Sims News: October 8th - October 22nd

The holidays are fast approaching and, for the video game industry, this means ratcheting up revenue-generating efforts. If players who enjoy Sims FreePlay, Sims Mobile, and Sims 4 haven't already received an update promise that makes them salivate, they can rest assured that each Sims development team has surprises up their collective sleeves. ​

The Sims FreePlay

FreePlay largely plugged along their predetermined October course. October 12th brought the fan-favorite Ghost Flustered event, a quirky delight of a quest that encourages the involved hapless Sims to interact with haunted items, paint themselves shades of new colors, and spend hours trick-or-treating with their friends. In return, these Sims earn new, permanent skin "paints" that the player may enjoy long after the quest has ended. Simmers who manage to complete all sections of the quest not only earn body paints but also a set of new pajamas. On October 16th, Influence Island Season 2 began.  In return for their influencing efforts, Simmers receive a selection of spare, Scandanavian style furniture in various shades of eggshell and humble grays.  SimChase Season 20 also began. Triggering in-game on October 20th, SimChase involves players in a game-show like race against an "opponent."  After completing a given gamut of tasks and beating the opponent to a checkpoint, the Simmer receives a pack of coveted prizes.  This SimChase offers a wealth of Halloween-themed prizes and Trick-or-Treat bear.  

FreePlay also opened a new competition called "Share your Care" on both Twitter and Instagram.  To enter, players should snap a picture of their Sims "Sharing" their "care," and then upload that picture to Twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #TSFPShareYourCare and #EAGiveaway.  Five grand prize winners will receive a Care Bears plush toy and 2.5 million simoleons.  5 runners up will receive 500,000 simoleons  The competition closes on October 27th with winners announced on November 17th. 

The Sims Mobile 

​While many players checked their collective calendars and held their breaths for Sims Mobile Halloween content, the development team remained mostly mum on the subject.   Meanwhile, the Sims Mobile team released a few college-themed purchasable packs and events to tide hungry fans over. 

On October 10th, Sims Mobile Game Changers rolled out the Foxbury Institute Sweet Treats Showdown.  Sweet Treats, a long-running reality show-like baking competition in which players bake, mix, and sprinkle their way to victory.  Successfully winning rounds earns players cookie tokens.  Players trade these tokens for random prizes from prize boxes. The common Foxbury Institute prizes included spare, modern items fit for a college dorm room experience: a squat, square cubed bookshelf, a dorm room dresser, a studious dorm room desk, an arm mounted desk lamp, a hydrozap Poster, Do it Tomorrow Homework, Keep it Slick sweatpants, and a collegiate varsity jacket.  The rarer prizes, from the royal sweet treat boxes, included a fresh mini fridge, a Hyperzap racing chair, a collegiate dorm room bed, and a going camping chair.  If players manage to earn all the aforementioned prizes, they win the grand prize: a lobster mascot outfit, a flying RC Quadcopter, and a collegiate bunk bed. 

Accompanying the Sweet Treats announcement was the roll-out of two new purchasable packs: "Keep it Kitsch," offered for $6.99 USD, triggered in game October 11th.  Boasting a host of kitschy rewards, this pack contained an exquisitely delicate decanter, a quirky flamingo decoration, an Art Deco print, a beautiful beaded curtain, a tropical neon light, a malt shop jukebox, and 7,000 simoleons. In addition, Sims Mobile offered the "Back in Business" pack for $9.99 USD.  Filled to the brim with nondescript business wear for women, this pack contained an enterprising individual suit, a pair of tartan pants, a patterned pencil skirt, wedge heels, a business blouse, and 10,000 simoleons. 

A surprisingly simple Wumples also leapt into action October 18th, offering a cozy men's sweater vest, flared jeans, and ten fashion gems as grand prizes. 

In the wake of this college-themed Foxbury Institute Sweet Treats and male-centric Wumples event, Sims Mobile players looked to the horizon for what would be the long-awaited Sims Mobile Halloween event this year.

At long last, Sims Mobile Game Changers rolled out the game’s newest update: Fright Night!

Starting October 26th, players will dig and hunt for clues in a newest treasure hunt. After stockpiling clues at home, Sims will venture out to dig site expeditions to unearth the golden bunnies and relics that purchase the following prizes:

WHAT: Fright Night Treasure Hunt
WHAT: October 26th, 10 AM PST
REWARDS:
🎃 Floral Wall Sconce
🎃Twisted Woods Mirror
🎃Lunar Phase Painting
🎃High-Backed Dining Chair
🎃Carved Curio Table
🎃Wise Wizard’s Bookcase
🎃Carved Curio Drawers
🎃Art Nouveau Toilet
🎃Future Sight Crystal Ball
🎃Apothecary’s Cabinet
🎃Mid-Week Madness Dress
🎃Alchemist’s Display Case
🎃Pretty as a Peacock Basin
🎃Carved Curio Wardrobe

GRAND PRIZES
👻Toil and Trouble Cauldron
👻 Art Nouveau Staircase
👻Spellcasting student Haircut

There are also new paid packs coming in this update.  The week of October 26th, players can expect the following packs to populate in-game: 
​
WHAT: Party Costumes for Gals
WHEN: October 26th
PRICE: $8.99 USD
CONTENTS:
👉🏽Swashbuckler’s Dress
👉🏽Georgian Dress
👉🏽Smuggler’s Gear
👉🏽Georgian Wig
👉🏽Smuggler’s Boots
👉🏽Swashbuckler’s Hat

WHAT: Actions and Reactions pack
WHEN: October 26th
PRICE: FREE
CONTENTS:
👉🏽5 Cupcakes

WHAT: Party Costumes for Guys
WHEN: October 26th
PRICE: $8.99 USD
CONTENTS:
👉🏽Buccaneer’s Coat
👉🏽Dandy’s Suit
👉🏽Thieves’ Guise
👉🏽Dandy’s Wig
👉🏽Thieves Boots
👉🏽Buccaneer’s Hat

WHAT: TREASURE HUNT EXPLORER’S PACK
WHEN: October 26th
PRICE: $9.99 USD
CONTENTS:
👉🏽Old Fashioned Stove
👉🏽500 Tokens
👉🏽100 Gold Bunnies
👉🏽30 Clues
👉🏽500 SimCash
👉🏽5K Simoleons
👉🏽10 Cupcakes

The Sims 4

​What a week it was for Sims 4 players! After months of waiting for news about a fresh expansion pack, Simmers finally got the news for which they have endlessly drooled.  October 19th, the Sims 4 development team revealed their latest expansion pack: Snowy Escape. Snowy Escape is the winter wonderland pack that many players hoped for, voting for the option in an earlier survey.  Releasing November 13th, this expansion delivers a slew of such player-satisfying snow activities such as snowboarding, skiing, and sledding.  Wisely, however, Sims 4 developers did not stop there.  In addition to supplying a new world, a barrage of new winter-thick clothing, and fresh mountainous terrain, Snowy Escape will also allow players the opportunity to explore non-Eurocentric build assets.  In the way that only Sims can, developers have folded a strikingly Japanese experience with this newest pack.  Simmers who purchase Snowy Escape will be able to build rock gardens, visit hot springs, erect many-eaved structures like pagodas, climb Mt. Komorebi, visit Japanese-inspired shrines, compose multileveled floors, gather around a heated table on tatami mats, visit cultural festivals, and more. 

Snowy Escape will also enhance Sim interactions with a new mechanic called "lifestyles."  A Sim's behavior will evolve according to their lifestyle choices or habits.  Also, when a Sim shares a meaningful experience with another Sim, they will form a "sentiment," which builds a deeper, more lasting bond between the two Sims.  

The excitement surrounding the pack is palpable. But despite the buzz, a few Simmers raised some concerns.  While creating the pack, the Sims 4 development team worked closely with four beloved Game Changers: James Turner, Deligracy, Simlicy, and LilSimsie. Some Simmers noted that all four of the chosen Game Changers are white, noting the intense need for better representation for Game Changers of color.  On a related note, Korean Simmers were quick to notice the "rising sun" and shrine-worshipping imagery that harkened back to the violent days of Japanese imperialism.  

Are you looking forward to the newest Sims 4 pack? Do you have reservations? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Reddit! 

Stay safe, stay warm, and most importantly, happy Simming!