D’oh, the fix is a part-fix, but …
Updated again, Oct 11th, with …
Message from the EA Community Team over on AHQ:
That AHQ post can be seen here
Hey all, Just a few quick updates on our side:
At this time, updating to the new app store version looks to resolve the issue for users who hadn’t run into it yet, but does not retroactively fix the issue if you were already affected.
If you are currently stuck at the “spinning donut” screen and you’re not playing on an anonymous account (account is linked to an EA account), fully uninstalling the game and reinstalling should allow you to resume playing.
Again, if you play on an anonymous account (don’t use an EA account), uninstalling and reinstalling will wipe your game’s progress, so please continue to hang tight while we investigate the issue further.
Updated Oct 11th with …
EA are now asking if anyone tried a re-install after the update.
Don’t shoot the messenger, I know you can’t do that if you play as Anonymous and it’s a faff waiting for the game-data download.
If any of you did and that didn’t help that’ll be info worth passing along as well as any success stories that feel a fresh install solved all the niggles.
It’s over to you if you want to comment on this
The original post …
There’s a post went up on the TSTO FB page a little while back ..
D’oh! Racoons got in the server room.
We’re aware some of you on iOS devices are having trouble logging into your Springfield. Keep an eye on the App Store for an update coming soon.
That post can be seen here
… and an update showing in the app store, you want v4.64.1
PS – I’d Hard Close it before updating so it isn’t still running and stuck while you go get this fix.
If you’re not sure how see …
Closing an app on an iPad
Closing an app on an iPhone
Hope that’s the end of that.
Happy Tappin’ everyone
Getting very irritating, haven’t been able to sign in for a couple of days now. Just get the perpetual spinning donut
I have closed, uninstalled, reinstalled- let it update for an hour, then it let me log in – see my town for a split second before kicking me back to Bart and then the perpetual spinning donut..
I play on an iPad; had the spinning issue for a couple days; read your very helpful article; closed, uninstalled, reinstalled, once it all loaded back up and I was logged in my game started up again. HOWEVER – yesterday and today all I get is the spinning donut Again! D’oh!!! 🤦♀️ I wonder if the “fix” in-fixed my game again 🤷♀️. I’ll let EA know this too. Really appreciate all your help here!!!
Reinstalled it yet not able to paste the verification code in order to log-in… tapping “Paste” nothing happens. What a mess!
Tried it all… deleted the app and then re-installed.. then deleted the app (again) and then restarted my iPad… then reinstalled the game. Nothing. Bummed to be missing out on the event. I’ll keep my eye out for an update…
I have tried all of the above. Even deleted the app and re installed. Tried deleting the app, re starting my iPad and then re installing… nothing worked. Bummed to be missing out on the event. I’ll keep my eye out on an update…
You keep saying “hard close”…pardon me I must be dumb…I’ve uninstalled…reinstalled, shut down and restarted the iPad…still nothing…somebody wanna walk this old dummy thru the process of getting this thing up and running again…I’m about ready to nuke the whole damn thing and move on after many years…
There’s links at the end of the post, a How To for iPad and one for iPhone
After a spinning donut for two days, I did the uninstall, did a iPad hard shutdown, reinstalled, and it’s up and running just fine. Been playing from the beginning, this was a first. Happy to be back in action.
The update didn’t help. I was soooo hoping to avoid reinstalling the game as it’s a complete pain. Drat!
If your game is connected with an account then your game is safely stored on a server – all you need to do is get your device and the server talking again and a complete uninstall and re-install should do that
You were right, I reinstalled it and it worked. Fingers crossed no more problems later.
i’ve given up on this event. have only been able to play one time. All the time i’ve been playing over the years i’ve never gave up an event. but i’m so irritated.. Doubt i could even catch up.
If your game is connected with an account then your game is safely stored on a server – all you need to do is get your device and the server talking again and a complete uninstall and re-install should do that
Plenty of time to catch up, with some diligent tapping. We’re still just on the first act! I often finish acts several days before the next act starts, so, if you can uninstall your game and re-download it from the new version, you may be back in business and then able to catch up. Unlike years ago, you can still work on a prior act when a new act has already started.
Not the greatest solution around, but I went to the extreme and nuked my town. The game would load and run with a fresh anonymous game and hang if I tried to sign in. On one rare occasion when it loaded, I nuked it and haven’t had an issue since. On another note nuking only removed most of the buildings.
I had reinstalled on my iPad the other day, it was working fine until today. I had closed out of the app, updated it, and… same issue. I don’t understand why this game can’t function without a constant server connection; we have a MASSIVE installation footprint for a paleolithic game engine. With some time spent refactoring, it wouldn’t be hard to “occasionally” sync up on-demand. Maybe implement a text-based inventory/character search as well.
Got the update but was extremely quick. Still just a spinning donut. Nothing has worked. Very disappointed to be missing this event.
Not working for me either.
iPad Pro
iOS 17.0.3
TSO 4.64.1
I’ve been having these issues with the spinning donut, or friends disappearing. I noticed if I’ve been away for a while and go to click on it, it’ll lag on the log in screen too. I just hard quit it, then when it does load again it tells me to reenter my birthday and confirm that I agree to terms again. Then it opens fine. Seems to have wanted me to reenter bday and click to agree to terms since the Halloween update?
Still not working for me with the new update (on iPad). Fed up 😔
It doesn’t work on my iPad but it does just fine on my iPhone. Go figure.
Had problems too. Right now can log in but my neighbors have disappeared. That’s happened before too but they usually return….not this time. Suggestions?
The usual trick is to Hard Close, but if this loading bug is connected to matching up account details ( not sure, but it could be ) then it might be it doesn’t know whose friends to show ?!?
Bryce. I am pretty sure that they are all on Holiday. 🙃🤪
However, they shall be returning shortly.
🤣…..I can’t help myself. LMAO
You may be kinda right …
Once iOS games can get to fetch data from the servers they’ll be back.
Right now it seems they’ve been saying nope to iOS data requests !?!
Well I wasn’t having any issues till today, now it won’t load and the app update doesn’t change that.
I had a small update today. Sadly didn’t fix the issue. Still loading to infinity …
Maybe it’s just me but when problems like these occur they seem to always be on ios.
Got 4.64.1 but it doesn’t help – still can’t get in today on my iPad. Works on my iPhone, though, which I hadn’t used to play TSTO for quite some time.
Didn’t read this before, but it doesn’t really make sense to me that a program would still be running while being updated…
As I figure it, it can sit in the background and be running / creating Cache Files while the download happens and there’s a chance they stay as current while it installs / fires up the new core program.
That mahoosive download on re-install has all the images and data it needs to describe every item, task and dialog for example and that remains on an update along with the little file that acts like a browser cookie to keep you logged in and who knows what other background files.
If things like that are cleared from memory then the update will create it’s own new background files as it needs ’em
Cimddwc
When ever I get a download, I also get a message. The message always says……tap the doughnut. And you will be able to play your game, while the download will continue in the background.
Bull-Shite. Not once! Have. I. Been. Able. To. Play. The.game.
Nope – it needs ALL the pics and details for everything before it can show ’em
Perhaps in the beginning it got the important stuff then started on less important ones, but with years of updates …
What about android? Any fix for that system?
If you read the the original article on the bug try the tips in that.
On Android it is a minor issue that can be solved, or at least seems to be, and all my Android devices can fix it quickly when it happens with a Kill and Reload
I am still having loading problems on android, firstly on my newewst tablet on 13 and now on my phone on 12.
I have done all the suggestions, multiple times and still haven’t got into the games.
I really hope that every player gets the compensation, not just those on ios.
I sincerely hope that the issues are fixed soon for everyone!
Count me in on this one. Ten years…and this is the first time I haven’t been able to play. Withdrawal setting in…argh.
Having spent hours, sometimes days, battling Bart I feel your pain
Uh oh….
No update in the App Store for me. In US, Texas
Hopefully won’t be long now …
Sadly update is not available in my country or region. I’m in the US
Looks like the US app store is still showing v4.64.0 – the original update
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-simpsons-tapped-out/id497595276
They’ve almost certainly got the new files but you’ll need to wait for ’em to approve and release it – that usually doesn’t take too long
One of these days I’ll get to see the 2 O’clock when the sun is out instead of the one through the night !!
That might just happen if this fix works …