Download Sims 5 for PC (2023 Update)

You’re probably here because you want to download The Sims 5 or expansion packs for PC. You’ve come to the right place! On this page, you will find everything you need to know about the fifth generation.

When is The Sims 5 coming to PC? How do you download the game? How much does it cost, and where can you purchase it? Will it be available for free? And how about a demo or trial version? The answers to these and other questions can be found below.

On this page:

Can I download Sims 5 for PC yet? When is the release date?

At the moment (2023), you can’t download The Sims 5 just yet. The good news is that Electronic Arts and Maxis have already announced the game. When is it actually coming? The release date has yet to be confirmed.

In October 2022, Lyndsay Pearson (Vice President of Franchise Creative for The Sims at Maxis) confirmed that the release of the fifth generation is still “a couple of years away.”

Therefore, we don’t expect the release to happen in 2023. Based on this, a release in 2024 seems more likely. The release date could also vary depending on the market. Sometimes, North America (the US + Canada) is the first region where new video games are released, followed by the UK, other European countries, Australia, and other markets.

The Sims 4 came out in 2013 and is long overdue, so it shouldn’t be long before the fifth generation will be available on PC.

We are expecting more details about the launch date in 2023.

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Is Sims 5 actually coming to PC?

Some of you may wonder if The Sims 5 will actually be released for PC.

The answer is yes! And that’s not just a rumor; it has been confirmed officially.

In an episode of Behind The Sims in January 2023, Grant Rodiek (also known as SimGuruGrant), Game Director for Project Rene (which is the working title for The Sims 5), confirmed that the game will actually be coming to PC.

But there’s even more exciting news! The Sims 5 will become a cross-platform game. It means that you can play the game simultaneously on a PC and other platforms, like a mobile device.

Sounds exciting, right!?

Rodiek confirmed the cross-platform functionality during the Behind The Sims episode as well.

EA and Maxis have yet to reveal when the game is actually going to be released. However, Rodiek said that it is “Years out”, which indicates that it will be several years before the game is going to be released.

A small group of Sims fans have already been able to play a version of the game that is still in the early stages of development. This is because EA and Maxis are organizing so-called “playtesting” sessions where gamers get to try out small parts of the game.

As soon as it’s possible to pre-order the game for PC, we’ll share more details on our site.

Which editions of Sims 5 for PC can we expect?

What versions of The Sims 5’s base game can we expect for PC? Even though nothing has officially been announced, we surely expect a few special editions of the base game to come out.

When The Sims 5’s predecessor, The Sims 4, was launched, it also came in different variations. In addition to the full Standard Edition of the base game, there was also a Limited Edition, Premium Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, and even a Collector’s Edition. Each edition came with different additional content.

It’s also likely that bundles with the base game and several expansion packs will be available after a few have been released. For example, these days, there are numerous bundles available for The Sims 4.

Where can I purchase Sims 5 for PC?

At the moment (2023), you can’t download The Sims 5 for PC just yet. However, once it’s available, you will be able to purchase it on a variety of sites and game platforms.

Of course, the game will be available for purchase through the EA app (which used to be called Origin). It may also be available through EA Play, EA’s own subscription service.

However, there will probably also be other places where you can buy the game. We expect the game to be available on popular sites like Steam and Amazon.

In addition, the game will likely be available on CD key sites like MMOGA, CDKeys, Instant Gaming, Gamivo, CJS CD Keys, SCDKEY, Allkeyshop, Eneba, G2A, HRKGame, and others.

Please note that The Sims 5 is currently scheduled for release in 2023 on Instant Gaming, but EA and Maxis have not confirmed this.

Once the fifth generation can be pre-ordered from legitimate sources, we will definitely share more details on this site.

Where can I download Sims 5 for PC?

Right now (2023), you can’t buy The Sims 5. But once the game is out and you’ve bought it, you’ll be able to download it on different platforms.

What are the best places to download the fifth generation?

First of all, you can download the game through the EA app, which is EA’s platform for digital games. Aside from that, it will probably be available on EA Play, EA’s game subscription service. But there are more options.

We also expect the game to be available via other distribution platforms, such as Steam.

Within the EA app or Steam, you can then redeem your activation code (also called a license key or serial code), download the game, install the game, and then play the game.

Some sites and software tools provide fake PC cracks and Torrents, for example, on uTorrent or The Pirate Bay. Please be cautious; these sites might infect your device with malware or viruses. The game isn’t even out yet. Downloading from unofficial or untrusted sources can be risky!

How can I download Sims 5 for PC?

There’s bad news and good news. The bad news is that The Sims 5 is not yet available at this moment (2023). The good news is that the game has been announced, so it’s actually being developed and will be out soon! Once it’s available, you can get the game as a digital download.

But how can you download The Sims 5 for PC once it’s out? Even though the game isn’t available at this moment, we can already share a few details about this. So here’s a quick guide:

The Sims 5 will surely be available on the EA app (formerly known as Origin). You can look for The Sims 5 in the EA app by using the search bar or the menu. From there, you’ll have to redeem and activate it before downloading it. The download process could take a while, but once it’s done, you can install and play the fifth generation using the EA app.

The Sims 5 may even come to Steam, but you’ll probably still need the EA app to run the game.

As soon as the fifth generation is available, we’ll share more detailed instructions and download options here. Then, of course, we’ll also do the same for expansion packs.

Can I download Sims 5 for PC without using the EA app?

Once The Sims 5 is available, the only way to download the game without using the EA app is to use Steam. However, even when you use Steam to download the game, you will still need the EA app to run the game.

Therefore, playing the fifth generation without the EA app is unfortunately not really possible.

What about expansion packs for the PC version of Sims 5?

There are currently (2023) no expansion packs for The Sims 5 available just yet. We’re expecting the first expansion packs (often called DLC) to arrive shortly after the base game’s release for PC. However, the base game’s release date has yet to be announced.

In addition to large expansion packs, we may also be getting smaller packs comparable to game packs, stuff packs, or kits in The Sims 4. In-game microtransactions are also a possibility. Details about this have not yet been confirmed.

You may be wondering what expansion pack themes we can expect for the fifth generation. Some popular themes are likely to come back, such as pets, seasons, universities, world adventures, city life, generations, and ambitions.

There will probably be a number of platforms where you can buy expansion packs for PC. In addition to the EA app (formerly known as Origin) and EA Play (EA’s subscription service), we’re expecting them to appear on other platforms like Amazon, Steam, and CD key sites as well.

As EA continues to move away from physical games, expansions will probably only be available in digital form. This is already noticeable with The Sims 4, where there haven’t been any physical expansion packs released in recent years. Some physical expansion packs can only be bought in bundles that include the base game and expansions combined.

Speaking of bundles, we expect a few downloadable bundles for The Sims 5 on PC. Together with the base game, these will most likely feature multiple expansions.

What about Sims 5’s cross-platform compatibility?

One feature that many Simmers have been requesting for years is cross-platform capabilities.

You may be wondering what cross-platform compatibility actually means. It means that you can play the game on different platforms all at the same time.

Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts, discussed the possibility of offering cross-platform capabilities in The Sims 5 for the first time in February 2020.

Wilson said the following:

“As Maxis continues to think about The Sims for a new generation – across platforms and a cloud-enabled world, you should imagine while we will always stay true to our inspiration, escape, creation, self-improvement, motivations – that this notion of social interactions and competition like the kind of things that were actually present in The Sims Online many, many years ago – that they will start to become part of ongoing Sims experience in the years to come.”
– Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts

Wilson’s words caused a lot of uproar in the Sims community. Some Simmers were strongly against this idea, while others loved it.

More recently, in January 2023, Grant Rodiek, the Game Director for Project Rene (The Sims 5’s working title), officially confirmed that The Sims 5 will become a cross-platform game. Rodiek talked about this during the The Sims Summit.

Rodiek confirmed that the fifth generation can be played on PC and mobile simultaneously. This list will probably grow in the future to include more platforms, like Mac, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

The development of cross-platform capabilities is also a big challenge for the team working on the game. Rodiek explains:

“This is a huge challenge. But the thing that excites us so much is that we can basically remove the barriers to play for The Sims. So, what we mean by this is that you can have that deep dive at home, on your PC, play for 4 hours, change every single thing about a piece of furniture that you can imagine, type in RGB values, and changing every single part. That’s the PC experience. That’s the true rich experience you’re used to.

But then, on the go, you can grab your phone and maybe it’s a different experience. Maybe you’re grabbing archetypes, pre-selecting templates or maybe grabbing the stuff you’ve already created. What this means is that you can now play The Sims, wherever you are, without barriers and restrictions. We think that’s really powerful and really exciting!”
– Grant Rodiek, Game Director for The Sims 5 at Electronic Arts

Which PC brands will support Sims 5 and its expansions?

Which PC brands will be able to run The Sims 5 smoothly? Generally speaking, most new Windows-based laptops and desktop computers with high specs should be able to run The Sims 5.

However, the minimum system requirements have yet to be announced, but we can already estimate what they will be.

In general, The Sims 5 should run well on devices with high specs from brands like Acer, Alienware, ASUS, Dell, GIGABYTE, HP, Lenovo, MEDION, Microsoft, MSI, Samsung, and others. Besides that, Mac devices from Apple will probably also be supported.

We believe that any notebook from the brands above that has the following specs should be able to run The Sims 5 games relatively smoothly: 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11, an Intel Core i5 processor or better, 8 GB of RAM or more, and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 or better.

Scroll down this page to find out more about the minimum requirements. But, again, before buying a new laptop or desktop computer, we strongly suggest waiting until the official system specs are out.

Will it be possible to download Sims 5 and its expansions for free on PC?

Now that The Sims 5’s predecessor, The Sims 4, is available for free, many Simmers want to know if the fifth generation will also be free.

Nothing has been confirmed, but it’s very unlikely that the base game of The Sims 5 for PC will be free in the first few years after it comes out, at least not legally. Why, you may wonder?

The main reason is that both EA and Maxis need to make money. So giving the game away for free in the beginning won’t help them reach their goal, especially since there aren’t any add-ons yet.

Expansion packs won’t likely be offered for free during the first few years after their release, either.

The Sims 5 is rumored to feature microtransactions, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet. Not sure what microtransactions are? It means you can pay a small amount of money to purchase in-game items or features.

How much will it cost to download Sims 5 and expansion packs on PC?

Even though the official prices for The Sims 5 haven’t been announced yet, we can already share some details about the estimated cost of the base game and expansion packs.

These prices are based on The Sims 4’s launch price and expansion pack prices. The base game and add-ons for the fifth generation will probably cost about the same.

Let’s explore this a little more!

Base game pricing details

The standard edition of The Sims 5’s base game is expected to cost between $40 – $60 USD (or €40 – €60) at launch, based on previous The Sims titles. The base game’s other editions will probably cost a little more money.

Here is an indication of what the different editions may cost:

Base game (standard edition): $40 – $60 USD (€40 – €60 euros)
Base game (other editions): $60 – $100 USD (€60 – €100 euros)

Expansion packs pricing details

For expansion packs, the pricing depends on the content that’s included. Expansion packs are usually a bit cheaper than base games, ranging from $15 to $40 USD (approximately €15 – €40). At the moment, we don’t know exactly what different types of packs will be coming, so take this with a grain of salt.

This is an indication of what the different types of packs may cost:

Big expansion packs: $30 – $40 USD (€30 – €40 euros)
Game packs: $15 – $20 USD (€15 – €20 euros)
Stuff packs: $10 – $15 USD (€10 – €15 euros)
Kits: $5– $10 USD (€5 – €10 euros)

It’s important to know that the prices listed above are just estimates. Games usually get cheaper over time, and discounts and sales happen on a regular basis. So if you’re on a tight budget, it might be best to wait for a little, so that games become more affordable.

Where can I find discounts or sales on Sims 5 and its expansions for PC?

Right now (2023), you can’t buy The Sims 5 just yet. But once it’s out there, there will be regular sales for sure.

Games are often cheaper around holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, Easter, Back to School, Thanksgiving, and other special days.

During these days, you can profit from big discounts on both base games and expansion packs.

You can find discounts in the EA app and on third-party sites like Steam, Amazon, and CD key sites.

As soon as The Sims 5 is available to buy, we’ll share the best deals on this site.

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Will there be a demo or trial version for Sims 5 on PC?

Many Simmers are wondering if The Sims 5 for PC will have a trial or demo version. Even though this hasn’t been confirmed yet, there will likely be a trial or demo version of the game before or after its launch.

When we look at the generations that came before The Sims 5, we can see that The Sims 4 also had a Create A Sim (CAS) demo. For The Sims 3, there was even a full demo of the base game and a demo of Create a Pet (CAP).

Therefore, we are also expecting a trial version for the fifth generation. As soon as we have more information, we’ll share it on our site.

What are the recommended system requirements for Sims 5 on PC?

Before purchasing, checking whether your laptop or desktop PC can run an entirely new game is always a good idea.

The official system specifications haven’t been announced yet, but based on the minimum requirements for The Sims 4, we can already estimate what the minimum requirements for the fifth generation will be.

You will most likely be in a good position if your computer meets the minimum specifications listed below.

Does your computer not meet the minimum requirements below? Then it may perhaps be a good idea to upgrade to a new device.

However, we do recommend waiting until EA and Maxis reveal the official specs.

Minimum system requirements:

OS: 64 Bit Windows 10 or Windows 11.
CPU: Intel Core i5 or better, AMD Athlon X4 or better.
VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 or better.
RAM: 8 GB of RAM or more.
HARD DRIVE: At least 30 to 50 GB of free disk storage space.
ONLINE REQUIREMENTS: Internet connection required for product activation and using in-game online features.

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