EA
The 8-year-old classic, The Sims 4, will transition to free-to-play starting October 18th. Multiple platforms including PC, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X will provide free version downloads, but this is limited to the game itself, and all DLCs are still paid. If you’ve already purchased the game, or purchased it before October 17th, EA will include a Desert Luxe Kit DLC featuring desert-inspired furniture from the American Southwest as compensation.
The Sims 4 has launched 12 major expansions and countless content packs to date, many of which have changed the game experience to a large extent, introducing many additional mechanics to The Sims 4. Therefore, it is not difficult to imagine that for EA, instead of earning this little money from the body of “The Sims 4”, it is better to introduce more people into the world of “The Sims 4”, and then rely on selling expansions to make money.
As for where The Sims will go in the future, EA said that development studio Maxis will continue to develop novel and meaningful game experiences, bringing more expansions and content packs in the foreseeable future. The two will also host an online livestream on October 18 to share the next steps for The Sims.