Twelve downloadable content "game packs" have been released for the 2014 life simulation video game The Sims 4, the fourth major title in The Sims series. All game packs are developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts, for the Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4 and Xbox platforms. Game packs are intended to be smaller than full expansion packs. The first game pack, Outdoor Retreat, was released on January 13, 2015. The most recent game pack, Werewolves, was released on June 16, 2022.
Outdoor Retreat
The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat is the first game pack for The Sims 4, released on January 13, 2015. Outdoor Retreat focuses on camping trips and other outdoor activities, with gameplay and vacation locations similar to those in The Sims 2: Bon Voyage and The Sims: Vacation. Outdoor Retreat includes a new world as well as new objects, outfits and interactions.
Gameplay Outdoor Retreat introduces Granite Falls, a new world which has two neighborhoods, one a national park, and the other consisting of five vacation rental properties. Sims can only visit Granite Falls by vacationing there. A vacation can be scheduled for up to seven days, and employed Sims can use vacation days to receive their regular pay while visiting Granite Falls. Sims can take part in various new group activities, including stargazing, cloudgazing, campfire stories, and a new party, the Weenie Roast. New foods, including marshmallows, hot dogs and bugs, can be cooked at campfires.
More than 60 Build/Buy mode items are added in Outdoor Retreat. Some items, such as portable beds, tents and foodstuffs, are designed to be used while camping, and can be purchased from both Build mode and a ranger station in the national park.
Outdoor Retreat introduces a new trait, aspiration and skill for Sims. Sims with the Squeamish trait will become uncomfortable around insects, vomiting, violence, death and anything dirty. A new nature aspiration, Outdoor Enthusiast, awards an exclusive trait on completion. Sims can also learn the new herbalism skill, with which they can identify plants and insects and craft new items such as insect repellent.
Spa Day
The Sims 4: Spa Day is the second game pack for The Sims 4, released on July 14, 2015. It adds spas to the game, where Sims can go to receive massages, along with mud baths, do yoga, get manicures and more. Players can also build their own spas. This theme draws from spa retreats that were first featured in The Sims: Superstar, then subsequently in the Sunlit Tides DLC content through The Sims 3 Store.
Gameplay Spa Day introduces a new Spa lot assignment and a Wellness skill that unlocks new abilities and food and drink recipes. Sims can visit spas for various activities, including a revitalizing massage or working on the Wellness skill with some yoga or meditation. Higher Wellness skill levels enable the Sim to do more yoga poses and unlock more interactions with new Spa Day items.
Relaxing mud baths, body soaks, saunas and massages are added for both Spa and home lots. Sims can receive hand and foot massages on any lot type using the new massage chair, and mud baths and body soaks, additional ways for Sims to relieve their stress, can be taken in a bathtub on any lot type. Saunas add a new death type: Death by Steam.
Yoga returns from previous titles as a skill for Sims to develop; yoga mats are new objects that can be purchased in buy mode and used on any lot type, and on Spa lots, Sims can take part in yoga classes. Aquariums also return from previous titles: Sims can catch or buy fish and put them into an aquarium for other Sims to view, and new fish have been added to the fish collection. There is a new Radio Station called “New Age”. Over 100 buy and build mode items are introduced in Spa Day, along with new spa-themed and athletic clothes.
Pack refresh On September 2, 2021, Maxis revealed a pack refresh for Spa Day. It was released as a free patch on September 7, 2021, making Spa Day the first content pack for The Sims 4 to receive a significant content update post-release. The new content includes a new trait, aspirations, manicures, pedicures and allowing toddler and child Sims to participate in yoga and meditation. Sims can also conduct wellness classes for other Sims.
Dine Out
The Sims 4: Dine Out is the third game pack for The Sims 4, released on June 7, 2016. It includes a new venue type; a Restaurant, many new objects, new outfits, new interactions, new foods to make and a new active career; Restaurant Owner. Similar to the Business as Usual Venue from The Sims 3, and The Sims 2: Open for Business, Sims can go dining out and be a restaurant owner. However, it focuses more on being a restaurant owner, similar to being a restaurant owner in Open for Business.
Gameplay Dine Out introduces the new restaurant venue, which is the main focus of the pack. Restaurants act similarly as they did in Open for Business. Players can see inside the building, and Sims that have entered can be seen and directed. Sims can go to the host station to order a table, and the host will then direct them to a nearby table that has at least one chair. Groups of Sims, such as ones on a date, on an outing with friends or on a club gathering, can be placed together at the same table. Sims can then call the waiter and order up to one meal and one drink at a time. Sims can eat more meals if they wish, which will add to their bill. The food menu shows 4 categories, drinks, appetizers, main course, and dessert. Restaurants can serve any type of food or drinks, along with different presets for the Sims to choose from.
Sims can also own, build and manage restaurants. Sims can buy a restaurant from the Owned Businesses Panel. After building the restaurant with the required objects and hiring employees, Sims can open the restaurant and start managing it the way they want. Satisfied customers will give out points that can be used to buy perks to help out the restaurant, and employees can be promoted and leveled up to raise the satisfaction of the customers.
Experimental food is a new food type in Dine Out. Sims can learn these recipes by eating them and then cooking them with the chef station with the right cooking skill. Sims can also take pictures of these foods, with the photos being part of a new collection. A new radio station called "Jazz" is introduced. Over 100 Build/Buy mode items are introduced in Dine Out. Some of these include chef stations, host and waiter stations, and dining booths, along with new clothing for Sims to dress in the perfect fashion when going to the restaurants.
Vampires
The Sims 4: Vampires is the fourth game pack for The Sims 4, released on January 24, 2017. It includes a new life state, Vampires, many Gothic-themed objects, new outfits, new interactions, new aspirations, new foods to make and new skills: Pipe Organ and Vampire Lore. The pack also features a new neighborhood called Forgotten Hollow which, fitting with the vampiric theme, has longer nighttimes than other neighborhoods. The pack uses vampiric elements from The Sims 2: Nightlife, The Sims 3: Late Night and Supernatural.
Gameplay Vampires introduces the vampire life state with a whole bunch of new supernatural powers and abilities. Vampires can alter their appearance between their regular and dark forms, and can use supernatural abilities including super speed, turning into a bat, having super strength, being able to turn into mist, etc. Vampires can be made straight from Create-a-Sim and have their own special options, such as an alternative "dark" form, editing their eyes to be unnatural eye colors, pale skin tones, different fang types, and veins. Sims can also ask vampires to be turned. If they comply, the vampire will bite the Sim and then offer them their blood which the Sim will drink. Sims will not immediately transform, but will get the "Strangely Hungry" moodlet which causes their hunger need to drain.
Vampires will have their own panel to gain and upgrade new abilities that make them more powerful. They can choose certain powers as they gain more experience and become stronger. There are a total of twenty-five powers, divided evenly (five per Vampire Rank), with several powers having their own tiers. Also some powers conflict with certain weaknesses, preventing you from picking them. Vampires also have different needs to normal Sims. Vampires do not need to cater to a bladder meter and their energy need is elongated and replaced with "Vampiric Energy" as well as the hunger need being replaced with a "Thirst" need for plasma. The needs panel also showcases the experience to achieve the next vampire rank and the power points.
Just like aliens from Get to Work, vampires have a Sim form and an alternative form in which they can switch between to keep their vampiric presence from being revealed. They will switch into their "Dark Form" to turn into their true vampiric nature and access some of their supernatural powers, such as feeding and turning other Sims. The Dark Form can be fully customized separately from their normal form. There are two brand new skills called pipe organ and vampire lore. Pipe organ is the equivalent of the piano skill for the new pipe organ object, and vampire lore helps vampires become stronger. There are also three new aspirations: Vampire Family, Master Vampire, and Good Vampire. The pack includes 151 Build/Buy mode items and new clothing and hair styles for Sims aged children to elder, as well as three new lot traits.
Parenthood
The Sims 4: Parenthood is the fifth game pack for The Sims 4, released on May 30, 2017. It develops the bond between parents and their children with the newly introduced Parenting skill. It takes elements from The Sims 3: Generations.
Gameplay Parenthood introduces character values for toddler, child and teen Sims, and gives parents more control over their offspring. They can be either disciplined or encouraged, both affecting their journey to adulthood. There are five different character values: Manners, Responsibility, Empathy, Conflict Resolution and Emotional Control. Character values appear in the Simology panel for Sims aged toddler to teen. Parents can encourage or discipline their children to help develop these character values. A toddler, child, or teen can affect their own character values by performing certain interactions, such as making a mess or setting the table. If Sims have a high or low enough level in any of the character values, they will receive special traits when they become young adults.
One of the other big changers to children's character values is the new parenting skill. This skill can only be learned by Sims who are young adults or older, and helps them by having more options on raising their children. Parents with this skill can punish their children in many ways ranging from time outs to grounding, where parents can restrict certain activities. However, children can ignore these punishments, negatively affecting their character values. Children will also come to ask their parent or caregiver different questions in the form of chance cards. The higher the parenting skill is with the caregiver, the more options will appear that will affect the children's character values. When a child becomes a young adult, they will have a new type of relationship status with their parent, based on how high their friendship meter was during childhood, and how much discipline they received. Children and teens will now sometimes bring school projects when coming home from school. These projects can be crafted together by family members older than toddlers and can be done either carefully or sloppily. Doing the project either way and with or without help will determine its quality level that are poor, good, and excellent. When children or teens bring the completed projects back to school, their performance will increase.