The Sims 4 is getting 2 base game updates to celebrate the series 25th anniversary

The Sims series turns 25 next month—fully developed frontal lobe and all—and Maxis has started laying out how it will be celebrating the milestone with new announcements, merch, and game updates. The Sims 4 is getting several different updates and free content drops, starting today and with more to come on the actual anniversary on February 4.

Personally I'm pretty positive on the new start screen, which feels like a great departure from the cluttered menu full of announcement boxes that looked inspired by Windows 8's tiles. In addition to that there are refreshes on old content, new items, and another limited time event coming too.

What's coming in the 25th anniversary base game updates?

On January 14:
Redesigned start screen featuring your last played family
Redesigns of townie homes for Pancake, Goth, Caliente, Landgraab, and BFF

On February 4:
70+ new items for CAS and Build/Buy mode
Limited time event called "Blast from the Past" with in-game rewards

New start screen

The Sims 4 just got a new main menu screen, and it's a pretty big change from what the menu has looked like for the past decade. It totally does away with the tiled announcements format that we've had for a while and instead features your last-played family really prominently in the center. It's actually a great change, sweeping DLC purchases and scenarios reminders into side panels and different tabs so that the focus of the screen is on you and your actual game.

Townie home redesigns

As it's been doing with redesigns on specific sim families, Maxis has also refreshed and updated the designs for some townie houses. The Goth, Pancake, Caliente, Landgraab, and BFF houses are all refreshed with new exterior designs and furniture swatches. You can really spot the difference on the Goth mansion which got a really overhauled roof design and much better contrast in its window trims, fences, and other details.

New CAS and Build/Buy

On the actual anniversary on February 4, The Sims 4 is getting another big content drop with new CAS fashion and Build/Buy items too. Maxis bills it as over 70 new items across CAS and Build/Buy. Revealed in EA's post are:

• Two new hairstyles
• Baby hairs added to three existing hairstyles
• A new goatee
• A toddler hairstyle
• Gold chain necklace
• Pearls necklace
• Fitted cap headwear
• Heels, sneakers, and sandals
• New clothes including a turtleneck, bodysuit, jackets, jeans, bike shorts, and more
• New windows and doors
• New wood finishes for kitchen cabinets
• A large pirate ship kids outdoor playset

Blast from the Past event

Maxis is also running another limited time event with rewards for The Sims 4. Like the recent Halloween and winter holiday events, there will be themed quests to complete in Live Mode that reward in-game items over the four weeks. The theme is a nostalgia-fueled "blast from the past" so there's some iconic Sims 1 stuff in there like colorful inflatable chairs and a giant cake along with more general aughts nostalgia like milk cartons and home phones.