In a move that could be interpreted as either a cynical attempt to garner goodwill from consumers, or a genuine gesture made in the spirit of Christmas, Electronic Arts has released a free update for The Sims 4 that, appropriately, is about the holidays. In addition to some new career options, including business and athletic careers, Sims can now enjoy paid time off, as well as family leave options when a new Sim is born into the house hold. Of course, this being December, there’s also a free holiday pack that includes the expected decorations and tasteless sweaters that are part and parcel of the Christmas family experience.
All of this comes on the heels of the previous free update that added the option to build in swimming pools—and subsequently drown Sims in them, a rite of passage for any Sims player. It looks like by degrees, EA and Maxis are addressing the criticisms many had of the base game, and they’re doing it for free. So far. It’ll be interesting to see just how much added content the first inevitable expansion offers when it finally debuts, but for now, EA is giving your Sims free stuff. Go get it.
