From Dec 15-24, we’re shining the spotlight on titles in The Play List and trials — with unique benefits and challenges. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members receive EA Play with their subscription, so make sure to check out all your rewards starting today.
EA Play’s Holiday Picks
Sports games dominate days 1 to 4, with EA Sports UFC 5 ringing the starting bell. Set up your favorite matches from 2025 to relive iconic wins or change their outcomes.
Then switch gears for day 2, and play up to 10 hours of EA Sports College Football 26. Plus, grab this month’s reward, the EA Play Loyalist Ultimate Team Pack (now through December 31), if you haven’t claimed it yet. Replay one of last year’s memorable bowl matchups, and see if you can flip the results.
On day 3, we’re highlighting EA Sports FC 26 with a 10-hour trial and Holiday Header Blue Boots (now through December 25). Show off your festive flair in Clubs, and recreate iconic matches between the league’s biggest rivals.
Then it’s off to gridiron greatness in Madden NFL 26. Try it out for up to 10 hours and pick up a MUT EA Play December Pack (now through December 31). Test your skills by playing your favorite NFL team’s latest matchup, or take them on a historic postseason run ahead of the upcoming NFL playoffs.
Step out of the sports arena on day 5 with 2 Star Wars titles available on The Play List. Play as iconic characters from the movies in Star Wars Battlefront II. A fan of the Light or Dark side? Try fighting for the opposite side! Or launch Star Wars Jedi: Survivor to take on a single-player narrative where you wield the Force as Cal Kestis.
Next up on day 6 is Battlefield 6, the new standard for FPS combat. Save 10% on the Standard or Phantom Edition as a member, and receive an EA Play Deployment Pack and Season 1 Pack (now through January 19). Can you harness Tactical Destruction and destroy 10 structures in one match?
Next up on day 7, celebrate the end of the racing season with a 5-hour trial and 5,000 XP Boost (now through December 31) in EA Sports F1 25. Up for a challenge? Break the fastest lap record on your favorite track.
The holidays aren’t complete without a little bling, so log in to Apex Legends on day 8 to redeem a Gold Topper Weapon Charm (now through January 5). Update your loadout today.
On day 9, pay a visit to your Sims in The Sims 4 — did we mention it’s free to play? — and add to their adventures with packs (10% off for members). Design a year-end retreat, city loft or creative build that captures your favorite vibe.
All roads lead to play on day 10. Get 10% off San Van Bucks, and use them to unlock the Premium skate.Pass, cosmetics, and more. Skate in style, and drop in to San Vansterdam now.
To learn more about EA Play, check out X and Instagram, or visit here. For more details on all the EA Play member benefits this month, visit the EA Play Member Benefits site. Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. See EA Play Terms for details.
Members can experience the world of EA with unlimited access to a collection of top titles, trials of select new games, in-game member rewards, 10% on EA digital purchases and more.
Halloween 2024 sees the arrival of possibly the biggest and most exciting gameplay changes to The Sims 4. With The Sims Life & Death expansion pack, death is not the end, and there is far more to do in the afterlife than you ever thought possible. We were lucky enough to get a peek into what to expect from the latest expansion coming soon from Electronic Arts.
Sims players invest a lot of time in the lives of their characters, sometimes creating whole generations of Sim families. Now, with the Sims 4 Life & Death expansion pack, players won’t have to worry about losing a character to a house fire or an accidental drowning.
Image Source: EA Games
The new pack creates new pathways to explore both while the Sim is in the land of the living and when they die. While alive, Sims can move to the new neighborhood of Ravenwood. Within this new town are three unique areas: Crow’s Crossing, Whispering Glen, and Mourningvale. Each of these places is frequented by ghosts, many of whom have unfinished business, crypts, and haunted houses. This is the kind of town where your vampire, werewolf, or other supernatural Sim will feel right at home!
Thanks to the talented folk at The Sims, we had a quick tour around Ravenwood and could see all the fun details included. The map is inspired by the Romanian countryside, with three separate neighborhoods of varying spookiness. Each neighborhood has its own festivals, including one moonlit party where clothing is optional during the full moon!
Image Source: EA Games
Each new area in The Sims Life & Death is haunted, but none so much as Mourningvale. This area is where most of the ghosts like to spend their afterlife. Mourningvale is also home to the Baleful Bog, a spiritual body of magical water where you can lead your Sim into the afterlife and rebirth.
A pre-made Sim family is residing in Whispering Glen which some players may recognize. The Specter family is Layne Coffin, Olive Specter, and Nyon Specter (who some of you familiar with Sims lore may know as Nervous Subject). The addition of this family is a great bit of color to the Sims lore and allows players to play around with the relationship between Olive and the Grim Reaper – especially since it is now possible to try for a baby with the Grim Reaper! Sims related to the Grim Reaper are born with a scythe birthmark, and they are given the ability to live longer than the average Sim.
Image Source: EA Games
Building upon aspirations and milestones is the Soul’s Journey, a new mechanic in The Sims Life & Death. Sims have various Bucket List goals to achieve throughout their lives, which are affected by your Sim’s personality, their career, and so much more. The Bucket List goals are a wonderful way to flesh out your Sim’s story and make their lives richer. Once the Sim’s Soul Journey is fulfilled as a living Sim, they can choose to be reborn when they die, unlocking more gameplay as a ghost-Sim.
Image Source: EA Games
Other aspects of gameplay that can potentially change how players approach the game include new personality traits. The Chased By Death trait is a challenging way to push your Sim to achieve more in their life, especially as they know death is around the corner! There is also a lot of fun to have with the Sceptic trait. With so many occult Sim types in the game now who knows what might happen? Just imagine how conversations will go between a skeptical Sim and their vampire neighbor… Would they risk demanding proof of vampiric existence? How would a skeptical ghost react to their own existence?
The Sims Life & Death opens up the lives of Sims to gameplay even after the death of a character. Sims can write a will and leave family heirlooms to loved ones. You can even create your own Sim family lore by writing notes to your Sim ancestors. The heirloom isn’t just a nice piece of furniture, either! The surviving Sim can also try and call upon the dead Sim’s spirit.
Image Source: EA Games
As a living Sim, there is a new career path to explore as a Reaper. This active career lets you reap souls, fulfill soul quotas, and talk to the big man himself. If your Sim has a morbid curiosity then this may be the career for them.
Death and grief in The Sims has been a pretty linear journey in the past. Previously, a Sim would die and their loved ones would grieve for a limited amount of time. Now, with The Sims Life & Death expansion pack, grief is far more realistic. It will affect different Sims in various ways, depending on what their relationship with the deceased was. Of course, their grief also depends on whether the dead Sim returns as a ghost…
Image Source: EA Games
As I mentioned before, once the Sim completes their Soul’s Journey, they unlock the option to be reborn. Your Sim can choose a family to join at whatever age you like. It is even possible to have many of your Sim’s existing traits reborn with the new Sim. Although this path is intriguing, the option to become a playable ghost is the most appealing.
Image Source: EA Games
At the moment of their death, you get to decide what you want to do. Will you be reborn, become a free-roaming ghost, or become a playable ghost? As a playable ghost, you have a few more goals to achieve in your Soul’s Journey. This aspect of the new expansion is the most exciting for many players. Ghosts have been pretty passive in the past, or just spent their time haunting your existing Sims. Now, players get to be the ghostly Sim, with new goals and activities, including ghostly woohoo!
There is so much to look forward to with the new expansion pack. From a new neighborhood to playable ghosts, and the new Grim Reaper career, we just can’t wait! Stay tuned for more as we discover what else there is to do in Ravenwood.
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The many EPs of the Sims universe continue to keep the franchise alive, incorporating more content with each passing year. But with so many add-ons out there, it can be challenging to keep up with them all, especially when deciding on a new EP. So, to get the complete package, we’re here to rank all The Sims 4 expansion packs from worst to best.
15. Snowy Escape
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Although Snowy Escape is at the bottom of the list, it is by no means a bad Sims 4 expansion pack. One of its best qualities is the many decorative objects you can utilize in almost any world, showcasing a Japanese-inspired furniture collection. The pack is also just plain fun to explore, where you can take a trip down the snowy mountains and relax in the cozy rock garden.
But what makes Snowy Escape fall short is the fact that it feels more like a vacation spot rather than an actual expansion in gameplay. Yes, it can be perfect for those family outings, yet it doesn’t quite have any necessary attributes that others do.
14. Eco Lifestyle
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Eco Lifestyle promotes a positive message of keeping the world clean, using craftable projects and communal living. That means Simmers can establish their own electricity and water systems while planning out missions during the Neighborhood Action Plan events.
It can certainly be exciting to watch how the town evolves from a desolate land to an immaculate, energy-saving neighborhood. However, Eco Lifestyle feels more like a one-stop shop; it can be fun to play the pack the first time around, but there’s nothing much else to do outside of that. I personally haven’t used much of the Build Mode items in other worlds either, so it’s more or less catered to its designated world alone.
13. Island Living
Image Source: Maxis Studios
In hindsight, Island Living can feel like another vacation spot world, yet it’s so much more than that with its conservationist career and mermaid lifestyle. As a conservationist, you’ll be able to keep the beaches clean and study the wonders of the water. Or, if you are interested in another pathway, you can sink into fishing, diving, or even a lifeguard career.
Not to mention the enriching culture surrounding Sulani, where you can learn about the local folklore with the island ancestors. The expansion pack, unfortunately, doesn’t have much replay value beyond these factors due to its lack of content. Nevertheless, it can still provide you with some fun activities when you want to change up the pace.
12. Discover University
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Discover University was our first introduction to the college lifestyle in The Sims 4. Thus, instead of jumping into a career right away in the Young Adult stage, you’ll have the option to further your knowledge in a specific field of interest. On top of that, the world of Britechester just feels like any real-life college town, bringing in party-filled events and clubs for extracurricular activities.
But as much as I wanted to like the entirety of the Discover University pack, you can’t actually go into class (a concept that wasn’t introduced until High School Years.) It can also be extremely tough to handle a full-time schedule, forcing you to settle for a select few activities to avoid being overwhelmed. I understand that it’s meant to reflect the real world, but having that high amount of homework and studying deters you from everything else in the EP.
11. Cats & Dogs
Image Source: Maxis Studios
You may be surprised to see Cats and Dogs so low on this Sims 4 expansion pack ranking (especially since I’m a huge pet lover myself.) However, the gameplay side of the add-on can be pretty exhausting with the consistent needs of the animals. On some occasions, it made me feel like a terrible pet owner, where they’d get taken away just because I didn’t tend to them 24/7.
Don’t get me wrong; the Cats and Dogs expansion pack is still a necessary pack that I believe every animal lover should get. The EP brings out some of the most meaningful and heartfelt moments, whether it be through training sessions or simple family downtimes. Though, I suggest not going overboard with cats and dogs within the household so you can refrain from pulling your hair out with their constant need for attention.
10. Horse Ranch
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Compared to Cats and Dogs, I had a much easier time taking care of horses since they can, for the most part, tend to their needs in dire situations. It doesn’t require as much of that 24/7 attention with cats and dogs, so it feels a lot less hectic. Even more so, I truly enjoyed living on the land as a rancher, in which you craft Nectar recipes and look after small animals.
I would say that Horse Ranch feels more like a game pack than an expansion pack. It only does a little in terms of gameplay, with horses being the only main selling point. The world is also relatively smaller than other Sims 4 expansion packs despite having a new traveling system with horses.
9. Get to Work
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Although Get to Work can sometimes have a bad rap in the Sims community with its bugs and performance issues, it still is the first introduction to immersive jobs in the franchise. In previous games, careers only offered rabbithole activities, requiring you to wait around for your Sims to come home. That is until Get to Work finally allowed players to dive into their character’s work life as a Detective, Doctor, or Scientist.
Then, you can dabble in the pack’s retail side, featuring bookstores, boutiques, and bakeries. Get to Work has a lot to offer, and even if you don’t always go for those new career paths, it’s there for you to try out whenever you’re tired of those less-interactive jobs.
8. City Living
Image Source: Maxis Studios
City Living is another excellent Sims 4 expansion pack that ushers in apartments for this particular entry. Most worlds lean on a residential approach, but this EP can change up this dynamic with its upscale buildings and ongoing events. There’s always something to do in San Myshuno, from karaoke nights to cultural festivals.
When it’s time to go home, you’ll have to deal with everyday problems like leaky pipes or bug outbreaks, adding to The Sims 4’s realistic value. The only thing I will say is that the newest For Rent offers more of an apartment-style of living due to its multi-units, which was neglected in City Living.
7. High School Years
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Like Get to Work, High School Years finally brought an interactive experience specifically for the younger generation. Now, Simmers can get some insight into what the educational system is actually like while also having more control over their studies. Build Mode takes on a new form at the same time, creating expansive schools with a classroom-themed collection.
Teenagers in past Sim installments have been relatively neglected in content, so it’s nice to see them get more opportunities with prom and graduation. Plus, High School Years showcases a new social media system as a Simfluencer, where you can rise in popularity through the Trendi app.
6. Get Together
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Many Sims 4 expansion packs have come and gone over the years, and one that you may have forgotten is the communitive Get Together add-on. Although it has been quite some time since it was released, it proves its value as one of the largest worlds in the game. In comparison, the pack’s Windenburg features upwards of over 20 lots, while the latest For Rent only has 9.
Group activities make the pack feel much more meaningful, setting up hangouts and establishing clubs to meet new Sims. The franchise has always been about togetherness, and that’s exactly where this EP shines. Almost every part of this world has something going on, including battling it out on the dance floor and having a splash in the pool.
5. Get Famous
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Even though I love the realistic side of the Sims universe, it’s exciting to take a dip into a lavish lifestyle. Fortunately, the Get Famous expansion pack indulges in this way of living, making you feel like a true celebrity. You’ll see Sims fawning over your character and unlock a sparkling effect around them to enhance your affluence more. The acting career can also be fun to play through, and it will gradually get better the more you rise to fame. By the end of it, you’ll find yourself being the king or queen of the town where everyone wants to know your name.
4. For Rent
Image Source: Maxis Studios
The newest Sims 4 expansion pack, For Rent, introduced a much-awaited feature almost every Sim has asked for with multi-unit living. In all these years, homes have been restricted with a family-size limit, and now, you’ll be able to make a whole town using a single lot alone (maybe it’ll be squished together, but at least it’s possible.)
Tenants and Property Owners have joined alongside this new gameplay system, giving you more tasks to do around the house. We also can’t forget about the Southeast Asian-inspired content that For Rent brought to the table as the franchise expands to more cultures in an incredibly unique way.
3. Growing Together
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Everything from the Get Together pack was taken a step further in the Growing Together expansion, creating social dynamics within the family. Rather than having a strictly positive or negative relationship with someone, you’ll be able to trigger different companionships, such as Jokester, Close, and Strict.
In particular, if your Sims share a Jokester dyanimic, they’ll goof around whenever they are near each other, creating much more impactful moments between the household. Compatibilities and more social interactions were also added to the game for even more realism, which could either lead to a sentimental conversation or chaotic fight.
2. Seasons
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Seasons has basically become a must-have expansion pack that every Simmer needs. If you’ve solely played the base game, you’ll notice that many things stays the same, with the exception of Sim aging. On the other hand, Seasons changes the world around you regarding to weather, holiday content, and seasonal activities.
It’s much more satisfying when time moves along in this depiction, as opposed to the somewhat stand-still version in the base game. The pack will give you something to look forward to throughout the Sim years, and it also provides you with a Gardening career if you’ve got a green thumb.
1. Cottage Living
Image Source: Maxis Studios
If there’s one expansion pack that every Simmer agrees on, it would definitely be Cottage Living. It’s the true embodiment of living off the land using all the natural resources around Henford-on-Bagley. Coupled with that, the aesthetic of the world and the Build Mode items complement the environment very well, upping the coziness factor that the Sims franchise is known for.
Not only will you get lost in customization, but there’s also so much to do with the wide variety of content. Simmers will undoubtedly have more than enough to explore, from stitching to jam-making to gardening, especially when your hard work pays off.
But just when you think that’s all, Cottage Living has another bonus of animal care, adding in llamas, cows, and chickens. With all this in mind, you can see why it’s a stand-out pack through its abundance of content.
About the author
Haley MacLean
Video games are a true unification of art and technology, and Haley was amped to be able to write about them during her tenure at Twinfinite. A lover of all things Nintendo, obsessed with narrative driven games, and hopes the couch co-op genre makes a return soon. BA/BJ/MJ from University of King’s College, NS, Canada.
Haley was a Staff Writer for Twinfinite from 2016 to 2021 with a focus on covering all things The Sims and Nintendo.
When the City Living EP initially dropped, many Simmers weren’t too keen on the segregated apartment lifestyle that it introduced. However, this impression has since changed with the upcoming Sims 4 For Rent pack that finally ushers in a multi-family household.
I got the chance to attend a For Rent early digital event to get a sneak peek at these new features, showcasing a more complex side to the classic Build Mode. The life of a Property Owner was one of the first big changes I was surprised to see, given that landlord roles are relatively designated for NPCs.
Although Property Owners aren’t involved with any new careers, it most certainly seems like a job through its extensive tasks. Like most Sims content, the role showcases realistic elements of what landlords actually experience concerning rent and house rules. You’ll be able to set the rent to your preferred intake and even let some members live there completely free (not too realistic, but I wish it was).
Image Source: Maxis Studios via The Sims 4 Gameplay Trailer
Depending on the items you place during Build Mode, you’ll need to manage the upkeep of your units in order to get the best rating. Unfortunately, there will be a few curveballs with the new Mold Challenge and Tenant Revolts, but what’s life without a few hiccups along the way?
Once the For Rent EP releases, I’ll probably lean toward the Property Owner life simply because it seems more eventful than the Tenants. Not to say that the household members won’t have their hands full with activities; I just think the best way to experience the pack is through the landlord’s management system.
But, of course, the big star of the show is the intricacy of the new Build Mode system. This time around, you’ll discover the latest Residential Rental Lot types that can be divided into multiple units. Simmers can have upwards of six units on their property, with a maximum of 99 in a single save. That means you can have six different families in a singular area to create more intriguing stories that the series is known for.
While The Sims 4 already has some neighborly features, I feel that the For Rent EP will bring in even more group-filled events, primarily with the arrival of Pool Parties and Potlucks.
Each unit will have its own designated location in the house, and you’re more than welcome to attach multiple rooms to one family. Shared rooms will also expand on the neighborly approach, where everyone can hang out together, from entertainment spaces to skill-focused hubs.
Image Source: Maxis Studios
It’s all about the feeling of togetherness that genuinely makes The Sims 4 For Rent more inviting, rather than separating everyone with each individual house.
On the other hand, I know some Simmers weren’t too happy about the loading screens that occur whenever switching between these units. Based on what I’ve seen in the For Rent preview event, it only lasts a few seconds, so it shouldn’t be too frustrating. Yes, it will probably be annoying at times, but that’s the price you have to pay with the abundance of Sims on a Lot.
Apart from the building features, I was pleasantly surprised to see what other content was packed in The Sims 4’s latest expansion pack. Considering that the world was inspired by Southeast Asia, recipes have been completely revamped with delicious meals like Tofu Pad Thai, Khao Niao Mamuang, and Burmese Samosa Soup. As an Asian-American myself, I’m happy to see recipes I’ve grown up with, especially with the classic Halo-Halo.
The Night Market offers more meals with its various stalls, giving you more of a reason to go out during the late hours of the day. You can also explore the new Tomarang world to discover hidden treasures at the Tiger Sanctuary and a mysterious cave. Though, I would’ve liked to see more interactive features for this content, as it only centers around choice-based gameplay.
Image Source: Maxis Studios
Sims, in general, have been introduced to new traits and Aspirations. If you want to know more about the world, I would highly suggest trying out the Fount of Tomarani Knowledge Aspiration since it includes objectives that cover the entirety of the latest universe. Elders will also be getting their first-ever trait, only catered to them, using the Wise characteristic.
It’s nice to see the older generation get some love, as the newest entries heavily focus on the younger ages. However, if you do want to see more content for the little ones, you can look forward to the addition of Marbles and Hopscotch.
Even with all these features for The Sims 4 For Rent, you can still anticipate another new element regarding Secrets. That’s right; gossip has taken over a new meaning in the latest EP by finding all your favorite Sims’ dirty little secrets. Not only can you discover them from word of mouth, but you can also snoop around someone’s house to take a dip on the wild side.
These tiny details separate For Rent from the previous City Living pack. Maxis Studios could’ve simply gone with the new unit features and left it from there, yet it’s so much more than that. As much as we could’ve wished for this type of content with the City Living EP, I’m just happy to see the series evolve in so many different ways.
The Sims 4 For Rent makes building much more exciting while providing players a sense of togetherness. It could give you a brand-new outlook on past worlds, as the EP can be used in other variations. I’m already planning out my own builds, from anime-inspired apartments to a legacy of families, and I’m sure other Simmers will establish more ideas to maximize the series’ impactful storytelling.
About the author
Kristina Ebanez
Kristina is a Staff Writer and has been with Twinfinite for more than a year. She typically covers Minecraft, The Sims 4, Disney Dreamlight Valley, anime, Call of Duty, and newly released games. She loves the Metal Gear Solid series (Snake Eater especially), Rockstar’s Bully, the Horizon franchise, What Remains of Edith Finch, and many more. Her dog is also an avid video game watcher, primarily when there’s a horse or a cat. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and grew up gaming on the islands.
If you’re searching for a new Sims 4 challenge, then you won’t need to look any further with the latest For Rent EP, as it completely revamps the game’s living quarters.
Instead of the classic one-family-per-unit mechanics, Simmers can explore the wonders of multi-family households that can either be shared or separated from each other. Like in real life, you’ll need to follow the rules in order to remain a good-standing tenant, including no loud noises and taking out the trash when needed.
Sims 4 For Rent Property Owners will also have to hold up their end of the bargain by maintaining the units and having livable rent costs. However, things can still go wrong if the tenants don’t pay on time, and you’ll need to put your foot down to set things straight. When worse comes to worst, you can take on the role of everyone’s favorite rich snob, Malcolm Landgraab, and take all their stuff, just like the good ole days of the Sims franchise.
You can always give someone a second chance (and maybe a few more after that) whenever the goings get tough. It’s all about making compromises as a Property Owner to ensure everyone’s needs are met, which will help you out in the long run with home ratings.
As a longtime Simmer, I can already tell how intricate this latest system will be, and it will undoubtedly bring out a new wave of storytelling, especially with all the families sharing a space together. Builders will have a field day with all the multiple units, from townhomes to basement dwellings, and maybe they’ll even come up with brand-new layouts that have never been done before.
The Sims 4 For Rent expansion pack will provide more challenges or expand already established ones, like Rags to Riches, but with a twist on apartment living. With so many options, the possibilities are endless, and the new EP will certainly change up the classic dynamics as we know it.
About the author
Kristina Ebanez
Kristina is a Staff Writer and has been with Twinfinite for more than a year. She typically covers Minecraft, The Sims 4, Disney Dreamlight Valley, anime, Call of Duty, and newly released games. She loves the Metal Gear Solid series (Snake Eater especially), Rockstar’s Bully, the Horizon franchise, What Remains of Edith Finch, and many more. Her dog is also an avid video game watcher, primarily when there’s a horse or a cat. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and grew up gaming on the islands.
When the City Living expansion pack first introduced the wonders of apartment living, Simmers couldn’t help but want more with its unique housing style. And now, things are finally looking up with the latest debut of the Sims 4 For Rent trailer, showcasing a new journey as a property owner or tenant.
With this pack, players can customize the home of their dreams in the city of Tomarang, from duplexes to apartments to townhomes. Thanks to its multi-family complexes, the impactful storytelling that the series is known for continues to thrive, especially with all the various cultures mixed together.
The Residential Rentals will introduce a wide variety of new content, including mold that can turn Sims into Last of Us-like zombies. You’ll also need to watch out for any snoopy neighbors who will eavesdrop on all your hot gossip. Even worse, some Sims can break in and enter, taking it back to the old-school days of the franchise where burglars would steal your precious jewels.
Not only will these Residential Rentals be available in Tomarang, but they will also be present in other worlds to give you more multi-family storylines. As a tenant, you’ll dive deeper into the lively community, in which you can host pool parties, create new dishes, and get to know one another at potlucks. For example, Simmers can make the latest recipes, such as Halo Halo, Khao Niao Mamuang, and Burmese Samosa Soup.
On the other hand, Property Owners must keep track of all their tenants to help with their ratings, whether they are on the premises or looking after multiple units. That means you’ll need to ensure that each home is safe and sound through inspections, and in some cases, this can lead to an eviction. This latest feature could also lead to a tenant’s fear of being kicked out, along with other new Traits and Aspirations.
Beyond the multi-family units, you can explore the rest of Tomarang, featuring an animal sanctuary, Spirit House, and a hub of food vendors.
You can expect the pack to arrive on Dec. 7, 2023, on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Players can also pre-order the exclusive by Jan. 18 to get their hands on the Quick Treats Grill, Streetside Star Shade, and Peak Freshness Fruit Basket.
There’s certainly a lot to look forward to with The Sims 4 For Rent expansion pack, and we can’t wait to see what unique narratives unfold with this new way of living.
About the author
Kristina Ebanez
Kristina is a Staff Writer and has been with Twinfinite for more than a year. She typically covers Minecraft, The Sims 4, Disney Dreamlight Valley, anime, Call of Duty, and newly released games. She loves the Metal Gear Solid series (Snake Eater especially), Rockstar’s Bully, the Horizon franchise, What Remains of Edith Finch, and many more. Her dog is also an avid video game watcher, primarily when there’s a horse or a cat. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and grew up gaming on the islands.
Fox Business, the subsidiary of Fox News Media, has discovered that some gamers are discovering their queerness thanks to Link, calling the Legend of Zelda hero a “nonbinary or trans icon.” Some, to the shock and horror of Fox, are even calling Link an “egg-cracker,” aka someone or something that helps a person realize they are trans. As you can imagine, the Fox journalist doesn’t seem happy about any of this.
Skyward Sword HD Revisits The Stumble That Led To Breath Of The Wild
Tears of the Kingdom, the latest game in the iconic Legend of Zelda franchise, launched on May 12 to rave reviews from critics and players alike. Many are already calling it the best game in the series, and some are even suggesting it’s one of the best games ever made. In the weeks since release, players have mastered multiple duplication glitches, learned how to build incredible machines, and all sorts of other fun hijinx. All in all, Tears of the Kingdom has enjoyed a mostly positive reaction from the gaming community. Even so, Fox Business has now decided to step in to point out how bad it is that so many of the game’s trans and nonbinary players identify with and feel inspired by Link.
In an article posted by Fox Business on May 31, writer Jon Brown seems to have discovered that Link is seen by many—including his own creators—as a relatively gender-neutral hero who anyone can relate to. The article links to a few stories about this topic, including this excellent one from Gizmodo, and seems surprised that an article like this exists alongside the site’s other Zelda stories.
Breaking: Fox continues to be horrible
Then we, inevitably, get to the point where the Fox writer calls The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom a “children’s game” and suggests that outlets like PBS are trying “to make a children’s video game about gender identity.” Which would be a very bad thing, apparently. Don’t you know, kids might accidentally read an article about the game and…turn gay? Trans? Whichever is the worst thing right now in the right-wing outrage machine.
The article then decides to include a tweet from the awful propagandist Libs of TikTok and yell about The Sims 4 including chest binders and top-surgery scars. Again, Fox Business seems to think that all video games are designed and sold exclusively for children. And kids can’t be exposed to real-world concepts like gender, sex, trans people, scars, or anything like that!
Fox Business’s article ends with an odd paragraph pointing out how much controversy surrounded the release of Hogwarts Legacy, but that it still sold great on… uh…Twitch? You mean the streaming website that briefly sold games but then stopped years ago? Hmmm, you folks over there at Fox might want to take another pass at this article. Or just delete it. I’d go with that option.
The Sims 4’s Growing Together Expansion Pack DLC is exactly what fans have been waiting for. If you’re a discerning Sims 4 fan wading through the massive amounts of Expansion Packs, Game Packs, Stuff Packs, and now the extra bite-sized Kits, searching for only the most crucial offerings, you’ll want to add Growing Together to the list. It’s an instant must-have, up there with Seasons and Cats & Dogs.
Unsurprisingly, the pack that delivers is also the pack that has exactly what the people have been asking for. Growing Together is a spiritual successor to The Sims 3’s Generations Expansion Pack, which also built on family relationships when it was released more than 10 years ago.
The new San Sequoia world is nice but nothing new
As is common for expansion packs in The Sims 4, Growing Together offers a new world in San Sequoia, which is based on San Francisco and the Bay Area. It’s nice enough, but it’s not the only world based on California, and it’s a bit small for my liking—though the size of worlds that come with expansion packs has been a gripe of mine for quite a while. I long for the days of earlier expansion packs like Get Together’s Windenburg, City Living’s San Myshuno, and Cats & Dogs’ Brindleton Bay. Windenburg has 14 residential lots and 13 community lots, Brindleton Bay offers 11 residential spots and five community ones, and San Myshuno has an incredible 30 total lots, split between a number 21 apartment units, one full residential spot, two residential penthouses, and six community lots. The number of lots in later expansions has slowly dwindled: San Sequoia has a paltry nine residential lots and just the two community lots, and Copperdale (the world from the last expansion, High School Years) has seven residential lots and five community ones.
My favorite part of San Sequoia, however, is its starter home availability. There are empty lots where you can, of course, make the affordable starter house of your dreams. But not all of us are builders or want to spend all that time designing a house from scratch instead of jumping right in. There are two pre-built and furnished homes you can get upon starting a new game, one with two bedrooms (built by Sims content creator dzidziak86) and another four-beds-two-bath family home (built by Sims streamer lilsimsie). The latter is sparsely decorated and the rooms are small to keep it cost-effective, but the exterior design is quite nice. And it’s also easy to decorate and customize as your Sim family establishes itself.
San Sequoia also features a recreation center and library, both of which are bright, family-friendly areas. But beyond those two spots and a splash pad area that isn’t a full lot, there’s only a vacation rental and movie theater, which is the typical rabbit hole event your Sim disappears into rather than a location you can visit. It would have been nice to walk around a lobby where Sims can meet and maybe have a couple arcade games nearby.
The Sims 4 Growing Together – Five Minutes of Gameplay
Milestones are the surprise star of Growing Together
I cannot stress how much I love Milestones, which is far more praise than I thought I would give when I first learned about the new feature. Milestones are crucial to the expanded baby mechanics, as it serves as a guide to helping your new infant grow. You can see which milestones they’ve yet to unlock, which makes it easy to build upon your baby’s progression as you guide the little one in the world. While that part is great for the new infant gameplay, milestones are for all Sims.
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Across all ages, Sims will experience milestones for a number of events. Many of them are no-brainers, like getting married, having a kid, or having your first kiss. That’s nice and all, but I quickly became fascinated with all the less obvious ones, especially those that work across DLC packs. You can unlock the “Crumplebottomed!” milestone after Agnes Crumplebottom, found in the Cottage Living Expansion Pack, hits you with her purse for the first time. Sure there’s a milestone for your first WooHoo, but you never forget your first Crumplebottoming. There are milestones for getting through living in a haunted house if you have the Paranormal Stuff Pack or from being possessed via the StrangerVille Game Pack. I love when the various packs work together rather than feeling like disparate elements. It’s not the first time The Sims 4 has done this, but I love it every time. And this detail is particularly delightful.
I wish there were even more milestones to discover, but I’ve already come to enjoy the satisfaction of achieving one after a big moment for my Sims.
Family Dynamics add drama and better autonomy
My biggest gripe when playing with families, especially ones with multiple siblings, is the juggling I inevitably have to do. I’ll have mom teach a toddler in one room, but wait, the infant has crawled off and CPS is about to be called because the dad is washing dishes in the bathroom sink again. To be clear, Growing Together doesn’t fix most of that. But it does give Sims a little more guidance on how to act with each other when I’m not watching them.
There’s an ease between a father and daughter who have the “Jokester” family dynamic, allowing me to focus on my mother Sim who is desperately trying to get her baby to learn how to move on his own. The Sims also tells you how this can impact relationships. For example, “Jokesters” can become close or distant, depending on how they move beyond those funny interactions—or don’t. A child interacting with a parent who’s strict with them will be more on their toes in automated interactions, as well.
The family dynamics options include close, distant, supportive, permissive, difficult, strict, and jokesters. These are also limited by family titles. So you can’t, for instance, have siblings who have a strict dynamic as that only works with parents and their children.
Relatedly, Sims can now set preferences for personalities and conversation topics, which further adds to better autonomy, though it still isn’t perfect, even when hanging out with non-familial Sims.
Screenshot: EA
The babies are free and now we must teach them
While a base game update added the infant life stage for all The Sims 4 players, Growing Together is where the babies really come to life. In the base game, they’re static. They can crawl around and play, but you won’t get to see them build up to crawling. And they won’t build up to much else, either. At least, not until they age up into toddlers. For some players, that’s likely fine, especially since the previous infant gameplay was nonexistent. But I found it a bit lackluster. In Growing Together, infants will have to be coaxed into lifting their heads on their own for the first time, learn to reach for things, roll over onto their tummies and backs alone, and eventually get to crawling.
The infant progression system works so well because it doesn’t feel like a chore. The next milestone is viewable, and the game tells you what to do to achieve it, either through parenting or self-exploration on the child’s part. The challenge isn’t figuring out what to do, but trying to make a literal baby do what you want. Sometimes your infant Sim will be more focused on when their next meal is coming or will be too tired to do whatever baby education they need to hit the next milestone. Other times, it just takes a couple sessions for your infant Sim to get the hang of things. De-mystifying progression and making the focus on actually doing the things you need to do to achieve these milestones makes the whole experience feel fun and like a normal part of how a virtual family would grow together.
Growing Together feels like a baby shopping simulator
As with all expansion packs, Growing Together comes with new Create-a-Sim items to dress, accessorize, or customize your Sim. There are also Build/Buy Mode items that bring new furniture, decoration, and structural items for homes. These are all…fine? Much of it is made up of mission design pieces, which to The Sims’ credit makes sense as the style’s origins come from San Francisco. Yet, nothing particularly wowed me. And while I didn’t expect a ton of new home things beyond baby and family items to really play around with in Build Mode, I would have liked some more fashionable pieces in the Create-a-Sim additions. It feels focused solely on adding infant and toddler items as well as their body details: We got lots of birthmarks and freckles (like, so many freckles), but the clothing items feel like they fit in too well with the options we already have, rather than offering a cohesive refresh.
In all, Growing Together already feels like an essential pack for anyone who enjoys the story-telling side of The Sims. Its biggest flaw may lie in being too essential as it feels like it gatekeeps key gameplay elements like infant progression and milestones behind a paywall rather than offering a taste of such details to base game players, which could then be expanded upon in the paid expansion pack.
Still, that’s not enough to dissuade me from recommending the Growing Together Expansion Pack, and it certainly doesn’t take away from its merits.
The Growing Together Expansion Pack is on sale now for $40.
A substantial update for The Sims 4 dropped on PC and consoles today, and with it comes a new suite of control schemes and customization options. This involves things like hearing aids and shapewear, but one addition is expressly targeted at trans Simmers in an effort to make them feel included and visible.
Developer Maxis took to the game’s official website to break down The Sims 4‘s latest update, which includes chest binders and top surgery scars.
“Under the Body category, all players can find a Body Scars category with an option for Teen and older male Sims (masculine or feminine frame) to add a top surgery scar to their Sims,” the update reads.
“I finally get to see myself in game,” one person tweeted in all caps.
“Top surgery scars and binders?! That’s so cool,” exclaimed another tweeter. “So happy more representation is being added to the game.”
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Binders and shapewear can compress someone’s chest or give more curvature to their body. In other words, these articles of clothing act as extra ways for trans folks to feel more comfortable in themselves, especially if they can’t afford or aren’t ready for body-altering surgeries.
“Binders and top surgery scars in base game,” a tweeter asked in all caps. “[Let’s fucking go, this is a] huge dub of the transmascs.”
“Oh my god I’m literally crying,” said another tweeter with crying emojis. “Finally, binders and top surgery! My little trans heart is so happy.”
There are also medical wearables, such as glucose monitors and hearing aids, which makes The Sims 4 all more inclusive for the disability community as well. It’s good shit.
“Binders, top surgery scars, hearing aids, and glucose monitors?” asked one tweeter about this new Sims 4 patch. “This is the best update since we could have feminine clothing on masculine frames and vice versa.”
Kotaku reached out to EA for comment.
The team also added new ways to actually control and interact with the game on console specifically, making navigation easier and bringing it closer to the PC version. All beneficial quality-of-life improvements.
Again, this is all extremely good shit. Though, there appear to be some kinks that still need to be ironed out a little bit, like confusion around where things are located and top surgery scars seemingly not populating for some folks. However, that Maxis and, by extension, EA is aware of and acknowledge its trans community in such a representative way makes me feel good. Maybe other studios will follow suit, making trans-inclusive representation something worth investing in and implementing in games.
Ever since mankind figured out various pigments could be smeared on cave walls, humans have drawn cocks on stuff. From the Cerne Abbas Giant to your mom’s bathroom wall, winky and winky-shaped creations appear anywhere anything can be crafted. So it is that the Sims 4 Gallery has been as replete with dicks as the underside of any bridge. Until now.
“We are aware of and have seen some select instances of wholly unacceptable content that has been uploaded to The Sims 4 Gallery,” begins the post, like a disappointed principal speaking to the whole school. “Our team has reviewed, and made critical updates to, the profanity filter to help prevent this from happening again in the future.” They’re not asking for pupils to put up hands, but if anyone would like to come forward and confess before they’re caught, it’ll make life easier for all involved.
The Sims 4 Gallery is a place where players of the recently made free-to-play game can share their creations, allowing others to download them and add them to their own game. This might be beautiful pieces of hand-crafted architecture, a specific room to add to a house, or a Sims lady with big boobs and a nice suit. And where creativity is allowed to flourish, rude stuff will appear.
My favorite example of this was when another Will Wright game, Spore, released its free character creator, and immediately “Sporn” was born. Sims creator, Wright, even praised such endeavors, calling them “amazingly explicit.” However, that’s not something The Sims, with its family-friendly image, could ever lean into. No matter how depraved you might be when you play it in the comfort of your own hovel.
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So it is that Sims 4‘s profanity filters have been given an overhaul, in an attempt to make its Gallery a safe place for kids to browse. EA continues to call on the community for help in policing this, flagging naughty uploads, while the promise “to do our part by quickly taking down objectionable content that surfaces.” They also say they’ll “remove” repeat offenders, and keep “regularly reviewing the profanity filter in case any updates need to be made.”
