The Sims 4 Switch release leaves fans frustrated

The Sims 4 Switch release leaves fans frustrated
Images vis Maxis | Nintendo

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Published 

30th Jan 2024 12:49

After all these years of building your own pixelated dream house, getting impregnated by aliens, and finding cruel ways to murder your Sims, you'd think Electronic Arts would've jumped on the brilliant brainwave of putting The Sims on Nintendo Switch. Come on, it's everywhere else. 

2024 marks nine years since The Sims 4 released, and while most of us are looking ahead at the eventual release of Project Rene/The Sims 5, EA doesn't look like it's slowing down with expansions. Only recently, we had Goth and Medieval overhauls, as the dollar signs still ring in the publisher's eyes.

The Sims Switch rumour gets immediately debunked

We know EA likes money, and we know fans like The Sims, so why is The Sims not on Switch? We're not just talking about The Sims 4, but others being dusted off from the franchise's back catalogue. Our hopes were raised when TheHenfordHen spotted that the EA website listed the Nintendo Switch as a platform for The Sims 4.

It didn't take long for an official Sims social media account to respond to the post and confirm The Sims 4 is currently not available on the Switch. Added to this, they reiterated there are no plans to bring the title to Nintnedo's home/portable hybrid, while all mentions of the Switch have now been removed from the site.

Sadly, this confirmation suggests that The Sims had not only been locked out of the Switch, but future Nintendo consoles. Fear not because Animal Crossing can scratch those Sim-ish itches, although many agree that lining Tom Nook's pockets isn't always as fun as setting fire to the Sad Clown.

The sad state of The Sims on Switch

The Sims 4 Tragic Clown
Click to enlarge
Image via Maxis

There's a notable gap in The Sims market on the Switch. None of the franchise's titles are available on the platform, and there are no signs that they're coming anytime soon. Considering you can take your Sims experience on the go with The Sims Mobile and The Sims Freeplay, you might be asking what's going on.

Nintendo versions of The Sims have a history of being wildly different to their console counterparts, and back in the day, who could forget visiting Strangetown with The Sims 2 on the DS? Unfortunately, there was a pretty public backlash when EA Senior Software Engineer and Architect Bob Summerwill referred to the Wii U as "crap."

The future of the franchise is also unclear, and although we know The Sims 5 is coming to mobile, its arrival on that long-rumoured Switch 2 is less likely. EA CEO Andrew Wilson previously explained the publisher's limited Nintendo support (via IGN), saying most Switch owners also have a PlayStation or Xbox. Great, clown's crying. 

Tom Chapman
About the author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
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