The Sims 4 goes free to play, confirms future DLC plans

The Sims 4 is now free for anyone to download as EA confirms further support for the long-running life simulator.

The Sims 4 is now free to play on PC, Mac, and both major home console series. The download includes the base game with no additional content, though EA is sweetening the deal with free DLC for players who already owned the game. Maxis revealed the decision to build hype for an upcoming Behind The Sims Summit stream where the company confirmed that more DLC for the game is on the way.

Eager Sims fans may also interpret the unexpected change as a hint at a potential Sims 5 reveal. While possible, EA’s plan to continue making Sims 4 DLC points towards the opposite. The game is still quite popular, and the game’s DLC structure has plenty of room for creativity. The Sims 5 is confirmed to be in development, but fans shouldn’t expect any news until 2023.

How to get The Sims 4 for free on PC and console

Players can get The Sims 4 for free by navigating to their preferred platform’s store and claiming the game.

To get The Sims 4 for free on PC, players will need to download the game from Steam after October 18. Alternatively, PC players can create an EA App account and download the publisher’s game client. From there, they can navigate to the Sims 4 store page and download it. Players on Mac will need to download the Origin app instead. The base game is also now free for both generations of PlayStation and Xbox.

The free version of The Sims 4 does not include any of its numerous DLC packs, but fans who purchased the game before October 18 can get the Desert Luxe pack for free. EA occasionally offers steep sales on older Sims DLC packs or just gives them away. Expect to see more opportunities to score extra content in the lead-up to The Sims 5.