After its release in 2000, The Sims is celebrating its 25th birthday this month with re-releases of old favourites, celebrity guests and more.
Long-time fans of the series have been waiting in anticipation as rumours of older instalments, updates to The Sims 4 and more have been circulated online and teased on the official Sims social media. What exactly will players get from the anniversary, and what does the community have to say?
How Are The Sims Team Celebrating?
The Sims team has been teasing events on social media with a 25th-anniversary calendar. After introducing base game updates to The Sims 4 in mid-January – including makeovers of existing townies and an overhaul of the main menu – the celebrations have already kicked off with the release of some new Kits.
“Nostalgia Now” has also begun as of the 27th of January – which has been the most exciting prospect for long-time Simmers. The beloved earlier instalments of the life simulation franchise are now available to buy on the EA app in the form of The Sims Legacy Collection and The Sims 2 Legacy Collection. Both include all expansion packs from the games.
The actual anniversary is the 2nd of February, which will feature a 25-hour live stream with several special guests. These include Doja Cat, drag queens Trixie and Katya and Sims YouTubers such as Plumbella and Degrassi.
The Sims team has announced another event, “Motherlode Season,” for the 6th of February. This event refers to an infamous cheat to gain 50,000 simoleons in the game. It potentially hints at money-related gameplay, with players speculating about the return of an old favourite NPC: burglars.
As for the final celebration taking place on the 25th of February, fans have been left to their own imaginations, with very little information to work with.
20th Anniversary and Other Disappointments
While this month looks promising for Sims fans, many players were previously disappointed by the franchise’s 20th anniversary. After playing Sims for two decades, players only received the now-infamous hot tub for build mode. Many loyal fans expressed their disappointment at the underwhelming update.
The Sims community has a reputation for being hard to please – however, anyone familiar with EA would be able to sympathise. Simmers have become accustomed to being let down in some ways by their favourite franchise – particularly during the current Sims 4 era. From the base game at release leaving out major components like toddlers and pools to spreading out new content in the form of Kits, Stuff Packs and Game Packs rather than just traditional expansion packs (we’re looking at you, My Pet First Stuff), the series has become more overtly profit-driven and often delivers underwhelming DLC.
Whilst the online community is a uniquely positive corner of the internet, Simmers know that the series can do better, and aren’t afraid to express that.
Are Loyal Simmers Finally Being Listened to?
The recent change in direction for the franchise is perfectly embodied by the decision to release The Sims 1 and 2 with all of their expansion packs. The availability of the second instalment in the series has been a contentious issue. Origin made the game available for those who had previously owned copies, but this was discontinued despite its status as a consistent fan favourite, even after all these years.
Though players thought this day would never come, “Nostalgia Now” gives players the chance to revisit games from their childhood and what is often seen as a golden age of the series, bursting with personality and detailed lore. However, it has already been criticised for the price tag on games over 20 years old (especially considering The Sims 2 on Origin debacle) and the re-releases featuring plenty of bugs and technical problems for some players.
Whilst the capitalisation of nostalgia is frustrating, ultimately, cash grabs in the form of new content like this and expansion packs are at least improving in terms of quality. These re-releases prove that Simmers are finally being listened to. In fact, this is something that the Sims team has significantly improved upon recently, adding long-awaited features like cowplants and harkening back to old lore in new expansion packs (for example, adding fan-favourite Sims like Olive Specter in The Sims 4: Life & Death).
So, whether you’re enjoying what is up for grabs on their 25th birthday or not, happy Sims anniversary to all who celebrate!
You can buy The Sims Legacy Collection for £17.99, The Sims 2 Legacy Collection for £24.99 or The Sims 25th Birthday Bundle for £34.99 on the EA app, Steam and Epic Games.
Words by Alice Bennett
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