how to make people hate your company:
-force users to download extra applications just to play the games that they paid for.
-make aggressive DRMS for FREE TO PLAY GAMES.
-force unwarrented linking between applications/profiles (to steal data from users).
-not even make the aforementioned garbage application a bug free and fast experience.
-remove all the standard content from old games, and rerelease them as overpriced microtransactions.
-harass users with ads, making it the first and biggest thing on screen.
-charge more for microtransactions than the entirety of the older games
-charge absurd prices for 'dlc' when the game itself is over a decade old.
-force users to be online to play a singleplayer game.
-violate your users privacy every chance you get.
-actively try to destroy modding communities.
-completely ignore all feedback
-vibecode everything

congrats ea, you ran yet another universally beloved intellectual property into the ground.

Honestly let this game rot, over a grand for DLC's is crazy, and the fact they'd rather keep pumping out half baked pack after half baked pack rather than optimizing the game that's already out for the sake of their fan base is delulu.

avoid this one, 3/10

Let's be honest, The Sims 4 is far from being the best title in the series. The only game in the franchise I haven't played is the very first one. But I spent a lot of time with The Sims 2 and, especially, The Sims 3. I logged countless hours in the latter, gradually picking up some DLCs over time. When this title came into my hands, I had expectations, and they weren't met.

Much of the good content the previous installment had was missing here. For being newer, it felt more limited. In the end, I got bored and set it aside. After quite a while, when I found out they had made it free on Steam, I tried it again, and it disappointed me once more. The base game feels empty, missing a lot of content that previous games included from the start. And even though the game is free, there are far too many expansions, some of them ridiculously expensive, filled with silly content that could have been added for free. But it wouldn't be Electronic Arts if they didn't take advantage of their users.

So, I didn't stick with this installment for long. And honestly, if you're looking for a good life simulator, I recommend the earlier titles in the series, they are much, much better.