The Sims 4 Players Furious Over Time-Gated Events

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Summary

  • Some The Sims 4 players are growing frustrated with the game’s time-gated content, which EA started doing in 2024.
  • While some players are now saying they’d even be willing to pay for time-gated rewards outside their event periods, there’s currently no indication EA is considering offering this option
  • PC players can obtain time-gated rewards outside their event periods via The Sims 4 mods, such as FOMO Unlock by Sejian.

As a devoted fan of The Sims 4, I can’t help but feel frustrated by the time-gated content in the game. Lately, I’ve been hearing fellow gamers express similar sentiments about this practice. Unfortunately, it seems like any hopes for changes in The Sims 4 based on these complaints are slim at best.

The in-game events were initially unveiled together with the release of the Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro packs for The Sims 4, which took place at the end of May 2024. Maxis described these offerings as temporary attractions designed to encourage players to frequently revisit the game by providing themed content updates.

In the span of less than a year, it appears that some players of The Sims 4 have started expressing frustration due to events affecting their regular gaming experience. A recent concern was expressed by Reddit user LeahIsAwake, who was dismayed to discover they had fallen significantly behind after taking a six-month break from the game, around 2024, when events were introduced. Upon resuming play in early 2025, this player has encountered multiple obstacles while trying to acquire specific items, only to find out that they were time-limited and no longer accessible—even though they had previously existed within the game.

Leah found herself peering into The Grimophone and Grim’s Cruiser Bicycle, only to be let down when she discovered they could only be obtained through the Reaper’s Rewards event in Sims 4, which took place from late September to mid-November of 2024. Neither reward was available for the entire duration of the event; instead, each could only be claimed during a particular week within the promotional period. “I hope I can participate in these events at a later time,” lamented the fan.

The Sims 4 Players Criticize FOMO Content

In early March 2025, LeahIsAwake’s complaint received thousands of upvotes and became prominent on r/TheSims subreddit, suggesting that many players empathize with their dissatisfaction. A number of vocal participants in the subsequent conversation have openly criticized the game for restricting content through time-gating and playing on the fans’ fear of missing out (FOMO). Some argue that making players interact with The Sims 4 only during narrow windows of opportunity to obtain valuable items feels like a job obligation.

Some The Sims 4 Players Are Willing to Pay For Event Items

Beyond expressing disapproval, the community has also proposed some middle ground ideas for improving the accessibility of event content without significantly diminishing the value of these events. A widely suggested idea is for EA to occasionally distribute event items through The Sims 4 kits, priced at around $4.99 each. However, it appears that EA may not be open to changing its strategy regarding time-gated content in The Sims 4, given that the practice has only been implemented for less than a year as of early 2025. It’s worth noting that events driven by fear of missing out (FOMO) are common in live-service games, which often require ongoing player involvement. To avoid penalties for skipping The Sims 4 events, players can obtain their time-gated rewards through mods, which are only available on PC. One well-known mod that fulfills this purpose is FOMO Unlock, created by experienced modder Sejian.

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2025-03-02 18:24