The Sims franchise is marking its 25th anniversary with an array of exciting in-game events, a marathon 25-hour livestream, and the much-anticipated return of two beloved titles. Dive into the details of this grand celebration below.
Happy 25th Birthday To The Sims!
Events And Freebies Galore
The Sims is pulling out all the stops for its 25th anniversary, offering a plethora of events and freebies. Players can enjoy in-game goodies, participate in a star-studded livestream featuring top Simmers, and witness the triumphant return of The Sims 1 and The Sims 2 on PC.
"Our incredible players have shown us that no one does life like The Sims, and we wanted to celebrate this journey we have been on together," said The Sims Production Director Kevin Gibson in an interview with Xbox Wire. "25 years ago, there was a game with an idea that made a big splash at E3, and look where we are today! We’ve been part of multiple generations and touched millions of lives." Gibson emphasized that without the support of players over the past two decades since its reveal in 1999, they wouldn't be where they are now.
"All of the Simmers from all of the years and all of the different ways to play The Sims, are part of this 25-year journey, and this is our way of saying thank you."
The Sims 1 And The Sims 2 Are Back
Kicking off with the most significant announcement, players can now journey back to the roots of the franchise. In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the original The Sims and The Sims 2, along with all their respective DLCs, are now available for purchase on Steam or the EA store, either as a Birthday Bundle or individually.
This is a fantastic opportunity for Simmers, as these first two titles have been largely unavailable for nearly a decade. Even those who owned physical copies found it challenging to run them on modern computers without extensive modifications. EA has now overcome this hurdle by releasing versions compatible with today's systems, fulfilling a long-standing wish of the Sims community.
In-Game Events For The Sims 4 And The Sims FreePlay
The Sims 4 introduces the "Blast From The Past" event, featuring iconic clothing, furniture, and decor from earlier titles. Over four weeks, new items will be added, including neon inflatable chairs in bright neon green or popping pink, a three-layer cake, a light-up dance floor for party nights, and even wired phones.
Meanwhile, The Sims FreePlay's Birthday Update takes players back to the early 2000s with new Live Events like "The One with the Coffee Shop" and "Reality Island," a new velour tracksuit, daily gifts for 25 days, and a Social Town update featuring a museum dedicated to The Sims' history.
25 Hour Livestream For 25 Years
To launch the anniversary celebrations, The Sims hosted a 25-hour livestream on February 4th, featuring an impressive lineup of celebrities, streamers, fan-favorite builders, and storytellers all united by their love for The Sims. Guests included Doja Cat, rapper Latto, drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katya, YouTubers Dan & Phil, Plumbella, TikTokers Angelo & Lexy, virtual streamer Ironmouse, and many more.
If you missed the live event, you can catch the entire recording on the official The Sims YouTube or Twitch channels.
