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The Sims 4
The Sims 4
Fourth main title in The Sims series

Featured Article The Sims Wiki's Featured Article for September 2014.
The Sims 4
Smarter Sims, Weirder Stories
Development
Developer(s) Maxis, The Sims Studio
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Ratings CERO: C
ESRB: T [1]
FPB: 13
ACB: M [2]
PEGI: 12
USK: 6
GRAC: 15
PCBP: 18[3]
Series The Sims
Release date(s) Microsoft Windows
NA September 2, 2014[4][5][6]
GB September 5, 2014
EU September 4, 2014
JP September 4, 2014
AUS September 4, 2014
macOS
INT February 17, 2015
Xbox One, PlayStation 4
INT November 17, 2017
Technical information
Aspect ratio 16:9 (More ratios may be available on PC)
Platform(s) Windows, macOS
Mode(s) Single-player
Media Digital download, DVD-ROM, BD-ROM Blu-Ray (PS4 only)
System requirements Minimum system requirements on TheSims.com
Game features
Genres Life simulation
Creatures Sim, Ghost, Grim Reaper, PlantSim
Worlds Oasis Springs, Willow Creek, Newcrest
Related pages
Patches and updates
Cheats
Shortcuts
4
TS4
Sims 4
TS4 Icon

The Sims 4 is the fourth installment in The Sims franchise. Like the previous games in the series, The Sims 4 focuses on creating and controlling a neighborhood of virtual people, called "Sims". The Sims 4 boasts an overhauled and intuitive Create a Sim, updated building tools, and deeper, more complex Sims through the addition of emotions and new traits.

The Sims 4 was released in North America on September 2, 2014,[4] and in other places worldwide shortly thereafter for PC. A Mac version of the game was announced at the same time but a release date was not specified until early 2015. It was released on February 17, 2015, several months after the PC version.[7] The Console versions of The Sims 4 were released on November 17, 2017, for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.[8] This is the first time the full base game and content packs became available for consoles, unlike previous iterations in which a limited version of the game was used.

The base game was announced to be free-to-play on September 14, 2022[9], and was officially available for download on October 18, 2022, following the "Behind The Sims Summit" live stream.[10]

Official description[]

Sims-4-rebranding-logo-high-ress
Smarter Sims. Weirder Stories

The Sims 4 is the highly anticipated life simulation game that lets you play with life like never before. Control smarter Sims with unique appearances, personalities, behaviors, and emotions. Experience new levels of creativity when you sculpt Sims with the powerful Create A Sim and design beautiful homes with tactile, room-based Build Mode. Use The Gallery to browse, share, and download new content without ever leaving your game. Control the mind, body, and heart of your Sims and explore your new gameplay possibilities in vibrant neighborhoods that bring your stories to life.

Features[11]
  • Smarter Sims – Create and control smarter Sims with unique appearances, personalities, and emotions in The Sims 4.
Create unique Sims and customize their appearance, fashion styles, personality traits, skills, careers, and walk styles. For the first time, Sims both feel and express emotions. Your Sims experience a range of emotional states driven by your actions and influenced by other Sims, events, and objects within the game. Emotions offer you more choices and give you the opportunity to create gameplay moments with even more possibilities. Enjoy how your Sims interact and express their distinct personalities in social settings within the game.
Create and control the mind, body, and heart of your Sims and bring your stories to life like never before in The Sims 4.
  • Powerful, Creative ToolsCreate A Sim and Build Mode are more powerful, intuitive, and fun than ever before. You have the control to sculpt Sims with tactile precision. Effortlessly construct the home of your dreams with the all new, room-based Build Mode.
  • Vibrant Neighborhoods – Experience new gameplay opportunities brought to life within vibrant and dynamic neighborhoods. Choose among beautiful and diverse lots for your Sims to build their homes and explore activities. Expand your social circle and interact with other Sims in the neighborhood and hang out in community parks and venues.
  • Rich Rewards – Earn new objects, outfits, and traits by completing events, discovering collectibles, and unlocking achievements.
  • Share Your Creations – The Gallery allows you to browse, share, and download new content without ever leaving your game. Get inspired by rich content created by The Sims community and add new experiences to your game.

Game features[]

Create a Sim[]

Sims_4_-_Character_Customisation_E3_2014

Sims 4 - Character Customisation E3 2014

One of the most groundbreaking aspects of The Sims 4 is its intense character customization options

Create a Sim is revitalized, making it more intuitive, flexible, and detailed than in previous games. Sims' physical features are customized by clicking-and-dragging on different parts of the body. It is described as being like clay by multiple people in the community. Overall body size and amount of muscle are adjusted by sliders, but the size and shape of individual body parts can be adjusted individually, allowing players to make Sims with unique body shapes. Sims' facial features are also customized by the same click-and-drag mechanic. There is also a "detail mode," which allows more precise modification of certain facial features. All changes made to one side of the body or head are automatically made to the opposite side.

Emotions[]

Main article: Emotion

Sims in The Sims 4 have more emotional depth than in any previous game in the series. A Sims' emotional state affects which actions they perform and how the actions are performed. One Sim's emotions can affect other Sims around them. Sims in extreme emotional states can even be killed by their emotions. The emotions that a Sim can or will experience are affected by their moodlets, traits, and life stage.

In-game Gallery[]

Main article: Gallery


The gallery is an in-game exchange feature, allowing players to share their Sims, families, and buildings with other Sims players. Players can add their creations to the gallery or pull other player creations into their game quickly. The gallery is fully integrated into The Sims 4; everything added to the game through the gallery is immediately playable, without the need to restart the game. An internet connection is required to access the gallery. The gallery was added to console versions on January 16, 2020. Subscriptions are not required to access the gallery; only an EA account is required. Console players are freely able to share content with PC and Mac players and vice versa.

Build mode[]

The_Sims_4_Build_Mode_Official_Gameplay_Trailer

The Sims 4 Build Mode Official Gameplay Trailer

The Sims 4 features a revitalized, room-based build mode. Rooms are placed down and then stretched in all directions until they reach the desired size and shape. Rooms and entire houses can be picked up and moved around the lot, including all objects, floor and wall coverings, doors and windows. The Sims 4 improves upon the blueprint mode of The Sims 3, allowing players to place down fully-furnished rooms in a variety of styles; these rooms can then be resized, moved and adjusted as well. Players can also upload their rooms to the Gallery or download rooms from the Gallery to add to houses.

Several pre-existing build mode features have also been updated. Walls and half walls now have one of three different heights, set on each individual level of a building. Windows placed on walls can be moved up or down vertically along the wall. Windows can be automatically added to rooms, then adjusted by the player as needed. Columns automatically stretch or contract to match the height of the walls on a particular level, and can be added to railings without the use of the moveobjects cheat. Foundations are no longer treated as separate levels on a building. Foundations can be added to or removed from a building, even if the building is already built, and the height of the foundation can be adjusted.

Creatures[]

Main article: Life state
  • In The Sims 4, ghosts exist after a Sim has died. They will float around either possessing objects, spooking Sims, or acting out based on how they died. They also can acquire abilities in death based on how they died; such as a ghost who died by fire can start fires when angry. Ghosts can be revived through a multitude of ways through ambrosia, book of life, etc.
  • Aliens are introduced in The Sims 4: Get to Work. They can be naturally found by venturing in the scientist career, exploring Sixam, or creating them in Create a Sim. Aliens have an assortment of abilities such as erasing minds, empathizing, and even transmuting metals, crystals, and elements. Aliens have a human form in order to blend in human society and can be caught as an alien by other Sims.
  • Vampires are introduced in The Sims 4: Vampires. Sims can be turned into a vampire by vampires who have the "Vampire Creation" perk or can be created in Create a Sim. Vampires have a large array of powers and abilities through their own powers menu. but at the same time they have to acquire weaknesses to balance out. Vampires can train and learn from other vampires to rise in the ranks and become even more powerful.
  • Dogs, Cats, Foxes, and Raccoons are introduced in The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs. Pets count as a part of the Sim's household, unlike The Sims 3: Pets and more like The Sims 2: Pets, they cannot be controlled directly.
  • Skeletons are introduced in The Sims 4: Jungle Adventure. Skeletons are mostly NPC's however Sims can temporarily become skeletons via relics found within the tomb.
  • Rodents are introduced in The Sims 4: My First Pet Stuff. There are multiple rodents and can be tended to by Sims, they can be given special treats to add features or make them less intelligent. They also can cause rabid rodent fever which can cause death in Sims who are bitten.
  • Mermaids are introduced in The Sims 4: Island Living. They are naturally found in the world of Sulani, but Sims can become mermaids through "Mermadic Kelp" or can be created in Create a Sim. Mermaids flourish in the water and have many water based abilities as well as the ability to hypnotically affect other Sims' emotions through siren songs.
  • Spellcasters and Familiars are introduced in The Sims 4: Realm of Magic. Sims can become spellcasters through the three sages in the Magic Realm, through magical lineage, or created in Create a Sim. Spellcasters are magically imbued Sims who can cast spells, concoct potions, and grow in their own ranks and perk system much like vampires. Familiars are magical creatures that aid spellcasters in duels and spellcasting as well as can protect them from death.
  • Servos are introduced in The Sims 4: Discover University. Students that reach level 8 of their robotics skill can build one, it then joins the active sim’s household. Its name, traits and color can all be customized. They have fewer needs and are efficient in gaining skills; they are, however, afraid of water (including rain) and will turn into a pile of scrap should they encounter water for too long.
  • Werewolves are introduced in The Sims 4: Werewolves. Sims can become werewolves by werewolves who have the "Cursed Bite" perk or can be created in Create a Sim. Werewolves have a large array of abilities through their own powers menu, as well as some dormant abilities which act as passive additions to their interactions. Werewolves can spar with other werewolves to rise in the ranks and become even more powerful.
  • Horses are introduced in The Sims 4: Horse Ranch. Horses count as part of the Sim's household, but unlike The Sims 3: Pets, they cannot be controlled directly.

Worlds and neighborhoods[]

Main article: World

In The Sims 4, the classic concept of neighborhoods has been replaced with worlds. Each world consists of multiple distinct neighborhoods. Sims can be in any or all neighborhoods within a world at a given time, but the player can only fully control interactions and actions within whichever neighborhood is loaded at the time. Sims outside the loaded neighborhood can still be controlled to a limited degree. Players can switch between which neighborhood is loaded, though this brings up a loading screen.[12]

The Sims 4 was initially released with two worlds—Oasis Springs and Willow Creek. An additional free world, Newcrest, was added in a subsequent base game patch.

Most expansion packs of The Sims 4 introduced new worlds to the game. Get to Work introduced Magnolia Promenade, which is a standalone neighborhood and not a full-sized world.[13] Get Together came with Windenburg, a European-inspired world. In City Living, San Myshuno was introduced—a city that has a variety of apartments. It is the first world that has named neighborhoods, though they are more commonly referred to as districts. Cats & Dogs introduced a coastal world called Brindleton Bay. In Get Famous, a Los Angeles-inspired world called Del Sol Valley was introduced. It is mainly created for players to experience the acting career included in the pack and watch their Sims rise up in fame. Island Living has a tropical world named Sulani, a fully residential world inspired by Polynesian islands. Discover University introduces Britechester, a campus world with two rival universities. Eco Lifestyle adds the coastal world of Evergreen Harbor, a sustainable development-focused world that can change from polluted to lush with sim intervention and conservation. Snowy Escape is focused on the wintery and Japanese-inspired world of Mt. Komorebi. Cottage Living added the world of Henford-on-Bagley. High School Years added the world of Copperdale. Growing Together added the world of San Sequoia. Horse Ranch added country-inspired world Chestnut Ridge. In the latest expansion pack For Rent, it introduces a Southeast Asian-inspired world Tomarang.

A number of game packs for The Sims 4 also came with new worlds, albeit mostly smaller than the expansion pack worlds. Vampires introduced Forgotten Hollow, a one-neighborhood world created primarily for the game pack's new life state, vampires, to live in. StrangerVille introduced StrangerVille, a desert-like residential world inspired by the American southwest. Realm of Magic introduced an alpine wooded small world named Glimmerbrook, as well as the secret world of The Magic Realm. Werewolves introduced Moonwood Mill, a small forest town created primary for the game pack's new life state, werewolves, to stay at. My Wedding Stores added Tartosa which seems to be inspired by a variety of location in the Mediterranean like coastal Italy, Croatia, Southeastern coastal Spain, Southern France, etc. Outdoor Retreat, Jungle Adventure and Journey to Batuu introduced the vacation-only worlds of Granite Falls, Selvadorada, and Batuu respectively.

The Sims 4 contains many references to worlds in The Sims 3 despite being in a parallel universe. One example would be for a Sim to receive a postcard from Sunset Valley, which is a world in The Sims 3.

Expansions, updates, and DLCs[]

Expansion packs[]

Like previous entries in the The Sims series, expansion packs have also been released for the game. So far, fourteen expansion packs have been released.

The first expansion pack is called The Sims 4: Get to Work and was released in March 2015. It combines some elements from The Sims 2: Open for Business and The Sims 3: Ambitions where Sims are able to run their own business and command the Sims during work. The careers (returning from previous titles) include doctor (medical), detective (law enforcement), and science.

At Gamescom 2015, Rachel Franklin announced The Sims 4: Get Together, along with its official trailer. The expansion focuses on socializing, partying, creating and managing clubs, and acts as a spiritual successor to previous The Sims games, including The Sims: House Party and The Sims 2: Nightlife.

On September 13, 2016, the trailer for the third expansion pack called The Sims 4: City Living was released. The expansion itself was released on November 1, 2016. The pack features some spiritual elements from The Sims 2: Apartment Life and The Sims 3: Late Night. Sims can rent apartments, sing karaoke, and go to festivals.

On August 21, 2017 at Gamescom, Lyndsay Pearson announced the fourth expansion pack called The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs, that was released on November 10, 2017. It combines some elements from The Sims: Unleashed, The Sims 2: Pets, and The Sims 3: Pets where Sims are able to own cats and dogs, along with the ability to build and manage vet clinics.

On May 24, 2018, the fifth expansion pack, The Sims 4: Seasons, was announced to be released on June 22, 2018. It adds weather, seasons, holidays and a new botanist profession. The pack includes some returning elements from The Sims 2: Seasons and The Sims 3: Seasons.

On October 9, 2018, the sixth expansion pack, The Sims 4: Get Famous, was leaked through Origin with a release date of November 16, 2018. It adds a celebrity system, an acting career and a new world catered towards film making and famous Sims. This pack features some spiritual elements from The Sims: Superstar, The Sims 3: Late Night and The Sims 3: Showtime.

The seventh expansion pack, The Sims 4: Island Living, was accidentally leaked by EA on June 7, 2019 and was officially announced during EA Play on June 8, 2019. It primarily focuses on relaxation, island life, exploring the ocean in many ways, enjoying various beach activities, and reintroduces mermaids as a playable life state. It acts as a spiritual successor to The Sims 3: Island Paradise with elements of Vacation Island from The Sims: Vacation and Twikkii Island from The Sims 2: Bon Voyage.

On October 22, 2019, EA announced the eighth expansion pack for the game: The Sims 4: Discover University. It reintroduces the college experience to the game, and adds robots, roommates, new careers, the new campus world of Britechester, where two rival universities are located, and acts as a spiritual successor to previous college-themed expansion packs from The Sims games, including The Sims 2: University and The Sims 3: University Life.

The ninth expansion pack, The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle, was released on June 5, 2020 and focuses on sustainability, green energy, crafting and its industrial-based world of Evergreen Harbor.

On October 19th, 2020, EA announced the tenth expansion for the game: The Sims 4: Snowy Escape. It reintroduced winter aspects in a new world Mt. Komorebi. This pack features some elements of Vacation Island from The Sims: Vacation, Takemizu Village and Three Lakes from The Sims 2: Bon Voyage and Shang Simla from The Sims 3: World Adventures, as well as Mount Fuji in The Sims Online and Melbourne in The Sims 2 for console. It was released on November 13, 2020.

On July 22, 2021, EA released the eleventh expansion for the game: The Sims 4: Cottage Living. It brings a world based on the English countryside, Henford-on-Bagley, with farming and livestock elements influenced from The Sims: Unleashed, The Sims 2: Seasons, The Sims 3: Pets and farming sets from The Sims 3 Store.

On July 28th, 2022, EA released the twelfth expansion: The Sims 4: High School Years. Its aspects follows closely to those of Discover University, this time focused into the High School and teen aspects in the world of Copperdale.

On March 16th, 2023, EA released the thirteenth expansion: The Sims 4: Growing Together. It includes a new world called San Sequoia and includes familial elements similar to Parenthood game pack. elements influenced from The Sims 3: Generations.

on July 20th, 2023, EA released the fourteenth expansion: The Sims 4: Horse Ranch. It includes an American Wild West world Chestnut Ridge. On June 6th the "horse expansion" was leaked for the first time, on June 20th horse ranch was officially leaked through steam and became official the first trailer was released on June 22nd. Some elements influenced from The Sims 3: Pets

On December 7th, 2023, EA released the fifteenth expansion: The Sims 4: For Rent. It includes residential rentals allowing for multi-family dwellings and Sims can become property owners for their own customizable apartments in the world of Tomarang.

Game packs[]

New to The Sims 4 are "game packs".[14] Game packs are generally smaller than full expansion packs, but have more content than stuff packs.[15] So far, twelve game packs have been released.

Stuff packs[]

As with previous The Sims titles, stuff packs have also been released for the game. So far, nineteen stuff packs have been released, with the latest, Crystal Creations Stuff being set to release on the 29th of February 2024.

Kits[]

Main article: Kits for The Sims 4

A new pack type called "kits" were introduced in March 2021. They are smaller and cheaper than stuff packs and feature a very small selection of objects, clothes or gameplay within a very specific theme.[16] Twenty-seven kits have been released so far.

Free packs[]

Free Packs are content packs available on Origin to download for no additional price.

  • The Sims 4: Holiday Celebration Pack is a free downloadable add-on that features festive decorations and clothing which was originally released on December 16, 2014. Since then it has been updated five times with extra content, for the Holiday seasons in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
  • The Sims 4: Grim's Ghoulish Guitar Pack includes one additional guitar item for PC and Mac. Signing up for EA emails is required in order to download the pack.

Bundle packs[]

Bundle Packs are released periodically and include multiple titles from The Sims 4 for a reduced cost than buying them all separately. Players can also build their own bundles on Origin, consisting of an expansion pack, a game pack, and a stuff pack.

  • Bundle Pack 1: Spa Day, Perfect Patio Stuff, Luxury Party Stuff
  • Bundle Pack 2: Outdoor Retreat, Cool Kitchen Stuff, Spooky Stuff
  • Bundle Pack 3: Dine Out, Movie Hangout Stuff, Romantic Garden Stuff
  • Bundle Pack 4: Vampires, Kids Room Stuff, Backyard Stuff
  • Bundle Pack 5: Parenthood, Bowling Night Stuff, Vintage Glamour Stuff
  • Bundle Pack 6: Jungle Adventure, Fitness Stuff, Toddler Stuff

Patches[]

Main article: The Sims 4/Patch

The Sims 4 receives game updates through Origin. Game updates may consist of bug fixes, minor additions, and new features. Some patches are notable for including major additions or features to the game.

  • The October 1, 2014 patch added the ghost life state and a Star Wars costume set.
  • The November 4, 2014 patch added the swimsuit clothing category and swimming pools.
  • The December 16, 2014 patch added two new careers, athletic and business.
  • The February 3, 2015 patch reintroduced the use of family trees.
  • The March 26, 2015 patch added the basement tool.
  • The June 11, 2015 patch added a new empty world, Newcrest, and the custom room tool.
  • The July 9, 2015 patch added half walls and lockable doors.
  • The August 6, 2015 patch added dishwashers.
  • The September 24, 2015 patch added a new trait, jealous, as well as the option for a Sim to "claim" a bed.
  • The November 3, 2015 patch added a new repairman Service to the phone who will come to the Sims house and repair items. The patch also added 6 new items from the Halloween #TeamTreat and #TeamTrick event; 3 #TeamTreat items and 3 #TeamTrick items comprising of 2 Doors, 2 Fish Bowls and 2 Storage Chests each themed after Team Treat and Team Trick.
  • The December 4, 2015 patch introduced a 64-bit version of the game. Bartenders, caterers, and masseuses can now be hired. New group behaviors were introduced. A new pool venue and pool coloring were also added.
  • The February 4, 2016 patch introduced the Tragic Clown painting, gardener NPC, Grilled Cheese aspiration and kleptomaniac trait.
  • The March 22, 2016 patch introduced Jasmine Holiday with the Spring Challenge and Growfruits.
  • The April 21, 2016 patch reintroduced the Tragic Clown as an NPC.
  • The June 2, 2016 patch expanded CAS gender customization options allowing both genders to wear any clothing and hairstyle, masculine or feminine body frame, whether they can get pregnant, and if they use the toilet standing. As well as updating and improving UI.
  • The June 23, 2016 patch returned the monsters under bed feature for children's beds as well as the feature for the child to befriend the monster.
  • The July 14, 2016 patch returned nannies as a hirable NPC, and added new UI changes.
  • The August 16, 2016 patch returned customizable phone skins in a variety of colours and styles. As well as, Grim's Ghoulish Guitar if the player signed up to the Sims Newsletter.
  • The September 27, 2016 patch added a new recipe "Pan de Muerto" and many new outfits and objects to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
  • The October 27, 2016 patch added lot traits and the copy room tool.
  • The December 1, 2016 patch added more objects to the Holiday Celebration pack, as well as new interfaces for alien Sims such as an alien icon above traits in CAS, switch between disguise and alien form within CAS, and a metal plate around the middle of their plumbob in-game.
  • The January 12, 2017 patch added toddlers, loads of toddler items in buy mode, new kids toys, new teeth options, new skin colors and a new "Creepy" walk style.
  • The February 2, 2017 patch redesigned the main menu and added a new celebration shirt.
  • The March 23, 2017 patch added the new lot trait "Teen Hangout".
  • The May 25, 2017 patch redesigned the load game menu and added 3 new ceiling lights to build mode.
  • The September 12, 2017 patch added a new gallery interface, and 21 new CAS and build mode items.
  • The November 7, 2017 patch added new roof styles and options, abilities to control Sim culling and the photography skill that was originally from Get to Work.
  • The February 6, 2018 patch added one new female hairstyle, a new T-shirt and 10 new skin tones.
  • The February 22, 2018 patch upgraded and added new reward traits, as well as a new toddler bed.
  • The March 8, 2018 patch added the Noctis Lucis Caelum costume from Final Fantasy XV, due to EA's game crossover partnership.
  • The June 19, 2018 patch added glass roofs, two new clothing categories and overhauled the gardening system.
  • The July 31, 2018 patch overhauled The Gallery.
  • The August 16, 2018 patch added various Caribbean-inspired clothing, hair, makeup and furniture, along with sliding doors and decorative ceiling fans.
  • The November 13, 2018 patch added terrain tools, updates to foundations, additional basement levels and half wall heights, the Style Influencer career, self-employment, first person camera, a brand new tutorial and new clothing to Create a Sim.
  • The February 5, 2019 patch added new objects, clothing and food recipes themed around the Chinese New Year.
  • The April 16, 2019 patch added three new freelance careers, new objects and clothing, and a Freezer Bunny hoodie made in collaboration with Italian Fashion House, Moschino.
  • The June 18, 2019 patch added a randomize traits button to Create a Sim, a portable lounge chair, 350 new swatches for doors, stilted foundations, clothing optional and off-the-grid lot traits, part-time jobs for Sims older than teens, new interactions to swimming, new additions to fishing, and various new pride month related objects and clothing.
  • The July 16, 2019 patch added more clothing and accessories to the base game, a Create a Sim stories feature that allows players to create Sims with more starting conditions, a new cheat in build mode to unlock previously inaccessible world decoration objects, and a rebrand to the entire game.
  • The August 8, 2019 patch changed the new loading screen to a darker tone and added more options to photography.
  • The September 5, 2019 patch added more customization options for stairs, allowing for configurations such as L-shaped and U-shaped stairs, as well as new Create a Sim and build mode content in celebration of the game's 5th anniversary.
  • The November 12, 2019 patch added the ability to stretch out columns over multiple stories as well as UI scaling, updated the Holiday Celebration Pack with more clothes for children and toddlers, and made the Hip-Hop radio station available in the base game.
  • The December 12, 2019 patch added music to the alternative radio station.
  • The January 16, 2020 patch added the ability to upgrade beds to upgrade their comfort and energy gain, as well as added more slots to accent tables for objects to be placed.
  • The February 4, 2020 patch added a new base game hot tub and new music.
  • The June 3, 2020 patch added ladders, firefighters, (base game) repo-men, an expanded inventory system, free placement of windows and doors on walls, expanded bills & utilities, an off-the-grid build mode category, and updated pre-City Living worlds to have neighborhood descriptions.
  • The November 10, 2020 patch added platforms and more half walls in build mode, new music in S-Pop, sentiments, Sim profiles and vacationing in any world.
  • The December 8, 2020 patch added sliders for skintones and make-up.
  • The January 21, 2021 patch added the Scared emotion and retrofitted 60+ tense moodlets to be scared.
  • The March 23, 2021 patch added bunk beds, two improved hairs, and extra swatches to décor art posters and paintings.
  • The November 2, 2021 patch added scenarios to play challenges and a Sims Delivery system for adding smaller pieces of content such as CAS and Build mode items.
  • The November 30, 2021 patch added story progression through neighborhood stories, allowing Sims outside the played households to experience life events.
  • The February 15, 2022 patch adds the Fiancé relationship in Create-a-Sim, as well as the introduction of the Wedding Venue lots.
  • The April 26, 2022 patch updated the main menu with new filters and a way to fill out surveys in-game.
  • The May 24, 2022 patch added pronouns in the Create a Sim menu, with this Sims will be referred to their selected pronouns in notifications and in-game text. This also included custom pronouns.
  • The June 12, 2022 patch added lunar cycles, a small telescope, death by meteorite, and a new beard.
  • The July 26, 2022 patch added Wants & Fears, Body hair, Curved walls, updated the Cell Phone interface, and introduced more options for Sexual orientation of The Sims.
  • The August 30, 2022 patch introduced the Welcome Scenarios, where pre-made Sims will be played throughout the specified scenarios.
  • The October 11, 2022 patch introduced the Help Center and Guidance System for players who are new to the game. A Loyal trait has also added.
  • The January 31, 2023 patch mainly focused on major improvements for console version. In addition, medical wearables and scars are added into the Create a Sim. It also added a light switch in Build Mode.
  • The March 14, 2023 patch added the Infant life stage, a life stage between Newborns and Toddlers.
  • The April 18, 2023 patch brings native support for Apple silicon SoC Macs, such as Apple M1 and Apple M2 processors (including their variants).
  • The May 30, 2023 patch brings further enhancements for the console version.
  • The July 18, 2023 patch introduced the ability to paint ceilings by using the same tool as the floor tool.
  • The September 5, 2023 patch introduced filtering by individual kits.

Legacy edition[]

On March 19, 2019, EA announced that it was ending support for versions of The Sims 4 running on non-Metal Macs and on 32-bit operating systems in June 2019.[17] On November 12, 2019, Patch 88 officially discontinued support for 32-bit and non-Metal systems, requiring all The Sims 4 content released after this date to be 64-bit or Metal compatible. The Sims 4: Legacy Edition was released on the same date - it is available only to players who run The Sims 4 on non-Metal Macs or on 32-bit PCs. All The Sims 4 content released before November 12, 2019 is compatible with Legacy Edition, but no content or game patches are compatible after that date. The Gallery, game banners, and social integrations are also disabled in Legacy Edition.

Create a Sim demo[]

On July 7, 2014, Rachel Franklin (SimGuruRachel) announced the debut of The Sims 4 Create a Sim Demo.[18] Starting on July 8, a limited number of Sims players were given early access to the demo. A week later, on July 15, the public was able to sign up for access to the demo, though not everyone who signed up received access. On August 12, the demo was made public and available to everyone, through Origin.[19]

The demo allows players to create only young adult Sims, and features the body sculpting tools in the base game Create a Sim. The demo also gives access to the Gallery. Sims created by other players or by Maxis can be downloaded into the demo and adjusted, and players can add their own Sims to the gallery as well. Sims created in the demo are exportable to The Sims 4.

The demo was discontinued and no longer available to be played as The Sims 4 became free-to-play on October 18, 2022.

Other Information[]

  • The Sims 4 is set in a new time period and has no continuity to previous games.[20] However, some Sims from previous games (such as the Goth family) appear; the timeline for The Sims 4 therefore exists in an "alternate universe" from the timeline of the first three games.[21]
  • The Sims 4 had an autosave feature which was removed in Patch 50.[22] However, it's still available in the console versions of the game.
  • Toddlers did not initially appear in The Sims 4 base game.[23] The life stage was completely left out of the game, and was not combined with the baby stage.[24] However, they were added in with the January 12, 2017 update after two years of the game's initial release.[25]
  • Swimming pools were not included in the base game,[23] however, they were re-added in Patch 7.
  • The Sims 4 is playable in a single player offline mode and the core of the game is intended to be played offline. The game doesn't require a constant internet connection.[26][27] However, the Origin client is required in order to install the game,[28] and an internet connection is required to access the in-game content Gallery.
  • Voice-over content in the game is completely new; there are no recycled Sim voices from previous games.[29]
  • The Sims 4 uses a new game engine that bears little to no resemblance to the engine used in The Sims 3.[30]
  • The soundtrack for The Sims 4 is composed by English film composer Ilan Eshkeri.[31]
  • The Sims 4's original loading screen was changed in a patch.
  • The Sims 4 receives free content updates every month, with the exception of January.[32] However, in January 2017, a free update brought in toddlers to the game. This is no longer consistent, as around 2018 and 2019 there are multiple months with no updates and finally in 2020 there is no monthly update; from then until present, the updates coincide with pack releases and anniversaries outside of Sims Delivery Express (SDX) drops.
  • Similarly to the previous games, players can add custom music to the game.

Development[]

Announcement[]

On Monday, May 6, 2013, Maxis confirmed that it will be released on Mac and PC in 2014.[33] The original game announcement reads:

The Sims franchise is fueled by the passion and creativity of its millions of fans around the world. Their continued devotion to the franchise ignites the fire of creativity of the team at The Sims Studio, driving them to continually improve and innovate on one of the world’s most successful simulation game that has sold more than 150 million copies worldwide.

The Sims 4 celebrates the heart and soul of the Sims themselves, giving players a deeper connection with the most expressive, surprising and charming Sims ever in this single-player offline experience. The Sims 4 encourages players to personalize their world with new and intuitive tools while offering them the ability to effortlessly share their creativity with friends and fans.

They say that the eyes are the window into the soul, let’s just say that these eyes are a window into our future. We can’t wait to show you more.

Gamescom Reveal and Leak[]

The Sims 4 had a major reveal, including a trailer, at Gamescom on August 20, 2013 (14:00 UTC) and a further preview on August 22, 2013 at (15:00 UTC) containing a live gameplay demo. The preview was shown at EA channel in Twitch, instead of streaming via TheSims channel on YouTube.

Meanwhile, SimsCamp was an event planned for late August, 2013 in Cologne, Germany. It was centered around 'The Sims 4' reveal at Gamescom. Many well-known fansites and personalities (called the "YibSims", meaning best friends in Simlish) were invited to be part of the event. They had the opportunity to ask questions and play the game for the first time.[34]

Before the Gamescom reveal, multiple fansites created articles which leaked the game's previews and information, which was found on the servers running on thesims.com website.[35] There were many renders leaked as well and the leak also included an article from PC Powerplay, a gaming magazine.

The reveal was presented by Rachel Franklin, the executive producer on The Sims 4. She explained "SmartSim", a feature which enriches emotions for the Sims. In the game, the Sims' emotions are affected in many ways, for example, relationships, furniture, etc.

She also showed "creative tools", like the familiar Create a Sim and Build Mode, which was reinvented to make them "intuitive, powerful and flexible". She also showed new and returning objects like a voodoo doll, a violin and a punching bag. At the end of the reveal, she stated that the official website for The Sims 4 was ready, and pre-orders for Limited Edition and Digital Deluxe could be made.

Release information[]

The game was to be released early in 2014, but the date was pushed back to late 2014.[5] At the 2014 E3, an official North America release date of September 2, 2014 was confirmed.[4]

Critical Reception[]

Upon release, The Sims 4 received mixed reviews, with praise given to its graphics, Gallery feature, improvements to personality and the diversity of the game but criticism was aimed at the lack of features available on launch, most notably pools, ghosts and toddlers, which were all added back in updates. Criticism was also given for the frequent loading screens and some glitches, the latter being fixed with updates. On Metacritic, the game has a score of 70/100. GameSpot awarded the game a score of 6/10 while IGN awarded the game 7.5/10. Reception towards The Sims 4 has become more positive as time went by due to updates adding more features to the game that were available in previous games or that have never been added in previous games before.

Notes[]

  • The Sims 4 was released for OS X on February 17, 2015, over five months after the Windows release of the game. The Sims 4 was the first game in the series since The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories to have separate release dates for Windows and OS X.
  • Unlike The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval, digital versions of The Sims 4 will work on OS X, but not DVDs. This is the opposite of The Sims 3, where DVD versions could be played on OS X, but digital versions could not, although this was changed when Origin came out on Mac in 2013.
  • The Sims 4 is the first base game to require activation with Origin.
  • Before the base game was free, the price of The Sims 4 ($60 to $80)[36] is higher than The Sims 3 (originally $50 to $70; currently $20) making it slightly more expensive. However, The Sims 3 can cost up to $340 or more, if all the current game and store content is bought.
    • Without sales, the price of the whole current collection (including all the current 13 expansion packs at $39.99 each, 12 game packs at $19.99 each, 18 stuff packs (plus the Digital Deluxe Upgrade) at $9.99 and 21 kits at $4.99) adds up to ~$1055. On sale, the prices are discounted 25%-50%-75% (for stuff packs, game packs and expansion packs, respectively; kits excluded)
    • With the Premium Edition costing $80, it is the most expensive The Sims title released, beating The Sims 3 Collector's Edition at $70. However, in Australia, The Sims 4 costed $80 on release while The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 costed around $99.95 on release, making The Sims 4 one of the cheapest releases of the series in Australia, although the pricing of The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 quickly dropped in price once more expansions for the game were released.
  • The Sims 4 is the second game in the series to include more than one neighborhood/world in its initial release, after The Sims 2. The original release of The Sims only included Neighborhood 1, and the original release of The Sims 3 only included Sunset Valley.
  • Pools, toddlers, basements, ghosts, family trees, repairmen, nannies, gardeners, Latin, hip-hop and R&B radio stations, and firefighters were not initially in the game, but were added in subsequent patches or content packs.
  • The Sims 4 is the only game in the series to not currently feature burglars and police officers.
  • Like The Sims, The Sims 4's PlumBob is opaque (non-transparent).
  • With patch 34, The Sims 4 became the first game in the series to feature gender customization as well as the option to have all types of clothing and hair types be available for use by both genders.
  • Upon release, The Sims 4 supported Windows XP and Vista, despite support for XP finishing several months before release. However, in 2017, support for XP and Vista ceased, with players having to update their operating systems in order to continue to play. However, strangely enough, The Sims 4: Island Living, released in 2019, supported Windows XP and Vista but quickly became unsupported. In October 2022, support for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 was dropped, which meant players with these operating systems had to update their operating systems to Windows 10 or 11.
  • There's a computer game on every computer named "Sims Forever" that contains footage from The Sims, with music playing and Simlish language, although it has a different interface compared to The Sims. Mortimer and Bella can even be seen kissing in a hot tub in one scene. It largely uses footage from The Sims: Vacation.
  • The Sims 4 had supported Windows 8 when it was released, although support for Windows 8 had been dropped in 2016. The support for this operating system was dropped in October 2022.
  • The Sims 4 is the first on PC, as well as on the main franchise (and the 3rd or 4th title overall) to become free-to-play. The other free-to-play versions of The Sims are The Sims FreePlay and The Sims Mobile, which are a spin-off of The Sims 3 and The Sims 4 respectively. The Sims 2 was technically considered to free-to-play through 2014's The Sims 2: Ultimate Collection, but it was limited to Origin users, and it was available for a limited time.
  • The Sims 4 is the second of the only two generations of The Sims series to have simultaneously release three expansion packs in a single consecutive year. The other generation in the series to have such occurrence happened in The Sims 3 two years in a row, with the expansion packs The Sims 3: Showtime, The Sims 3: Seasons, The Sims 3: Supernatural, The Sims 3: University Life, The Sims 3: Island Paradise, and The Sims 3: Into the Future being released for the years of 2012 and 2013.

Gallery[]

The graphics of these screenshots are of early pre-production of The Sims 4 codenamed "Olympus" from 2010.
The game's final graphics differ greatly from these images.

External links[]

References and notes[]

  1. "The Sims - FAQ - Official Site". thesims.com.
  2. "View Title". classification.gov.au.
  3. "Russia hangs adults-only rating on The Sims 4" - Ars Technica
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Confirmed: The Sims 4 To Release September 2nd, 2014 - SimsVIP". simsvip.com.
  5. 5.0 5.1 EA: The Sims 4 Coming Fall 2014 (SimsVIP)
  6. Tach, Dave (October 22, 2013). The Sims 4 delayed to fall 2014 worldwide release window.
  7. EA's 'The Sims 4' Now Available for Mac. Mac Rumors.
  8. "Official Announcement: The Sims 4 Coming to Xbox One and PS4 in November".
  9. Play The Sims 4 for Free Beginning October 18
  10. Everything Announced during the Behind The Sims Summit
  11. The Sims 4 on Origin
  12. SimVIP interview with SimGuruGraham at E3 2014, at SimsVIP.com
  13. Graham Nardone (SimGuruGraham) on Twitter: "@Liamer01 It's a new neighborhood, not an entire "world". In terms of size, it's in-line with other neighborhoods in the game..." Retrieved 5 April 2015
  14. "Just what is a Game Pack?" by SimGuruGrant at TheSims.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014
  15. TS4: Outdoor Retreat Q&A with SimGuruGrant on SimsVIP.com
  16. The Sims 4 Kits to be revealed March 2nd. The Sims Community (February 25, 2021). Retrieved on February 25, 2021.
  17. "The Sims 4 Ending Support for Non-Metal Mac and 32-bit PC Operating Systems" on SimsVIP. Retrieved on 13 June 2019
  18. "The Sims - What’s Out and What’s In - Official Site". Retrieved on 2 October 2014.
  19. "The Sims 4: Create-a-Sim Demo Now Available! - SimsVIP". Retrieved on 2 October 2014.
  20. Sarah Holding on Twitter: "@Tensimoles @TrueSkarrr The timeline got pretty crowded with TS1, TS2, and TS3, trying to fit another game into the timeline would be tough.". Retrieved on 2 October 2014.
  21. Sarah Holding on Twitter: "@Tensimoles @TrueSkarrr I would call it an alternate universe...it was the most flexible way for us to keep all your favorite Sims in TS4.". Retrieved on 2 October 2014.
  22. "The Sims 4 Includes Auto-Save Feature - SimsVIP". Retrieved on 2 October 2014.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Neighborhoods, Weird Moments, and More on TheSims3.com
  24. Graham Nardone on Twitter: "@_lovcat_ @TheSimsBoi Babies and Toddlers were not combined. We know they're distinctly different and didn't want to shoehorn them in.". Retrieved on 2 October 2014.
  25. https://www.thesims.com/en_GB/news/sims-4-adds-toddlers
  26. The Sims 4 Official Q&A by SimGuruHydra (SimsVIP)
  27. Maxis Announces The Sims 4 (PC & MAC 2014) (SimsVIP)
  28. The Sims 4 General Information - EA Help
  29. Rachel Franklin The Sims 4 Audio Tweet
  30. "The Sims 4: Game Engine & SmartSim Technology - SimsVIP". simsvip.com.
  31. Keith Stuart. "The Sims 4: how composer Ilan Eshkeri brings emotion to the screen". the Guardian.
  32. Free Content Updates in The Sims 4 Starting…Now! Also, Gnomes. TheSims.com. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  33. Maxis Unveils The Sims 4 (EA.com)
    The Sims 4 in development for PC and Mac (EA.com)
  34. SimsCamp Event (SimsVIP)
  35. THE SIMS 4 LEAKED SCREENS + INFO (SimsCommunity)
    Note: This article may show content which may not be included on the final release or be shown at Gamescom.
  36. "The Sims 4 for PC Download | Origin Games". Origin. 24 January 2015.
  37. BeyondSims Video Posting (BeyondSims)
  38. Patrick Kelley, EA Employee Portfolio
  39. "Primeiras Imagens do The Sims 4 na GAMES!". osgamesea.com.
TS4 star trophy icon
Featured Article
This article is a Featured Article. Its layout and content is an example of excellence on The Sims Wiki.

Dates featured: September 2014.

"The Sims" Chronology
Preceded by
The Sims 3: Into the Future
October 22, 2013
The Sims series PC games Followed by
The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat
January 13, 2015


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