The Sims 4 has had something of a renaissance over the last year, with a staggering 15 million new players joining the game. This statistic arrives courtesy of the latest EA quarterly results, where The Sims 4 was noted as being both an operating highlight, and an unexpected success for the quarter.
Per EA, “increased engagement led to higher-than-expected net bookings for the franchise in Q2.” The sharp growth is unexpected, and it’s unclear which factors led to the sudden boom in interest for the game. While the base version of The Sims 4 did go free-to-play in 2022, it’s worth noting references to net booking that suggest players are also spending money on the game – purchasing expansion packs, stuff packs, game packs, and more.
The Sims 4 going free has likely had an longer-term impact on audience growth, but we should also consider an increased interest in The Sims based on Hollywood movements, a raft of new, exciting expansions, childhood nostalgia, or perhaps even a renewed longing for cosy sim games.
There is also the fact that EA has recently committed new teams to supporting the game in the long term, with bug fixes a major focus, as well as meaningful new content to expand the gameplay experience.
Read: The Sims 4 will be “modernised” as EA moves away from sequel plans
In September 2024, EA and Maxis announced plans to move away from The Sims 5, and instead modernise The Sims 4 to keep it compelling for new audiences.
“What we’re really working with our community on is this a new era of The Sims,” Kate Gorman, EA Vice President and General Manager of The Sims, said at the time. “We are not going to be working on replacements of previous projects; we’re only going to be adding to our universe.”
“We’re still continuing to support The Sims 4 more than ever. Still continue to deliver expansion packs and updates and fixes. But what this is to say is, the way we’re going to do things going forward is a little different.”
Perhaps this edict has inspired an upsurge in players, as more folks accept a Sims 5-less future. Whatever the case, it appears The Sims 4 has now once again become a star of EA’s lineup, attracting new players at a rapid rate, and players willing to engage beyond the free base game content. For existing players, this can only be a good thing – as more players will inspire more expansions, and more reasons to play.
You can view EA’s full Q2 FY2025 breakdown on the company’s website.
