What’s coming to The Sims 4 isn’t just a game changer, it’s drama

The big baby update for The Sims 4 is almost here, and Kotaku got an insight into how the new Growing together The Expansion Pack DLC and the free updates to the base game will play out.

Yes, the babies will finally be freed, but with that freedom will come a variety of new ways to play with infants. And Growing together expansion looks like it will easily join the list of must-haves among The Sims 4its already crowded list of DLC options.

We’ll go over everything you need to know ahead of the big update and what’s coming Growing together expansion.

The Sims 4 free the babies

The long awaited baby update coming to everyone Sims 4 players March 14. And the extent of this change is somewhat difficult to describe to casual fans or onlookers.

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You may be familiar with a particular one Sims meme, one of a caring mother on her computer while her baby lies next to her on fire. In addition to creating a scenario that only feels possible in MadLibs, it has been impossible to recreate in the latest iteration of the game as babies have been tied to bassinets, serving only as static objects ever since. The Sims 4 came out in 2014.

The fourth main line Sims the game brought a number of regressions to the series. It initially lacked ghosts, pools, terrain tools and toddlers, among other details considered staples of the franchise at the time. All of these were eventually added The Sims 4 (although many fans could list any number of previously existing features that never came), but babies in all their non-object glory were nowhere to be seen. Until now of course.

Infancy will be a new life phase entirely for the fourth entry The Sims franchise. This means you can create and style a baby in the Create-a-Sim menu just like you can for any other Sim. It also means that babies can now have more than three skin tones. Yes, babies used to have only three skin tones and all had the same face. With the update, you can not only choose from any skin tone offered for other Sims, but you can also give them different hair and outfits. They may also have what are called stork bites, reddish or pink spots on the skin that usually disappear over time.

Infants are, understandably, dependent on others, even more so than toddlers or toddlers. They will also come with new interactions such as changing nappies, feeding them in highchairs and giving them bubble baths.

Babies come with a major free base game update

For the rest of the family, they will have new interactions focused specifically on how they interact with infants. But they also get things just for themselves. There will be more birthmarks and stretch marks for all age groups. And as a boon for players focused on storytelling, you can now create a “science baby” in addition to making your Sims goof off or choose adoption.

There will also be new infant beds, including one that turns into a toddler bed as your baby grows, and new bassinet designs if you haven’t become hopelessly attached to the one baby servo we’ve all been forced to use since 2014.

And if you don’t want to deal with babies at all, but still want to enjoy something from the base game update, you can knit a onesie now if you have Knifty Knitting Case package.

The Growing together Expansion Pack Adds Family Dysfunction (In a Good Way)

Arguably the biggest draw is the new world of San Sequoia, appealing to both storytelling and builder players. According to the developers, it is based on the Bay Area where they are located, and has a bay front neighborhood with lots of outdoor space. Sims can explore San Sequoia’s nature walk or pier, play in the splash pad, or spend time in the theater.

But Growing together, in the heart, is an expansion pack about family and interaction. So while everyone will gain access to the new infant life stage, Growing together adds further depth to the task of raising babies. In the base game, infants will act like a normal 8-month-old, but in Growing togetheryou will see the little ones develop from a newborn around 2 months old to a 12-month old.

This progression is also marked by Milestones, which track life events such as a baby learning to lift its head or mastering potty training. This also acts as a way to unlock more abilities for babies to move around the world, eventually allowing them to sit up on their own or roll over from their backs. Milestones will also work for older Sims and can change how they interact with the world. For example, if your Sim doesn’t find a bathroom in time, the unfortunate milestone will stick with them forever, affecting them should they return to the site of the initial embarrassment.

And just like with real babies, Sims babies will have their own quirks. Literal. There are 18 in total, and you can discover a sim baby’s three specific quirks as they live in the world. Maybe they are more picky or a little aggressive. They can be useful, add difficulty, or just add cute touches, according to the developers.

Even before the bundle of joy arrives, you can organize a baby shower to celebrate. You don’t need a pregnant Sim to host the event, whether you’re planning to adopt or create a science baby. Of course, not everyone in the family can be happy about the addition. New family dynamics can add layers to storytelling and interaction. Maybe it’s sibling rivalry, someone might be the family clown, or maybe it’s a nice family where everyone is super supportive of each other. Regardless, Growing together puts a lot of emphasis on how the Sims co-exist. In addition to family dynamics, Sims can dictate their preferences for other Sims’ traits. Maybe they don’t like other sims who are mean, or maybe they’re really put off by a gym rat sim. This will affect their compatibility. So maybe two Sims click right away, maybe it takes some tweaking, or maybe they’ll hate each other forever.

Either way, the possibilities for telling and exploring stories will grow enormously when the expansion pack launches next month.

The Sims 4 release the babies on March 14, and the Growing together The expansion pack will follow shortly after March 16.