In just eight days time, The Sims turns 25 – and EA is reportedly poised to re-release The Sims 1 & 2 this week as part of the series’ quarter-century celebrations.
The Sims 1 & 2 have, of course, long been unavailable in an official capacity, with the 25-year-old original never getting a digital release and its sequel’s short-lived Ultimate Collection being yanked from Origin in 2018. That could be about to change, however. Kotaku, citing a “source familiar” with EA’s plans, reports re-releases of The Sims 1 & 2 will launch on PC later this week, with all their original expansions included. It’s “unclear” if a console release is also coming.
Lending further credence to Kotaku’s report are the handful of conspicuous teases EA has been sharing to coincide with the start of The Sims’ Nostalgia Now week, which runs from 27th-31st January. The series’ official website, for instance, now features a character from the original The Sims surrounded by The Sims 2‘s radial menu.
Similarly, the publisher has posted a short animation – accompanied by the phrase “BRB” – on social media. It features The Sims’ iconic spinning Plumbob – initially surrounded by The Sims 2’s radial menu, then superimposed on coloured squares reminiscent of The Sims 1’s box art.
Interestingly, the video then transitions to a scene resembling The Sims 3‘s loading screen. Kotaku’s report doesn’t mention the series’ third outing, but fans were slightly stunned earlier this month when, with zero explanation or fanfare, it received its first (still mysterious) update in 15 years. If this means EA has been quietly tinkering under the hood to implement some much-needed stability and compatibility fixes, there’ll be a lot of happy Sims players.
All of which is to say it could be an exciting few days for The Sims fans, and that’s before EA’s big birthday blowout next week. Things kick off with a 25-hour livestream celebration of the series next Tuesday, 4th April, coinciding with the release a “huge” free 25th anniversary update for The Sims 4, adding 70+ new items, a new limited-time event, and more.