The Sims 4 Base Game Will Be Free To Play On All Consoles Starting October 18

EA and Maxis have announced that The Sims 4 is going free-to-play. As of October 18, The Sims 4 base game will be available for all new players to download free of charge on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC and Mac via Origin or Steam. Any expansions, game packs, and kits, however, will have to be purchased separately.

In the press release announcing the update, EA wrote, "EA and Maxis have welcomed millions of The Sims players over the years, and have watched in awe as they unleashed their imaginations, discovered and connected with ideas, experiences and versions of themselves, both in-game and real life. With The Sims 4 base game going free, the team is more dedicated than ever to developing new and meaningful experiences for players, and will continue to develop and release packs, kits, and Sims Delivery Express drops into the foreseeable future."

As a special treat for The Sims players who already own the base game, EA is giving out the Desert Luxe Kit as a gift. With the Desert Luxe Kit, Sims can "relax in their modern oasis with luxurious indoor and outdoor furniture, inspired by the natural landscape of the Southwestern desert and materials like stone and wood." Any players who purchase the base game by October 17 are eligible to claim this gift.

In addition, EA has announced it will be holding a summit to discuss the future of The Sims 4. The special-edition stream, Behind The Sims Summit, will take place on October 18, 2022 at 1 PM ET / 10 AM PT, and will be available to watch on both The Sims YouTube and Twitch channel.