Summary
SomeThe Sims 4players 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 toThe Sims 4appear dubious, at best.
In-game events were originally announced alongside the launch ofThe Sims 4Riviera Retreat and Cozy Bistro kitsat 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.
Less than a year later, someThe Sims 4playersseem 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 toThe Sims 4in 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 throughThe Sims 4Reaper’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 withThe Sims 4during 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 viaThe Sims 4kits, which typically retail for $4.99. The likelihood of EA reconsidering its approach to time-gatedThe Sims 4content 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 bypassThe Sims 4events 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.
