My theory is that the game itself comes with the patch, so theoretically, it installs the patch and the game at the same time. So "Your Sims 3 game needs updating" is it asking permission to patch, I think. (note the "think" and "theory". This is my estimation of the way installation works.)

[Audren]

I don't believe that this is Patching, because I got that on my most recent reinstall (and had no error messages whatsoever) when I wasn't connected to the internet. I think it's just enabling what comes in the Patch alongside it.
My theory is that the game itself comes with the patch, so theoretically, it installs the patch and the game at the same time. So "Your Sims 3 game needs updating" is it asking permission to patch, I think. (note the "think" and "theory". This is my estimation of the way installation works.)

So, perhaps I should try un-installing them again, re-installing them again, and then patch them in between each install?

[Anushka]

Audren, you should follow the instruction given in this tread.If you don't have good uninstaller (Like Revo uninstaller that is free) you can follow the instruction from here..
This is always good to do - it will help your game run smoother and with less problems.

[Audren]

Okay, thank you Anushka.