EA announces that The Sims 4 is going free-to-play beginning October 18th. The lifestyle simulation and its many add-ons are already incredibly popular, but the post expresses enthusiasm for the prospects of the change bringing even more players. The game will continue to get premium add-ons, and the plan is to compensate those who already paid for the base game with a free copy of Desert Luxe Kit. Here's more:

We’re excited to continue to welcome in more players than ever to create new stories, and explore without boundaries. The Sims has always been about celebrating new ways to play and offers so many possibilities to discover. Beginning on October 18, 2022, The Sims™ 4 base game will be available to all new players to download for free* on PC via EA app or Origin™, Mac® via Origin, Steam®, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One systems.

With The Sims 4 going free to play, our team is more dedicated than ever to developing new and meaningful The Sims 4 experiences for our players and we will continue to develop and release packs, kits and Sims Delivery Express drops into the foreseeable future. We’ll be sharing more about what’s in the works during a special-edition stream, Behind The Sims Summit on October 18, 2022 at 10 am PDT via The Sims YouTube and Twitch channels, also available on demand!

EA Play and EA Play Pro members will receive an upgraded experience when member-only bundles of The Sims 4 go into The Play List on October 18. The Sims 4 EA Play Edition includes The Sims 4 Get To Work Expansion Pack, while the EA Play Pro Edition includes both The Sims 4 Get To Work Expansion Pack and The Sims 4 Toddler Stuff Pack.