The Sims 4 PC & Console: New Update + Patch Notes (June 3rd 2020)

The Sims Team has released a brand new update for The Sims 4 on PC, Mac and Console!

To download the latest version of The Sims 4, simply open your Origin program and if the game doesn’t update automatically, right-click on The Sims 4 and select ”Update.” For console players, your game should update automatically however if it doesn’t simply go into the game options and you will be able to update from there.

For PC and Mac users – In case you have Mods or Custom Content, the game will automatically disable them for you after first launching The Sims 4 after the update. To re-enable all your Mods and Custom Content, select the Settings option in the menu and select Settings. Under the” Other” section you’ll find the ”Enable Custom Content and Mods” option. Check it and restart your game in order for it to take effect!

Update 06/03/2020
PC: 1.63.133.1020 / Mac: 1.63.133.1220
Console: Version 1.25

The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack drops in just a mere few days, and since we know that living your best Eco Lifestyle can take a little extra elbow grease, we’ve added some exciting quality-of-life improvements to help pave the way.

Between Inventory updates, new CAS assets from a surprise partnership with M·A·C, the return of two beloved NPCs, as well as some really cool new Build features, we hope you enjoy the update.

-SimGuruJill & SimGuruRusskii

NEW & IMPROVED FEATURES

INVENTORY UPDATES
Fellow hoarders, this one’s for you: We have updated the Sim Inventory with the ability to Filter, Sort, Favorite, Multi-Select, and Multi-Sell in one easy flick of the wrist. Managing that cumbersome pile of collectables you’ve been racking up for the past five years has never been so easy!

FREE PLACEMENT OF DOORS AND WINDOWS
Following in true Eco Lifestyle fashion, Door and Window placement is now also Off-the-Grid. But not that kind of grid. The limiting kind of tile grid that used to keep you from placing your windows and doors precisely where you wanted them. By holding down the Alt key while dragging, you can enjoy the smooth sensations of free Door and Window placement.

LADDERS
Ladders have been added as part of the Build System. Find your free Classic Wooden Ladder in the Build catalog in the Stairs (& Ladders) category. Unlike Island Living’s Dock and Ladder objects for use on water lots, these Ladders can be placed anywhere on your lot and like stairs, they can be used as a means for Sims to traverse from one floor to another.

M·A·C COSMETICS
Did you say you needed some fresh looks for your Sims? We’ve collaborated with none other than M·A·C Cosmetics to bring you 12 fashion-forward makeup assets suited for everything from everyday to night out glam. If you’re not already using it, on PC and Mac we recommend trying out the “Uncompressed Sim Textures” setting in the Options Menu, which is now enabled by default on the High and Ultra graphics settings profiles in order to see these looks really shine. While console versions of The Sims 4 do not have the setting in the Options Menu, each console spec is automatically using the optimal graphical settings based on system resources.

REPO PERSON NPC
The Repo Person NPC has graduated with honors from Discover University’s University of Britechester with a Degree in Villainy and has comfortably taken up residence in Base Game. Now everyone can taste their wrath if Bill payments fall behind.

BILLS UPDATE
Speaking of Bills, we’ve added a cohesive breakdown of Sim’s Bills information that can be accessed via an interaction on the Mailbox or Phone. Now instead of lumping everything together, you can see what percentage of your Bills go to Water, what percentage go to Power, insight into any Fees, Reductions, or Penalties. All this and more, calculated and cleanly presented for your finer understanding.

LEGACY NEIGHBORHOOD MAP TAGS
We have gone back and added Map Tags with Neighborhood Descriptions to existing neighborhoods that didn’t yet have them. We now have delightful icons, names, and descriptions for the no-longer-forgotten Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Newcrest, and Windenburg. Ok, feel free to freak out now.

OFF-THE-GRID UPDATES
This one is tricky to list out in a single paragraph with attempted wit, so I’ll just drop this bullet list off right here:

• The Off-the-Grid Lot Trait now ties into our new Bill updates, drawing from Water and Power utility. Without excess utility, lots function off-the-grid as they did before. With excess utility, they function more like an on-the-grid lot.
• There is a new Off-the-Grid Build category that will allow players to find Off-the-Grid and survival-esque objects.
• We’ve done a pass on candles to ensure they properly work when electricity is out.
• Off-the-Grid supported Fridges now have an “Add Ice” interaction that will allow them to keep food preserved—so long as the ice remains!
• Sim will now autonomously use stoves and fridges when Off-the-Grid, not just grills.
• Harvestables now grant unique buffs when consumed off-the-grid.
• Dogs and Toddlers now have a unique interaction to be bathed in Bathtubs even when Off-the-Grid.
• Objects can now be cleaned using the “Use Elbow Grease” interaction. Yummy.
• Players are able to gather Water utility from fishing spots in base game. With Island Living they can gather from the waterfall. Water can also be gathered from any world with swimmable ‘ocean’ water. With Seasons, water can be gathered from snow drifts.
• Off-the-Grid specific buffs will now take into account motives and Sim traits when determining if a Sim should receive a positive or negative moodlet when living Off-the-Grid.
• We’ve added multiple new recipes that can be cooked while Off-the-Grid given a Sim has the proper cooking skill level. Some recipes require special ingredients like the Boiling Frog Hot Pot—which adds a really neat survival element to off-the-grid gameplay, while providing Sims with powerful new moodlets that will help them survive in the wild.

NO TRESPASSING
Some people who have the Vampires Game Pack appreciate Vlad’s antics more than others. I personally love receiving a charming visit from Vlad, and sometimes I could really use a kind compliment about my neck. But we’ve heard there are a select few that don’t quite like having their Sim’s necks bitten and motives tanked by an invasive nighttime visitor with no respect for boundaries. Keep Vampires and other unwanted visitors at bay with a new No Trespassing interaction we’ve added to the Door.

SEND HOME INTERACTION
Speaking of unwelcome visitors, we’ve also added a new Send Home interaction that’s available on visiting NPCs or as a self-interaction in the case of multiple visitors. How is this interaction any different from Ask To Leave or Go Away, you might ask? Convenience. Unlike its less efficient predecessors, this interaction is nearly instantaneous and leaves your visitors with no hurt feelings or Relationship impact. We added it as a useful tool for players, not necessarily as a story-telling mechanism.

BUILD MODE ITEMS GRANT GAMEPLAY EFFECTS
How you build your lot can now affect your gameplay. Certain objects such as wall patterns, floor patterns, fences, and columns bring different gameplay modifiers. Some of these modifiers affect how your Bills and utilities are calculated by decreasing or increasing your Power or Water utility production or usage, as well increasing or decreasing the price of bills. Environment Score can now be impacted by certain objects and materials. Drywall walls without wall patterns applied now decrease environment score like they did in The Sims 3! The choice of floor and wall materials used can also affect the ability to spread fire or puddles at an increased or lessened rate. And if you’d rather build your lot without having to think about these things, don’t worry. There’s an Option in the Gameplay menu to turn all of this off.

FIREFIGHTER NPC
Oh hey, and speaking of Fire, that reminds me. Did you hear that we’ve added Firefighter NPCs to the game? We took nods from classic Firefighter NPC behavior from The Sims, The Sims 2, and The Sims 3 and added a few small twists for The Sims 4. When a fire breaks out, Firefighters will come automatically to your lot if you already have a Fire Alarm installed. That way, if you still like to let things burn baby burn, you can just “accidentally” forget to place a Fire Alarm. It’s okay. We won’t tell anybody. If you honestly did forget to place a Fire Alarm, you can call the Fire Department from the Phone or by clicking on the fire itself. If the Fire Department is called, but there is not an active fire, they will call you on your lapse in judgement and charge you a fine. You won’t be punished if there was legitimately a fire that was extinguished before they arrive though. The Firefighter Uniform can be accessed in CAS and gives any Sim wearing it the Fireproof Buff, which gives them some extra protection against fires as well as make them more efficient at putting out fires themselves. It’s worth noting that Firefighter NPC’s do not show up in Island Living’s Sulani. Sulani already has their local Fire Brigade to handle these kinds of emergencies and besides, who wants to wear all that heavy Firefighter gear in the tropics?

STYLED LOOKS FOR TOTS AND KIDS
More than 20 New Styled Looks have been added for Children and Toddlers, using existing Base Game CAS assets to better flesh out some outfit categories that previously felt sparse.

BALANCING PASS OF PHONE CALL INVITATIONS
After five years of Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Stuff Packs our phone call invites were admittedly starting to get a little spammy. Moments after moving in, you’ve got Lucas Munch hitting you up, asking you to go to the Bluffs with him. Then not long after, you might have had Vivian Lewis asking you to join her at The Spice Festival. Jeez, let me get settled in first, why don’t ya? We’ve done a tuning pass to rebalance all of these previously competing Phone invites to give you a more meaningful and holistic experience.

LESS INVASIVE EARBUDS
In the same vein as the above balancing pass, we wanted to smooth out one of our more pressing notifications. The free earbuds pop-up that comes with Fitness Stuff has been changed to a more passive TNS and gifts your Sim the earbuds automatically when it triggers. The days of telling the game over and over that you don’t want free earbuds, or worse – hitting OK by accident – is a thing of the past.

CONSOLE UPDATES
Eco Lifestyle releasing on the same day across all platforms marks an important milestone for The Sims 4 as Simmers get to play the same content and share new creations on The Gallery together. In this update Console Simmers have a few additional features to improve their quality of life:

We have added a new Controls Overlay Reminder that shows up throughout CAS, Gallery, Live Mode and Build Mode which should make it easier for new Simmers to jump in and not need to remember all the controls.

• If you don’t want to be reminded and you know all the controls by heart, you can turn off the Controls Overlay Reminder in the Game Options > Other menu
• The controller overlay screens remain available for those who want them.

Now onto the fixes and updates:

The Sims 4

• macOS players should no longer encounter the setLocale.zsh error. However, both Origin and TS4 must be up to date.
• Sims will not have random accessories or clothing pieces when changing into towels.
• Style Influencer Sims can now remove trends they have created, with the Reset Trend interaction.
• Fixed an issue where Sims were not able to Care for Self after they had been in daycare when they were a Toddler.
• Some roofs were updated to remove the appearance of black sides when placed on ceilings.
• Active Sims will no longer get a Tense moodlet for lack of exercise when finishing exercising. Do you even push up bro?
• Sims will no longer get the Fatigued moodlet immediately after starting a workout. Now, we know that endurance takes time to build, but we decided to give Sims a chance to enjoy their workout before being completely fatigued right away.
• Child Sims will now be able to unlock the Video Gaming Skill after they have maxed out their Mental Skill instead of their Motor Skill, which was causing adult skills to reset for Child Sims when they completed aspirations.
• Fixed an issue in which some Households did not have their names displayed in Manage Worlds.
• Corrected requirements for completing the Great Landscaper task that is part of the Mansion Baron Aspiration.
• Fixed an issue in which when utilities are shut off (either because of past due bills or Off-The-Grid) adding objects from Build Mode such as Lamps, would add them turned On.
• The Water Pump, Fishing Holes, Romantic Garden’s Whispering Wishing Well, and Get Famous’s Luminary’s Exotic Water Garden now have the Gather Water interaction when the Off-the-Grid Lot Trait is applied.
• Fixed an issue in which the Subtle Saucer Light was not being so subtle and made objects added from Build Mode be placed randomly when dragged near it.
• Teen Sims will now see the appropriate tooltip when trying to acquire the Fertile Trait from the Rewards Store. No, they are not Robots.
• Fixed an issue in which some Roof Eaves were clipping into enclosed blocks.
• Fixed an issue in which the Clean Up interaction would drop off the queue if dirty dishes were placed on a counter.
• Since we added a new trash bike to Eco Lifestyle, we’ve made the bicycle helmet available for everyone in CAS. Now you can outfit your Sim in a helmet, regardless of owning a pack that includes bikes.
• Sims will now not receive occasional text messages asking them for a Date from other Sims that they are not romantically involved with. Because it was aaaakward…
• Toddler Sims will not be able to Ask for Mentoring on some in progress mentoring interactions to strangers. Except for “Invite to Bob to Music” because we can dance if we want to, we can leave our friends behind, ‘cause your friends don’t dance and if they don’t dance well… they’re not friends of mine.
• Fixed an issue with textures for the tops and landings on some Staircases.
• Fixed an issue that did not allow randomizer to work correctly when Male Sims had Makeup on Create a Sim.
• Plants can now be placed closer to foundations with moveobjects cheat enabled, as long as most of the plant’s footprint is outside of the foundation.
• Fixed an issue in which Simoleons were not added to Household Funds when moving and selling furniture.
• Fixed an issue in which previewing certain windows on diagonal walls reverted their color back to the default color swatch.
• Simmers on macOS Catalina and Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 GPU will no longer experience seeing a squared shadow under their Sims.
• Fixed an issue with the Wooden Prairie-Style Two-Panel door in which color swatches were not displaying correctly on both sides of the door.
• Sims now can dispose of packed lunches that have spoiled. Out, foul food!
• Fixed some oddness with disappearing Stairs within enclosed courtyards.
• Fixed a Stair issue with Landings not working properly on lots with raised foundations and basements. Sims will no longer walk through walls and things should now look appropriate.
• Fixed missing Career Promotion screens for careers in various packs.
• Fixed User Interface elements and Icons across multiple packs.
• Spandrels can now be properly applied on Fences.
• Stairs will now not shrink when increasing Foundation heights.

Get Together

• Fixed an issue in which non local Sim Townies would spawn in Windenburg’s Island, now named The Crumbling Isle.
  • As much as Windenburgians (Windenburgers? Windenburguese? Windenburglites?) love visitors from other worlds, they have voted them off the Island. Sorry, not sorry!
• Fixed an issue that caused an error to occur when deleting or editing Clubs.

City Living

• Fixed an issue that caused time to be desynchronized at Speed 3. Bending the space time continuum no more!
• Vet Clinics can no longer be placed in Penthouses.
• Yard Sale customers will no longer wander inside Sims’ houses and interact with their belongings. While prospective buyers are nice to have in any sale, this was just rude, this is NOT a Welcome Wagon.

Cats & Dogs

• Game progress will no longer be lost when editing/adding/deleting career outfits in Create a Sim.
• Fixed an issue that made Pets’ needs to not be fulfilled if not playing an active household.
• Pets’ ehm… poop is now able to be used as plant fertilizer. Happy gardening!

Seasons

• Sims can now sell Flowers in stacks from their Inventory.
• Sims will now appropriately put their Umbrellas away before performing some interactions. Because WooHoo while having an Umbrella out in the open, seems complicated, we are not judging… but seems complicated.
• Fixed an issue that made Simmer created Holidays in the Calendar populate after a season ended.
• Father Winter will now be able to remove his beard and change in Create a Sim if he is part of an active Household. But who would dare shave Father Winter’s beard?? Who?!

Get Famous

• Fixed the issue with the Actor Career where Sims were unable to complete their gig when they would travel and return home before it was time for the gig.

Island Living

• Lotta Cocolatas will now be made with actual Coconuts taken from Sims’ Inventories. What were they made from before? We will never know! Never accept imitation Lotta Cocolatas… never!
• Fixed an issue in which some quick meals were requiring a Microwave while being Off-The-Grid when it is not needed. Yogurt needing a microwave? I think not!
• Mermaids in Create a Sim will no longer be able to have their Traits randomized. This allows them to keep their Mermaidism, as well as their air of mystery and charm.
• Mermaids now will wear appropriate career outfits when going to work. So I can picture this now, Mermaids as Doctors would be a great TV show.
  • “Dr. Mermaid/Merman, what do you recommend?
  • “I am prescribing some Vitamin Sea”
    • Give Russkii more coffee please…
• Fixed an issue in which some Island Living Tank Tops were categorized incorrectly in Create a Sim.
• Mermaid Children made in Create a Sim will now grow up to be fully-functioning Mer-dults.
• The Go To Work button for Odd Jobs has been fixed for Sims on Vacation.
• The Eyedropper tool will now work on Stilts instead of only working on the Foundation Trims.
• Fixed an issue in which Sims in Off-The-Grid lots were showering constantly. Now they will shower when appropriate. Though, with this heatwave, anything goes in my opinion!

Discover University

• Student Sims will not lose their Term Presentations Boards when signing up for another term.
• Simmers with Seasons additionally installed: Student Sims will no longer receive Academic Probation if they were on planned Holidays through the Calendar.
• Student Sims will no longer be labeled as Graduate after completing the Graduation Ceremony. Congratulations!
• Fixed an issue in which homework assignment progression was too slow and timers might have been missing in some instances.
• Fixed an issue in which Sims were taking showers fully clothed. As much as the current heat wave is giving us creative ideas to cool off, it would be more efficient to not be fully clothed when showering.
• Hair Style ymHair_EP08MensShavedPonytail_Black has been updated for Teens, Adults, and Elders to display all swatches. Similarly yfHair_EP08ShortBobBraid_Black has been fixed to appear as an option for Teens.
• Sims that re-enroll in University after graduating or dropping out, can now rejoin their Secret Society. Likewise, if Sims get suspended and re-enrolls their progress will not be lost.
  • If a Sim already knows about the Secret Society, is it still a secret? Time will tell.
• Fixed an issue with the “Gameday Glute Accommodator” chair that occasionally could make Sims invisible if they placed it in their Inventory. We don’t know what other powers the “Gameday Glute Accommodator” may have but invisibility is now not one of them.
• Sims in the Law Career can now Attend Depositions from their Computers and Phones. Because you don’t need to break your computer to complete an assignment, that seems impractical.
• Vampire Coffins and Sleeping Pods can now count as Beds in University Dorms.
• Fixed an issue in which the Write and Publish Research Paper interaction would disappear from the options if it was cancelled midway. I mean, I understand rage quitting something but not to the point of my options to do it disappearing…amirite?
• Fixed an issue with yfBody_EP08DressParty_SolidPurple in which pendant necklaces were not able to be seen if this asset was worn by Sims.
• Fixed an issue that could make the Soccer interaction Study Plays with drop out from the interaction queue.
• Corrected Final Exam Requirements for Elective Courses to say that for studying they need to do so on Computers or Research Machines.
• To anyone who may have noticed the tiny head effect in the thumbnails if you wore the Dragon or the Lobster mascot costume without their hats, that issue has been fixed.
• Humanoid Robots will no longer be able to have Traits or Aspirations modified in Create a Sim. You are a real Sim to me Robot friend, you are to me.

Outdoor Retreat

• Herbalism recipes can now work while Off-The-Grid, however only on Off-The-Grid supported stoves.

Dine Out

• Random NPCs will not leave Hamburgers on tables at restaurants anymore. As much as we like to receive free food, we don’t think it is proper to get them randomly from a stranger.

Vampires

• Vampire Sims working on the Master Vampire Aspiration will no longer have the task “Survive for an Additional 20 Days as a Vampire” reset after traveling.
• Vampire Sims with Full Sun Resistance are now able to properly tend to gardens and not tend to plants one at a time.
• Fixed an issue in which you could set the Registered Vampire Lair Lot Trait for Venues.
• Vampire child ears can now be changed after being aged-down from adult Dark Form.
• The Rustic Candle Chandelier now has flame effects on the candles.

Jungle Adventure

• Fans/Stans will no longer follow their adored celebrity into the jungles of Selvadorada.

Realm Of Magic

• Spellcasters have regained access to Styled Looks.
  • A Spellcaster is never not in vogue, but it’s always nice to have options.
• Fixed an issue in which a Tank Top belonging to this pack was not categorized correctly in Create a Sim.
• Hot Tubs that have been upgraded to unbreakable will no longer be broken upon performing the Zipzap Spell.

Moschino

• We fixed an issue in which some hotkeys in Photo Mode (particularly E and Q) were not working.
• After popular demand, the Libearian bookend will now cost Simoleons. Nothing’s for free, nothing’s for freeee… take it away!

Tiny Living

• Murphy beds will now be more resilient after first use. Warranty terms pending.
  • We have also adjusted their pricing and comfort levels, bang for your buck!
• Fixed an issue in which Game Consoles were not usable with the all in one entertainment systems.
  • Now the “Media Marathoner All on the Wall” will be actually the Media Marathoner All on the Wall.
• Fixed an issue in which Hair Styles from this pack appeared with their color swatches out of order in Create a Sim.
• Fixed an issue in which Sims could not Put Bed Up their Murphy Beds after WooHoo.