Somewhat incredibly, this February marks the 25th anniversary of The Sims series (that’s a full two and a half decades of “yibs,” “neibs,” and mysterious “incidents” involving swimming pools suddenly running out of ladders) and EA is marking the occasion with a host of activities, including free updates, limited-time events, paid DLC, and more.
The Sims’ fourth anniversary celebrations officially begin on February 4, with a “huge” free update to The Sims 4 featuring over 70 new items spanning Create a Sim and Build Buy modes. There’s talk of turtlenecks and jumpsuits, biker shorts, accessories and hairstyles. Meanwhile, new furniture includes “stylish” windows and doors, wood finishes for the kitchen cabinets and even a new pirate ship on the playground for the little ones.
Additionally, The Sims 4’s new limited-time Blast from the Past event will launch on February 4, presenting players with four weeks of challenges to unlock “iconic items from the 2000s,” including a milk carton, a telephone, an alarm clock, a birthday cake, and inflatable chairs. The Sims FreePlay will have a similar themed event on mobile devices, and to conclude the series’ festivities on February 4, EA will host a 25-hour livestream starting at 10pm GMT. It will feature Simmers and other special guests for a nostalgic look at the impact of The Sims over the years.
However, that’s not all within the orbit of The Sims’ 25th anniversary. Moving forward to March 18, the recently released MySims: Cozy Bundle, containing the beloved Wii series spin-offs MySims and MySims Kingdom, is making the jump from Switch to PC. And before that, there’s another free update today.
This introduces a number of new features that were previously tested as part of EA’s relatively recent The Sims Labs initiative. There’s a new main menu, for example, that puts the Sims family currently in use front and center, and all of the houses in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs, including those owned by Pancakes, Goths, Calientes, Landgraabs, and BFFs, They have been rebuilt and revamped using some of the elements added to the base game over the years. Full details of these latest improvements can be found in EA’s patch notes.
The latest update for The Sims 4 comes ahead of three new paid kit DLC packs, launching this Thursday, February 16. There’s the Secret Sanctuary Kit, which provides a variety of items that players can use to build a “luxurious space hidden behind a secret passage in a bookshelf,” while the Casanova Cave Kit promises items that Sims can use to “entertain and make a good impression. Lastly, there’s the Comfy Gamer Kit, which incorporates elements related to creating a “warm and inviting game room with personal touches.”
EA says two additional kits will be delivered this month, with more to come “later this year,” and more information on all of the above is included in its 25th anniversary news post.
