Summary
- Some The Sims 4 players are growing frustrated with the game’s time-gated content, which EA started doing in 2024.
- While some players are now saying they’d even be willing to pay for time-gated rewards outside their event periods, there’s currently no indication EA is considering offering this option
- PC players can obtain time-gated rewards outside their event periods via The Sims 4 mods, such as FOMO Unlock by Sejian.
Some The Sims 4 players are unhappy with the game’s time-gated content and have recently voiced complaints about the practice. However, the chances of their grievances resulting in any changes to The Sims 4 appear dubious, at best.
In-game events were originally announced alongside the launch of The Sims 4 Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro kits at the end of May 2024. Maxis characterized these additions as limited-time experiences meant to incentivize players to keep returning to the game on a regular basis via themed content drops.
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Less than a year later, some The Sims 4 players seem to be growing annoyed with how events are impacting their typical gameplay experience. One such complaint was recently voiced by Reddit user LeahIsAwake, who was disappointed to learn just how much they’ve fallen behind after taking a six-month break from the game back in 2024, not long after events became a thing. Since returning to The Sims 4 in early 2025, the player has encountered numerous frustrations while trying to obtain certain items, only to realize they were time-gated and are no longer available—despite already existing in the game.
LeahIsAwake recalled looking into The Grimophone and Grim’s Cruiser Bicycle, then ending up disappointed after learning they were both exclusively available through The Sims 4 Reaper’s Rewards event, which ran between late September and mid-November 2024. Neither reward was even offered for the full duration of the event, with each only being claimable during a specific week within the promotional period. “I’d love the opportunity to do these events later,” the fan concluded.
The Sims 4 Players Criticize FOMO Content
LeahIsAwake’s complaint amassed thousands of upvotes and promptly surfaced on the front page of the r/TheSims subreddit in early March 2025, indicating that many fans share their frustrations. A few outspoken players chiming in on the ensuing discussion have outright criticized the game for time-gating content and playing into the fandom’s fear of missing out (FOMO). Some of them argue that forcing players to engage with The Sims 4 during extremely limited windows of opportunity just to get certain valuable items requires them to treat the game as a job.
Some The Sims 4 Players Are Willing to Pay For Event Items
Apart from criticism, the community has also voiced a few compromise solutions for making event content more accessible without entirely devaluing the events themselves. One popular suggestion was for EA to periodically release event items via The Sims 4 kits, which typically retail for $4.99. The likelihood of EA reconsidering its approach to time-gated The Sims 4 content seems slim, especially since the practice is still less than a year old as of early 2025. Moreover, FOMO-driven events have become a hallmark of live-service games, many of which demand consistent player engagement. The only way to bypass The Sims 4 events without being penalized for doing so is to obtain their time-gated rewards via mods, which are exclusively available on PC. One popular mod that accomplishes this purpose is FOMO Unlock, developed by established modder Sejian.
Source: Sejian / Mod The Sims
- Released
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September 2, 2014
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Electronic Arts