The Sims 4 Community Market lot type… Another new lot type? The Sims team definitely didn’t showcase this lot, nor did they promote it much in any of their material. Along with the new lot trait ‘Clandestine’. We saw a new lot type already introduced in this expansion pack – namely, the new Backrooms, which they showcased and featured. The Backrooms semi work, so what about this next lot type up on the chopping block? Well… let’s jump in.

New Lot Type

The Sims 4 Community Market Lot is described as “a family-friendly space” with emphasis on community, sharing and a sense of belonging. So on top of being a market lot where your Sims come to buy goods, or sell them, it is also a space to gather. The idea behind this lot type seems to be more based on community and coming together, sharing space, and creating lasting bonds. Whether our Sims could do that naturally or would need a lot of encouragement is up to you but another aspect of bringing the community together is the requirement of a kitchen and a podium.

With part of the lot requirements being 2 stoves, a fridge, a podium and at least 1 dining table with 4 chairs, the focus is definitely on coming together. Sharing. Trading. And the good news is that Sims show up to cook meals and sit down to eat them. They also automatically recite books from the podium at random so there is always a Sim up to something on these Community Market lots.

Vendor Space

Although the idea is that vendors won’t be randomly spawning around the world and technically have dedicated spaces to sell their goods from, only 1 or possibly 2 vendors will show up at a time… and what they sell may also be based on pure luck. Instead of finding random wandering vendors on the street, or a specific market to spawn in, or relying solely on world foraging spots, the Community Market is meant to bring multiple vendors together on one lot.

And this, in turn, should make it easier for players to access certain crafted items or items tied to gathering or finding collectables. Your Sims may also find special “build items”, which I was not fortunate enough to find, or even rare world-specific goods.

So where are the Community Markets?

The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy expansion pack comes with one pre-built Community Market, and a gorgeous one at that, namely the Zanbira Market in the region of Dambele, in the world of Ondarion. This market fits beautifully into its surroundings and matches the vibe, tone and overall feel of the surrounding area. It fits like a glove, making use of the surrounding architecture and design elements to help ease the build in seamlessly and blend it with the environment.

You can also place your own Community Market lot anywhere you like. The Community Market is not tied to the new world of Ondarion, and these lots can be placed in any world. You can place your own Community Market or one of the many that are already cropping up all over the gallery. The only trick is to get them to function properly as they were intended to.

How to build a Market

Now that you are ready to build, you need to pick your theme. Are you going for a more medieval plaza type vibe, perhaps a seaside bazaar or a more luxurious approach with a royal market? Whichever style you are leaning towards, make sure you also lean towards the new lot type called “Community Market”.

There are multiple requirements for you to adhere to in order for the lot to function properly, the main two things being 3 selling tables, followed by 2 stoves. As this is a family-friendly space, we have community-oriented objects that are required to keep to the theme of community and sharing, plus with a community market, these two big gameplay objects make sense. The 3 selling tables are required for the lot to function as intended and recognize the lot as a functional community market.

But I hear you… how exactly do 2 stoves at a community market make sense? What in the world are we walking into… well, that’s just it – we are walking into a community. A community where everyone comes together, where we cook meals together and sit around big long tables and get to know those around us. (And if you are playing a rags to riches, it is a perfect spot to sell your collectables, haggle for new ones, and the best part is the free food, which is better than constantly hanging around a grill waiting for someone to fry up something random.)

You can use the selling tables from any of the packs that we have received selling tables with. So far, we have selling tables in City Living, Eco Lifestyle, Businesses & Hobbies, Jungle Adventure, and now a new one has been included in the Royalty & Legacy pack. The important thing is that they’re recognized as selling tables within the game in order to activate the lot type properly.

But don’t we have this already?

We have very similar lots, but they don’t all function the same. The selling carts in Jungle Adventure appear in their own, non-editable central square with certain things to help you tackle the jungle. City Living stalls appear at very specific events, mainly the flea market, where Sims sell all kinds of goods that spawn at random. Sometimes you get snow globes, sometimes you get crystals and metals. The other tables we have can be placed by the player, perhaps selling their own goods on their private home lot or on the premises of a small business.

The eco lifestyle table is used with a very specific lot type (you can of course use it how you wish but the mechanic behind it is to use it at the Community Space which has three variants and is locked behind a neighborhood voting system). The 3 spaces are Community Garden, Maker Space and Marketplace… which all sound like what we are talking about when we talk about a Community Market… but I digress.

So this new community market takes all the great things from the other gameplay and puts it together to form a space of togetherness and belonging. Not behind a voting system in the neighborhood or tied to a certain event that only happens once a week.

Items that you could find

While the exact inventory can vary depending on your world and packs installed, examples include:

• Craftable components (like The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle parts)
• Rare foraged items from the local neighborhood (Or as I saw, just some strawberries…)
• Swords and other collectables introduced by The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy (and potentially other packs)
• If you have The Sims 4 Get to Work and The Sims 4 Businesses & Hobbies, swords can be found and resold for profit at Community Markets or retail lots (as shown in cross-pack interactions).
• LOTS of wooden crafted statues…

Cross-pack

These Community Markets could become multi-purpose treasure troves depending where you are brining your treasure from. If you find a rare collectable in your world and travel to a community market to get it sold at a 300% markup price you may have just landed with your bum in the butter.

With Eco Lifestyle you could sell any of the things you fabricate, candles, fizz pops and anything you might grow (same goes for Cottage Living with what you can grow). This is similar to the Marketplace that came with Eco Lifestyle but it doesn’t require voting in order to activate the lot.

Swords and other specialty items can spawn here and be sold at marked up prices.

How it fits into the Royalty & Legacy Gameplay

The Community Market supports the Royalty & Legacy expansion pack by evoking village gathering spots and making your world feel more connected. Sims can make extra money, collect rarities, and find thematic items without wandering aimlessly and waiting for a sales table to spawn or be voted in by the neighbors. It is a place to meet NPCs, trade goods, and build narrative moments around your dynasties.

It also gives build-mode players a versatile new lot type that’s not strictly a venue, marketplace, or retail shop but a hybrid space that invites exploration and discovery.

Tips for designing an epic community market space

Use multiple and diverse-looking selling tables to make the market feel busy. Using different colors or types of selling tables creates variety, makes the eye move from one stall to the next. Having multiple selling tables is a requirement and if you are going for a specific aesthetic look then by all means use the same looking table and swatch but the option to switch it up and sprinkle in some spice is there. There has even been mention of adding the gallery wall into your space for the artists amongst us to sell our works of art.

Consider having a central gathering spot in your market where Sims would naturally gravitate towards and help them congregate around areas such as fountains with seating, podiums for book recitals and comfortable outdoor couches, the Maxis built lot that comes with The Sims 4 Royalty & Legacy even has a toy box with toys around for your child Sims (or childish Sims) to keep themselves entertained for a family outing. I may have even spotted monkey bars.

Don’t forget to add storytelling details and décor into your build with things like banners, outdoor clutter items like crates and boxes of fruits and baskets, or even different seating areas to give the market more personality.

Creating pathways not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also gives your Sims a general routing path to walk along to help with the immersion of the community market. Let the Sims try to naturally (as naturally as Sims can) wander from stall to stall and to each section of the market.

Community Markets can make a space feel more alive and culturally unique, because each market can reflect the traditions and economy of the surrounding area. Each Community Market has the ability to be different, polished, unfinished, vibrant and outstanding all in their own unique ways. Builders crack those knuckles, I can’t wait to see what you build!

Themed Community Markets

Now let’s imagine this new lot type works exactly if not better than coded… and if not that, then really tap into your imagination because builders – it’s your time to shine! Picture it… a Royal court market sitting just outside the palace gates that caters to nobles and visiting dignitaries alike. It would have elegant stalls with silk canopies, jewelry vendors selling only the finest cuts, exotic fruits and delicacies found in only the most isolated parts of the world making them rare and sought after, royal tailors and cloth merchants ready to adorn your royalty in the silkiest materials and last but not least the decorative statues and fountains that would circle the market, bringing it all together.

The gameplay behind a fully functional, fully customized community market could be blended with ingredients as diverse as your creativity allows. Imagine hidden spies, lurking in the shadows and melting into the bustling crowds, listening out for all the scandalous gossip from the local palace workers. I am getting carried away, my imagination takes over when it comes to building I am afraid. But the possibilities to build are there.

And with a bit of fun, careful planning and storytelling the gameplay is there too. Because what is a Life Sim if not to be fully enjoyed, played and for the player to just have fun!

Other ideas that have come to mind for me are a village farmers’ market in the humble countryside where villagers sell fresh produce and handmade goods. Feel like competing with Agnes in Henford-on-Bagley? With produce stalls, pastry stands, and even flower bouquets, local gatherings or a family outing to one of the festivals in the main square could be preceded with a visit to the local market hosted on your very own community market lot.

Feel like giving the Hermit, the sellers in the realm of magic and even the creature keeper in Henford-on- Bagley the run around? Buy from them and resell at a higher price at one of the community markets available, because remember, you can still run one of the selling tables yourself.

At a medieval plaza the atmosphere is rich with culture and bargaining, at a seaside bazaar one could hope for fresh produce and the rare collectable find, while at the luxury royal market only the finest goods should be up for sale. The gossip is almost tangible in the streets.

So where will you start: Build your own or test out the one that already exists? Let us know in the comments down below how you feel about this new lot type and if you think it adds to your gameplay or is just more noise to add to the already confusing landscape of lots we have on offer.

We have a lot more articles and guides about The Sims 4: Royalty & Legacy expansion pack for you to read through. Fancy finding out more about all the possible scandals, and how the scandal system works? And if all else fails, why not try your hand at reaching the top of the noble active career!