The Sims 4 Expansion Packs, Game Packs, Stuff Packs & Paranormal

The Sims 4 originally hit the shelves in 2014 – with the base game having lots of upgrades to the previous generation, such as more complex Create a Sim options and the introduction of emotions within gameplay.

Since then, The Sims 4 has gone on to have a number of added packs to widen the gameplay and offer new ways to explore the game. But when are the next The Sims 4 packs coming out, and what will they be called?

Here, we bring you the official Sims 4 release dates, news, and also take a closer look at all the other packs that are on sale now.

If you’re looking for information about the version for consoles, visit The Sims 4 for PS4 & Xbox One latest news. Also take a look at what information we have so far on The Sims 5.

What Sims 4 games are available?

EA launched The Sims 4 on PC in 2014, then in February 2015 for Mac as a digital download from the Origin store. If you already downloaded the game for PC but now wish to play it on your Mac, you can do so simply by using the product code on the box. All buyers of the Mac version will get a PC copy and vice versa.

You can buy The Sims 4 from Origin here, or from Amazon here.

In comparison to its predecessor – The Sims 3 – this game has quite a lot of improvements, including advanced Create a Sim modes which allow players to completely customise the look of a Sim by clicking and dragging directly on the Sim’s body. The same mechanics have also been applied to the build mode.

The new emotions feature also added a whole new layer to the game, making a Sim’s mood impact on the gameplay and bring out new interactions with other characters, objects and events.

After launching the base game, EA has gone on to release a plethora of content which can be divided into three types:  

Expansion Packs are the biggest of the three, usually offering a new world, a whole heap of gameplay options, items and much more.

Game Packs tend to focus on a smaller area of life that’ll bring some new fun things for you to experience with your Sims.

Stuff Packs only offer a minimal add-on to the base game, which mostly include new items, features in Create a Sim and new career paths.

The latest game in The Sims 4 franchise is a Stuff Pack called The Sims 4 Paranormal. 

The Sims 4 Paranormal

Halloween may have been and gone, but The Sims is getting spooky with a new Stuff Pack that has new lot types, career options and build items. The Sims 4 Paranormal will introduce new Haunted House lots, where Sims can perform séances to summon Guidry the Ghost. Guidry will advise Sims on how to live comfortably in the spooky lots. 

Sims can communicate with the dead, and even summon long-time fan favourite Bonehilda, a skeletal maid first seen in The Sims Makin’ Magic. 

The Sims 4 Paranormal introduces the new Medium skill, as well as the new Paranormal Investigator freelance career, where Sims can help out other households with their ghostly issues. 

The Sims 4 Paranormal Stuff Pack comes out on PC (Origin and Steam), Xbox One and PS4 on 26 January 2021, and you can pre-order it now. Watch the official trailer for The Sims 4 Paranormal below:

The Sims 4 Expansion Packs 

There are currently eight Expansion Packs available for The Sims series, all offering different forms of gameplay. Here’s what’s already been released:

The Sims 4 Get To Work

The Sims 4 Get To Work brings three new active careers that offer fully playable career venues, which means you’ll get to go to work with your Sim. It also brings businesses to The Sims, so you can have your Sim set up their own bakery, clothing boutique, art gallery, bookstore and more. You’ll also get new skills including Photography and Baking, and if that’s not enough, you also get Aliens (random!).

The three playable careers are Doctor, Police Officer, and Scientist. As a Doctor, your Sim will spend their day treating patients, performing surgeries and delivering babies. As a Police Officer, you’ll investigate crime scenes, interrogate Sims and arrest criminals. And as a Scientist, you’ll get to build inventions, collect unique specimens and decide whether you want to use your creations for good or evil.

You can get The Sims 4 Get to Work here.

The Sims 4 Get Together 

Get Together, which was the second full expansion pack to arrive for The Sims 4, introduces lots of new features for the socialites among you.

The world of Windenburg brings with it a hedge maze to explore, natural pools and some ancient ruins for the more adventurous Sims. Your Sims can also visit cafés, pubs and clubs with new objects and activities including foosball, bonfires and dance parties.

Skills introduced in this pack include DJ and dancing, and you can throw parties absolutely anywhere. There’s also a walk-in closet (which is also a new location to WooHoo if that’s what you’re into), and an exclusive private island to visit within Windenburg.

You can get The Sims 4 Get Together here.

The Sims 4 City Living

EA’s third expansion pack brings a new city called San Myshuno to the game, and that city features four different neighbourhoods. There are new career tracks including Politician, Social Media and Critic, the latter two of which have never been seen in The Sims before.

You can now move your Sims into apartments, you can take them to Karaoke bars, Geek Con, the Spice Festival and lots more.

You can get The Sims 4 City Living here.

 The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs

Cats & Dogs brings lots of the elements that we loved in The Sims 3 Pets to the newer version of the game, with a new Create a Pet tool to allow you to personalise your cat or dog’s appearance. You can even dress your pet in various cute accessories.

Pets in The Sims 4 have minds of their own, which means you’ll be able to train them and watch their personalities develop. But it’s not just pets that you’ll get – the new veterinarian career lets you run your own clinic, hire staff and look after all of the animals in the neighbourhood.

Cats & Dogs also introduces the world of Brindleton Bay, a coastal town that’s perfect for pets, with beaches and a lighthouse and a harbour. 

You can get The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs here.

The Sims 4 Seasons

The purpose of The Sims 4 Seasons, as the name suggests, is to introduce seasonal changes to the lives of your Sims. That means you can expect to see crisp snowfall in the short days of winter and sweltering heat in the summer, with seasonal changes affecting your world in unique ways.

Along with the four seasons, you can expect seasonal activities. You can ice skate in the winter, host a summer pool party or, for those rom-com fans out there, share a kiss in a fresh spring downpour. You can celebrate traditional seasonal celebrations, as well as create your own holidays on specific dates. 

Seasons also introduces the Gardening Career, allowing you to follow your flower-inspired dreams to become a Botanist or Florist.

You can get The Sims 4 Seasons here.

The Sims 4 Get Famous

With the rise of social media and a generation of kids that want to be influencers when they grow up, it makes sense for EA to introduce the ability to become famous in The Sims – and that’s exactly what Get Famous delivers. You can rise to fame in your current career, or ditch the old job and take on something a little more interesting. Whether you aspire to be a world-class actor, actress or influencer, Get Famous has you covered.

As you rise in fame and popularity, you’ll attract more attention, perks and starstruck fans that’ll want to meet you. You can put in the extra work creating custom costumes, learning lines and more, all with the aim of getting that big break.

Get Famous introduces the trendy district of Del Sol Valley where your Sims are the talk of the town. Featuring starter homes in Mirage Park to stunning, high-end houses in the hills of The Pinnacles and nightclubs for your celebri-Sim to party in. And as you rise through the ranks of stardom, you’ll gain access to luxurious perks including gold-plated furniture or unique statues that reflect various achievements in your career.

You can get The Sims 4 Get Famous here.

The Sims 4 Island Living

Experience beach and ocean life in Island Living. Bring your Sims to a paradise and explore everything that the beautiful world of Sulani has to offer. From exploring caves and discovering hidden island secrets, to taking to the ocean and meeting mermaids… yep, mermaids!

Island Living also introduces the new Conservationist career, so you can help save the environment of the surrounding beaches and make a difference in the world. Take your Sims off the grid by moving them into a traditional beach hut without electricity. You can even decorate your home and dress your Sims in traditional native styles, and celebrate island traditions by hosting kava parties.

Alternatively, take on one of the new part-time jobs – Lifeguard, Diver and Fisherman – so you can spend the rest of your time just chilling out on the sands. Just don’t lie in the sun for too long, because your Sims may get sunburnt!

You can get The Sims 4 Island Living here.

The Sims 4 Discover University 

The Sims community have been demanding a university-based expansion practically since the beginning of time, so this is possibly the most anticipated expansion of the franchise so far, and it looks like EA have been listening about various requests from players. 

Sims can enrol in one of two colleges – the historical University of Britechester or the modern Foxbury Institute. There, they can take classes to get ahead in future jobs, which also include three new career paths: engineering, education, and law. Sims can choose from a wide variety of electives, including Biology, Computer Science, Art History, and (our personal favourite) Villainy. The more Sims attend lectures and complete assignments, the better they’ll fair on the career ladder. 

Of course, it’s not just all work and no play. Sims can explore dorm life, extra-curricular activities, pull pranks against the rival school, attend school-spirit events and explore everything that the campus has to offer. It’s safe to say we’ve never been more excited to be a student.

The Sims 4 Discover University is out now on PC and Mac, and  you can buy Discover University here. If you’d prefer to play it on console, you can also buy it on  Xbox One and PS4. 

The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle

This Expansion Pack is something EA have never tackled before – themed all around sustainable living. Sims can reuse and recycle materials to create their own power (such as solar panels, wind turbines, and dew collectors), materials and crafts – which in turn will clear up the environment around them. 

There’s a brand new world to explore called Evergreen Harbour. This city will start out as a pollution invested health hazard, but as Sims work hard to improve the quality of living, it will transform into a beautiful and clean place to live. Sims can also encourage their community to take part through the Neighbourhood Action Plans every week.

Two new careers are on offer in this pack – Civil Designer and Freelance Crafter. The latter will allow Sims to make items such as candles, fizzy juices and other upcycled items. We’ve spent some time with the pack ourselves, and wrote a piece on why this game is paving the way for greater social change. 

The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle is out now on PC, Xbox One and PS4, and you can buy your copy here. If you’d like to know more about what to expect, take a look at the official trailer below:

The Sims 4 Snowy Escape

The Sims explores a brand new type of Expansion Pack – a winter-themed ski resort. The world that comes with the game is Mt. Komorebi, which is inspired by Japan. It is also the first world in the game to house both residential homes and rental lots.

Simmers can head to the mountaintops and take on the new skills of skiing, snowboarding, rock-climbing and sledding for the little ones. To build up the skills, Sims should start off on practice courses to avoid any accidents on the more daring peaks. 

The Expansion Pack also introduces a brand new feature to Sims personalities – Lifestyles and Sentiments. As Sims interact with the world around them, they’ll develop up to 16 Lifestyles, which will change how to behave. Sentiments allow Sims to bond over shared experiences and affects their relationships with one another. 

You can get the The Sims 4 Snowy Escape here. We also had a hands-on with the game, and discuss how its got some of the best deaths in The Sims 4.

The Sims 4 Game Packs

Currently there are seven Game Packs available for The Sims, however this will become eight when Realm of Magic is released in September. If you’re looking to spice up your game with some new features, check out what’s available now:

The Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat

Outdoor Retreat introduces a new destination that Sims can travel to. It’s filled with woods and forests that include new herbs and insects, and also make the perfect location for camping and hiking. New outdoor activities include stargazing and roasting marshmallows around the campfire, and you’ll be able to build your Sim’s new Herbalism skill to create helpful remedies.

You can get The Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat here.

The Sims 4 Spa Day

Spa Day brings with it a venue building, which (you guessed it) is a spa! Perfect Balance Spa invites your Sims to get a massage, have a mud bath, do some yoga and enjoy the sauna to improve their new Wellness skill.

Plus, there are new outfits, objects and decorations, including a new tropical fish aquarium (cool!).

You can get The Sims 4 Spa Day here. 

The Sims 4 Dine Out

Dine Out introduces restaurants to the game, and also lets you build and run your own restaurant should you choose to. There are new items, new Create a Sim elements and new cooking and food features too.

You can get The Sims 4 Dine Out here..

The Sims 4 Vampires

Vampires brought with it the ability to create Vampires that have various powers and weaknesses. It also brings a new residential world called Forgotten Hollow, plus lots of new items and traits that fit the theme.

You can get The Sims 4 Vampires here.

The Sims 4 Parenthood

Parenthood takes children and teenagers to a whole new level in The Sims. There are lots of new traits for younger Sims, and those traits are learned or forgotten through persistence from the parent Sims. Parents can choose to be strict, for example, or be nurturing.

You can get The Sims 4 Parenthood here.

The Sims 4 Jungle Adventure

Jungle Adventure allows Sims to book a vacation to Selvadora, where they can experience a new culture and go exploring across ancient ruins. This game pack also introduces a new skill to level up – Archaeology.

You can get The Sims 4 Jungle Adventure here.

StrangerVille

Remember Strangetown from The Sims 2? StrangerVille plays homage to that mysterious desert town, presenting the player with a complex mystery for them to solve. Sims across the town are being possessed by a mysterious force, and it’s up to your Sim to solve it. Strangerville also introduces the Military career for sims.

You can get The Sims 4 StrangerVille here.

Realm of Magic

As the name suggests, Realm of Magic focuses purely on magical elements, making it the first pack to do so since The Sims Makin’ Magic, originally released in 2003. The pack includes a new world called Glimmerbrook. Whilst it may appear like a quiet town on the surface, there’s a portal that lies within the town that can take Sims to whole other dimension.

Realm of Magic introduces a new life state, spellcasters, who can use spells and curses, create potions and even acquire familiars which include dragons, fairies and even pets if you own the expansion pack Cats & Dogs.

Dress Sims up in full witch or wizard gear and kit out your lot with all the new mythical items and clothes that are available. Even watch your Sim ride about on a broomstick – which we can all agree is the superior method of transportation.

Star Wars Journey to Batuu

Journey to Batuu is the latest Game Pack for the The Sims 4, and is inspired by Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney World. 

Sims can join and complete ‘missions’ for the First Order, the Resistance or Scoundrels, create their own lightsabers and droids and even meet Sim versions of iconic Star Wars characters such as Rey, Kylo Ren and Hondo Ohnaka. The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu is available to purchase now on Origin for PC.

There has been some controversy surrounding the release of this pack, read more about why its such a polarising DLC here. 

The Sims 4 Stuff Packs

The following Stuff Packs are currently available for The Sims, and all are available to download by following the links below to the Origin Store:

The Luxury Party Stuff will get you new party outfits, buffet tables, chocolate fondue and more.  You can get The Sims 4 Luxury Party Stuff here.

The Perfect Patio Stuff pack offers new garden furniture including hot tubs, and several new outdoorsy outfits.  You can get The Sims 4 Perfect Patio Stuff here.

The Cool Kitchen Stuff pack gets you (you guessed it) new kitchen stuff! That includes counters, cabinets and appliances.  You can get The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff here. 

With Spooky Stuff you’ll get Halloween-related items and costumes, as well as a new spooky party option.  You can get The Sims 4 Spooky Stuff here. 

Movie Hangout Stuff gets you bohemian clothing, a home theatre and new items like a popcorn maker.  You can get The Sims 4 Movie Hangout Stuff here. 

Romantic Garden Stuff brings new outdoor objects and even a whispering wishing well, but be careful what you wish for!  You can get The Sims 4 Romantic Garden Stuff here. 

Kids Room Stuff adds new items for children’s rooms as well as new hair and clothes for them.  You can get The Sims 4 Kids Room Stuff here. 

Backyard Stuff does exactly what it says on the tin, with loads of new stuff for your backyard!  You can get The Sims 4 Backyard Stuff here. 

Vintage Glamour Stuff is a lovely one, with Old Hollywood inspired clothes, hair and items as well as a new butler feature.  You can get The Sims 4 Vintage Glamour Stuff here. 

Bowling Night Stuff offers new bowling lanes for players to build in the neighbourhood, as well as other bowling themed items and clothing.  You can get The Sims 4 Bowling Night Stuff here. 

Fitness Stuff introduces a new rock climbing treadmill and lots more including new fitness clothing.  You can get The Sims 4 Fitness Stuff here. 

Toddler Stuff includes new clothing items for Toddlers, as well as new playground equipment and toys.  You can get The Sims 4 Toddler Stuff here. 

Laundry Day Stuff introduces a new laundry system so your sims can clean clothes and live a more rustic lifestyle with the country-themed decor and clothing.  You can get The Sims 4 Laundry Day Stuff here. 

My First Pet Stuff compliments the Cats & Dogs expansion pack by including smaller pets like hamsters and hedgehogs, as well as clothes and objects for existing cats and dogs.  You can get The Sims 4 My First Pet Stuff here. 

Moschino Stuff was a result of a collaboration between EA and high-end fashion house Moschino, which introduced new clothes, as well as the freelance fashion photographer career path.  You can get The Sims 4 Moschino Stuff here. 

Tiny Living is aimed at build enthusiasts, introducing smaller lots and furniture, along with new house perks and a variety of items themed around cozy smaller living lifestyles. You can get The Sims 4 Tiny Living here. 

Nifty Knitting is the latest Stuff Pack was voted for from a choice of five different themes. Nifty Knitting allows Sims to take up the cosy hobby of knitting, creating clothing, decorative items and children’s toys from the new yarn basket. You can get The Sims 4 Nifty Knitting here.

You can read more about the community voting process on Nifty Knitting here. 

The Sims 4 updates

Now that we’re in the digital age, this gives EA a chance to add some improvements to The Sims 4, and some fun and exciting tweaks, through DLC packages that are free to the user.

One of the biggest free updates include the introduction of freelance careers. Sims can choose from one of three paths – Freelance Programmer, Freelance Artist and Freelance Writer – and pick and choose their own hours and gigs for a more flexible lifestyle.

EA also introduced new gender customisation options that aren’t restricted by gender boundaries that were previously in place. You can create a Sim with any type of voice, walk, physique, clothing and hairstyles no matter which gender you choose.

The game studio also released a brand new world, Newcrest. Newcrest came with 15 empty lots ready for you to fill with whichever houses and buildings you choose. It’s cool to have a blank canvas that you can build from scratch.

After high demand from many users, Toddlers were also added to the game. This new life stage allowed Sims to build new skills, have new interactions with their parents and (most importantly) gave players a whole bunch of adorable outfits to choose from.

Other community requested improvements (it’s nice to know that EA is listening) include eye colours and the return of pools and ghosts – which can actually be playable characters.

The Sims 4 trailer

If all the other packs are confusing you and you just want to know what bog-standard base game is like, check out the official trailer for it below!