Nearly a decade after its launch, The Sims 4 continues to evolve — and its next major patch might be one of the game’s most impactful yet.
EA and Maxis have officially announced the “Laundry List” update, arriving on November 4, 2025, which will deliver more than 150 bug fixes, improvements, and free content additions across all platforms.
This latest patch is part of the studio’s ongoing Quality of Life Roadmap, a new initiative designed to address long-standing community concerns and refine core gameplay systems. According to EA, following the announcement of the roadmap, the official Sims forums saw a 148% increase in page views and an astounding 903% jump in player votes on reported bugs — a clear sign of how engaged the player base remains after nearly ten years.
🧺 The Sims 4’s Biggest “Laundry List” Yet
As the name implies, the “Laundry List” update serves as a comprehensive round-up of bug fixes and polish improvements inspired directly by community feedback. From family relationship issues to gameplay stability, the November 4 patch touches nearly every corner of The Sims 4 experience.
Among the hundreds of changes included in the patch, EA highlighted several of the most requested and upvoted fixes by players — many of which address long-standing frustrations in the game’s family, social, and AI systems.
Here are some of the most notable fixes confirmed for the upcoming update:
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🖼️ Photo corruption bug fixed: Photos in inventory will no longer turn black after being taken with the in-game camera.
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🧪 Sabotage interaction fix: Sims can no longer sabotage items unless they’ve completed the Deviance aspiration.
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🍸 Mixologist improvements: Bartenders now prioritize drink orders over conversations, ensuring faster service.
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👶 Genetics overhaul: Children now inherit physical features more clearly from their parents, improving family realism.
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❤️ Relationship decay slowed: Relationships deteriorate less quickly, making long-term friendships and romances more sustainable.
These fixes directly address player concerns that have persisted for years, particularly for fans focused on family gameplay and generational storytelling — two of The Sims 4’s most popular playstyles.
🧑🍳 Hundreds of Quality of Life Improvements Across the Board
Beyond the top-voted changes, the patch will implement dozens of smaller tweaks that collectively enhance everyday play. Household AI, performance, and Create-a-Sim (CAS) usability are all receiving significant updates.
Here are some of the other major highlights from the Laundry List patch:
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Household staff like nannies, butlers, and firefighters now perform their duties more reliably.
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Infants are properly placed in cribs and correctly sent to daycare when parents leave home.
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Random NPCs will no longer wander into Sims’ homes through sliding doors uninvited.
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Townie generation has been reduced to improve performance and prevent overcrowded neighborhoods.
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Create-a-Sim categories and color swatches have been cleaned up for better consistency.
Maxis describes this update as a “community-first milestone,” marking the first wave of visible improvements promised under the Quality of Life Roadmap. Future updates will continue to refine gameplay systems, focusing on player feedback through bug reports and forum discussions.
🏡 A Decade Later, The Sims 4 Still Has Life Left in It
Released in 2014, The Sims 4 remains one of EA’s most active and profitable live-service titles, supported by a steady stream of expansion packs, kits, and free patches. Despite the upcoming Project Rene (widely believed to be The Sims 5) currently in development, EA and Maxis are showing no signs of slowing down support for The Sims 4.
The November 4 update reflects that commitment — blending fan feedback, performance improvements, and creative fixes into one of the game’s most comprehensive patches to date.
For players who’ve stuck with The Sims 4 since the beginning, it’s a reassuring sign that EA is continuing to refine the experience, even as the series prepares for its next generation.
