The fourth in a series of life simulation video games, Maxis initially disclosed The Sims 4 to the gaming community in May 2013. First launched in September 2014 in North America by publisher Electronic Arts (EA), the developer first made it for Windows. However, in February of 2015, they released a version tailored for Mac devices. Since its inception, the game received both warm and cold reviews from the gaming community owing to its immersive nature and yet lack of interesting content. Regardless of this fact, The Sims 4 was the bestselling game for PCs in both 2014 and 2015. In 2018, the game sold more than 10 million copies, proving it as an immensely popular game with people of all ages. The game developers also tried to improve the game by releasing in-game Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Stuff Packs. Since 2014, Maxis released 6 Expansion Packs, over 6 Gaming Packs and 14 Stuff Packs as part of Sims 4 update. The expansion packs allow you to customize your Sim’s lifestyle and surroundings according to your preference.
Latest Updates And Features Added
The last Sims 4 update came in December 2018, and according to the Sims 4 patch note published on the official EA website, it has several holiday-themed features added to the Holiday pack. These include 3 new lighting sources, holiday-themed decorations such as ceiling snowflake decorations and a fake fireplace, and a picnic table. This Sims 4 update also adds some clothing and style items such as:
- a sweater for children
- a sweater for male Sims
- a full outfit for female Sims
- pants for female Sims
- male and female hairstyles
- male and female slippers
- a Yeti costume
In the Create A Sim section, the developer added a new hoodie, a sweater and a crop top for female Sims. Moreover, they added two new recipes for your Sim to try their hand at cooking; these include the Winter Cake and the Crown Roast. In addition, the first-person mode added in the November 2018 Sims 4 update with several bugs got a fix. The developer removed the Roll feature for first-person camera settings. In this Sims4 update, they also fixed many other bugs and improved the general gameplay. These changes consist of:
- Style Influencer personality Sims from-home tasks accurately regarded as completed once they finish
- Your Sim is able to hire a gardener regardless of your garden’s need for it
- A renamed wall pattern
- Townie Sims not frowning at each other while walking past other Sims outside
- Sims no longer spending entire parties mixing drinks when they are hosting
- Realistic ceiling lighting according to the position of the light source in the room
- Enhanced working of the With Pets, Dogs and Cats Gallery filter
- Better interaction of the player with the Simology panel
The developers modified the Seasons Expansion Pack, released in the November 2018 Sims 4 update, to ensure that changing thermostats in the game will not result in an addition of a 1.5 to 5 times modifier to your Sim’s bills.
When is the Next Sims 4 Update?
The developer Maxis has monthly scheduled livestreams called Maxis Monthly that is often a source for the Sims 4 gaming community to hear about new updates and free features. In January 2019, we learned through Twitter that there will be no game update this month. However, the gaming community is hopeful to see a Sims 4 update in February since the month brings us both, Valentine’s Day and the game’s anniversary. The Season update included Love Day, so we hope that Maxis will release free in-game items for 14th of February. In addition, developers always add free in-game features to celebrate the game’s anniversary, so February will be a good month for a Sims 4 update.
Expected Features For Next Updates
According to the Sims 4 online forum on the official Sims website, many gamers expect to see at least one new Expansion Pack for the game. There is much speculation as to what this Expansion Pack could consist of. Nevertheless, lots of people in the gaming community hope for a University or Education pack. Another wanted Expansion pack is Witches and Vampires, followed by a Tropical Expansion Pack. Some gamers also emphasize the need for first correcting the glitches before a new Sims 4 update. However, whether game developers will take into consideration these demands or work on something else entirely to opt for the unexpected path and surprise gamers is yet unknown. We will only find out as the updates take place.