The Sims 4, one of the most popular life simulation games, is now available as a free download on Mac! This guide will walk you through how to get The Sims 4 free trial installed on your Mac computer, so you can start playing for free right away. We‘ll cover everything from creating an Origin account, downloading and installing the game, to optimizing performance on a Mac. Let‘s jump in!
An Introduction to The Sims Franchise
For anyone unfamiliar, The Sims is a long-running video game franchise published by Electronic Arts (EA) that lets you simulate real life by creating virtual people called "Sims" and guiding them through daily activities like work, school, relationships and more.
The first Sims game launched in 2000 and became an instant hit. Since then, EA has released several mainline sequels and countless expansion packs. As of 2022, The Sims franchise has sold over 200 million copies worldwide across all platforms, making it one of the best selling video game franchises of all time.
The Sims allows you to live out your wildest fantasies by shaping your Sims‘ lives however you want. You have complete control over their looks, personalities, careers, relationships, and even how they decorate their homes. It‘s up to you how much chaos and creativity you want to inject into your Sims‘ lives!
Why The Sims 4 is Now Free
The Sims 4 originally launched in 2014 as a paid game, typically retailing for $39.99 for the base game. However, EA recently announced that as of October 2022, The Sims 4 base game would become completely free to download across all platforms.
This applies to both Windows and Mac platforms. EA is making The Sims 4 free in hopes of drawing in new players to the franchise. While the base game is free, you‘ll still need to purchase any expansion packs and additional content.
But the base game still gives you plenty of great features to enjoy for $0:
- Create unique Sims with custom looks, personalities and aspirations.
- Build your dream homes with Build Mode.
- Start careers, form relationships, raise families, and experience your Sims‘ unique stories.
- Explore and customize distinct neighborhoods like Willow Creek and Oasis Springs.
Now that The Sims 4 is free on Mac, there‘s never been a better time to give the game a try if you‘ve been on the fence!
Step 1: Download Origin and Create an EA Account
To download The Sims 4 on a Mac, you‘ll need EA‘s Origin game client. Origin is available for both Windows and MacOS:
- Visit origin.com in your browser and click "Download for Mac" to download the Origin installer.
- Run the installer once downloaded and follow the prompts to install Origin.
- Launch the Origin app and click "Sign In" in the top right corner.
- If you don‘t have an EA account, you can click "Create Account" to set one up for free.
This will create your EA account and get Origin set up on your Mac. Your EA account is what you‘ll use to access The Sims 4.
Step 2: Add The Sims 4 to Your Game Library
With Origin open, it‘s time to add The Sims 4 to your game library. Here‘s how:
- Click the "Store" tab in Origin.
- Search for "The Sims 4" and select the base game.
- Click "Try it First" to add it to your library.
The Sims 4 base game will now be added to your Origin library!
Step 3: Install The Sims 4 on Your Mac
Almost there! With The Sims 4 in your library, you can now install it:
- Go to the "My Game Library" tab in Origin.
- Click The Sims 4 and select "Download".
- The Sims 4 will now start downloading. The file size is around 10GB.
- Once downloaded, the installer will launch automatically. Follow the prompts to install.
- After a few minutes the installation will be complete and The Sims 4 will be ready to play!
And that‘s it! The Sims 4 is now installed and ready to play on your Mac for free.
How Long is The Free Trial?
One of the best parts about The Sims 4 going free is that there‘s no limited trial period or expiration date. You can enjoy the full base game for as long as you want!
While you won‘t have access to any of The Sims 4‘s paid expansion packs or DLC with just the base game, there are still dozens of hours of gameplay available completely free of charge.
Gameplay Tips for New Players
For anyone new to The Sims, here are some handy tips to help you thrive:
- Use Build Mode to construct your ideal home before moving Sims in.
- Create multiple Sims and switch between controlling them.
- Make sure to monitor your Sims‘ hunger, bladder, hygiene and energy needs.
- Set your Sims‘ aspirations and unlock rewards to boost their skills.
- Have your Sims meet neighbors and make friends (or enemies!).
- Advance your Sims‘ careers to earn promotions and higher pay.
The key is balancing your Sims‘ basic needs like eating, sleeping and fun while also making progress on their career and relationships.
Don‘t worry about making "perfect" Sims either. The unpredictable moments and chaos are part of what makes The Sims so fun!
Choosing Expansion Packs
While The Sims 4 base game offers plenty of great content for free, you may eventually want to enhance your game with paid DLCs or "expansion packs".
Here are some of the most popular Sims 4 expansion packs to consider:
- Get to Work: Lets your Sims join active careers like doctor, detective or scientist.
- City Living: Allows Sims to move into diverse city apartments and adds city hobbies like festivals.
- Cats & Dogs: Adds cats and dogs as adoptable pets with unique personalities.
- Seasons: Introduces seasonal weather variations like summer heatwaves or winter snow days.
- Get Famous: Become an A-list celebrity in your Sim‘s career and gain fans.
Expansion packs typically cost between $20-$40 depending on the amount of content added. Look for them on sale around the holidays for the best deals!
Optimizing Performance on Mac
The Sims 4 runs smoothly on most modern Macs and MacBooks. But if you notice lag, glitches or slowdowns, here are some tips:
Close any other programs or browser tabs hogging RAM while playing.
Lower the graphics settings from Ultra to High or Medium if needed.
Disable laptop power saving settings like "Power Nap" that can disrupt gameplay.
Play while your Mac is plugged into a power source and not on battery.
Save your game often in case of crashes and other odd glitches.
As long as you meet the minimum system requirements, The Sims 4 should give great performance on Mac. Avoid playing on extremely old or low powered Macs for the smoothest experience.
Playing Offline vs Online Mode
The Sims 4 gives you the choice between Offline and Online play:
- Offline: You won‘t be able to access any online features, but generally offers more stable performance.
- Online: Allows access to the Gallery for downloading player creations, but is more prone to slowdowns.
I‘d recommend playing in Offline mode as much as possible to reduce the chance of internet latency or server issues interfering. You can switch Online to grab Gallery creations as needed.
Utilizing Community Creations
One of the coolest parts of The Sims is the thriving community that creates custom content and uploads it for others to download.
The Gallery allows you to browse and add player made creations like Sims, lots, and houses into your own game. There are literally millions of unique Sims, sets, and other objects to discover. It adds nearly endless variety to your game!
Some tips for finding great content:
- Search by most popular uploads or Hashtags like #sims4cc.
- Follow specific creators once you find ones you like.
- Browse by Newest to see latest creations.
- Look for builds needed like "family home" or "apartment".
Custom content adds so much variety and fun to The Sims. Take time to explore the Gallery and you‘ll have unlimited options!
Final Tips for New Mac Players
To summarize, here are some final tips for getting started with The Sims 4 free trial on your Mac:
- Meet the system requirements for smooth performance.
- Play offline whenever possible for stability.
- Download player creations to expand your options.
- Moderate graphics settings if your Mac is older.
- Save often to avoid losing progress.
- Take your time learning controls/menus before diving in.
- Refer to in-game tutorials under "Tips" for help.
With The Sims 4 now completely free to play on Mac, you have the chance to experience one of the most popular life simulators out there. Whether you only play for a few hours or get hooked for hundreds, enjoy the endless creative potential at your fingertips!
If you run into any issues getting The Sims 4 set up, don‘t hesitate to search for solutions online or contact EA support. The Mac gaming community is also very helpful if you need advice optimizing performance.
Now get out there and start designing your dream Sims, building their perfect home, and letting unique stories unfold. The possibilities are endless with The Sims 4!
