EA has announced that starting October 18th/19th, The Sims 4 base game will be going totally free to download and play on all current platforms including PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
In a post on its official website, EA says of the decision, “We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to create new stories and explore without boundaries. The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to discover.”
Of course, the base version of the game is just a small part of the Sims 4 experience with plenty of paid content packs and expansions available for purchase to expand the game further. That’s not going to change, and the core game has been readily available for bottom dollar or as part of EA’s various subscription services for a while so it’s not the hugest stretch to start offering an entry point at no charge. Still it’s sure to help new players get involved and give the game a healthy boost as EA and Maxis no doubt gear up to start talking about The Sims 5 in the near-to-distant future.
The change will coincide with the Behind The Sims Summit, which will air at the ripe old time of 4AM AEST on Wednesday, October 19th and shed some more light on what’s currently in the works for The Sims.
As for those who already own the game or have an EA Play subscription, EA has promised some exclusive rewards as a thank you:
EA Play and EA Play Pro members will receive an upgraded experience when member-only bundles of The Sims 4 go into The Play List on October 18. The Sims 4 EA Play Edition includes The Sims 4 Get To Work Expansion Pack, while the EA Play Pro Edition includes both The Sims 4 Get To Work Expansion Pack and The Sims 4 Toddler Stuff Pack.
From September 14 through October 17, all players who have purchased The Sims 4 base game will receive the Desert Luxe Kit as a gift.
Come October 18th (or 19th locally), you’ll be able to grab The Sims 4 base game on the following platforms at no cost:
