Behind the Sims Summit F.A.Q.

F.A.Q.

Why did you make The Sims 4 base game free to play?

We’ve welcomed millions of players to The Sims and watched in awe as they’ve unleashed their imaginations, discovered and connected with ideas, experiences and versions of themselves, both in-game and real life. The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities for discovery, we're excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever.

Where can I get The Sims 4 base game for free?

The Sims 4 base game is available to new players for free on PC via EA app or Origin™, Mac® via Origin, and Steam®, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems.

Will DLC for The Sims 4 also be free?

The current catalog of DLC for The Sims 4 will remain at its manufacturer's suggested retail price.

What is the new game that the team is working on?

The team has begun to work on the next generation of The Sims, currently known as Project Rene. Fans can expect big innovations in how they can customize and create their worlds, how Sims will behave and think, and how players can share the favorite ways they play with their friends across their favorite devices. 

Why the name Project Rene?

We chose Project Rene because it is reminiscent of words like renaissance, and rebirth, and represents our renewed commitment to The Sims. That’s what we’re doing, ushering in a new future for The Sims with a new game experience and more.

What will Project Rene include at launch that will meet player expectations?

We can’t talk too much just yet about what you can expect during launch, but are keeping player feedback top of mind throughout the early stages of Project Rene’s development. We’re striving to go above and beyond in terms of transparency and creating opportunities for players to share their thoughts about what we’re creating over the next few years.

Will Project Rene be a single player experience, or will there be a multiplayer option?

Players will have the choice to play a single player experience or collaborate with others through online multiplayer across supported devices. 

When will Project Rene be released?

The game is currently in its very early stages of development, and we’ll have more to share over the coming years.

How often will we hear more about Project Rene?

The best way to make sure you keep up with any and all news about Project Rene alongside news about The Sims 4 and our mobile games is to sign up via TheSims.com and to follow our social channels for updates from The Sims team.

Does this mean that there will be no more content for The Sims 4?

The Sims 4 is not going away anytime soon. The team has been dedicated to expanding on the game for the past 8 years, and are as committed as ever to developing new and meaningful experiences for players and will continue to develop and release The Sims 4 packs, Kits and Sims Delivery Express drops in the foreseeable future.

CUSTOM CONTENT

What is The Sims 4 x CurseForge platform?

For the first time in our history, The Sims 4 is collaborating with Overwolf’s platform, CurseForge, an all-in-one platform for creating and sharing in-game apps and mods, to offer custom content creators and modders a moderated, curated space to share their creations with The Sims 4 community. In no way is it required for creators to move to or use the platform, but we’re committed to providing a supplementary experience to existing avenues for modding.

What content will exist when the platform launches and who is creating it? 

The Overwolf team has already begun to invite a pilot group of creators to create in-game mods and custom content. This was intentionally started to be small, and focused, as we test and learn to help onboard future creators. After launch, Overwolf will continue to select and approve even more creators, providing opportunities to apply to the program directly or to join community focused events such as Overwolf’s CC Festival, which is happening November 14. We encourage you to follow us across our official channels for the latest news and developments.

What type of content can a creator develop for the platform? Can I upload my existing custom content?

If you’re a creator that’s already been onboarded into the platform, you can create any mods or custom content within the guidelines provided by Overwolf and The Sims 4. You’ll be able to make clothing, furniture, etc. The CurseForge platform exists to empower creators to express themselves and really let their imaginations go wild.  It’s also really important to note that you, and other onboarded creators, can upload your own existing mods from any other location as long as they meet the provided guidelines.

Where will the approved mods be hosted for players to find?

Overwolf will be managing the mod hosting directly, through their CurseForge platform. They will be collaborating with The Sims 4 team, working together to manage the mod repository for The Sims 4 content. Players can access the mods directly through the CurseForge website and, when available, the PC desktop app.

For those of you that haven’t dipped your toe into this world of mods yet CurseForge offers a great starting point to discover creators and content for your game. If you aren’t sure where to start, keep an eye on our channels for tips and tricks.

MOBILE

What is The Sims FreePlay?

The Sims FreePlay is a free to play mobile experience where players can create an entire town with their own style, personalities and dreams! ​From a bustling community with shops, a pet store, camping grounds and even a private island villa, FreePlay allows ‘Simmers’ to express themselves and tell their own Sim story by unleashing their inner architect and interior designer all at once. With new live service updates available every 6-8 weeks, there’s always a full schedule of events happening in the game for everyone to enjoy. Read all the news and updates about the game on our official blog here: https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-freeplay/news 

How can I play The Sims FreePlay?

The Sims FreePlay is available to download for free on the iOS App Store, Google Play and Amazon Appstore. It requires a network connection and 1.8GB total storage.

To see the new face improvements, will players have to manually update every single Sim in their game?

The changes are automatically applied to all Sims, including non playable characters! Players will see the refresh in the menu UI as well as the Sim Tracker, when they visit town locations and live event locations. To explore all the exciting customisation options, players can simply click on a Wardrobe or Closet to access the Create A Sim (CAS) menu. 

Are the face improvements free or do they cost money? 

Yes, they are completely free for all players! Changing Sim faces won't cost players 12 Social Points for an ‘Ultimate Makeover’ if they avoid the DNA tab where you can also change skin tones.

Will I be able to go back to the old style of faces? 

Due to the way we’ve implemented the refresh, we’re unable to have both the old and the new style faces available to choose from. The team has created all new mesh and textures for the faces which will now enable us to introduce a huge range of new detailed customization options in the future! We’d love to hear if players have any feedback on the new styles; they should reach out to our SimGurus on Twitter to let us know (@SimGuruMegz and @SimGuruAlana). 

What is The Sims Mobile?

The Sims Mobile is a free-to-play mobile experience where players can play with life. The Sims Mobile offers players the possibility to create Sims, give them unique personalities, develop relationships, shape their lifestyle and customize their world with more detail than ever before on mobile. 

TSM allows 'Simmers' to express themselves and recreate their lives with unique building opportunities, personality traits, and lifestyle choices through relationship stories, career opportunities, and hobbies. 

With a new Sim Festival every 10 weeks and back-to-back Events, there's always something fun to do in Briny Heights. Read all the news and updates about the game on our official blog here: https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-mobile/news

How can I play The Sims Mobile?

Simmers can download The Sims Mobile for free from the iOS App Store and Google Play. The app requires a network connection and 1.2GB of total storage.

What is the Balcony feature?

The new 'Balcony' feature is the latest and most awaited build/buy update of The Sims Mobile!  Developed for Simmers to express themselves through imaginative storytelling, the feature offers players an opportunity to recreate dream builds with personalized balconies embellished with various barrier styles. Simmers can create penthouses, outdoor cafes, viewing galleries, or any open space that comes to mind. Players will see various barrier styles added in the base game during launch and more will be available in Events, Sim Festivals, and packs in future updates.

We'd love to hear if players have any feedback on Balconies and the new barrier styles; they should reach out to our SimGurus on Twitter to let us know (@SimGuruKatz and @SimGuruAwin).