The Sims 4 has been with us for almost eight years. When it first came out, fans and critics found its lack of features disappointing. Since then, numerous expansion and content packs have been released to pad out the game. An influx of players has followed – many of whom want to know “Is The Sims 4 free?”
As of 2021, The Sims 4 had nearly 36 million players across all platforms. That’s an impressive stat. Even more impressive is the news that it had generated more than $1 billion in revenue as of 2019.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at The Sims 4, how you can play it, and whether you can play The Sims 4 for free…
What Is Sims?
The Sims is a life simulation video game series developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts (EA). The first game in the series, The Sims, came out in 2000. The series has gone on to become one of the best-selling video game series of all time.
While each The Sims game has added and tweaked the formula over the years, the premise remains fundamentally unchanged. In the games, players create and control people known as “sims”.
After creation, players place their sims in a home (either newly built or pre-constructed), and help them to satisfy their wants and needs. This includes feeding them, finding them work, and maintaining their home.
Beyond the necessities, sims can enter into relationships, have children, progress in their careers, and even open businesses. Players are generally free to do whatever they want with their sims and control every aspect of their lives.
Sims 4
Newest Sims Game
The newest Sims game is The Sims 4 which came out in September 2014 for PC. It was then released for Mac in 2015, and on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2017.
When The Sims 4 first arrived, it was lacking features compared to previous games in the series. This lead to many fans being disappointed with the newest game. However, since then, EA and Maxis have released paid downloadable content to expand the game. So far, 11 expansion packs and 12 content packs (“game packs”) have been released for The Sims 4.
The latest full expansion pack for The Sims 4 is Cottage Living which came out in July 2021.
How Much Is Sims 4 on PC
For those asking “how much is Sims 4 on PC”, the base game is currently $4.99/£4.49/€4.99 on Steam and Origin until July 7. Although, there are also pricier “bundles” available that come with extra content.
The individual expansion and content packs are priced separately. Currently, all downloadable content (even with the Steam Summer Sale discount pricing) will cost you a whopping £566 – that’s equal to $685 or €647!
Sims 4 How To Buy
This is how to buy The Sims 4. You have three options:
- Download via the Steam Store.
- Download via EA’s Origin Store.
- Purchase from Amazon.
Please note, both Steam and Origin frequently offer discounts.
Play Sims Free
So, is The Sims 4 free? Unfortunately, it is not free. To play The Sims 4, you will have to purchase the game or subscribe to EA Play. However, EA’s Origin store does offer a limited free trial.
The closest thing to playing The Sims 4 for free is to subscribe to an EA Play account. For a monthly fee, you get access to a huge number of EA titles including The Sims 4.
Sims 4 Download
Download The Sims 4
To download The Sims 4, visit either the Steam Store or EA’s Origin Store.
Sims for Mac
The Sims is most famous as a PC game. However, over the years, EA and Maxis have brought the game to new platforms to broaden its audience. In 2017, they even released The Sims 4 for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
As The Sims 4 is best played on laptop or desktop computers, EA have been sure to cover all bases and have released the game for Mac. It might surprise you to know that the series has a long history on macOS. In fact, every game in the series has been released for Mac.
Can You Play Sims 4 on Mac?
So, can you play The Sims 4 on Mac? The answer is yes. The Sims 4 is available on Mac via digital download from EA’s Origin Store.
Are you a fan of The Sims 4? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
