The following is intended to document the major updates The Sims Studio have made to The Sims 4. News on upcoming major patches with improvements and game/expansion packs will be featured and archived here. Reviews of the game will likely be dated, so this will help players who may want to transition to Sims 4 know how the game has been improved.
As of May 27, 2019 I intend to fix this woefully out of date page, but for now check this video for a rundown of every major improvement made to the base game. I'll add these along with chronological info on expansions and other packs.
A history of improvements made to The Sims 4 via patches from launch to May 2019. Gives you a rundown of every new feature in the order they came.
The Sims Get Together Expansion Pack
Release Date: 12/8/15
Major Highlights: A new town will be introduced to the game - Windenberg. Sims will get to lead clubs (think dance clubs) or even simpler clubs for hanging out, and decide the types of activities those who participate in the clubs will be doing, as well as where they'll gather for meetings/parties. Teens and children can also make and lead their own clubs, so it will greatly expand on the activities available to those age groups. As the name suggests, this Expansion will be all about Sims hanging out with one another and utilizing the neighborhoods. There are new DJ and Dancing skills to level up to compliment these features. If you'd like to learn more and see screenshots, visit our official thread for discussion. As more information is released, we'll update the site.
If you'd like to see only the currently released Expansion and Game Packs, click here for a list. To know as many details as possible about upcoming releases, see our EA Announcements board on the Forum.
Spooky Stuff
Release Date: 9/29/15
Major Highlights: Dress your Sims in spooky costumes, while also being able to carve pumpkins. You will also find new halloween-themed decor for your Sims' homes.
Cool Kitchen Stuff
Release Date: 8/11/15
Major Highlights: This stuff pack is all about desserts and sleek new appliances for your Sim's kitchen. Sims will get to use the new ice cream maker, as well as top it with a variety of toppings. Thankfully, the dishwashers released below will let Sims take care of the dishes that will pile up as a result of all this indulgence.
Dishwasher Patch
Release Date: 8/6/2015
Major Highlights: Dishwashers were added to the game, and Sims properly receive mail when they are not on the home lot.
Spa Day Game Pack
Release Date: 7/14/2015
Major Highlights: The Wellness skill will allow players to pursue meditation and yoga, and also give massages. Spas will be a new type of venue, which players can place in their towns. Saunas, massage chairs, and aquariums are confirmed. Learn more about the Spa Day Pack here.
Door Locks and Half Walls
Release Date: 7/9/2015
Major Highlights: With this patch, players are able to lock doors, preventing Sims of certain types from entering. For businesses (Get to Work Expansion), this may mean keeping customers out of the back room. At home, you might restrict your bedroom to only your Sim. Boy/girl restrooms are possible as well. Half walls are also included, which give builders more decorative options for separators between rooms. Five different style are included, along with trim and coloring to customize the look. Players no longer need a mod to lock doors, and the Sims team continues to provide new features for builders who are eager to get creative!
Perfect Patio Stuff Pack
Release Date: 6/16/2015
Major Highlights: Adds Hot Tubs, along with loads of outdoor objects which can be used to entertain your guets. Learn more about Perfect Patio Stuff here.
Newcrest Patch
Release Date: 6/11/2015
Major Highlights: Newcrest, a free neighborhood, is released. This brings the total in the base game to 3. Additionally, the Custom Room tool becomes available in build mode. This lets you have more power over what the game engine considers a 'Room'.
Luxury Party Stuff Pack
Release Date: 5/19/2015
Major Highlights: The Luxury Party Stuff Pack adds buffet tables, the fountain of mirth, and many new objecs, hair, and clothing styles to the game. Learn more about Luxury Party Stuff here.
Events Patch
Release Date: 5/14/2015
Major Highlights: Sims will now invite others over for parties, which makes the game world feel more alive. This includes playdates for kids, and romantic dates for couples.
Baby Gender Patch
Release Date: 5/4/2015
Major Highlights: Baby gender can be influenced by Sim activities. Strawberries and Pop music lead to girls, Carrots and Alternative lead to boys. Aliens can be created in Create-a-Sim for those who own Get to Work.
Get to Work Expansion
Release Date: 3/31/2015
Major Highlights: Open-for-business style retail stores are added to the game, along with the Doctor, Detective, and Scientist Active Careers. Aliens and the planet Sixam are additional features. Learn more about Get to Work here.
Basements Patch
Release Date: 3/26/2015
Major Highlights: Basements were added to the game, allowing players to construct them up to 2 levels deep. Houses can be 6 floors at this point. Pools in basements are possible. Sims can now paint from reference to paint anything in view. The notebook was added as well, which tracks progress in the game's skills, such as gardening plant combinations and the bait required for fishing. Careers can now go beyond level 10, to allow players to make more and more money.
Sims 4 for Mac
Release Date: 2/17/2015
Major Highlights: The Sims 4 was released for Mac, and players who already owned it did not need a new copy thanks to EA Origin's cross-platform functionality.
Family Tree Patch
Release Date: 2/3/2015
Major Highlights: Genealogy was added in this patch, allowing players to see their family trees from the simology tab. Up to 10 generations of Sims and their relationships can be tracked. Whims were updated to allow them to be cancelled, which makes completing them much easier.
Outdoor Retreat Game Pack
Release Date: Jan 13, 2015
Major Highlights: The Herbalism Skill, insect collecting, and camping in Granite Falls are the primary additions of this game pack. Learn more about Outdoor Retreat here.
Gallery App
Release Date: 1/8/2015
Major Highlights: The Gallery app is available for the App store and Google Play. This app connects to your Origin account, and allows players to mark gallery assets for download when they next use the game.
Careers Patch
Release Date: 12/16/2014
Major Highlights: The Business and Athletic Careers were added to The Sims 4. Additionally, paid time off and family leave were added to the game. Aspiration and Career objectives were tuned to make the game's goals more realistic. Careers were simplified to require levels in skills, along with performance from attending work.
Pools Patch
Release Date: Nov 4, 2014
Major Highlights: Pools were added to the game with this patch. They can be built on any level of the home, and creativity allows for indoor/outdoor pools to exist. Additionally, swimwear was added to allow players to customize the look of their Sims when swimming.
Ghosts Patch
Release Date: Oct 1, 2014
Major Highlights: Ghosts for each type of death were introduced, as well as the Ambrosia recipe to allow Ghosts to be returned to life. Several new types of eye colors were also added, along with a spooky radio station and a buydebug cheat, bb.showhiddenobjects.
We now have a Youtube Channel with over 50 guides in video format to go along with the huge site I've already created. Check it out and consider subscribing if you like my style.
New features in the Sims 4 Patch
The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Guide
Eco Footprint: How it Works
Neighborhood Action Plans
How to Cheat in Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Civil Designer Career
Insect Farms & Bio Fuel
Fabrication Skill in Eco Lifestyle
Juice Fizzing NEW
Traits and Aspirations in DLC
Gameplay Ideas for Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Updated
Trait Cheats Updated
Traits List Updated
Aspirations List Updated
Readers who use adblock or those who'd like to thank me for my efforts can now pledge $1/$5 monthly via Patreon. This helps a lot with server costs and provides some stability for my business.
This is inspired by a new series in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to the full playlist!
I now have a guide page to Tiny Living Stuff where you can learn about Murphy Beds, the new death, as well as the lot bonuses you'll receive if you manage to keep the size of your lot down with this new pack's Tiny Home Lot Type.
New I now have a guide to Making Super Sims in The Sims 4. Look for a text version within the next 72h. It won't have THAT much more info but it will help out as a checklist.
This was inspired by a series, "Let's Play a Super Sim" in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to each part for people who are interested. You can also see the Let's Play as a Playlist on Youtube.
The Sims 4 Discover University has been announced for November 15 for PC/Mac and December 17 for Xbox and Playstation 4 consoles. Click to learn more about the pack, see my summary of the livestream or read our FAQs below.
Other Guides to Discover University:
New Lot Traits: Study Spot and University Student Hang Out
New: Discover University FAQ: Gameplay Features
New Video The Sims 4 Discover University Gameplay Tips Video
More videos coming soon!
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Sarah Garcia