Sims 4 Free Rewards May Have One Horrible Unintended Consequence

Summary EA is adding Events to The Sims 4 for free rewards, potentially causing issues for CC creators.

The constant game updates due to Events may disrupt Custom Content functionality, requiring frequent mod updates.

The frequency of updates for The Sims 4's Events might make it challenging for players who heavily rely on mods.

EA has continued to add content to The Sims 4 for almost a decade, usually in the form of expansions and DLC packs. The developer has continued to do this in spite of announcing a sequel, and it seems like the wave of content isn't going to stop any time soon. Most recently, EA announced that it is adding Events to The Sims 4, which are limited-time experiences with free rewards or gameplay that adds new opportunities to the game.

Project Rene is the working title of the new Sims game that is currently in development.

With the monetization of the many expansions and DLC added to The Sims 4, free rewards through the new Events system are welcome, especially because the game is now free-to-play. These rewards depend on the player logging in every day to claim them from the game's main menu, and they will then be added to Build Mode or Create-a-Sim under the new Event filter. This is all well and good, but it could mean constant updates, which may make it an issue with Custom Content.

How The Sims 4's Free Rewards Could Effect CC

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Custom Content (or CC) is modded content made by users and installed into the game separately. The Sims 4 has quite an extensive modding scene, especially because the process of adding new CC is quite simple. Unlike the many expansion packs, CC tends to be free and can be found on sites like The Sims Catalog. With the ability to customize the game and improve assets through Custom Content, modding the Sims has become very popular, but the new Events could make life more difficult for modders.

Custom Content has to be enabled in-game and whenever there is a new update to The Sims 4, some CC can get disabled. Players will need to reload the save while their mods are disabled, re-enable Custom Content, and then reset the game to get it to work again, but this is under the assumption that the mods still work after the new update. Changes in the game could mean that mods are now inoperable, which can cause headaches for creators who have to constantly update their work.

Related Sims 4: 10 Best Mods For Realistic Gameplay Through various mods, gamers can bring complicated and meaningful real-life scenarios and experiences to the Sims 4 world.

Thankfully, there is usually a decent amount of time between The Sims 4's updates, but with the Events needing a constant influx of new content, this could mean that the frequency of updates also increases. More updates will equal more hassle for both players using CC and mod authors needing to update their work to get it to function after every new update. This could be a massive problem for The Sims 4's thriving modding scene, making it more hassle than it is worth.

Related The Sims 4: 15 Best Websites To Find Custom Content These platforms, including Tumblr and YouTube, are the best places to find the latest and greatest custom content for The Sims 4.

Are Events Worth The Problems With CC?

Events Will Provide Free Rewards

With the introduction of daily rewards whenever players login, Events are geared toward those that play The Sims 4 all the time, rather than those who occasionally have a playthrough once in a blue moon. This makes sense, as Events are likely meant to be a reward for the franchise's most loyal fans. It could also increase the player count, as there is usually goodwill given to developers in exchange for rewards to its player base.

The new Events system began on May 30, and the constant updates after its launch could be problematic for modders. Players can choose to stop their game from auto-updating through the EA Play app, which ensures that the CC they currently have will work even if everyone else has had their game updated, but the trade-off is that they will miss out on official content. For some, this won't be an issue as there is Custom Content with quality that exceeds new drops from EA.

Sometimes, the EA App will try to download packs after an update, even if the game is prevented from auto-updating, but they can just be deleted.

Although EA has only put out what it plans to add for four weeks, it has been stated that the team behind The Sims 4 is looking into making more updates in the future. There is even some discussion about making future Events content seasonal while also timing some out depending on the time of year. This benefits the loyal players since those who log in more will have access to content that others who play sporadically will be locked out of.

Related The Sims' Biggest Competitor Just Got Delayed Indefinitely Life By You, Paradox Interactive's upcoming simulator posied to compete with EA's The Sims, has unfortunately lost its early access release date.

How Much Will Events Affect CC?

If The Sims 4 intends to make Events and the updates needed to add new content constantly, then this could be a big problem for CC. It also depends on the frequency of updates, as this first run of Events will last four weeks. If future Events contain four weeks of content, meaning that updates take place practically every month, then the cycle of having to fix mods after a new Sims download is monthly, which could disrupt some CC from being updated regularly.

Sometimes, mods need to be updated. To do this, delete the old version of the mod and reinstall the newer version. There is no auto-update function.

Many only play The Sims 4 with mods, and if the title maintains its current frequency of patches alongside Events, this could make a game played for leisure stressful for players. It could end up becoming a choice between using Custom Content or ignoring the new rewards added by Events by forcing the game not to update. Then again, EA could find a way to stop CC from being heavily affected by updates — since it has been stated that Events are easier to update and more flexible.