Get Prepared For The Next Sims 4 Update

Ahead of the release of the new Royalty & Legacy Expansion Pack, we’re getting a big update to the Sims 4 base game. This will be available for PC/Mac and console on the 3rd of February.

Here we will break down how to prepare for the update, as well as what you can expect.

What To Expect This February

Base Game Update: A big update for the base game is coming to get ready for the new pack release as well as the new login event coming at the beginning of the month.

Community‑Prioritised Fixes:  The team will focus on issues with the highest votes, as these issues are likely to be affecting a large proportion of the players. If you want to vote on fixes you want to see prioritised you can do this on the EA forum.

Information for Mod Creators: If you are a mod or CC creator, you can find all of the Python notes for the latest patch here to help you see which of your mods are going to be affected by the new Sims 4 update.

What’s Coming In The Sims 4 Update?

As well as bug fixes and general updates to the game, we typically get a base-game update that aligns with a theme or feature of the new Expansion Pack - like the introduction of platforms when Snowy Escape was released or bunk beds with Dream Home Decorator.

Based on February 2026 pre-patch notes and the announcement of the new pack, the major feature being added to the base game is an overhauled and expanded family tree system. 

Game Fixes

The latest Sims 4 Laundry List announced on social media and their website, we can see that the main repairs they are focusing on are ones with the most community upvotes, including the bug which led to a lot of photos turning black after a recent update and smaller issues like upgraded vacuums not working off the grid.

They also emphasised that improving save file integrity was a top priority.

New Login Event Content

We're getting a new login event themed around the new Royalty & Legacy Expansion pack, which promises to bring back some of the in-game quests to unlock different items and rewards.

Because this is adding things like new aspirations and objects, these will have to be added in the update coming up, so you'll have to make sure your game is fully updated before you start trying to unlock rewards.

How To Prepare For A Sims 4 Update

Following these tips will mean that you no longer worry when updating your game.

Back Up Your Save Files

This is probably the most important thing you can do ahead of a large update.

Regular backups are crucial to prevent data loss due to system crashes, hardware failures, or issues with mods or custom content, so it’s always important to ensure you back up your save files before any significant changes to your game. That includes base game updates.

To back up your Sims 4 save files, follow these steps:

Checking and Testing Mods

Broken mods are an unfortunate consequence of a big update to any game, but there are things you can do to make it less stressful.

In a folder packed with mods and CC it is sometimes only one or two broken items that are causing problems, and finding it in your files can be a nuisance. Using the 50/50 rule is a good way to set your mods folder up for success and make finding broken content much easier. If you are having game errors and think custom content/mods are to blame, sometimes the only way to find out what’s causing it is by doing a 50/50 manual sort.

Essentially, the 50/50 method involves testing half your mods folder – then half again, and again, and again – until you weed out all the broken content that needs updating. You can also read ThatSimsLady’s explanation of this method here.

The best way to do this is to:

You should ideally also test your mods in a new save, and not save your game while you are testing these.

If you are using the 50/50 method to check your mods, make sure that you:

Countdown to The Sims 4 Update Release

The upcoming Sims 4 Update is set to release on February 3rd, 2026 across Computer and Console supported platforms. The expected release time for the update is 10AM PT / 7PM CET / 6PM BT. We've also made things simpler with an easy countdown below.

Find out when the next Sims 4 Update release is in your area and brace your save files and Mod folders for impact:

Will you be getting ready for the upcoming Sims 4 Update drop? Let us know in the comments down below and stay tuned on Sims Community for the latest info about the patch drop!