If you were lurking in the Simming community back in 2012, you probably remember the absolute chaos that erupted when The Sims 3 Katy Perry Sweet Treats was announced. It wasn't just another stuff pack. It was a neon-pink, candy-coated fever dream that most players—honestly—loathed at first sight.
I remember the forums. People were furious. Why? Because it cost $30 at launch, which was ten dollars more than a standard stuff pack, and it was filled with giant cupcake chairs and dresses made of literal peppermint swirls. It felt like a giant advertisement for the Teenage Dream era. But fast forward to today, and the vibe has shifted. What was once the most "hated" DLC in franchise history has become a weirdly prestigious collector's item.
What Really Happened With The Sims 3 Katy Perry Sweet Treats
Basically, EA went all-in on the celebrity partnership. They didn't just put Katy Perry on the box; they built an entire aesthetic around her "California Gurls" music video. We got three new venues: Patty’s Natural Baths (a pool), Bonbon Lawn (a park), and the Cake Pleasure Dome (a hangout).
The pack included over 50 objects and about 30 items of clothing. We're talking banana sofas, ice cream cone lamps, and guitar cases that looked like giant pieces of candy. It was loud. It was garish. It was deeply, deeply niche.
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The Licensing Nightmare
The real reason we're still talking about this pack isn't the furniture, though. It’s the fact that it vanished. In July 2013, barely a year after it launched, EA officially retired the pack. They didn't really give a long-winded explanation, but it's pretty obvious: the licensing agreement with Katy Perry expired.
Unlike Diesel Stuff or 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff, which stayed on digital storefronts for years, Sweet Treats was scrubbed from Origin (now the EA App) and Steam. If you didn't buy it during that tiny window, you were out of luck.
Why The "Sweet Treats" Pack Still Matters to Collectors
You’d think a pack everyone hated would stay dead. Nope. Because it's "lost media" adjacent, it's become a badge of honor for completionists. If you see a Simmer with a complete collection icon bar on their main menu and that little candy-striped icon is missing, the collection feels incomplete.
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Here is what makes it unique compared to other DLCs:
- The Simlish Song: It included a version of "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" sung in Simlish. You can’t get that anywhere else in the game.
- The Scale: It was technically "The Sims 3 Katy Perry’s Sweet Treats," not "Sweet Treats Stuff." It was marketed as something bigger than a stuff pack, hence the three pre-built venues.
- The Price Spike: Since you can't buy it digitally, physical copies are the only "official" way to get it. I’ve seen unopened boxes go for upwards of $50 to $100 on eBay, depending on the year and the desperation of the buyer.
Can You Still Get The Sims 3 Katy Perry Sweet Treats Today?
Yes, but it's a bit of a headache. Honestly, your best bet is hunting through used game bins or hitting up sites like eBay or Mercari. If you find a disc, you can usually still register the code on the EA App—provided the previous owner didn't already use it.
There's a lot of misinformation about this. Some people think the code won't work because the game is "retired," but the servers generally still recognize the product keys. If the key is already used, you’re basically just buying a very pretty piece of plastic for your shelf.
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Is It Actually Worth Playing?
Look, if you like building whimsical bakeries or "Hansel and Gretel" style cottages, the Build/Buy items are actually pretty high quality. The textures are decent for 2012. However, the CAS (Create-a-Sim) items are... a lot.
Most of the outfits are literally stage costumes. You aren't going to send your Sim to their corporate job at the Science Lab wearing a bra made of cupcakes. Well, you can, but it's a choice. The male content is also notoriously thin—there’s basically one outfit for guys, which felt like a massive oversight given the price tag.
How to Handle Your Sims 3 Katy Perry Hunt
If you are determined to add this to your game, don't just jump at the first $80 listing you see. Be smart about it.
- Check the Region: The Sims 3 physical discs are sometimes region-locked for the installer, though the EA App has smoothed some of this out.
- Verify the Code: If you're buying from a reseller, ask if the code has been redeemed. If they say "I don't know," assume it has been.
- Alternative Options: Many players today turn to "decrapified" CC (custom content) versions of the items. Since the pack is no longer for sale, the community has essentially archived the files so people can still use the candy chairs without paying a fortune to a reseller.
At the end of the day, The Sims 3 Katy Perry Sweet Treats is a time capsule. It represents a very specific moment in pop culture and a very specific era of EA's marketing strategy. It was a bold, sugary experiment that failed commercially but succeeded in becoming one of the most talked-about pieces of DLC in gaming history.
If you want the full "Candyfornia" experience, start by scouring local thrift stores or smaller online hobbyist shops rather than the major auction sites; you’re more likely to find a parent selling off their kid's old "candy game" for five bucks than a collector who knows exactly what they have. Once you have the disc, ensure your EA App is updated before attempting the install, as the legacy transition can sometimes be finicky with retired content.