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After over six years since release, the selection of DLC for The Sims 4 is incredibly large. This can make just looking at the list of extra content feel both overwhelming and expensive for newcomers to the franchise.

While discounts on expansion, game, and stuff packs are frequent, it's still incredibly costly to buy everything, so decisions have to be made. These guides are here to help you make them. We offer some broad advice as well as reviews and articles that outline the specific content of each and every expansion, game, and stuff pack.

The Sims 4 Base Game And Guides

sims 4 base game family in a home

These articles are focused on DLC packs available for The Sims 4. If you're looking for more general advice about how to play The Sims 4, you can check out our base game guide hub for guides to everything from building to woohoo.

Related: The Sims 4 - A Complete Guide

The main purpose of this guide is to help you find the best DLC for the way you play the game. If you're a builder, stylist or storyteller there will be a pack that suits your style. Once you've got your hands on some extra content there is so much to explore. If you find yourself in need of some extra guidance check out our hub for DLC-specific guides.

Related: The Sims 4: Guides For DLC Content

Choosing The Best Packs For The Sims 4

A detective shining a lamp into an older sims face.

For many people, searching for "best Sims 4 expansion packs" seems like a great place to start but often these lists are often useless, beyond being fun to read. One person's most loved pack is another's most hated, as it all depends on how you play the game and what type of content you enjoy.

While we do have a list of the best expansion packs, as well as a ranked list of game packs, and another for stuff packs, these aren't the most useful ways of determining what content to buy.

To help give a better overview of the packs that are likely to appeal to specific types of players we also produced some lists that span the different types of content with a focus on common gameplay styles. These are a more specific starting point to get an idea of what's likely to appeal to you.

Once you've narrowed the choices down we also have some articles specifically written to explore each pack's content.

Things You Need To Know About Expansion And Game Packs

a group dance in a windenburg club.

The "things you need to know before you buy" series was written in order to explore each expansion and game pack's content in more depth. These guides focus mostly on the gameplay aspects, with just a small summary of the create a sim and build buy items.

This is because the Origin listings for DLC show you all the clothing and furniture in each pack as small thumbnails, but the gameplay is incredibly difficult to judge from the few sentences on offer.

If you want an opinion-free overview of the content you can expect from each pack check out these guides for every expansion and game pack to date.

sims from get famous, get together and seasons renders.

Expansion Packs

Sims from jungle adventure, parenthood and outdoor retreat

Game Packs

Things You Can Only Get In Stuff Packs

Two kids in their bedrooms in a split screen style image.

Stuff packs are very different from expansion and game packs as usually the content is focused on create-a-sim items as well as furniture and decor. Gameplay in stuff packs has, until recently, been very limited, meaning the "know before you buy" format didn't fit. The result was the "things you can only get" series.

These guides explore in more detail clothing, furniture, or decor items in every stuff pack. Since these packs are so heavily focused on items the idea is that these articles will showcase different styles and swatches in more detail.

Sims from movie hangout cool kitchen and fitness stuff.

Stuff Packs

Previews And Reviews

We also have good old-fashioned previews and reviews for the more recent packs, from Strangerville onwards. Some of these are scored reviews but many of the game and stuff packs are non-scored overviews. These add more opinion to the information you can get from the other articles and can be useful to find out more.

There are also some other articles that answer common questions about specific packs. These are also included in this list.

Dream Home Decorator

Courtyard Oasis Kit

Paranormal Stuff

Snowy Escape

Star Wars: Journey To Batuu

Nifty Knitting Stuff

Eco Lifestyle

a tiny home on a hill

Tiny Living Stuff

Discover University

Realm of Magic

Moschino Stuff

Island Living

Strangerville

As more DLC is released, this list will be updated with new reviews, overviews, and opinion pieces about The Sims 4's content. Keep checking back for the latest updates.

Next: The Sims Is The Only Game I Need To Use Cheats In To Have Fun