The Sims 4’s Latest Kits Could Be a Game Changer

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 19, 2025 2 Views 9 Min Read
The Sims 4's Latest Kits Could Be a Game Changer

As The Sims franchise ventures into its twenty-fifth year, EA and Maxis have announced plenty of new content to celebrate its anniversary. The Sims team announced the festivities during a Behind The Sims 25th Birthday Special stream, with the first new set of content slated for January 16. While one of the Kits was revealed in the stream, two were left in the dark until release day. Though they may seem unassuming to casual gamers, Simmers in the know were blown away by these Kits, which could change the content of future Kits.

The Behind The Sims 25th Birthday Special stream was dedicated to Simmers first and foremost. Filled with constant references to niche areas of The Sims and fantastic updates for free-to-play gamers, it’s clear that the next two months will be a bounty for Simmers. The new Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits are perfect examples of EA and Maxis’ approach to referential content over the next few months.

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Kits Fit to Celebrate The Sims’ 25th Anniversary

New Kit Pricing

Up until January 16, The Sims Kits have been dedicated to one feature specifically. Kits included new Create-A-Sim (CAS) items, Build and Buy items, or gameplay. Kits are sequestered to these specific focuses to differentiate them from Stuff Packs, the cheapest level of The Sims Pack DLC, and to maintain their $5 price point. Stuff Packs, Game Packs, and Expansion Packs have long been a staple of The Sims franchise, and the introduction of kits in 2021 was controversial upon announcement as obtaining all DLC for The Sims 4 is incredibly expensive.

This makes the Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits more susceptible to criticism by Simmers. Since these two new kits incorporate both new CAS Build and Buy items at the $5 price point per Kit, it would make sense for players to be critical of the release. These Kits have a similar number of total items as other Kits, lessening the blow. But the theming of these two Kits may also sway Simmer opinion in favor of these Kits.

New Kit Theming

Both the Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits are themed around two iconic Townies in The Sims franchise. The Secret Sanctuary Kit is inspired by fashion icon Bella Goth and the Casanova Cave Kit is inspired by known womanizer Don Lothario. Releasing these two Townie-themed Kits is a perfect celebration of The Sims franchise and its twenty-fifth anniversary.

These Kits also coincide with a base game renovation enacted by The Sims team. All Townie and Residential Lots in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs were updated in a patch on January 15, including the Goth family home Ophelia Manor and Sultry Springside, The Caliente and Lothario household. With new items themed to these Townies, players have an incentive to check out these updates for themselves.

Still, the Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits could drastically change how The Sims Kits are structured. The premise for both these Kits radically changes what can be included in this specific type of DLC, which could still trouble players despite the Kits’ referential nature.

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Stuff and Game Packs Are Being Left Behind

The most notable impact that the Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits could have on the future of Kits is their price point and content. Kits tend to focus on adding one specific feature to The Sims 4. Since Secret Sanctuary and Cassanova Cave have both CAS and Build and Buy items, a precedent has been set for multiple types of content to be included in Kits.

Because of this change, EA and Maxis may have to change the way Stuff Packs work. The latest Stuff Pack to hit The Sims 4 was Crystal Creations, released practically a year ago on February 29, 2024. Since then, EA and Maxis have released two Expansion Packs and thirteen Kits. A new Game Pack has not been released since Werewolves in June 2022. This heavy emphasis on Kits and movement away from Stuff and Game Packs shows that EA and Maxis are dedicating more time to smaller releases, but if multiple features can be included in one Kit, Stuff and Game Packs are at risk.

If Kits are becoming expanded, then Stuff and Game Packs deserve an increase in content as well. The Sims 4 stuff and Game Packs have increased in quality and content value since The Sims 4 first introduced DLC. Despite this increase, players have faced no additional cost. The same can be said of the Secret Sanctuary and Cassanova Cave Kits which retail at the Kit standard price of $5. So far, players have no concrete reason to be concerned by DLC price hikes, but the future is never certain.

More Townies Could Get Their Own Content

The Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits also hint at more fun headed to The Sims 4. No other Kit, or any other form of DLC for The Sims 4, has been themed around one of the game’s iconic Townies. While other DLC packs have reintroduced franchise icons, like the Paranormal Stuff Pack with Bonehilda, or expanded their powers like the Grim Reaper and the new Life & Death Expansion Pack, a full pack or Kit dedicated to Townies has never been made.

2025 is one of the best years to introduce this concept as it is the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Sims franchise, and it will be interesting to see if this self-referential content continues or is expanded upon in the future. Most of the game’s iconic Townies are part of The Sims 4 base game, and because of this, players may grow frustrated with the monetization of base game features.

EA and Maxis must tread carefully if they dedicate more DLC to Townies. The Sims team’s approach of adding iconic Townies from previous installments into new packs has been solid so far, but expanding on the Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits into full-pack territory for Townies probably isn’t a great idea. The Secret Sanctuary and Casanova Cave Kits are now available for purchase for The Sims 4 today.

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