The Sims 4, the popular life simulation game from EA and Maxis, is becoming a free game very soon. The transition takes place eight years after its original release on PC in 2014. The PC version of The Sims 4 was followed by the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions in 2017, and they were all paid.
“We’re excited to continue to welcome more players than ever before to write new stories and explore endlessly. The Sims has always been about introducing new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to explore,” the company says.
The free-to-play version is the base game available and offers everything from character creation and building modes to the complete life experience for Sims. 12 expansion packs and numerous game packs, material packs and kits will be available as premium DLC.
Those who purchased the game before this conversion will receive the Desert Luxe furniture pack for free. EA Play and EA Play Pro members, meanwhile, get a few The Sims 4 bundles as added perks of subscribing.
EA also says that they will continue to develop new packages for The Sims 4. A special broadcast titled “Behind The Sims Summit” will detail these plans on YouTube and Twitch on October 18.
The Sims 4 will be free to download and play on Windows (EA app, Origin, Steam), macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X-S starting October 18, 2022.