The Sims 4

The Sims 4 is a social simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released on September 2, 2014, for Windows, and is the fourth main installment in The Sims series, following The Sims 3 (2009). As with previous games in the series, The Sims 4 allows players to create and customize characters called "Sims", build and furnish their homes, and simulate their daily life across various in-game regions. This installment introduced a newly developed custom game engine, featuring enhanced character creation and housebuilding tools, as well as a more complex in-game simulation.

Development plans for The Sims 4 initially included a stronger focus on online functionality, but these plans were dropped following the negative launch reception of Maxis' online-only SimCity in 2013. In the months leading up to the game's release, Maxis revealed that several features from previous Sims titles, such as swimming pools and toddler Sims, would be omitted, citing development time constraints and technical challenges; this decision led to backlash from players. Upon release, The Sims 4 received mixed reviews, with critics praising the game's visual design, improved artificial intelligence for Sims, and streamlined building tools, but criticizing the absence of content found in prior Sims titles, frequent loading screens, and glitches.