I’m so sick of expansion packs in The Sims 4, and yet, here comes another one—even though I’m still trying to figure out how Fairies actually work. We only got Enchanted by Nature on July 10, but it's already time for another pack, Adventure Awaits, arriving Oct. 2.
This back-to-back expansion release isn't new, but the minimal break in between has brought a larger issue to light. The Sims 4 has quietly abandoned all variety in its DLC model, so we're now stuck in a cycle of bloated expansions and overpriced kits with nothing in between.
I actually think Adventure Awaits has the potential to be one of the best expansion packs we've ever gotten based on all the new features and items unveiled so far, but at this point, I'm so burnt out on expansions that my excitement just isn't where I'd want it to be. Expansions can be great, but when they’re all we’re getting, and they keep coming this fast, the whole thing starts to feel exhausting.
The root of this issue is the lack of game packs and stuff packs to break it up. The most recent pack we got that wasn't an expansion was the Crystal Creations stuff pack, which launched over a year and a half ago on Feb. 29, 2024. And game packs are in an even worse state, as the last one we got was Werewolves on June 16, 2022, a whole three years ago.
All we've gotten since is expansion pack after expansion pack, with way too many kits scattered in between. Kits are too small and overpriced to be satisfying, and expansion packs are too big to be this frequent, which is exactly why we desperately need the medium-sized game and stuff packs to balance things out.
Game and stuff packs can hone in on specific themes, delivering deep, focused features that we wouldn't otherwise see, such as Crystal Creations' robust jewelry-making system and Dream Home Decorator's interior decorator career. They're much more focused, accessible, and approachable than expansion packs—they're a lot cheaper and don’t overwhelm players with too many new systems at once.
Expansion packs are welcome additions, but they've been overdone lately. We got Businesses & Hobbies on March 6, 2025, Enchanted by Nature on July 10, 2025, and now, Adventure Awaits incoming on Oct. 2, 2025. There are many rich systems in all of the recent expansion packs that I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of, despite playing The Sims 4 for more hours than I care to admit.
It's also frustrating since the lack of game and stuff packs has never been addressed. Whether they've been officially phased out for good and replaced by kits or if they've just been on a lengthy hiatus is unclear. Some transparency on this topic would be greatly appreciated, as we're currently in limbo where it seems like they've been quietly and unofficially discontinued, but players are still eagerly asking for more.
The only other content we're getting right now is Kits, which are half the price of stuff packs, and don't come anywhere close to adding as much depth and content. Stuff packs came with an array of gameplay, CAS, and Build/Buy items, while kits hone in on just one small feature, usually CAS or Build/Buy. They can't fill the gaping hole left by the lack of real packs.
I don't hate expansion packs, and I'm really looking forward to exploring Gibbi Point in Adventure Awaits, but I don't like that they're all we get now. Game and stuff packs used to break up the release cycle with smaller, more focused ideas that gave us a break between the bigger drops. The solution to expansion pack fatigue isn't more content, it's smarter, more varied content—and a release schedule that actually gives us room to breathe and fully enjoy each release.
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