Summary

  • The next Sims 4 expansion could be called Businesses & Hobbies, offering new activities.
  • The upcoming 25th anniversary celebration will include free content, special events, and a livestream.
  • The Sims 4 continues to attract new players, hinting at a steady flow of new content.

The Sims 4's next big expansion is on the way, and if a new report from a dataminer is accurate, it will be titled Businesses & Hobbies. There's not a lot known about what's going to be included in the expansion just yet, but if that name is any indication, the virtual people of The Sims 4 will have a lot more to do both occupationally and in their free time.

The Sims franchise's 25th anniversary takes place in just a few days, on February 4. In anticipation of that benchmark, the development crew at Maxis released a miniature roadmap earlier this month detailing the quarter-century-mark celebration festivities, including the release of free content, special events in The Sims FreePlay, and a 25-hour-long livestream. In addition to the celebratory events on February 4, the roadmap also mysteriously shows an emoji of some alert eyes on February 25.

Sims completing tasks as part of their aspirations
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But in between those two dates, The Sims 4 Motherlode Season is set to begin on February 6, with many players anticipating the reveal of the game's official 18th expansion pack. According to the Twitter page of dataminer anadius, who identifies as "Not a big fan of EA," Businesses & Hobbies will be the name of that expansion. There also appears to be some bonus content for players who purchase the expansion early, but no additional information is available on what will actually be included in the expansion or its bonus content. There are 13 careers in The Sims 4's base game, and past expansions have added well over a dozen more, including the ability to work from home, so this next expansion may provide an even broader spectrum of ways to earn Simoleans.

Sims 4 18th Expansion Title Leaked

The new expansion isn't the only thing that Sims fans have to look forward to over the course of the next few days. More Sims 4 Creator Kits are coming on January 30, bringing additional furniture, clothing, and other in-game objects to the life simulator. The Refined Living Room Kit by pierisim looks to add some modern and classic designs to Sims' living spaces, while madlensims' Business Chic Kit provides clothing options to help Sims look more professional.

With its own 10th anniversary passing last September, The Sims 4 is proving to have a lot of longevity. A report from October 2024 showed that The Sims 4 saw an impressive number of new players over the previous 12-month period, with 15 million new players joining the game. While that report didn't reveal the total number of all-time players, the 25th anniversary drive indicates that Maxis is not ready to slow down its rush of new content to attract even more players.

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The Sims 4 Tag Page Cover Art
7 /10

The Sims 4

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Simulation
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 70 /100 Critics Rec: 26%
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Released
September 2, 2014
ESRB
T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
Developer(s)
Maxis
Publisher(s)
Electronic Arts
Engine
Proprietary Engine
Cross-Platform Play
Xbox, PlayStation, and computer versions of Sims 4 are all separate games incompatible with each other
Cross Save
no
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Unleash your imagination and create a unique world of Sims that’s an expression of you. Download for free, and customize every detail from Sims to homes and much more. Choose how Sims look, act, and dress, then decide how they’ll live out each day. Design and build incredible homes for every family, then decorate with your favorite furnishings and décor. Travel to different neighborhoods where you can meet other Sims and learn about their lives. Discover beautiful locations with distinctive environments and go on spontaneous adventures. Manage the ups and downs of Sims’ everyday lives, and see what happens when you play out scenarios from your own real life. Tell your stories your way while developing relationships, pursuing careers and life aspirations, and immersing yourself in this extraordinary game, where the possibilities are endless

Franchise
The Sims
Steam Deck Compatibility
yes
Platform(s)
PS4, Xbox One, PC
Genre(s)
Simulation
How Long To Beat
N/A
X|S Optimized
No
File Size Xbox Series
22 GB (November 2023)
OpenCritic Rating
Fair