Why It's Time To Quit The Sims 4 And Move On

I sat down at my desk last night after a long day. My husband and I had just finished dinner, and I had spent twenty minutes outside trying to convince Noro, the neighbor's cat, to eat his food before the other cats got it. I was tired. I just wanted to escape into a virtual world for a bit. But when I loaded up The Sims 4, my excitement turned into frustration within ten minutes. My Sims stood there staring at walls for hours while the clock ticked by. They wouldn't eat. They wouldn't interact with other sims. The game was practically unplayable. Again.

It isn't just a one-time thing. I have been playing this franchise for over fifteen years. I remember the magic of The Sims 2 and the incredible freedom of The Sims 3. But lately, trying to enjoy The Sims 4 feels like a chore. Between the lag, the broken packs, and the sheer cost of keeping up, I realized something important last night. It's okay to stop. It's okay to admit that this game isn't fun anymore. We deserve better than a broken product that demands hundreds of dollars just to function properly.

⚡ Key Takeaways

• 🐛 The game is technically broken with constant glitches and lag.
• 💸 Owning all the content costs nearly $1,500 which is too expensive.
• 🏙️ Older games like The Sims 3 offer better gameplay depth.
• 🎮 New competitors like inZOI are finally shaking up the genre.
• 🚫 The community has become toxic and exhausting to be around.

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The Broken State of the Game

We need to be honest about the technical mess this game is in. The recent update in November 2025 was supposed to fix things. EA promised over 150 bug fixes. But what actually happened? They fixed a few small things and broke a dozen big things. Whiteboards disappeared from build mode. Sims started obsessively baking cakes again. The simulation lag is worse than ever. I watched my Sim stand in front of the fridge for three Sim-hours, starving to death, because the game couldn't figure out how to route him to the microwave.

It feels like the game is held together by tape and hope. The code is spaghetti. Every time they add a new kit or expansion, something old breaks. Remember when "My Wedding Stories" came out? Sims couldn't even walk down the aisle. Or when "For Rent" corrupted save files? Many players lost saves they had been playing for months because of that one. It's heartbreaking to pour time and creativity into a world only for it to be destroyed by a patch that was supposed to help.

You shouldn't have to download five different mods just to make the game run (let alone the many needed to improve the gameplay). I have folder upon folder of fixes from the community. Modders are doing the work that the developers should be doing. But every update breaks the mods too. It is a vicious cycle. You spend hours updating your mods folder (a reason why I don't play nearly as much as I used to), launch the game, and it still glitches out. I have a husband, a job, and five pets to take care of in real life. I don't have time to babysit a video game just to get it to work.

The Cost Is Just Too High

Let's talk about money. If you wanted to buy every single piece of content for The Sims 4 right now, it would cost you nearly $1,500. That's the price of a used car. That's more than my rent and utilities combined. It's absolutely wild when you think about it. For that price, you should be getting a flawless experience. You should be getting the best game ever made. Instead, you are paying for broken features and empty worlds.

They split content into tiny little pieces to sell it back to us. In The Sims 3 Supernatural, we got vampires, werewolves, witches, and fairies all in a single expansion pack. It was huge. But in The Sims 4? They sold Vampires as a game pack. Then they sold Spellcasters (witches) in a different game pack. Then they sold Werewolves and Fairies both in separate packs. To get the same supernatural crew we had years ago, you now have to buy four separate DLCs. It feels predatory.

I look at my bank account and think about what else I could do with that money. I could pay off some bills. I could put it toward the down payment for a house I hope to buy someday. I could buy a mountain of fresh veggies for my guinea pig and rabbits. Spending forty dollars on an expansion pack that barely adds any gameplay feels foolish now. The value just isn't there anymore.

Better Alternatives Are Finally Here

For the longest time, we stuck with The Sims 4 because there was no competition. It was the only game in town. If you wanted a life simulator, this was it. But that isn't true in 2025. We actually have choices now, and some of them are looking really good.

The Return to Older Games

I reinstalled The Sims 3 last spring. Yes, it can be laggy too if you don't have the right fixes. But once you get it running, the difference is night and day. There's an open world. You can walk to the park without a loading screen. You can drive a car. You can customize the color of everything with the color wheel. The Sims feel like they have actual personalities.

The Sims 2 is even better if you care about details. The Sims in that game have so much heart. They cuddle in bed. They have cutscenes for big life moments. The lore is deep and interesting. Going back to these older games makes you realize how shallow The Sims 4 really is. It looks pretty, but it's as deep as a puddle.

New Contenders

Then there's inZOI. Everyone is talking about it. The graphics are stunning. It looks like real life. The characters look like actual people, not cartoons. It runs on Unreal Engine 5, so the lighting and textures are beautiful. It has cars you can drive. It has a karma system. It isn't perfect, and some people say the gameplay is a bit hollow right now, but it is improving fast. It feels like a next-generation game.

Paralives is another one people are watching. It isn't out yet, but the build tools they have shown look incredible. You can resize windows. You can make curved walls easily. It looks like it is being made by people who actually play life simulators and know what we want.

Even cozy games like Stardew Valley or House Flipper 2 scratch that itch. If you just want to build and decorate, House Flipper is fantastic. If you want to manage a life and relationships, Stardew Valley is perfect. You don't need The Sims to get that feeling of accomplishment.

The Problem With the Community

I hate to say this, but the community around The Sims 4 has become really difficult to be part of. It feels toxic. You have people who scream at anyone who criticizes the game. They call you ungrateful if you point out bugs. Then you have the other side that attacks anyone who enjoys the game. It is a constant fight.

I saw a thread the other day where people were sending death threats to a developer over a texture issue. That is insane. It is just a video game. Nobody should be threatened over digital hair or furniture. It's exhausting to scroll through social media and see so much anger.

There's also this pressure to buy everything. When a new kit drops, everyone rushes to post pictures of it. If you don't have it, you feel left out. It's "Fear Of Missing Out" weaponized. But when you step back, you realize none of it matters. The community should be about sharing stories and creativity, not fighting over corporate products.

Why It's Hard to Let Go

I get it. It's hard to quit. I have thousands of hours in this game (just under 6500, to be exact). I have families I've played for generations. I've built houses that took me weeks to perfect. It feels like throwing all that work away. We get attached to our Sims. They're like digital pets. I love my real cats, Adah and Micah, and I feel a weird sort of love for my pixel people too.

But this is the "Sunk Cost Fallacy." We think that because we have spent so much time and money, we have to keep going. We don't. Games are supposed to be fun. They're supposed to be a way to relax. If you're stressing out about bugs or feeling guilty about spending money, it isn't a hobby anymore. It's a bad habit.

Think about the time you waste loading the game. Think about the frustration when it crashes. Is it worth it? Probably not. There are so many other games out there that respect your time and your money.

Making the Break

You don't have to delete the game forever. Just take a break. Stop buying the new packs. Don't open the launcher for a month. See how you feel. I bet you'll feel relieved.

I often go months without playing, and I don't miss it. I just play other things or get busy with life, like spending time with my husband and pets or working on side hustles. The world doesn't end because I stop checking on my Sims.

We need to send a message to EA. As long as we keep buying broken packs, they will keep selling them. The only way things will change is if we stop paying for mediocrity. Project Rene is coming eventually, but if we don't demand quality now, the next game will have the same problems.

So, close the game. Go pet your cat. Go for a walk. Play something else. You might find that life outside of The Sims 4 is actually a lot more fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still play The Sims 4 without buying new packs?
Yes, you absolutely can. You do not need to buy every new release to play the game. In fact, adding more DLC often makes the game run worse due to bloat. If you enjoy the base game or the packs you already own, just stick with those. You can also play offline to avoid mandatory updates that might break your mods.

Is The Sims 3 actually better than The Sims 4?
Many players believe it is better in terms of gameplay depth. The Sims 3 has an open world, Create-A-Style, and deeper personality traits. However, it is an older game and can struggle to run smoothly on modern computers without specific fixes. The Sims 4 looks better and has better building tools, but The Sims 3 wins on simulation details.

Will inZOI replace The Sims?
It's too early to say if it will completely replace it, but it's the first major competitor in years. inZOI offers realistic graphics and new mechanics that The Sims 4 lacks. However, The Sims has a very loyal fanbase and a massive history. inZOI will likely attract players who want more realism, while The Sims might keep players who prefer a stylized, quirky look.

How do I fix simulation lag in The Sims 4?
Simulation lag is a core engine issue, so it is hard to fix completely. However, using mods like "Simulation Lag Fix" can help. Also, playing in smaller worlds, having fewer Sims in a household, and clearing out your Sims' inventories can improve performance. If you play on PC, making sure your game is installed on an SSD helps with loading times too.