Before EA Advertising Became An Official Department, The Sims And Other Games Were Already Filled With Real-World Brands.
Amidst the buyout, and a $20 billion debt to pay, EA have launched EA Advertisement, a department focused on enticing brands to advertise within EA’s games. There are many forms in which an in-game advertisement can come in: unskippable main menu pop-ups, collaborations, or even garish billboards plastered around an in-game world. The latter is less likely to come to the Sims franchise, but for games such as EA FC (formerly FIFA) and other sports titles, it is more than likely, and not without precedent. Let’s take a look at past in-game advertisements and brands that have popped up in games.
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From IKEA Pouffes to a Toyota Prius: EA Advertisement in The Sims Franchise
Almost every reader will be familiar with The Sims 4 Moschino Stuff Pack, a pack created in collaboration with the Italian fashion brand of the same name, or perhaps the more recent Coach update, adding unusable bags to the game. Both recent examples of advertisements and brands within the game. Although The Sims 4 didn’t invent the idea, in-game advertisements have been around since the first entry in the franchise!
From the official website for The Sims, players could download new objects for their game created by Maxis. Within those downloads, players could find the McDonald’s Food Kiosk, an Intel computer, and a Pepsi-branded vending machine. While yes, these were advertisements, players had the choice whether to include them in their game, unlike Star Wars, Final Fantasy, and Coach in The Sims 4.
The Sims 2 continued the branded content trend with The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff and IKEA Home Stuff. Both of these packs were hated by the community upon release, with outcry over unoriginality and Maxis “selling out”. This isn’t the same tone players take now, as both packs are fondly remembered.
Players in Finland had the option to download a Coca-Cola-branded refrigerator and pinball machine from The Sims 2 Store, alongside other original content available for purchase with SimPoints.
It wasn’t just the main line entries in the franchise that crammed in partnerships with brands, players of Urbz Sims in the City for console could see Darius promoting the US-based mobile network Verizon. When entering the Kicktail Park district of the city, players would encounter a Honda dealership displaying models of its vehicles in the window. Hardly unmissable.
You think The Sims 4 is bad for collaborations with brands? The Sims 3 Store was filled with advertisements. Players could download Toyota, Ford, and Renault cars, items, and clothing from The Sims 3 Store for free, as well as a Toyota Prius being available for purchase in The Sims Freeplay around the same time. The fashion brand Diesel even had their own Stuff Pack in The Sims 3.
In 2011, drinks brand Dr Pepper partnered with EA, allowing players to unlock unique items in a selection of different titles (including The Sims 3) with every purchase of their products in stores. In The Sims 3, players could unlock new rabbit hole venues, Build/Buy item sets, and Create-A-Sim items.
And that brings us to The Sims 4, a game filled with EA advertisements! Not only were brands such as MAC, Coach, and Lo-Fi Girl involved in bringing free content via updates, but EA also partnered with big-name brands such as the aforementioned Moschino, Star Wars, SpongeBob, and Bridgerton to release full-price Stuff Packs, Game Packs, and Kits.
Wider Product Placement in Gaming
Players have seen product placement in their favourite games for years, long before the establishment of the dedicated EA Advertisement department. The most common place you’ll find branding is in sports games, and funnily enough, almost all of the biggest sports games are developed and published by EA.
NBC NewsThe Guardian
In 2008, Barack Obama’s campaign bought in-game ad spaces for the presidential election, urging players to vote for the Democratic candidate, who would eventually win two consecutive terms. Adverts for the campaign could be found across EA’s titles, including both Madden NFL ’09 and Need For Speed (Pictured Above). The ads only ran in the swing states of Iowa, Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin.
More recently, Monster Energy bought ad space in Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding. Throughout the game, the main character, Sam Porter Bridges, will visit Distribution Centres to pick up packages and take a rest from the hostile environment outside. Within these Distribution Centres, the player can relax and have a can of Monster Energy, gaining a stamina boost of 10%.
Some games, such as The Getaway, include real-life brands and franchises within their open world. The Getaway is most notable for its recreation of central London, with buildings and streets being scanned for 1:1 accuracy. Whether or not all these brands are intentional is unknown, but it’s safe to assume that ‘Chicken Run’ didn’t purchase advertising space in the game. Players can find real-world shops along Oxford Street, see advertisements plastered across the red buses, and films and theatre shows being advertised on marquees.
TopshopStuart Little / Chicken RunPicadilly CircusMamma Mia
What’s Next For EA Advertisement?
When EA’s advertisement department was first announced, many in the Sims community feared the worst, that billboards such as the ones seen during the Obama campaign would start cropping up in The Sims 4, and the upcoming Project X. This is unlikely, however.
What we are more likely to see is more campaigns such as the Coach bag giveaway, or more collaboration Kits such as the Bridgerton bundle. With the EA buyout on its way, perhaps we will see more unskippable main menu adverts or collaborations. But only time will tell.
What are your hopes and/or fears for EA Advertisement? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to Sims Community for all the latest on Electronic Arts!
Nothing says quaint and cozy quite like a cottagecore theme, and these Sims 4 Cottagecore CC finds are here to turn your CAS into a dreamy countryside fairytale. From soft lace dresses to oversized sweaters and vintage accessories, these pieces will bring a bit of warmth and comfort to your Sim’s wardrobe. Whether you’re creating a farm girl, woodland witch, or cottage-dwelling book lover, this Sims 4 Cottage Core CC CAS collection has everything you need for the perfect cozy aesthetic.
34 Beautiful Sims 4 Cottage Core CC CAS Sets
Floral Whisper Blouse by MysteriousOo
The perfect soft and floral touch for your Sims 4 cottagecore CC CAS wardrobe, the Floral Whisper Blouse by MysteriousOo is a flowing, floral top with puffy sleeves and a sheer high-neck detail.
Fae Tie-Front Top by Miiko gives off a soft, earthy aesthetic vibe with its long, flowing sleeves, a simple tied front, and a cropped camisole undershirt – available in 13 lovely swatches.
Midi Pencil Skirt With Belted Tassel by Charonlee SIMS
Give your Sim’s CAS wardrobe a bit of vintage-inspired coziness with Midi Pencil Skirt With Belted Tassel by Charonlee SIMS! This CC skirt for feminine-frame Sims features a below-the-knee cut with a vintage look and an optional accessory tassel bag that is belted around your Sims hips – available in a whopping 76 swatches and 2 different versions.
Fulfill your Sims’ enchanted forest dreams with these adorable CC pants by miikocc! Forager Pants Set includes 2 versions of the same pair of baggy jeans with a belt. One version offers floral and leaf decorations with a small pouch – perfect for when foraging in the forest! The other version is simpler, with solid colors and a normal belt. Available in over 12 swatches each!
Give your Sims a taste of whimsical, countryside living with Peoplemayo Hayes Midi Dress by Charonlee SIMS. This long, gorgeous, Sims 4 Cottagecore CC dress features a ruffled bottom, with a sleeveless, buttoned top, and realistic fabric details – available in 81 total swatches.
Simple, sweet, and cozy – Denim Patched Dress by adrienpastel is a short-sleeved, Sims 4 Cottagecore CC dress with fine fabric lines, and each of the 25 swatches features different decorations, such as flowers, patches, and butterflies, in solid, cozy colors. Perfect for everyday cottage living!
Milkfoam Ruffle Dress by Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla is a timeless, cottagecore CC dress featuring a long, layered ruffle at the bottom, a long-sleeved top with puffy sleeves, and button adornments at the chest. Absolutely stunning for a vintage, cottagecore aesthetic – available in 25 swatches.
Romantic, natural, and gentle – Moonlace Dress by Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla is a puffy, CC dress that is tightened at the stomach by a corset. The puffed sleeves and babydoll look give off an adorable, cottagecore vibe. Whether your Sim is in the garden or running errands, this CC dress will be a must-have in your Sims’ cottagecore CAS wardrobe!
Dreamy fields and cottage vibes – Woodland Muse by Madlen is a Sims 4 Cottagecore CC outfit set that includes a long, flowing skirt with or without forest-themed decorations, a separate cardigan featuring the same forest-themed decorations, a simple vest, and a collared undershirt. This outfit will blend in perfectly with your Sims cottagecore CAS wardrobe, and I will be downloading it right now!
The Florence Collection – September 2025 by ice-creamforbreakfast
Your Sims will be living a soft life in the countryside with these amazing cottagecore-inspired, CC sets by ice-creamforbreakfast! Included are 3 outfits for feminine-frame Sims that give off a vintage, rustic vibe. Such as the Cassandra Kimono paired with a turtleneck feels super cozy, while the Breath Of Life dress provides more of an elegant, country feel. If you’re looking for something a bit cuter with a Y2K feel, the Dog Days Flare jeans paired with the Rabbit Heart Blouse will be your perfect match!
Vintage florals and soft knits! Everyday Muse Set by RIMINGS includes a tight-fitting cardigan with a delicate, cropped undershirt and a pair of skinny jeans to create more of a modern, cottagecore vibe. While the knitted, long-sleeved blouse with ribbon and tight-fitting, longer skirt gives off more of a vintage, cottagecore feeling.
This CC set by Camuflaje is absolutely one of the best Cottagecore-themed downloads I’ve found! There are 9 CAS items in this amazing pack, and they can all be downloaded individually or as a single file. Some of the items you will find are an adorable Overalls Outfit that includes a pair of denim overalls with 3 small daisies embroidered at the top, a textured turtleneck, and a loose, knitted cardigan. The Pinafore Dress, paired with the included Zoe Hair, gives me serious Wizard of Oz vibes in the best way! All of these outfits can be used in so many ways to create the ultimate, cozy, cottage living experience!
This CC, CAS top for masculine-frame Sims by adrienpastel is the perfect vintage-inspired, cottage top with its knitted sweater and open undershirt – available in 58 handsome swatches.
Martin Cardigan by adrienpastel is a laid-back, knit cardigan with just the right amount of cottage charm! This loose-fitting cardigan features a relaxed look with buttons at one side, hemmed sleeves, and a knitted undershirt – available in 48 swatches.
Looking to give your Sim more of a cozy, woodsman vibe? Check out this flannel top by David_Mtv that features a fitted look, with a plain undershirt – available in 10 neutral swatches.
Earthy, laid-back, cottage denim – Ashton Jeans by adrienpastel includes 3 different versions for masculine-frame Sims. Normal, cropped, or skinny, this CC CAS pack will have your Sim set and looking good in the countryside, and all of the versions are available in 14 swatches (Some with designs!).
A vintage, farmhouse-inspired, suspenders outfit, with a rustic charm! This CC set for masculine-frame Sims includes a cozy, knitted sweater, a pair of vintage slacks, suspenders, and an optional vintage flat cap. The outfit is available in 12 swatches, and the hat is available in 24 swatches, as well as being unisex for adult Sims.
Cottagecore Date Night Male Outfit by JayBirdTheNerd
Country dates require the perfect cottagecore suit, and JayBirdTheNerd has hit the nail on the head with this stunning CC outfit! A pair of knitted trousers, meets a handsome vest, with a small leaf adornment, a ¾ sleeved undershirt, and a matching tie – available in 23 swatches.
A vintage, rustic CAS CC set for the perfect countryside, gentleman’s look! In this collection, you will find 2 outfits for your masculine-frame Sims that are perfect for cottagecore, formal occasions, or for adding a bit of gratefulness to everyday, country life. One outfit includes a pair of textured slacks, a plaid, collared undershirt, simple buttoned vest, tie, and flat cap. While the other outfit contains a long, buttoned coat, a pair of trousers, and a high-neck sweater.
Peter Suspenders Outfit by adrienpastel is a workwear, farmhouse set, with a cottagecore feel. This suspender outfit homes a pair of pleated slacks, long-sleeved, buttoned top, with slightly puffed sleeves, a subtle undershirt, and a pair of rustic suspenders. An amazing, universal, cottagecore outfit – available in 12 swatches.
This lovely CAS CC set by Rusty’s includes 2 matching, knitted sweaters for both sexes that feature a subtle hem and a collared undershirt. Whether your Sim is out in the garden or reading a book, this CC top will be sure to brighten and add a little bit of country class to their wardrobe – available in 20 swatches, and 4 different versions.
Sweet and simple, cottagecore fashion! Sweater Dress by adrienpastel is a CC dress for your child sims that features a knitted cardigan, which is closed by a small belt at the sternum and a short, textured dress. A lovely addition to your little Sim’s cottagecore CAS wardrobe – available in 33 swatches.
Looking for a little countryside charm for your little Sims? Dario Wool Sweater by McLayneSims is a cozy, knitted, buttoned cardigan that would work perfectly for an everyday, cottagecore vibe – available in 7 handsome swatches.
High Shorts Outfit by adrienpastel is perfect for every pint-sized cottage dweller heading out for their country adventures! This outfit includes a pair of above-the-knee, pleated shorts, a short-sleeved, buttoned-up t-shirt, and a pair of vintage suspenders to tie the adorable outfit together.
Add a bit of floral charm to any cottagecore outfit with this adorable hairpiece accessory by S-Club. Two daisies with their blossoms are formed into a hairclip that is perfect for pulled-back hairdos – available in 12 swatches.
Sweet, whimsical, and effortlessly cottagecore – Strawberry Drop Earrings are the cutest touch to add to any everyday outfit, and are available in 30 swatches. I can see myself using this on my gardening Sims for an extra personal touch in CAS!
Perfect for cozy walks through the countryside, this vintage, CC accessory scarf by VentaStudio is sure to add a bit of coziness and warmth to your Sims cottagecore wardrobe – available in 8 swatches.
Rodeo Boots by Madlen are a pair of CC western-inspired boots that are perfect for cozy, rural vibes. Or pair with florals for a more elegant, cottagecore feel. Universal and stunning, these boots are available in 8 swatches.
A timeless addition to any CAS wardrobe, Cottagecore Male Shoes by JayBirdTheNerd feature a chunky, brown boot with scrunched, colored fabric at the ankles – available in multiple swatches.
Simple footwear but with plenty of character, Chunky Derby Shoes by Artlos would be an adorable finishing touch to any cottagecore outfit and is available in 9 swatches. Pair with jeans and a cardigan for a cozy vibe, or with a lovely cottagecore dress for a bit of sophistication.
Shoes KP 2-1 Female by KaTPurpura
These CC shoes by KaTPurpura are made for wandering wildflower fields! These lovely flipflops feature simple daisies along the straps and a flat, brown sole.
Naira Hairstyle by Simstrouble features gentle, face-framing strands with a loose, braided ponytail pulled off to the side for a softer, cottagecore look. There are 2 versions of this hairstyle, V1 has hair that hangs off to one side, while V2 has the hair pulled behind your Sims’ ears. Included is also an optional bow and highlights accessory – available in 24 gorgeous swatches.
Your Sim will look like they popped straight out of a storybook with Emerite Hair by SIMANDY! This adorable CC hairdo features 2 braided pigtails pulled behind your Sims’ back with face-framing bangs. There are also 2 versions of this hairstyle included, one version separates the pigtails more for a playful look – available in 24 EA swatches and 40 Puppy Crow Colors.
A polished, yet relaxed countryside hairstyle for your masculine-frame Sims! Castellanos by SIMANDY features a mid-length cut, with a swept back look, and cascading bangs – available in 24 EA swatches, as well as 40 Puppy Crow Colors.
With these Sims 4 Cottage Core CC picks, creating the ultimate cozy CAS wardrobe will be a blast! While your Sims are tending gardens, baking pies, or living their best countryside lives, these CC finds add the perfect soft and rustic touch. Let me know if you found a new favorite, and if you loved this list, be sure to check out the rest of our amazing CC finds!
Thank you all for being here today to honor the loss of our dear friends Affordability, Studios, Jobs, and Creativity.
Longtime gamers and members of Players Alliance HQ gathered outside of Electronic Art’s Orlando office to hold an EA Funeral as a Buyout Protest, drawing attention to the looming ownership changes with EA and all of its franchises to a group of investors including Jared Kushner, the Saudia Arabian PIF (Public Investment Fund), and Silver Lake.
Peaceful protestors donned black clothing and carried a casket, faux headstones, signs, and a scroll of signed names to a petition to stop the EA buyout, on the heels of the organization of a newer UK-centric spinoff campaign called Block the EA Deal was launched. This is a sister campaign to the initial Block the EA Deal campaign that launched in the United States in 2025, and is one of the primary campaigns that plan and organize the recent EA Funeral Buyout Protests, like the EA Raid Protest held in May 2026.
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Recently Launched: Block the EA Deal United Kingdom Campaign
This campaign hopes to bring attention to the EA buyout to the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA, a regulatory agency in the UK) and the UK Government regarding what this buyout could mean for the UK economy and the possible significant loss of jobs, should the buyout not be blocked.
Press Release from Players Alliance HQ
In Orlando, Gamers Stage Funeral for EA Denouncing $55 Billion Buyout
Orlando, FL — Outside of Electronic Arts’ (EA) Orlando office, Members of the Players Alliance HQ staged a funeral-themed rally opposing the proposed $55 billion buyout of the company by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake.
Dressed in funeral attire and carrying a casket, gravestones, flowers, and a 50-foot petition scroll signed by more than 70,000 gamers, participants mourned what they say would be the consequences of the deal, including studio closures, rising costs, AI-driven layoffs, and threats to creative freedom in gaming. Gamers pointed to EA’s history of studio closures, rising prices and the growing unaffordability of gaming, the increased use of AI to cut developer jobs, and concerns that the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s proposed 93.4% ownership stake could give it unprecedented influence over creative decisions at one of the U.S.’s largest gaming studios, including games like The Sims which have long been recognized for inclusive storytelling and representation.
At the rally, gamers called on federal regulators to block the buyout, warning that saddling EA with $20 billion in private equity debt would accelerate the industry’s shift toward anti-consumer practices and exploitative monetization.
Background on the Campaign to Block the EA Deal
Players Alliance HQ launched its campaign to block the proposed EA buyout in 2025, and has since recruited more than 2,500 Discord members, collected over 70,000 petition signatures, and hosted a Twitch stream featuring Rep. Maxwell Frost and prominent streamer, lilsimsie. The campaign has organized actions in Washington, DC, Redwood City, and Orlando, with additional cities planned, and inspired a new UK spinoff campaign, Block the EA Deal UK. See coverage on the campaign by The LA Times and PC Gamer.
View Images from the EA Funeral Buyout Protest in Orlando, FL Below
Sign the Petition
If you agree with the sentiments surrounding the EA Funeral Buyout Protests and the message of Stop the EA Buyout campaigns, make sure to sign the petitions below and contact your representatives and MPs regarding it to make your voice heard.
Per Block the EA Deal UK, an EU petition is being worked on and will also launch soon, but it is recommended that those in the EU should use social media, as well as sign the US and UK petitions to make sure their voices are heard.
If you love The Sims or the gaming community in general, make sure to amplify your voice and support causes that you believe in. Make sure to follow the Sims Community, and we’ll keep you informed on all changes and news regarding the EA Buyout and other shifts in the industry.
As nice as your island might be after decorating with sprinklers and lighthouses and adding custom paths and houses, your Miis still desire to leave. Not permanently (this isn’t Animal Crossing — your Miis don’t have that much free will) but to go on vacation. To travel to sites across the globe and strike silly poses in front of monuments. At least they’re nice enough to bring back souvenir foods and treasures upon their return. Vacations earn you a whole lot more than prizes however, helping Miis’ relationships and happiness. Here’s everything you need to know about vacations and souvenirs (and their benefits) in Tomodachi Life Living the Dream.
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How To Unlock Vacations and Souvenirs
Gaining access to vacations and souvenirs starts at the wishing fountain. After granting 10 wishes, you will unlock the first world tour ticket to Oceania. After this, more vacations will be unlocked every five wishes you grant. Emphasis on grant — it’s not about earning wishes but spending them. In total, there are 19 destinations your Miis can visit via wishes. There is also a secret 20th location.
Relationships Impact, And Are Impacted By, Vacations
When you give a travel ticket to a Mii, they generally choose one or more Miis to go with (I’ve had as many as four Miis on a trip). They bring the people they are the most friendly with — the Miis on their relationships panel will generally be who they travel with. This is especially true if they have a romantic partner or a family or live with others. But it’s not a guarantee, except for when Miis go on honeymoons. After tying the knot, the newlywed Miis will go to a random location. This doesn’t use up one of your wishes, don’t worry.
Relationships between the Miis that go on the trip will increase (unless they’re already at maximum status), which can be especially helpful if you’re trying to speed up or repair a romantic relationship.
Other Benefits Of Taking Vacations
Traveling will increase Miis’ happiness, so if you’re trying to level up your Miis or make money, and have wishes to spare, start sending your Miis on vacations. As well, sending Miis on vacations can help cure that pesky sadness bar or alleviate anger after a fight. These relief trips appear to be solo trips.
Of course, you can also get souvenirs from sending your Miis abroad. Souvenirs are treasures and food items that you can’t buy at the food mart or win from games (with a few exceptions). Each vacation has an exclusive souvenir.
All Vacations and Souvenirs
There are three stops in each of the 19 trips, but it should be noted that, in total, there are more than just the three stops at each destination. So if you want to see all the locations, you’ll have to revisit places before (which does help to change up the experience). There are photo opportunities at each of the three stops as well. Be warned: sometimes Miis blink or make faces they’re not supposed to make in the photos. You can try to time their blinks, but even then they might act up, so it’s probably best to embrace the chaos.
Now, where exactly can you go and what kinds of goodies can you nab from the trips? Here are all the vacations and souvenirs you get from them:
Oceania
Going to Oceania will have Miis seeing kangaroos and sheep, going Scuba diving, and visiting beaches, amongst other locations. You’ll get the Koala cuddly toy as a souvenir.
Hawaii
Another beach-forward vacation is Hawaii, where Miis can also hit the beach and scuba dive, as well as watch hula dancers and the sunset. A Hawaiian key chain is the souvenir.
Kyoto
On the Kyoto trip, Miis can hit both natural and manmade landmarks like Mount Daimonji, the Kyoto Tower, and the Yasaka Pagoda. This time you get an edible souvenir in the form of Matcha.
Latin America
In Latin America, Miis can check out Machu Picchu, Easter Island and its famous statues, and Oaxaco, Mexico. This trip’s souvenir is an Alebrije, or a crafted Mexican figure of myth or animal.
Western Europe
The first of the European tours is Western Europe, where Miis can check out famous sites like London’s Elizabeth Tower, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the canals of Venice. The souvenir is a Cheese board.
Southeast Asia
One of three Asia trips, Southeast Asia will take your Miis to places such as Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia, and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. You’ll take home a Coconut bowl.
Northern Europe
When you choose the Northern parts of Europe, Miis can cosplay as vikings, hang out with reindeer, and check out the town of Bergen in Norway. Your souvenir will be a Sauna whisk.
USA
The tour around the United States features stops like the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, Niagara Falls, and Monument Valley. You’ll get a Statue of Liberty figurine from the trip.
East Asia
On the East Asia trip, Miis will check out Victoria Bay in Hong Kong, play with pandas, and peruse the streets of Taiwan, amongst others. The East Asia souvenir is a Tea pot set.
Central/Eastern Europe
This final European vacation will take you to places like Prague, Schonburg Palace in Austria, and Dubrovnik, Croatia. You’ll take home an Embroidered handkerchief.
Africa
Going to Africa will have your Miis visiting the Pyramids of Giza, prowling with lions, and wandering colorful streets in Chefchaouen, Morocco. This trip’s souvenir is a Colorful basket.
Mediterranean
Miis can make multiple stops in Türkiye and see Sicily and Cyprus on their Mediterranean vacation, from which they’ll bring you Olive oil soap.
South Asia
The last of the vacations in Asia will take your Miis to places like Nepal, the Taj Mahal in India, and Sri Lanka’s Sigiriya. You’ll get the only other edible souvenir from this trip — Mithai, or a collection of Indian treats.
Famous Mountains
This trip will, no surprise, take your Miis to see some of the globe’s most famous mountains, including Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, and even the volcano Kilauea. This trip’s souvenir is a Famous-mountains calendar.
World Caves
Spelunking, caving, or potholing — no matter what you may call it, your Miis will be doing it as they explore places like Fingal’s Cave in Scotland, Waitomo Caves in New Zealand, and the glowing Blue Grotto in Italy on the World Caves vacation. The souvenir is a Rock collection (were your Miis stealing parts of famous landmarks? We may never know).
World Castles
If natural structures aren’t to your liking, you can send your Miis to see some castles, including the Red Fort in India, Japan’s Himeji Castle, and the Alhambra in Spain. You’ll earn a Big vase from this trip.
Galápagos Islands
This trip is animal-centric, with your Miis getting to see penguins, crabs, turtles, and even Blue-Footed Booby birds. This trip’s souvenir is a Nature Video.
Iconic Sights
The sights Living the Dream classifies as iconic include the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, Vietnam’s Sapa, and Yellowstone National Park in the USA. You’ll get to take some of the sights to go, as the souvenir is a Picture-postcards set.
Outer Space
If you were getting tired of traveling across the globe, don’t worry! The final unlock-able vacation is just actual outer space. This vacation is a little bit different than the rest, as it also serves as Tomodachi Life Living the Dream’s credits scene (which is interactive, by the way!). The vacation comes after all the names roll, taking you to, well, various shots of space. As a reward, you get the only pet souvenir: a Beta alien.
This final set of vacations and souvenirs feels like a pretty perfect way to mark granting 100 wishes.
The Secret Vacation
There is a secret 20th vacation location that can’t be accessed through wishes: Antarctica. When Miis reach level 10, you’ll gain the option to give them pocket money. You’ll notice after giving them some money that they’ll say “If I save up [X amount] more, I can go on that Antarctica Tour I’ve been dreaming of.” Turns out, this is actually true. If you give them a total of five grand, they will actually go on the vacation. It’s expensive, but worth it at least once for the experience. The souvenir is a penguin costume!
The list of vacations and souvenirs in Living the Dream is surprisingly extensive, taking your Miis — and you, by extension — to places across the world (and outside of it!). Once you unlock all of the other Wishing Fountain Rewards, which happens fairly quickly, it’s worth sending your Miis off on vacation after vacation, to fix their needs and help their relationships as well as for you to take a photo tour of the globe. You may get to learn about some places you’ve never heard about or seen!
Vacation Souvenirs Table
Icon
Name
Selling Price (USD)
Description
Vacation Destination
Nature Video
$20.00 USD
Galápagos Islands Tour souvenir. A showcase of nature’s beauty and wrath.
Galápagos Islands Tour
Alpha Alien
$77.70 USD
Outer Space Tour souvenir. A pet for a Mii! It followed you home.
Outer Space Tour
Beta Alien
$77.70 USD
Outer Space Tour souvenir. A pet for a Mii! It followed you home.
Outer Space Tour
Gamma Alien
$77.70 USD
Outer Space Tour souvenir. A pet for a Mii! It followed you home.
Outer Space Tour
Alebrije
$34.00 USD
Latin America Tour souvenir. A handcrafted animal of Mexican tradition.
Latin America Tour
Big Vase
$50.00 USD
World Castles Tour souvenir. A vase with a lovely golden-flower motif.
World Castles Tour
Celadon-Porcelain Tea Set
$42.00 USD
East Asia Tour souvenir. An exquisite tea set with a jade hue.
East Asia Tour
Coconut Bowl
$18.90 USD
Southeast Asia Tour souvenir. A shiny bowl made from a coconut shell.
Southeast Asia Tour
Colorful Basket
$33.00 USD
Africa Tour souvenir. A stunningly bright- patterned basket.
Africa Tour
Embroidered Handkerchief
$26.00 USD
Central/Eastern Europe Tour souvenir. Adorned with delicate flowers.
Central/Eastern Europe Tour
Famous-mountains Calendar
$34.00 USD
Famous Mountains Tour souvenir. Gaze at the splendor of famous mountains.
Famous Mountains Tour
Hawaiian Key Chain
$23.00 USD
Hawaii Tour souvenir. A majestic yet cliché trinket.
Hawaii Tour
Koala Plush
$36.00 USD
Oceania Tour souvenir. A stuffed koala that looks mildly confused.
Oceania Tour
Olive-oil Soap
$29.00 USD
Mediterranean Tour souvenir. Behold the cleansing power of olive oil.
Mediterranean Tour
Picture-Postcards Set
$18.00 USD
Iconic Scenery Tour souvenir. Gorgeous and iconic vistas from around the world.
Iconic Scenery Tour
Rock Collection
$40.00 USD
World Caves Tour souvenir. All kinds of stones from around the world.
World Caves Tour
Sauna Whisk
$34.00 USD
Northern Europe Tour souvenir. Made from bundled birch leaves.
Northern Europe Tour
Statue of Liberty Figurine
$34.00 USD
USA Tour souvenir. A detailed mini version of the famous statue.
Organisers of Block The EA Deal Urge CMA and UK Government to Intervene, Warning of Potential Job Losses After the EA Buyout.
A new UK-focused campaign, Block The EA Deal, has launched a public petition and campaign urging the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the UK Government to investigate and intervene in the proposed EA Buyout. Much like its US counterpart, the UK-focused campaign highlights job security, artificial intelligence, and the controversial nature of those seeking to purchase EA for £48bn. The investors of EA consist of the Saudi Arabian ‘Public Investment Fund’, ‘Silver Lake’, and Jared Kushner’s investment firm ‘Affinity Partners’. A video featuring a large group of creators has been posted to launch the UK campaign.
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Block The EA Deal UK Campaign Launch Video
Led by UK-based content creator Steph0Sims, the video features several creators, including Lilsimsie, Plumbella, and EnglishSimmer. The launch video highlights the campaign’s top concerns, including Saudi Arabia’s growing monopolisation of the gaming industry, censorship, cost-cutting, AI implementation, and employee security in the UK. The campaign is urging the public to sign the petition and contact their local Member of Parliament to spread awareness. The aim is to reach the Competition and Markets Authority, a regulatory body with a history of blocking and limiting mergers and acquisitions. You can take a look at the video via Instagram below!
The campaign also has its own website, giving further insight into the biggest concerns the EA buyout raises. On the site, you will find a link to the UK petition and an email draft that you can send to your local MP. Alongside links to the UK petition, the US petition can also be found, with international players able to sign both.
The petition aimed to force scrutiny on the EA buyout by regulatory bodies has been set up via Change.org, with information outlining why the buyout would be detrimental to UK employees of EA, and the major concern for national security. You can access the petition by clicking the image below:
Who Are the Targets of the Campaign?
As previously mentioned, Block The EA Deal are targeting both the UK Government and the Competition and Markets Authority, but what can they do?
The CMA are a UK based reguatory body, responsible for making sure big companies don’t make deals that harm competition or consumers. In mergers and buyouts, the CMA can investigate whether a deal would give one company too much power, reduce choice, or lead to worse outcomes for workers or customers. In the Microsoft–Activision Blizzard case, the CMA originally blocked the deal because it believed Microsoft could dominate the emerging cloud‑gaming market. Microsoft was forced to change the structure of the deal, giving up cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft, before the CMA finally approved it.
Canary Wharf (London) – Location of the CMARt Hon Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
Why should the UK Government care? The UK Government has a direct interest in large gaming acquisitions because they affect jobs, investment, and competition in one of the country’s fastest‑growing creative sectors. The UK games industry employs more than 75,000 people and contributes billions to the economy, with Electronic Arts employing over 1000 people in the country. Members of Parliament (MPs) have a vested interest in the security and safety of their constituents and have a duty to represent them in the House of Commons.
Have you signed the petition? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to Sims Community for all the latest on the EA Buyout!
Electronic Arts is looking for more ways to engage with players and collect revenue to pay off the 20 billion dollar buyout debt. That’s why today there’s an official introduction of a brand new department at EA called EA Advertising!
This latest department and section on the EA website titled EA Advertising promotes the idea of brands coming to Electronic Arts to advertise their products in-game. For The Sims Franchise, an example used officially is the Coach collaboration with The Sims 4. Where players got to enjoy a couple of free in-game items and a non-skippable Main Menu Ad for a Coach Bag Giveaway, being promoted as soon as you open the game for more than a month. Amazing that we’re getting more of those!
Here’s what the team of executives had to say about their expectations for EA advertising activations in some of your favorite EA titles, including The Sims:
EA Advertising is expanding EA’s ecosystem by enabling brands to integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content, designed to enhance, not disrupt, the player experience. In these interactive gameplay environments, brands become part of the game itself, reflecting how players engage with advertising in real-world contexts. Brands can activate across live environments, tailoring placements to meet campaign objectives, and update campaigns with ongoing optimization informed by aggregated engagement insights.
In some of the examples that EA listed that were a part of the EA Advertising campaigns, there were activations such as EA Sports X Visa, EA Sports X State Farm, The Sims X Coach and Vans X Skate brands.
This leaves open space for plenty of more room for in-game ads in The Sims Franchise. It’s not like we haven’t gotten those before with the Alexa in-game object, a whole Moschino Stuff Pack and plenty more. The only difference now is that EA has an open invitation and official department for handling in-game ads and collaborations – meaning they will be able to process and achieve a lot more in-game promos and ads for brands you don’t care about.
But even if everybody gets the ads, like yeah, people are going to buy, which is terrible…but like, inevitable? I don’t know, maybe I shouldn’t be doing this right now.
Read the full press release below:
Electronic Arts Introduces EA Advertising, Launching Brands Directly Into Gameplay and Live Experiences
June 15, 2026
Connecting brands to highly engaged audiences through an exclusive EA SPORTS Partner Program, in-game integrations, creative partnerships, and scalable advertising capabilities across EA’s global portfolio
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), the global leader in interactive entertainment, today announced the launch of EA Advertising, a new platform transforming how brands connect with audiences through digital and real-world experiences across its global portfolio of games.
EA sits at the intersection of entertainment, sports, technology, music, and culture. Across console, mobile, and PC, our games and services reached more than 120 million players1 each month during fiscal year 2026. Together, this scale and frequency of engagement create meaningful opportunities for brands to connect with audiences through authentic, interactive experiences. EA SPORTS is one of the largest interactive sports platforms in the world, connecting hundreds of millions of players across console, PC, and mobile each year. Fans engage with EA SPORTS at extraordinary scale playing the equivalent of 23,000 NFL seasons every day in Madden NFL and completing more than 1 billion matches each month in EA SPORTS FC. Through a portfolio spanning globally licensed franchises EA SPORTS gives brands access to highly engaged sports audiences at scale. EA builds spaces where players play, watch, and connect with one another, creating participatory experiences where brands come to play alongside them.
EA Advertising is expanding EA’s ecosystem by enabling brands to integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content, designed to enhance, not disrupt, the player experience. In these interactive gameplay environments, brands become part of the game itself, reflecting how players engage with advertising in real-world contexts. Brands can activate across live environments, tailoring placements to meet campaign objectives, and update campaigns with ongoing optimization informed by aggregated engagement insights.
“Players come to EA’s games and live experiences every day to play, watch, create and connect,” said David Tinson, Chief Experiences Officer at Electronic Arts. “That gives brands a meaningful opportunity to show up in ways that add value and respect the player experience, while maintaining authenticity in the worlds our teams are building. With EA Advertising, we’re helping brands become part of those moments in ways that are relevant and built for players.”
As part of the launch, EA Advertising is introducing new ways for brands to reach audiences and measure performance across its ecosystem:
Brand Partnerships and Gameplay Integrations: EA Advertising partners directly with brands and agencies to create custom integrations designed for specific games and audiences. These collaborations bring brands into the experience through interactive moments, like in-game challenges, reward-driven objectives, and branded content. Brands can also opt into customizations like curated vanity items. Each integration is designed to reflect how fans engage with sports, games and culture, helping drive deeper engagement and brand connection.
Ad Units in 3D Sports Simulations: Advertisers can now reach fans through native ad units in select EA SPORTS games, including digital ad boards, scoreboards, and brand broadcast overlays. Ads are dynamically served within the 3D environment, with impression measurement aligned to IAB standards for greater targeting and consistency.
Enhanced Targeting and Measurement Capabilities: Brands can connect with relevant audiences across EA’s franchises using advanced targeting powered by EA’s new proprietary ad server and SDK, custom built for EA’s Frostbite game engine. Advertisers can now collaborate with EA in a privacy-safe way to improve targeting and gain deeper campaign insights. EA ensures ads are viewable, delivered to real audiences, and measured using industry-accredited standards in partnership with Integral Ad Science.
EA SPORTS Partner Program: As part of EA Advertising, the EA SPORTS Partner Program introduces a new model for how brands participate in sports culture—moving beyond traditional sponsorship into co-created fan experiences built in, around, and beyond the game. Designed as a premium ecosystem for a select group of official partners, the program gives brands access to one of the world’s most engaged sports communities through opportunities ranging from live events like EA SPORTS Presents Madden Bowl and franchise tentpole moments such as Ratings Reveals, to in-game integrations, live service activations, creator tools, social play experiences, and community-driven programs. The program also extends into broader cultural and athlete-driven initiatives, including GEN / EA SPORTS, the company’s next-generation athlete platform focused on shaping the future storytelling and participation across sports fandom.
EA Advertising has already started to partner with leading brands to deliver in-game experiences across the EA Portfolio, including:
Visa, a proud partner of EA SPORTS FC™ and EA SPORTS™ College Football, is partnering with EA SPORTS to deliver immersive, participatory experiences in and beyond the game, connecting its global network with a community of hundreds of millions of players.
Lowe’s, which integrated into EA SPORTS FC, Madden NFL, and College Football through Ultimate Team challenges and branded player content, driving more than 987,000 games played and more than 200,000 challenges completed.
Red Bull engaged EA SPORTS FC players through branded in-game objectives, team kits, and athlete ambassador collaborations, driving more than 128 million matches played, 1.2 million objectives completed, and strong in-game and social engagement.
Xfinity and Peacock, which activated through dynamic in-stadium and broadcast-style integrations, custom vanity kits, Ultimate Team Packs, and personalized rewards through the Rewards program, in EA SPORTS FC 26, bringing the energy of live sports media into gameplay.
Mountain Dew’s “DEW University,” a fully playable team experience in EA SPORTS College Football 26, complete with a custom stadium, mascot, and reward ecosystem.
EA Advertising works directly with brands and partners to create bespoke integrations across its portfolio, spanning in-game, community, and real-world experiences. This hands-on approach enables tailored executions built for each title and audience, with expanded buying capabilities planned as the platform continues to scale. To learn more about EA’s brand partnership opportunities, please visit https://www.ea.com/brand-partnerships.
The Sims Franchise was never fully shy away from using real life products into its universe. From IKEA Stuff Pack in The Sims 2 to collaborations with Pet companies like AIMS for The Sims 3 Store, the game always had some form of real life brand advertising. The only difference that this could all make is that we could see a lot more collaborations a lot faster.
What are your thoughts on the announcement of EA Advertising? Are you looking forward to seeing more immersive-breaking brand product placements or do you think this would allow for more creative in-game solutions and brand opportunities for all players? Let us know in the comments down below!
The next InZOI Update has a few more previews and a new release date! Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim, Director and Producer of InZOI for Krafton, released another Developer Diary on June 12th, 2026. This Developer Diary was primarily focused on improvement of existing features or existing aspects of the game, rather than implementing new features like previous recent developer diaries.
While those previous diaries included talks about the high school update and such that is expected to launch June 18th, this is primarily a follow up to previous diaries and the addition of new simple changes to make Zois feel more alive or to improve the player experience.
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Next InZOI Update Releases June 18th, 2026!
○ This week’s update primarily focuses on improvements to existing features rather than the addition of new features, or new things being implemented.
○ New baby interactions have been added.
○ Babies can now play with, shake, and even break fridges.
○ When left on their own, they will play and keep themselves busy.
○ Babies can now wet themselves if left alone in the high chair too long.
○ Babies can now doze off and fall asleep in the high chair.
○ Babies can now throw their bottle from the high chair.
○ Zois no longer have to stand up to conduct actions on the same piece of furniture. Examples included scooting over in a bed or on a couch, as well as going straight to sleep after playing guitar on the bed.
○ You can now sit or lay on any furniture from either side, depending on what side is closest.
○ Placement of objects on tables while sitting down is now possible.
○ All tables can now be used to craft.
○ There are no longer limitations on how many people can craft at a single table together.
○ An auto-updater has been added to mods, and will show you what mods did not update and will allow you to retry them.
○ Metahuman bodies can now be converted into InZOI.
○ Now two Zois can play on a swing set.
○ Cars now have a dedicated u-turn.
○ When sick, you can visit the hospital to be cured.
○ If a Zoi is taking up a seat that you need to use, you can nicely (or not so nicely) ask them to go away, even if you don’t own the seat.
○ Zois will now always use the dresser closest to their bed to change their pajamas.
○ The phone call notification has now been updated to show the incoming call on the phone.
○ On Canvas, downloads and likes will now show the actual number when hovered over, instead of being shortened to “#.#k” once it hits the thousands.
A Quick Development Update – Developer Diary June 12th 2026
Hello everyone,
It’s great to see you again this week.
First of all, I’d like to apologize once again for sharing the update schedule later than expected. Our next update is currently planned for June 18.
To be honest, there was a possibility that the update could have been delayed even further. Recently, the inZOI team has been focusing on strengthening the depth and immersion of the game’s core systems. In particular, we are improving the way autonomous behaviors, personalities, memories, and relationships interact with one another so that the world of inZOI feels more alive and believable for players.
We are also adjusting some of our development priorities to further improve the quality of animations and the life simulation experience. As our team has grown significantly, these kinds of transitions naturally require some time, but we believe they are necessary steps toward building a stronger foundation for the future of the game.
I know that this week’s pitch update may not be exactly what many of you were hoping to hear, and I’m sorry for that. However, starting next week, we hope to share more about how inZOI is evolving into a game that stays true to its core strengths and vision.
Thank you, as always, for your patience, support, and encouragement.
Have a wonderful week.
Kjun
The next InZOI Update drops in one week, on June 18th 2026. What are you looking forward to most; The big expansion to High School and teen life, or the smaller fixes and improvements? Let us know, and follow The Sims Community & Life Sim Games to keep you in the loop with all things life simulation gaming!
Plus The Sims insider reaffirms that there will be no new Sims 4 Expansion Packs.
It’s been two weeks since we last heard from The Sims insider on new The Sims Project X development updates and behind the scenes information on The Sims Studio. The insider returned last night on ATRL with new “tea spills” about a new Sims 4 Kits Collaboration on the way. Confirming that The Sims 4 Kits Collaborations will be the last form of paid released content for the game until it “sunsets”.
The insider also talked about the research EA took for an upcoming Open Neighborhoods System for The Sims Project X. Confirming that their reason for choosing Open Neighborhoods VS Open Worlds is simply out of the fact that there’s more play hours and stability. The insider mentions that EA developers were closely watching the recent launch of Paralives and mentioned how at the moment they don’t feel threatened for what they have in store with The Sims Project X.
Unless someone tries to come for the Open Neighborhood system that they’ve set out to make for this new single player base game entry.
A lot more interesting talks and information about the current development outlook and future plans for The Sims Franchise are all collected below. Take a full read:
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On InZOI and Paralives Competing With The Sims Project X
Statement: Just watched the Paralives trailer and ngl… they really should be worried about Project X if their whole strategy is just “better graphics” and “open neighborhoods” Meanwhile Paralives has a FULL open world, a bunch of genuinely interesting build mode innovations. Lowkey hoping Paralives scares EA enough to finally throw a bigger budget at Project X and make actually competitive features, because otherwise this thing is gonna flop HARD
The Sims Insider: I’ll answer this one first, but the short version is; EA don’t care about Sims 3 competitors.
The long version is; EA (and of course Maxis) know from their experience with The Sims 3 and their various prototypes of Sims games that have come up from time to time, that the Sims 3 set up of “one ongoing open world” is simply a recipe for disaster when it comes to game/stability.
While EA are obviously interested in specific aspects of inZoi and Paralives and adoptable features, EA doesn’t see these games as a threat, simply because they already know from experience with The Sims 3 that the game play set up pretty much has a 90% failure rate, with only a lucky few being able to play long term with no game or save breaking issues.
They already knew inZoi would have the players it does now, regardless of how good it is, they have fairly solid expectations the same will happen with Paralives. Because it is incredibly hard, and requires hundreds and hundreds of man hours to develop an open world life simulator to run indefinitely reliably.
It’s why The Sims 4 and Project X were never going to open the door to Open World concepts or ideas.
The more you fill in a single playable space at any given time, the more variables that open up. Limiting the variables makes it controllable, not limiting them makes them uncontrollable. On top of that, never allowing your game to reset is just asking for an eventual error or corruption issue.
People say “How come I have to have a loading screen just to visit my neighbour, the house is already loaded?” in regards to The Sims 4, but what people don’t realise is the entire world unloads and then reloads fresh, in order to keep things simple and manageable moving between venue types or families.
Same even with player built Apartments. There’s probably a very easy solution to make the Apartments in For Rent load without a full reload, but if a player continues to load between them for long periods of time without leaving the lot, you open the door to more potential issues that can unfold by not having any kind of hard reset.
In summary, EA have no interest and aren’t even afraid of publicly welcoming the competition when it comes to games like inZoi or Paralives, because they have no interest in being in competition with Sims 3 inspired games. They know the issues that will come from that set up.
I will say not a single person at Maxis or EA would be surprised the #1 reported issue with Paralives is save corruption or issues caused by longer/larger save files, because they predicted it before it went live. They know the audience will likely dwindle as casual players run into issues or lost save files, and walk away.
The only thing at this stage that would actually make EA nervous is a competitor that focuses on a Sims 4 or Project X ‘neighbourhood’ type approach (open or closed), because they know it suddenly becomes actual competition simply from having a set up that could actually hook casual audiences in long term. I’m sure me saying that publicly will cause a bad omen for them and one will actually arise
I’m sure someone will say something like “but The Sims 4 has save corruption issues too!” but a very tiny percentage of players actually encounter it, and there’s a reason why you hear people refer to hearing about it, but not a lot of players actually reporting it’s happened to them. The fear outweighs the actual chance of it occurring. Players being able to have large and long term save files with an incredibly low risk of failure is something EA have no interest in moving away from, they contribute that long term player investment into the long term success of The Sims 4.
I believe EA was nervous about Grant Rodiek working on a Life Simulator as he had first hand knowledge on the direction from open world back to closed, and I’m sure their was a sigh of relief when the project was revealed to be nothing like The Sims. He has the knowledge to make a really good Sims 4 competitor.
New Sims 4 Kits Collaboration
Question: Hey legend do you know anything about another expansion pack coming this year re the above?
The Sims Insider: No Expansion Pack is in development as far as I’ve been told. Another collaboration Kit bundle is in the works if EA managed to secure the licenses.
I’d love to give a hint, but I’m clueless about what it could be, I’m sure it will be one for the books
On Marketing For The Sims 4 Fixes
Statement: Just wanna document this moment and point out how badly The Sims marketing team is handling this content drought… they’re literally posting reminders of things they did back in March, as if anyone’s been sitting there waiting for a recap
If this is the strategy until the end of the year, their main communication channels are gonna be absolutely dead
The Sims Insider: It’s not for nothing, there’s a direct correlation with players entering the game whenever bug reports are posted, even for ones fixed. It might seem pointless, especially for bugs that are non-issues but it does have a purpose that has a working track record.
The Sims 4 hasn’t seen any drops in the last 3 months, despite all the buzz around Paralives, EA are quite content right now and even somewhat surprised there wasn’t at least some drop. They even saw really good new player numbers with the Bridgerton collaboration news.
Defining The Sims 5 And The Sims Project X
The Sims Insider: EA have been very public that there will not be a Sims 5 (X may be called 5, but it will be name only). But a proper Sims 5 will likely never happen.
EA did extensive surveys and workshops in 2019 and early 2022, and it was unanimous that a Sims 5 was not going to fly. Majority of people aren’t Sims players, they’re Sims 4 players exclusively.
The reason why the latest EP wasn’t just a Royalty pack, but was instead a pack focused on Royalty and Legacies, is because EA know how deep players get into The Sims 4 and how a substantial amount play with legacies and long term families or multiple long term families. They also know players aren’t willing to give those up, so as X will be very much sharing the Sims 4 DNA they will find ways to incorporate the abilities to bring your families with you. This is such an important audience to EA, they know a Sims 5 where players will need to start a fresh save won’t appeal.
The same way there is no Minecraft 2. They know players are attached to what they’ve created and a brand new game creates a huge hurdle majority of players don’t want to jump. If EA could have their way, X wouldn’t exist and the Sims 4 would continue to be updated indefinitely. Unfortunately, the backlog is just too resource intensive to maintain and smaller fixes like Direct X upgrades were proving difficult to achieve any improvements. Project X is definitely reluctance and a gamble. But not a projected throw away flop that Sims 5 would be based on extensive market research.
Kit Bundles Until The Sims 4 Is Over
Question: As for the other question… People sourced this as EA looking to find employees to work on Sims 4 expansion pack
The Sims Insider: I believe EA were already forced to take down Job Ad’s that mentioned Project X (when they were hiring for Gen AI engineers) and as it’s not ruled out that Project X won’t continue the Sims 4 branding, I’m not sure if there’s any juice to this yet.
I haven’t spoken to many people since my trip has been my main focus, but I’ll ask around and see. But my understanding is Kit bundles are serving the Sims 4 into sunset.
What is your opinion on the new insider information shared for The Sims Project X, The Sims 4 and the future of The Sims Franchise? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more Sims News and Updates right here on Sims Community!
A Guide to the Wants System in Paralives: What Does My Para Want?
Why does my Para want to clean something up all the time? In this guide we’ll take a closer look into the Wants System in Paralives, and what our Paras want to do in our saves, why they want to do specific things, and what can change and affect their wants.
According to what emotions your Para have you can react to them. By doing so there will show a green icon above a specific emotion, and then it will show different options for you to pick as a want for them.
Emotions
For example, if your Paras emotion is Sad because of low hunger. You can pick between Watch TV for 2 hours, or Eat a Snack to make them feel better. Another emotion is Amused, and you can Do 3 different physical exercises for 15 minutes each, and this option is shown because of your Talent. The emotions have different triggers and the social perks and vibes affect your Paras emotions as well.
Personality Wants
For example, Zane here have the Talent Fitness. Sometimes he gets a want to Go for a Run for 2 Hours or to do 3 Different Types of Exercises. Zane also have the Social Perk called Good at Being Alone, meaning he needs his alone time. Sometimes his wants is Me Time, meaning he wants to be alone for 2 hours. Lastly, his cleaning habits are Neat so sometimes he Wants to Clean Up Something which is a good benefit if you want your Paras home to be sparkly and shiny.
Your Paras Needs and Mood Affect Your Wants
The wants that show up also depend on your Paras needs and their mood. If they’re hungry they may want to eat something, if they are bored they want to watch TV, or if they are tired they want to sleep. Zane who have the Vibe Jester can be very moody, and his behaviour can change from day to daywhich can be a bit challenging, but also fun with different types of wants showing.
Wants are Changing
But the wants are not static, they may change over time while your Para is evolving, growing, and getting to know other Paras. For example if you meet someone new you may get wants that they want to spend more time together, or even flirt with them. If you have romantic interactions new wants are popping up like first kiss, propose, wants for a baby, and more. If you are getting better at a skill their wants can be related to that skill.
Career and Ranks
Paralives offers a lot of different job opportunities and they all have different ranks. If you’re working at a low ranked job, and your Para have a high rank in that area your Para want a new job with a higher rank that matches their skills.
Relationships
The wants system are not only tied to the personality your making in the beginning in the Paramaker, but it have an impact for sure. The better your Para get at specific things, or getting to know other Paras it all affects and change their wants. Getting to know other Paras increases their wants to get to know each other better. Like hanging out together or getting to know them better as a friend or lover.
Story Cards
Every night you get three random story cards. If you pick the Moon Pack Book there is an option called You have many plans for tomorrow which will give you a few random wants to choose from.
Fulfilling the Wants
When you fulfil your Paras wants you will gain a few points, and eventually you are able to level up your Paras personality in specific areas like their Vibe, Social Perk, Talent etc. These are called experience points. It is called an evolution when you upgrade your Para, and a few examples of these evolutions can be that they will get better at specific skills, your Para will be less hungry, or a delighted Worker. All of these upgrades have special buffs and benefits. I would say that these upgrades are a bit similar to how the reward system works in The Sims 4, but with a niche and more personal.
“A Game Within a Game”: How Fable Is Embracing Life Sim Gameplay
In the past few years, we’ve seen new titles like InZOI and Paralives tackle the long monopolised life sim genre in their own ways. Xbox Game Studios and Playground Games have been hard at work to bring us a new, if slightly unconventional, take on the genre. The new title, simply known as ‘Fable’, is a continuation of the cult classic Fable game series, known for genre-bending and open-ended gameplay, and is due to release in February 2027. Let’s take a look at just some of the new life sim gameplay elements coming with Fable.
Xbox Game Studios | Playground Games
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‘Build an Extraordinary Life’ Gameplay Trailer
A new extended gameplay trailer was released for Fable, giving us a 30-minute look at how various in-game systems work, such as business ownership, morality, relationships, and romance. The gameplay demo takes place in Oakshire, one of six regions players can explore in the open world of Albion, taking heavy inspiration from the rolling hills of Britain. Take a look at the extended demo below!
Business Ownership in Albion
Players can purchase any business in Albion, from large establishments to small market stalls. In the demo, we see the player purchase ‘The Silver Trough’, a quaint village pub. When choosing whether or not to spend a pretty penny on business ownership, players will be able to view the estimated income and how many employees they can hire. Because the player purchased the business, they have gained the ‘Rich’ reputation, shaping how other NPCs will behave and respond to the player and their actions.
Players can see an overview of their owned property from the world map, detailing how much their employees are paid and how much they charge the general public. If the previous Fable games are anything to go by, editing these will have consequences and will affect both player and business reputation. From this overview, players can also manage which employees work at the business. Speaking of employees, players can assign any NPC in the world to an employee slot, that is as long as the NPC likes the player enough. Each NPC will have unique modifiers that affect business operations, so be careful who you hire. In the demo, Susan the Bartender grants a +10% modifier to income as she is ‘caring’. The player can hire any one of the 1000+ NPCs in Albion. Earlier in the demo, the player gave Jack the Beggar 200 gold, and in return, the player received a region-wide reputation boost, as well as a higher relationship with Jack. Because of their kind deeds, Jack will agree to work at The Silver Trough.
Once players have set up their business, they can interact with their employees while they’re hard at work, and can develop their relationships further. Keeping wages steady is a good way to keep workers happy and content. Business income can be collected from the income chest, available at each property. There is a maximum a chest can hold, so be sure to check back once in a while to maximise profits!
In-Depth Character Customisation
Across Albion, the player will have a choice of a variety of establishments in which they can update their appearance, such as tailors, tattooists, and hairdressers, and as aforementioned, these businesses can all be owned by the player. There are over 120 different shops in Albion that players can choose from, each with their own unique stock and styles.
In the tailor shop, the player encounters Rhiannon, who dislikes the player due to their ‘earlier ‘Rich’ and ‘Entrepreneur’ reputations as a result of them buying the pub. Because of Rhiannon’s distaste for the player, she has increased the prices by 80%, showcasing just how much impact the cause-and-effect system has.
Home Ownership
Any house can be purchased in Albion, and also all of them at the same time if the player has the money. It’s not just the player who can live in these homes, but NPCs too. Tenants can be chosen for bonus income if you want to play Fable as a landlord simulator. From the map, players can manage individual tenants and offer housing to those they have met. The rent can also be adjusted, which will have an effect on their relationship with you and whether or not they can continue living there. If you’re feeling particularly charitable, you can make the rent completely free!
Want the house to yourself? Evict the tenants and receive the ‘Heartless’ reputation, or give them some money to pay them to leave. The income chests and wardrobe will be available at any owned property, saving time visiting each business or tailor shop.
Jobs and Professions
To earn more gold, players can pick up various jobs around Albion. Jobs are playable and interactive, with minigames for each, allowing for a completely immersive experience. In return for good work, the player will receive multipliers on their wage, and continuing the shift will further build this multiplier.
Relationships and Romance
The players’ relationships with the citizens of Albion can have consequences both large and small, so it’s best to stay on their good side. Every single NPC in Albion is eligible to have a relationship with the player, and the status of each can be viewed in the Property and People screen on the world map.
Towards the beginning of the demo, the player meets Megan the Merchant, a shop owner in the village. When flirting with NPCs, they may have prerequisites for further romance. Megan is looking for someone with the ‘Entrepreneur’ reputation, who wears fancy clothes, and has a home. With an established business venture, a trip to the tailors, and a home of their own, the player is now just the person Megan is looking for.
Once the player has fulfilled the requirements for a date, they can choose any item to give to them. Depending on what the player chooses to gift, the NPC will have different reactions, and it can also affect the outcome of the following date. Probably best to just give them flowers!
If the date is successful, the player can ask their chosen NPC if they want to make the relationship official. That’s not the end of things; players can also get married, move in with them, and even start a family together. All further steps in a relationship come with their own set of goals to complete. Reputation must be kept in good standing, or it may lead to autonomous breakups and even divorce. If the player makes heartless or evil choices, that may not be the end of it, though. Some NPCs may even like you for your evil deeds!
Crime and Bounties
An easy route to having a village, town, or region dislike the player is by committing crimes. After a crime is committed and the player makes their escape, a bounty will be placed on their head. These bounties can be paid off by visiting the town crier or paying a reduced fine if they spend long enough out of town. Committing crimes such as murder will land the player with the ‘Killer’ reputation, and even once a bounty is paid off, citizens won’t forget the player’s misdeeds. Players will have to work to bring their reputation up to good standing.
Fable Release Information
Fable is due to be released on February 23rd for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC. You can watch the latest trailer below!
Fable Content on Sims Community?
While not a franchise we have covered before, Fable is shaping up to be the latest AAA life sim release. Would you like to see more Fable content on Sims Community? Perhaps some guides, once the game is released? Take our poll below and let us know!
[totalpoll id=”210442″]
Are you excited for the Life Sim gameplay in Fable? Let us know in the comments below, and make sure to stay tuned to Sims Community for all the latest on Life Sim Games!
After only five days of relative silence, the Paralives Studio Team is cooking up the next round of bug fixes for the next June Patch, now expected just next week! From fixing issues with babies and toddlers (Feeling a bit of déjà vu here…) to the infamous “Reimporting Assets” bug that has recently plagued the game, read on for their plans and intended fixes!
Next Paralives Patch Coming Next Week!
Posting from the Paralives Official X account on June 11th 2026, the team writes…
If you’re running into issues like the “reimporting assets” forever loading screen or any other save or game launching issues, make sure to check out the Steam Topic from the team to troubleshoot startup, loading, and save issues!
Have you run into any of these bugs, or are there others you’re hoping to see addressed soon? Comment below, and make sure to report them to the Paralives Team using the in-game bug report tool! Follow The Sims Community for all your Life Simulation games news all in one place!
With recent posts hyping up base game updates going as far back as March, The Sims team seems to have begun scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to promotion of new content for the Sims 4, especially if we take a look ahead to the Sims 4 June Update. It has been about three months since a leak came out that The Sims 4 would see no more mainline DLC, like Expansion Packs, Game Packs, and Stuff Packs. As to be expected, all recent content after The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy has been Kits, Collabs, Marketplace Maker Packs, and Free Updates.
The previous few updates primarily focused on fixing long-time issues with infant and caregiver autonomy, as well as adding a Base Layers CAS category and “SimSearch“, a change to the Sims 4 Gallery and its search. ow, the Sims Team released a teaser message for another new update. The Sims 4 June Update is looking to be rounding out to another large update with tons of fixes, with the team teasing the Laundry List release on June 23rd.
The Sims Team Posts a Teaser Message for The Sims 4 June Update
Sul Sul, Simmers, We are performing final testing on fixes scheduled for our June 30 Base Game update, watch for more in our next Laundry List on June 23. You can expect to see fixes for doctor and actor careers, pets, dynasties, the Gallery, and more. Gallery fixes include an issue that was preventing players from downloading custom tattoos, endless loading, as well as soft locking on consoles. More in our June 23 Laundry List.
The Sims Official Discord Admin Cade – The Plorbs Team
This teaser claims that some major bugs players have been dealing with recently are going to be fixed, including for PC, Mac, and Console Players. While they’re not elaborated on heavily in the teaser, a few that are a hot topic on the EA Forums include…
Console Players Cannot Download Custom Tattoos
It’s been almost a month I keep trying to download tattos from the gallery on PS5 again and again and it’s impossible I tried everything, verify my internet connection but nothing and is making me so mad at this point, not only I can’t download it but I also can’t procede with my game like “leave” the gallery and keep creating my sim, completly impossible, the game just stay still, the page loading forever. Wich means that if you had a almost done sim and try to download a tatto, well you can’t save it either!
Please fix this soon, is making creating sims completly impossible.
Edit by crinrict
This is a Playstation only issue, related to custom tattoos. If you have freezing and general issues with interacting on XBox or Playstation please use this thread instead:
I’ve recently purchased the businesses and hobbies expansion for the sims on the Xbox and I’m noticing that everytime I try to get a custom tattoo on the gallery it put my game in this infinite loading mode. The only fix is to completely close out the game. There doesn’t seem to be any work around for getting these off the gallery too. I’m not sure if anyone else has been dealing with this.
Hello, I have tried everything to fix this issue of the stylist glitching out after doing the makeup, changing skin tone, hair, using debug menu on chair, people, and it is still not working, and it only started after update today. Can I please have someone assist me with this, as I am clueless on what to do now and cant do acting at the moment unfortunately. I also don’t have any CC or Mods installed.
Are there any bugs listed in the Sims Team’s teaser that you’re looking forward to a fix for? Let us know! Keep up to date with The Sims Community and we’ll keep you up to date with everything The Sims 4… bugs and all!
The first free The Sims 4 Maker Packs have arrived. With an object or two for each Pack.
It’s time to catch up on everything that just came out to The Sims 4 Marketplace. I was away for a bit to catch up on the singular Maker Pack release from last week, but today’s release of Free Sims 4 Maker Packs has brought me back to tell you all about it without opening the Main Menu. And hundreds of Marketplace popups that come before that.
Today we’ve been blessed with the first two free Sims 4 Maker Packs released to The Marketplace. Although it’s great that we’re getting a new free couch and a pair of heels for the first time, this all feels like the first middle ground offer from EA and Maxis. Because you’re being offered just a small bite of the full CC Sets that are being offered for a microtransactional currency fee.
In theory, these free Maker Packs should be a thankful moment. But, so much wasted server space hosting images describing a single piece pack, making it feel like this all could’ve been an SDX Drop…which EA removed quietly with the introduction of The Marketplace.
With that being said, here’s everything free and paid on The Sims 4 Marketplace:
Table of Contents
Free Maker Pack Releases
Sit Next To Me Maker Pack by Taurus
Maker Pack Features
Looking for the ultimate spot to avoid doing chores, ignore phone calls, or watch TV? You found it. Sit Next to Me Seating Set delivers a clean, textured look with cushions that actually look soft. The set includes a full-sized sofa and a smaller loveseat styled with a draped geometric throw. They look great, they feel great, and they’re completely ready for your Sims’ next lazy afternoon.
Make Yourself At Home
See how easily these pieces transform an empty space. This set provides the perfect foundation for a comfortable and well-designed living room layout.
Pick Your Favorite Flavor
Explore a wide range of color swatches designed to match your style. Finding the right look for your Sims’ home has never been easier.
Coordinated to Perfection
Mix and match without the mess. The custom patterned blanket changes with every single color swap to keep your seating look completely cohesive.
Velvet Bow Heels Maker Pack by Miiko
Maker Pack Features
Velvet Bow Heels are a pair of romantic floral pumps inspired by coquette and vintage fashion. Featuring a chunky block heel, floral pattern and a velvet bow, they’re perfect for elegant party looks or soft everyday outfits.
Summer Romance
The soft, vintage look is perfect for a romantic summer outfit.
Vintage Elegance
Just as perfect for an elegant evening as a sunny stroll.
Swatches
A versatile palette of nine colors.
The Sims 4 Marketplace: Free Maker Packs Announced
Free Maker Drops Are Coming to The Sims 4 Marketplace
Sul Sul, Simmers!
Starting June 11, Free Maker Drops are coming to The Sims 4 Marketplace on PC, Mac, and console!
Thanks to the participating Makers, over the next six weeks, you will find new free content drops featuring original Build/Buy and Create a Sim items. Each participating Maker has submitted one to two items, giving you new ways to style your Sims, refresh your spaces and add more creative possibilities to the stories you are telling.
Shout out to the Makers who chose to participate, giving everyone fresh, free Sims 4 content.
Here’s the scoop on everything coming your way:
Six Weeks of Free Maker Drops
Free Maker Drops are part of a limited-time pilot program,
From June 11 through July 16, Makers will release free content every week. Each drop will be available for just four weeks, ending on August 13 so check back weekly.
Jump in to make sure you claim them all while they’re here.
June 11 – July 9
June 18 – July 18
June 25 – July 23
July 02 – July 30
July 09 – August 6
July 16 – August 13
How to Claim Free Maker Drops
To claim Free Maker Drops:
Launch The Sims 4 and head into the Marketplace from the Main Menu, Live Mode, Build Mode or Create a Sim
Find Free Maker Drops on the Discover page under the Free section. You can also find them on the Browse page by sorting by Free.
Select the Free Maker Drop you want to claim.
You may see a Buy with Moola button with a price of 0 Moola. Select the button, then confirm by selecting Buy.
Once claimed, download the Free Maker Drop if prompted.
Return to the Main Menu before launching back into your game, and your new Free Maker Drop will be ready to use.
Note:If you have auto-downloads turned off in Download Manager, you may see aDownload Nowbutton after confirming your claim. You can select it right away, or return to the item page and selectDownload.
If you have auto-downloads turned on, your Free Maker Drop will download automatically after you claim it and will appear as owned.
Meet the Makers
The pilot program includes original content from Serenity, Syboulette, Miiko, SixamCC, Taurus, ValiaSims, AlexCroft, HYDRA, BrazenLotus, Peacemaker, HAENBI, and Boschiana.*
The first two Free Maker Drops feature Sit Next to Me by Taurus, a two-item Build/Buy pack consisting of a loveseat and sofa, and Velvet Bow Heels by Miiko, a Create a Sim item for feminine frames only. Both will be available to claim from June 11 through July 9.
All free Maker drop content has been quality tested by The Sims teams and translated into 18 languages.
Head to The Sims 4 in-game Marketplace now to claim the first two Free Maker Drops, and keep checking back weekly for the rest!
*Maker contributions may change.
Paid Maker Packs
Toinette Set Maker Pack by Mechtasims
Maker Pack Features
This set captures a bright, airy escape that blends mid-century with boho. This collection brings the outdoors in through natural materials, soft colors, and a vibrant rug to bring it all together.
A Closer Look
This set includes decor such as framed art, a tiered floor lamp, planter, tissue box, ceramic dish, books and a rug. Along with a rattan stool and console, and a framed TV to make any wall stand out.
Colors on Colors
An array of swatches to choose from.
Cozy Shuffle Maker Pack by Madlen
Maker Pack Features
The Cozy Shuffle Collection, the ultimate answer to stylish relaxation for your Sims’ footwear. This release features 10 brand-new pairs of casual, ultra-comfy shoes designed for effortless everyday wear. Everything from plush, chunky winter boots and fluffy slip-ons to sleek mules and classic casual slides. As always, every item comes in a versatile range of swatches to easily mix and match.
Cozy Shoes in Various Styles
The mix of warm textures and versatile shapes designed for everyday wear.
If your Sims need an easy go-to or something a little more put-together, these are the perfect way to top off a comfy fit.
The first free items have dropped from The Sims 4 Marketplace, how are you feeling? While we mourn the few SDX drops that ever happened, make sure to follow The Sims Community and we’ll keep you up to date on The Sims 4 and the shenanigans surrounding it!
A casket funeral will be held for “The Future Of Gaming” as a protest in front of EA Orlando, Florida.
The Players Alliance organization has done its first ever protest at EA Redwood City, California just last month. The team which helped assemble creators, media and even a US representative to help sign the petition and get the message across are continuing their journey, with a new protest event being held at EA Orlando offices in Florida, US this Saturday.
As described in the latest press release from the team, the protest will be in the theme of a funeral rally at EA’s Orlando office. Mourning “the studios, jobs, affordability, creative freedom, and inclusive games at risk if the deal is approved.”. There’s going to be funeral attire, gravestones, a casket, flowers and extra cosplay to help set the theme for this funeral for the Future Of Gaming.
Read everything in the full press release below:
ADVISORY: Gamers Mourn the Future of Gaming at EA’s Orlando Office
Orlando, FL — Following the protest at EA’s headquarters in Redwood City, CA demanding that federal regulators block the proposed EA buyout, gamers with the Players Alliance HQ will stage a funeral-themed rally at EA’s Orlando office to mourn the studios, jobs, affordability, creative freedom, and inclusive games at risk if the deal is approved.
Gamers will gather outside EA’s Orlando office dressed in funeral attire, with gravestones, a casket, flowers, cosplay, and umbrellas for a funeral procession. Participants will also display the 50-foot petition scroll signed by more than 70,000 gamers calling on regulators to block the deal.
The demonstration highlights the consequences gamers say will follow if the deal is approved. Gamers point to EA’s history of studio closures, rising prices and the growing unaffordability of gaming, the increased use of AI to cut developer jobs, and concerns that the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s proposed 93.4% ownership stake could give it unprecedented influence over creative decisions at one of the U.S.’s largest gaming studios, including games like The Sims which have long been recognized for inclusive storytelling and representation.
WHAT: The Players Alliance HQ will stage a funeral-themed rally outside EA’s Orlando office to oppose the proposed EA buyout and urge federal regulators to block the deal.
WHO: Players Alliance HQ members, gamers, streamers, and content creators opposed to the proposed EA buyout.
WHEN: Saturday, June 13, 11 AM EST
WHERE: EA Orlando, 515 W Amelia St, Orlando, FL 32801
The success of Paralives at such an early stage in early access as an indie game from a studio of 15 people has exceeded expectations and has hopefully begun to shake up the life simulation community and create proper competition in the Life Simulation genre. Inviting more competition allows more consumer choice, more purchase influence, and a healthier and more robust life simulation genre.
Table of Contents
900,000+ COPIES SOLD: New Paralives Sales & Revenue Report
On June 10th, 2026, Paralives Studio founder Alex Massé appeared on LCN (Le Canal Nouvelles), a national Canadian Broadcast channel headquarted in Quebec, where Paralives Studio is from. The channel functions as part of a 24-hour news cycle, broadcasting primarily in French.
Appearing on the broadcast, Alex Massé met with TVA Nouvelles Journalist Marie-Anne Lapierre, to discuss the recent launch of Paralives, the community response, and the overwhelming financial success the indie company and studio has seen in under a month’s time.
Massé’s View of Paralives
English/Anglais
“It is indeed a life simulation game. You create your characters and a family, build the house from scratch—from A to Z—and decorate it. Then, you can have fun with your characters in the house and let them live out their lives: pursuing a career, building relationships, or even starting a family and having children, playing through multiple generations.”
French/Français
Effectivement, c’est un jeu de simulation de vie. Donc, on crée nos personnages, on crée une famille, on bâtit la maison au complet de A à Z, on la décore. Ensuite de ça, avec nos personnages, on peut s’amuser dans la maison, leur faire vivre leur vie, soit avoir une carrière, bâtir une relation, même avoir une famille, des enfants, jouer sur plusieurs générations comme ça.
Alex Massé’s Description of Paralives, Translated Using Google Translate.
Something that has brought so much love to the studio from their Canadian Province of Quebec has been the major inspiration Paralives Studio took from Québec, more specifically, Québec City. Per Massé, the city of Melino takes heavy inspiration from Quebec City, and the game itself provides fun points of familiarity for Québécois or Québécers.
The Inspiration for Melino
English/Anglais
Lapierre: “Right, I understand. So… I was reading that it can take place in Quebec City—do we get to choose the city, or how does it work?”
Massé: “Actually, there is only one city, but we drew inspiration from Quebec City—a place we, as Quebecers, really love. Regarding the architecture, for instance, there are stone buildings and even a castle atop a hill, much like the Château Frontenac; that was a major inspiration for the city’s design. So, there are definitely Quebec-specific references. At the same time, you’re selling the game all over the world. Yes, exactly. It’s a truly international market. Of course, we do aim to please the Quebec audience, since we’re Quebecers ourselves. We did include references—like the ability to cook poutine in the kitchen—and there’s even a Quebec flag hidden somewhere in the game. We had fun incorporating nods to Quebec culture like that.”
Lapierre: Bah oui, je comprends. Donc et là je je lisais que ça peut se passer dans la ville de Québec, on a le choix de la ville ou comment ça marche ?
Massé: En fait, il y a une seule ville mais on s’est inspirer la ville de Québec qui une ville qu’on aime beaucoup en tant que Québécois. Donc pour l’architecture par exemple les bâtiments en pierre, il y a même un château en haut d’une colline, un peu comme le château Frontnac. Donc ça a été une inspiration principale pour le design de la ville. Et là, il y a bon des références québécoises. En même temps, c’est partout à travers la planète que vous vendez votre jeu. Oui, exact. C’est le marché vraiment international. C’est sûr qu’on on vise à satisfaire un peu le public québécois parce qu’on est nous-même québécois. Donc on on a mis des références effectivement comme on peut cuisiner la poutine dans notre cuisine tout simplement. Et il le drapeau du Québec aussi caché dans le jeu. Donc on s’est amusé comme ça à faire des références à la culture québécoise.
Alex Massé Discussing the inspiration for Melino, Translated Using Google Translate.
What Does Paralives Bring to The Table?
And it did not take long for the topic to sway towards the success and love that the indie Paralives Studio has seen since the game launched into Early Access on May 25th, 2026. This has especially been notable and brought attention due to the size of Paralives Studio, with only 15 total employees at launch. Lapierre went on to ask…
English/Anglais
Lapierre: “So, there are 15 of you. I imagine your competitors who are launching games are far more numerous. How did you manage to stand out?”
Massé: “You see, *The Sims*—our main competitor—had never really faced any competition in that specific genre. So, right from the start of the project, our goal was to fill a gap in the market. Players like me—fans of *The Sims*—were waiting for alternatives. That’s essentially how we managed to win players over; they were looking for other games of this type, and we succeeded in capturing their interest with new features—innovations we introduced that set us apart from *The Sims* and made the game more appealing.”
Massé (Cont.): “Take the build mode in *The Sims*, for instance: traditionally, it uses a 1-meter by 1-meter grid. You don’t have much flexibility when placing walls; it’s a bit basic. So, we opted for greater flexibility. You can build walls at any angle—curved walls, walls of any length, and so on. It’s much the same across the various game modes; we’ve introduced new features throughout.”
French/Français
Lapierre: Et là vous êtes 15 personnes. J’imagine que vos concurrents qui lancent des jeux sont pas mal plus nombreux. Comment vous êtes arrivé à à tirer votre épingle ?
Massé: En fait euh le jeu Les Sims qui est notre compétiteur principal, il y a jamais eu de compétition dans ce type de jeu-là spécifique. Donc dès le début du projet, c’est ce que je faisais remplir un besoin dans le marché. Les joueurs un peu comme moi qui est fan des Sims, on attendait des alternatives. Donc bref, c’est c’est comme ça qu’on a réussi à convaincre des joueurs, il attendaient d’autres jeux du même type puis on on a réussi à les intéresser par des nouvelles fonctionnalités. un peu des innovations qu’on a faites par rapport aux Sims pour les intéresser davantage.
Massé (Cont.): Un exemple par exemple le mode construction dans les Sims classiquement c’est une grille d’un m par 1 m. Tu as pas beaucoup de flexibilité pour placer tes murs. C’est un peu simple. Donc nous on est allé avec plus de de flexibilité. Tu peux bâtir des murs de n’importe quel angle, des murs courbes, n’importe quelle longueur et cetera. Et c’est un peu comme ça dans différents toutes les les modes du jeu. On a apporté des des nouveautés.
Alex Massé’ Discussing Paralives’ Production and Inspiration, Translated Using Google Translate.
The overall intention behind the release of Paralives remains true; To supply competition and options for consumers, created by and for fans of The Sims, who were the cornerstone and sole competitor in Life Simulation sandbox-style games. As fans of The Sims, Paralives Studio and Massé wanted to create something with more flexibility to appeal to the same audience and to bring in new players, expanding on what The Sims had not.
New Paralives Sales & Revenue Figures
Another major point of note is the success the team has seen in just fifteen days after the release of Paralives, selling over 900,000 copies of the game and bringing in revenue of over $31 Million CAD / Roughly $22+ Million USD, which is an astonishing feat considering the team initially hoped to sell over 100,000 copies.
English/Anglais
Lapierre: “How many have you sold? Did you expect this?”
Massé: “We’ve sold 900,000 so far—in just 15 days. We didn’t expect that at all. . . We were aiming for at least 100,000 to be comfortable as a team for a few years. Okay. So that’s nine times as much. Yeah, we’re really surprised. We still can’t believe it. But how do you explain it?”
French/Français
Lapierre: Vous en avez vendu combien ? Est-ce que vous vous attendiez à ça ?
Massé: On en a vendu 900000 jusqu’à maintenant en 15 jours. On s’attendait pas du tout à ça . . . On visait au moins 100000 pour être confortable pour quelques années en tant que équipe. OK. Donc là c’est neuf fois plus. Ouais, on est très surpris. On arrive pas à croire encore. Mais comment vous l’expliquez ?
Massé’s on Paralives’ Sales and Team Expectations, Translated Using Google Translate.
Paralives Studio Revenue Sharing
And now that Paralives has seen such success and has begun to see the beginnings of a flourishing player base and community, Lapierre asked Massé about the team sharing success, as well as an age-old question; What now?
English/Anglais
Lapierre: “So, did I understand correctly that the employees—well, there aren’t many of you, but everyone gets a share—are actually benefiting from the success? It’s paying off for everyone on the team.”
Massé: “Yes, exactly. Right from the start of the project seven years ago, when I was recruiting, I wanted to attract top talent by setting up a revenue-sharing program. We share 12% of the game’s revenue, which results in nice bonuses that we pay out to the employees every six months. Yeah. That’s something you might not have seen coming, either. People didn’t think it would get this big. Yeah. [laughs] So, what’s next for you? Is it another game of the same type? Are you moving in a different direction? What’s next? Actually, our studio is called Paralives—the same name as the game. Our sole mission is working on this specific title. Our goal is to keep updating it for the next 5, 10, or 15 years.”
French/Français
Lapierre: Et là, est-ce que j’ai bien compris que les employés, bon vous êtes peu nombreux mais avait tous une part finalement parce que le succès leur sourit aussi là c’est payant pour tous les employés.
Massé: Oui, exactement. Donc depuis le début du projet il y a 7 ans, quand j’ai recruté les gens, j’ai voulu attirer un peu les bons talents en faisant un programme de partage de revenus. Donc on se partage 12 % des revenus du jeu et là ça va faire des bons bonus à chaque 6 mois qu’on va verser aux employés comme ça. Ouais. Ça aussi vous l’aviez peut-être pas vu venir. Les gens pensaient pas que ça allait être aussi gros que ça. Ouais. [rires] Et la suite pour vous c’est quoi ? Est-ce que c’est un autre jeu du même type ? Est-ce qu’on va aller ailleurs ? C’est quoi la suite ? En fait nous le nom du studio ça s’appelle Paraliv le même nom que le jeu. C’est notre seule mission de travailler sur ce jeulà. Notre but c’est de le mettre à jour pendant 5 10 15 ans.
Alex Massé’ Ideal Future for Paralives and Paralives Studio, Translated Using Google Translate.
Where is Paralives & Paralives Studio Heading?
As a last subject, Lapierre touched on player communication and the feedback the Paralives team has received from their current players, and if that will influence the game’s production and further updates in any way.
English/Anglais
Lapierre: “Do you take into account ideas from players who might say, “I’d like to have—I don’t know—an aquarium,” or whatever else, in the virtual house?”
Massé: “People have all kinds of requests, and it’s fun to involve them in the development process. We’ve been receiving plenty of suggestions from the very beginning; since the launch, we’ve had a form on our website that people can fill out. We’ve received 150,000 form submissions from people suggesting all sorts of things.”
French/Français
Lapierre: Est-ce que vous prenez en considération les idées de joueurs qui diraaient bon j’aimerais avoir je sais pas moi possibilité d’avoir un aquarium, d’avoir peu importe quoi dans dans la maison fictive.
Massé: Les gens ont toutes sortes de requêtes puis c’est fun de les [raclement de gorge] impliquer dans le développement. Donc depuis le début on reçoit beaucoup de suggestions. Depuis le lancement on a un formulaire que les gens peuvent remplir sur notre site web. On a reçu 150000 entrées dans le de formulaire des gens qui suggèrent tout sortes de choses. Donc c’est beaucoup de choses à trier pour 15 personnes. On passe au travers tranquillement puis ça va nous faire plaisir de considérer tout ça puis d’ajouter des choses dans le jeu. Il a quelque chose de très très candide dans dans votre démarche. Merci beaucoup d’être venu nous raconter tout ça. On va vous suivre.
Alex Massé’ on Player Feedback and Player-Requested Updates, Translated Using Google Translate.
Will Paralives Studio Ever Be Acquired by A Larger Corporation?
When questioned on if Paralives Studio, after the success of their first release, could be acquired by a larger company, Massé held firm that while it is always a possibility, as it is for most small studios in the gaming industry, there are no plans in the works at the moment and Paralives Studio likes being an indie studio.
English/Anglais
Lapierre: Could you be acquired by a larger company?
Massé: It’s possible. You see it in the industry; it happens. We certainly like being an independent team. We have complete creative control, so we don’t want to sell to anyone right now, and we’re very happy with our current situation.
French/Français
Lapierre: Est-ce que vous pourriez être racheté par un plus gros ?
Massé: Ça se peut. Ça se voit dans l’industrie, ça arrive. C’est sûr que nous on aime bien être une équipe indépendante. On a le contrôle créatif complet, donc on n pas envie pour l’instant de vendre à personne puis on est très heureux de notre situation actuelle.
With Paralives reaching almost just under a million copies sold on Steam in just fifteen days since their Early Access, the future looks bright for Paralives Studio and the Life Simulation genre as a whole. What are you hoping to see come from Paralives Studio next, and what does this mean to you as a life simulation player?
