The Sims 4: Businesses & Hobbies brings the gig economy to Sims life

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Even though The Sims 4 is over a decade old, it’s still receiving fresh updates. On March 6, 2025, an expansion pack titled Businesses & Hobbies will be released for the game. As you might expect, this new addition allows your Sims to have more defined hobbies apart from their professional or other main activities, and they can even convert these pastimes into small businesses. In essence, the concept of a side job has now arrived in The Sims 4. Although it won’t involve working for exploitative ride-sharing companies or delivering groceries for contemporary robber barons, you will have the choice to transform a part of your living space into a small business outlet. Yippee!

At a virtual showcase, I had an opportunity to witness the live demonstration of a forthcoming expansion pack. To put it humorously, there’s more depth to these new additions than one might initially anticipate, particularly with the fresh skills that have been introduced. Among them are pottery and tattoo-making, which seem fitting for small business owners in The Sims 4. The tattoo skill is noteworthy as it allows players to not only learn, enhance, and monetize the ability but also to create their own unique tattoos. There’s a broad spectrum of design choices available, from employing pre-made templates to crafting entirely original artwork.

Operating a business involves certain prerequisites: finding an appropriate location with suitable amenities, paying for a license or registration, and possessing the skills necessary for your chosen profession – whether that’s one skill or multiple ones! A standout aspect of the small business feature in The Sims 4 is its progressive nature, as activities become available based on previous game expansions. For instance, at an event, someone might discuss managing a vampire-themed dance club, which takes the concept of running a weekly goth club at your neighborhood bar to a new level. With this feature, you can offer various services like food sales, fitness classes, and even tattoo sessions, all within the same establishment. The possibilities for uniqueness are virtually endless!

In this virtual world, you have the opportunity to specialize in an area of interest and act as a tutor, conducting lessons using innovative whiteboard items. This could be anything from pottery-making classes to teaching other Sims about vampirism, if that’s more your style! However, it’s essential to participate in classes yourself before you can start teaching, whether you plan to establish a business or simply decorate your space with self-made items. The process indicates that there’s a depth to this experience beyond just navigating new menus.

The article gives you an introduction to Businesses & Hobbies, and there will be lots of detailed information for enthusiasts of The Sims 4 to explore once the expansion is released. I’m eager to discover the creative ways people come up with to make money and succeed in this game, especially those who already own several DLC packages for The Sims 4. In fact, I’ve been incorporating some elements of this expansion into my daily life, but it seems a bit embarrassing to imagine doing it all again in a video game. However, I might change my mind and give it a try when the expansion becomes available on March 6, as I could have more fun with a hobby that I don’t actually practice in real life.

The Sims 4: Businesses & Hobbies will be released on March 6, 2025. We were fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at this expansion during a virtual demo event, and we were given temporary access to the game on PC for the purpose of writing this preview article.

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2025-02-28 23:27