It has been over 10 years since EA initially launchedThe Sims 4in 2014, and with the announcement that it willcontinue to be the core game inThe Simsfranchise, it’s interesting to speculate what may lie ahead.The Sims 4has been arguably the most aesthetically pleasing game in the franchise, with a brilliant Build Mode and a Create-A-Sim mode that is constantly improving as the years go by. However, the game’s life simulator elements have been lacking in what has made the game a success over its lifespan, as its Live Mode gameplay features have fallen short with their lack of unpredictability, spontaneity, and charm.
For the last decade,The Sims 4has accumulated millions and millions of players who have enjoyed playing the game. Despite its lacking Live Mode features,the game’s generous and continuous stream of content add-ons is what has kept the game alive. In fact, many of the content add-ons that have been released forThe Sims 4have not only enhanced and elevated the gameplay, but introduced features that make the base game much more exciting. No matter a player’s preference between occult packs or packs that simply improve day-to-day features inThe Sims 4, among all the content packs released over the last decade there’s been something for everyone.
10Launch Your Career With Get To Work
2015
WhenGet To Workreleased back in 2015, interactive careers became available for the first time inThe Sims 4. These careers included Doctor, Detective, and Scientist, with numerous duties for Sims to participate in. One of the gameplay elements thatGet To Workintroduced was the retail business ownership feature, where a Sim could own a retail store or bakery for a fun management experience.
In addition to the interactive careers thatGet To Workintroduced, aliens were also brought intoThe Sims 4for the first time.Get To Workhas proven to be timeless as its retail system offers endless gameplay opportunities, though the pack does fall short with its lack of interactive careers that are in more creative industries.
9Explore Your Wild Side With Werewolves
2022
Released relatively recently in 2022,The Sims 4’sWerewolvesgame packhas been one of the best DLCs the gamehas produced. Appealing to fans of occult Sims,Werewolvesintroduced the ability for a Sim to transform into a werewolf, with fully customizable options in Create-A-Sim.
In addition to the aesthetic creativityWerewolvesbrought to the game, players are able to choose unique traits like enhanced senses for a Sim. Something that continues to makeThe Sims 4gameplay exciting thanks toWerewolvesis its feature of unpredictable temperaments that affect werewolf Sims during werewolf form, as well as their Lunar Cycle, which impacts their abilities according to the phases of the moon.
8Sustain A Green Community In Eco Lifestyle
2020
Released in 2020,Eco Lifestylewas a successful expansion pack forThe Sims 4because of all the gameplay features and systems it introduced. Featuring a variety of interaction opportunities based around a player’s choices,Eco Lifestyleoffered activities like using renewable energy, reducing waste, and participating in a community effort to keep the industrial neighborhood of Evergreen Harbor green and clean.
The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack Review: A Treasure in Trash
The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle lets players better interact with their neighborhood and environment, offering a unique gaming and story experience.
Another feature inEco Lifestylethat still enhances gameplay inThe Sims 4today is its Fabrication skill, whereplayers can have a Sim upscale items using eco-friendly materials.Eco Lifestyleto this day improves the overall gameplay experience ofThe Sims 4due to its abundance of interactive features based on choice and consequence.
7Experience Super Stardom In Get Famous
2018
TheGet Famousexpansion pack was released in 2018 and was based on Los Angeles and Hollywood.Get Famousintroduced an abundance of new interactive gameplay options based around performance-based jobs, where a player could participate in a clear career progression path for Sims.
The introduction of the Acting career was a welcome addition toThe Sims 4, as players could follow a Sim to work in a more creative role, working on building fame. The element of fame quirks and perks provide an interesting gameplay experience where players can have Sims work on their reputation as they become famous, which makes for some unpredictable gameplay options, hence enhancing the gameplay ofThe Sims 4.
6Strengthen Your Sims' Relationships With Growing Together
2023
Released in 2023,The Sims 4:Growing Togetherintroduced more life simulator elements to the game, enhancing its core themes. Family dynamics became more developed with customizable milestones and relationship preferences, with new interactions like family reunions and better opportunities for family bonding.
Thecost of allThe Sims 4’s DLCshas become contentious largely because of expansions likeGrowing Together, which many argue include features that should be added to the base game free of charge.
More activities were introduced to childhood and elder Sims to make each stage of a Sims life more impactful, and the overall storytelling of the game became more enhanced. Arguably,Growing Togetherintroduced many life simulator gameplay features that should probably have originally been inThe Sims 4base game already, but the addition of these was better late than never.
5Get Spooked With Paranormal
2021
Although it is only a Stuff Pack,Paranormalprovides a lot of bang for players' bucksinThe Sims 4. Exciting fans of the occult elementsThe Sims 4can offer,Paranormalintroduced a number of haunting gameplay features that make the game just that little bit more interesting.
The Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff Pack Review - Happy Haunts
The Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff pack is everything a Sims DLC should be: fun, packed full of new content, and just a little zany.
A beautiful vintage aesthetic was introduced to the game in both Build and Create-A-Sim mode, as well as Haunted House Residential lot types, ghost interactions, and the nostalgic return of Bonehilda. What madeParanormalreally stand out is its Live Mode feature, where a Sim can become scared because of a house’s haunts, allowing for unpredictable reactions and gameplay.
4Experience The Hustle And Bustle With City Living
2016
Elevating the gameplay ofThe Sims 4,City Livingarrived as an expansion pack for the game in 2016. Introducing the city of San Myshuno,the expansion pack provided the addition of apartment living, which added gameplay features like rental constraints and a variety of lot traits.
Festivals were introduced withCity Living, as Sims can attend events like the Spice Festival or GeekCon where they can participate in numerous interactive activities.City Livingalso added careers in Politics and Social Media, providing a little bit more depth to the gameplay inThe Sims 4.
3Unleash Your Witchy Side With Realm Of Magic
2019
Scratching an itch for fans of witchcraft,Realm of Magicwas a very welcome addition toThe Sims 4in 2019. Introducing The Magic Realm, a beautiful floating world akin to Diagon Alley, Spellcasters were welcomed intoThe Sims 4along with a roleplaying system.
Sims could learn spellcasting abilities and improve their skills while collecting new magical items, while the expansion pack introduced a variety of new Build and Create-A-Sim mode items. For players ofThe Simswho enjoy dabbling in the occult,Realm of Magicstill provides endless gameplay as a Spellcaster inThe Sims 4between its timeless furniture and clothing items as well as its enchanting world and gameplay features.
2Vampires Has A Timeless World Of Darkness
2017
One of the most interesting gameplay additions toThe Sims 4wasVampires, which was released in 2017. Not only did the expansion pack introduce some of the most beautiful furniture and clothing items ever inThe Simsfranchise, but its interactive gameplay features were some of the best to be seen in the game.
For supernatural enthusiasts,Vampiresoffered detailed gameplay surrounding vampire loreand included the spooky neighborhood of Forgotten Hollow, as well as the beloved and iconic character of Vladislaus Straud. Still to this day,VampiresenhancesThe Sims 4with its beautiful decorative items but also its very clear vampire progression path, with the ability to eventually reverse it all if a player desires.
1Embrace Living And Beyond With Life & Death
2024
After 10 years ofThe Sims 4and with many content add-ons released over the years,it was time for an expansion pack to revive the game – and this is exactly whatLife & Deathhas done. The newest addition toThe Sims 4and released only recently on June 13, 2025,Life & Deathhas truly enhanced the gameplay ofThe Sims 4with its generous amount of brand-new content and features.
BecauseThe Simsis ultimately a life simulator game, its gameplay is based around the core theme of life and death, but it wasn’t until the release of this expansion pack that these features of the gameplay were truly represented in a meaningful, impactful way.Life & Deathhas introduced a brand-new world containing three neighborhoods as well as a broad variety of new clothing and furniture items, but its new gameplay features are what makes it stand out as an expansion pack.
Funerals, customizable tombstones and urns, and memorial gatherings have been introduced, as well as two new and exciting careers, as a Reaper and an Undertaker. As if these new features weren’t enough,Life & Deathhas also introduced the option to play as a ghost, create a ghost in Create-A-Sim, a new Bucket List as well as a four-stage grieving system, enhancing the emotional depth ofThe Sims 4and ultimately elevating the gameplay to a whole new level.
Over the last 10 years ofThe Sims 4being the core game inThe Simsfranchise, an evolution has been seen throughout its add-on content releases. It’s fair to say that the game’s supernatural content packs seem to enhanceThe Sims 4’s gameplay the most, though packs likeGrowing Together,Get FamousandCity Livinghave provided fundamental life simulator features that have madeThe Sims 4more exciting.
