EA and Maxis" hugely popular social sim The Sims 4 is becoming a free-to-play game soon. The transition arrives eight years after its original release on PC in 2014, which was followed up by an Xbox One and PlayStation 4 edition in 2017.
"We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to create new stories, and explore without boundaries," the company said regarding the move. "The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to discover."
As expected, it"s the base game that is available in this free-to-play form, offering everything from character creation and build modes to the complete life experience of Sims. The 12 full-fledged expansion packs and the numerous Game Packs, Stuff Packs, and Kits, the title has received since its inception will be available as premium DLC. And with current pricing, obtaining the lot would cost about $1000.
Those who have already purchased the game before the free-to-play conversion will receive a Desert Luxe furniture pack for free. Meanwhile EA Play (Get To Work Expansion) and EA Play Pro (Get To Work Expansion and Toddler Stuff Pack) members are gaining a couple of The Sims 4 packs as added benefits for being subscribed.
For fans worried that this move may mean the end of new content, EA added that its developers will continue to develop new packs for The Sims 4 for "the foreseeable future." A special stream titled "Behind The Sims Summit" will elaborate on these plans on October 18 at 10 AM PDT on YouTube and Twitch.
Starting October 18, 2022, The Sims 4 will be free to download and play across Windows (EA app, Origin, Steam), macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.