Just when players thought 21 free gifts for The Sims’ 21st Anniversary and the announcement of bunk beds being added to the game in a free patch in March, EA goes back to pushing paid content with the recent release of a new game type for The Sims 4, Kits. At the price of $5 USD, Kits are meant to be bite-sized niche packs that offer one style of content. However, with the new Sims 4 Kits featuring so few items and two of the three Kits having content similar to that of what’s already been released, these Kits aren’t quite worth getting yet.
This isn’t the first time EA has tried to market off of supposed-niche Sims content that may not fit in an expansion pack, game pack, or stuff pack. The Sims 3 store is filled with expensive niche-like things for players to buy. The d sets within the store, which are essentially equal to Stuff Packs in of content size, are often more expensive than Sims 4 stuff packs and can get as high as the price of a regular Sims 4 expansion pack. While The Sims 4 Kits are only $5 USD, the similar feel they have to The Sims 3 store may have players worried that The Sims 4 is transitioning into a new age of microtransactions.
The three Kits that are available for The Sims 4 right now are The Sims 4 Bust the Dust Kit, The Sims 4 Throwback Fit Kit, and The Sims 4 Country Kitchen Kit. The Bust the Dust Kit is a gameplay-focused pack that features five new vacuums for gameplay, two new aspirations, and various interactions pertaining to cleanliness. The Country Kitchen Kit is a build/buy-focused pack that features a cozy kitchen set with new appliances and décor items. Finally, the Throwback Fit Kit is a Create-A-Sim-focused pack that highlights 90s-styled athletic and leisure clothing. Buying all three Kits would cost players $15 USD, which is more than a Sims 4 stuff pack. These Kits do present different opportunities for players who may focus on one playstyle, but there are other avenues players can take to play The Sims 4 their way.
Why Sims 4 Kits Aren’t Worth The Money Yet
Out of the three Sims 4 Kits that are available, only the Bust the Dust Kit fits into a niche category players may not be able to get through mods or content featured in previously-released packs. The Sims 4 Parenthood game pack comes with a country-styled kitchen set, and The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff pack is centered around kitchen objects. Players can also find better, cool custom Sims 4 content items made by modders online for free, which can make the Country Kitchen Kit seem less necessary. In the same vein, players may not be entranced by the Throwback Fit Kit if they have The Sims 4 Fitness Stuff pack, which includes similar bright fitness clothing as well as build/buy and gameplay objects.
The Sims 4 Kits are an interesting concept that can make for some unique content. However, having recycled gameplay animations or styles in additional paid content when there’s already similar things in the game doesn’t really give players hope for an improved experience and better future for The Sims. Buying every Sims 4 pack is already expensive as is, and the addition of Kits only adds to the total price tag.
Kits have the potential to be great in The Sims 4 if the content is truly niche. If EA is able to create something totally unique that can’t be experienced with mods or other packs, players could potentially be more likely to buy Sims 4 Kits over other DLC. Perfectionists and collectors may buy all the Kits anyway so that they aren’t without content, but the average simmer may not bite at these tiny Sims 4 DLC Kits. With all three Kits combined costing most than one stuff pack despite having less content, perhaps players should hold off until the Kits are on sale before they consider buying. At least then The Sims 4's Kits would be a little more worth players' hard-earned simoleons.